Network Vision/LTE - Chicago Market

[S4GRU]

wow, is this the first sighting of 800MHz SMR on CDMA in the wild? that's like finding Big Foot!!!! Congratulations! :-)

 

So glad that 800Mhz CDMA finally becoming "real" for Sprint after 7 long years since the merger completed.

 

800mhz will dramatically improve coverage and in-building penetration for Sprint customers (those lucky enough to be on new handsets). makes me want to go out and get S3 for my back-up phone even before we get LTE.

 

We have had about a dozen confirmed CDMA 800 connections in the Chicago market the past 60 days or so. This is the first one at a good distance. We also have had one confirmed LA and DC CDMA 800 connection.

 

Robert

[Joeynach]

Wait something just hit me. After the dozens and dozens of complaints about how poor people's 3G Sprint service is during the NV disruption and build out I am a bit confused. We all have 4G WiMax phones right and have been surviving on WiMax, owned by Clearwire, for some time now while we wait for LTE from NV. So if NV is the upgrade of Sprint's cell sites (3G EVDO only) with front end and backhaul, and we all have WiMax phones, which comes from ClearWire owned/operated cell sites, we shouldn't really see any disruption as long as we are on the WiMax service right?

[pyroscott]

Wait something just hit me. After the dozens and dozens of complaints about how poor people's 3G Sprint service is during the NV disruption and build out I am a bit confused. We all have 4G WiMax phones right and have been surviving on WiMax, owned by Clearwire, for some time now while we wait for LTE from NV. So if NV is the upgrade of Sprint's cell sites (3G EVDO only) with front end and backhaul, and we all have WiMax phones, which comes from ClearWire owned/operated cell sites, we shouldn't really see any disruption as long as we are on the WiMax service right?

 

Correct, but many people bought LTE phones and no longer can access WiMax.

[shmty25]

Wait something just hit me. After the dozens and dozens of complaints about how poor people's 3G Sprint service is during the NV disruption and build out I am a bit confused. We all have 4G WiMax phones right and have been surviving on WiMax, owned by Clearwire, for some time now while we wait for LTE from NV. So if NV is the upgrade of Sprint's cell sites (3G EVDO only) with front end and backhaul, and we all have WiMax phones, which comes from ClearWire owned/operated cell sites, we shouldn't really see any disruption as long as we are on the WiMax service right?

 

This also assumes you are closer to the city where Wimax coverage is a little more reliable. If you are out in the suburbs where wimax is spotty at best, you are also in the same boat being without reliable data coverage until the upgrades are complete.

[Joeynach]

This also assumes you are closer to the city where Wimax coverage is a little more reliable. If you are out in the suburbs where wimax is spotty at best, you are also in the same boat being without reliable data coverage until the upgrades are complete.

 

Yeah for sure, but I live/work in the city. This means I am a lot less concerned about the systematic NV problems that have been reported on this board when NV finally comes to the city proper. My phone is in 4G WiMax mode probably around 75% of the time so the NV upgrades shouldn't effect me and other WiMax users all that much.....thats awesome news.

[CriticalityEvent]

…

We all have 4G WiMax phones right and have been surviving on WiMax, owned by Clearwire, for some time now while we wait for LTE from NV.

…

Correct, but many people bought LTE phones and no longer can access WiMax.

 

Believe me, I wish my EVO LTE had the WiMAX bolt-on that my OG EVO had to carry me over until LTE finishes rolling out, but we all don’t have access to it.

 

Yeah for sure, but I live/work in the city. This means I am a lot less concerned about the systematic NV problems that have been reported on this board when NV finally comes to the city proper. My phone is in 4G WiMax mode probably around 75% of the time so the NV upgrades shouldn't effect me and other WiMax users all that much.....thats awesome news.

 

Where around the city are you to get such great coverage? Are you able to maintain the connection fairly well while moving? What kind of speeds are you seeing? Sorry if I sound like I'm interrogating you; my OG EVO was terrible in the Loop, Lakeview, Andersonville, Lincoln Park... pretty much everywhere I went. With all of those buildings, I'm surprised I saw it at all considering it was on 2600MHz.

[dannible]

Backhaul seems to already be install at the Glencoe tower I took a pic of in Tuesday. Under 100 pings and over 2mbps down speeds. Still getting errors while trying to upload from forum runner

[Billydakid91]

Today I was driving to governors state university and remembered that some people had a good lte connection and decided to test it. I got the lte to connect but I had to switch in and out of airplane mode. I will post my results in a bit. I had perfect coverage from 183rd and up.

[Joeynach]

Believe me, I wish my EVO LTE had the WiMAX bolt-on that my OG EVO had to carry me over until LTE finishes rolling out, but we all don’t have access to it.

 

 

 

Where around the city are you to get such great coverage? Are you able to maintain the connection fairly well while moving? What kind of speeds are you seeing? Sorry if I sound like I'm interrogating you; my OG EVO was terrible in the Loop, Lakeview, Andersonville, Lincoln Park... pretty much everywhere I went. With all of those buildings, I'm surprised I saw it at all considering it was on 2600MHz.

 

I live in Lincoln Park near Diversey and Lincoln and get fine WiMax coverage in and around my apartment. Its on probably 75% of the time. I work in the loop near Mich/Wacker and again I get fine coverage in and around my office, again 75% of the time. The only time I dont get WiMax coverage is in random spots, bad reception areas (elevators, underground red line, basements, deep within building, etc), and of course when I travel probably 20-25+ miles outside of the city proper. I was recently in Pittsburgh for a wedding and had WiMax coverage about 80% of the time where I went all over the city there too.

[biker1284]

I also got great wimax near Diversey/Sheffield. Actually, Wimax worked for me pretty well both in the city and the near suburbs. Suburbs it was a little faster, I could get 10mb down for awhile.

[djmiro83]

I also got great wimax near Diversey/Sheffield. Actually' date=' Wimax worked for me pretty well both in the city and the near suburbs. Suburbs it was a little faster, I could get 10mb down for awhile.[/quote']

 

I miss WiMax when it first launched. My OG EVO would pull down 5-7 Mbps even with a somewhat weaker signal.

 

Sent from my JB iPhone 4S using Forum Runner

[Joeynach]

I miss WiMax when it first launched. My OG EVO would pull down 5-7 Mbps even with a somewhat weaker signal.

 

Sent from my JB iPhone 4S using Forum Runner

 

Thats about what I get on average with WiMax right now in the city, usually between 5-8Mpbs.

[djmiro83]

Thats about what I get on average with WiMax right now in the city, usually between 5-8Mpbs.

 

Yeah, right before I left the EVO to get the iPhone... the speed would top out at about 3Mbps... and that was even with a WiMax tower just down the street.

[Joeynach]

Yeah, right before I left the EVO to get the iPhone... the speed would top out at about 3Mbps... and that was even with a WiMax tower just down the street.

 

Yeah thats better than Sprint's nationwide 3G average download speed of 0.59 Mbps.

[Wes]

I work all over northern DuPage county (mobile) and the system is often unusable. My reason for posting is when I call Sprint to ask for compensation they insist that I wait til the system is fully functional. When I tell them many people have informed me that they have received credit, Sprint tells me they are liars and NO ONE has recieved credit. The reps tell me that if I file for credit it will be refused. Are they lying to me?

They ARE LYING to you. I have recieved a credit on my service, and was even offered a waiver for the early termination fee if I wished to cancel Sprint service. I took the credit, and Sprint deducted $25/month off each of 3 of my lines, for a total deduction of $75/month credited back to me on my bill.

[Madfelon]

I had 25% taken off my bill. I am out of contract and just told them I want credit for the bad service our I would take my 190 a month to Verizon.

[Deval]

Guys, while it is good to hear that you were compensated for service issues, the debate on extra discounts, etc. isn't the focal point of this thread or the site in general.

[twospirits]

I agree, any future posts about discounts will be removed.

 

TS

[Wes]

Sorry, new to the forum...was just trying to share my experiences so far. Later.

 

*I was told by Sprint about 45 days ago that they "had no clue" when these issues would cease, does anyone have an idea as to when this might stop? I know Dekalb area is still experiencing problems, although it has gotten a bit better. Is fall a realistic expectation? Or you think this could go into 2013?

Edited August 10, 2012 by Wes

[Deval]

I'm sure it won't be all the way till 2013, and I can only imagine how it is for someone there who is experiencing the issues first hand.

 

I will tell you that they are essentially building a new network from scratch, and hopefully the fixes will come soon for you.

[ydoucare]

Looks like they shut off 800 mhz in town this morning, and my signal definitely felt it. lol

[digiblur]

Looks like they shut off 800 mhz in town this morning, and my signal definitely felt it. lol

 

You are roaming now?

 

Your phone will only search for an 800smr channel if there is no PCS signal available.

 

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

[ydoucare]

 

 

You are roaming now?

 

Your phone will only search for an 800smr channel if there is no PCS signal available.

 

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

no, i'm back on 1900 with a weaker signal from the exact same tower.

 

1x engineering debug screen now reports band class 1 like it does on all other 1900 towers. All day yesterday it was on band class 10 channel 476 and the signal was noticeably stronger. See the screenshot i posted a page or two back.

 

So whether they shut it off or whatever, i had it yesterday but not today. That is all.

[digiblur]

no, i'm back on 1900 with a weaker signal from the exact same tower.

 

1x engineering debug screen now reports band class 1 like it does on all other 1900 towers. All day yesterday it was on band class 10 channel 476 and the signal was noticeably stronger. See the screenshot i posted a page or two back.

 

Something was wrong with the 1900 then. By design your phone will search for 1900 first, then 800smr, then roaming. And that extra signal was only used for voice and texting, not data, not sure what kind of usage user you are but I use more data than anything else. I rarely talk on the phone. There isn't enough spectrum bandwidth to support everyone on 800. So only the phones that are in no signal areas will use the 800smr. Plenty of bandwidth to support these people at each site. I suspect this will be the same exact design when LTE is launched on 800smr after the Nextel network is shutdown. I don't see why people are so worried about 800smr LTE support in upcoming phones. It's only going to get used when your phone has zero LTE PCS signal. Or maybe we might get lucky and the LTE basestation will dynamically handle everyone back and forth as demand allows it. But I somehow doubt it as they don't even do it with EVDO right now between carriers on the same site.

 

If you want to be on 800smr all the time you will need to modify your prl to have the 800smr Sid as priority.

 

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

[S4GRU]

Digi...isn't it possible it may search 800 channels if 1900 channels have a poor EcIo ratio? I don't believe it has to be zero 1900 signal.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner