Network Vision/LTE - Chicago Market

[Joeynach]

ATT is the one of the main backhaul suppliers of the market. ATT is part of a duopoly who is taking Americans from behind with lube and have vested interests in keeping Sprints network vision project delayed. There's a reason backhaul was one of the main reasons for the 3+ months average delays.

 

/shrug

 

If thats true thats a big issue, but something that I assume Sprint is aware of and has accounted for. If I was ATT I would do the same thing, make Sprint's life more difficult. But it also brings up a political and regulatory point if the same company that provides a competitive wireless service, owns, operates, and maintains, the infrastructure backbone required to provide such wireless service and can control its deployment and development to the point where it can manipulate the end result, the competitive wireless service offered across multiple providers. Didn't the gov't break up ATT and de-regulated b/c of this exact issue 30 years ago?

[S4GRU]

 

If thats true thats a big issue, but something that I assume Sprint is aware of and has accounted for. If I was ATT I would do the same thing, make Sprint's life more difficult. But it also brings up a political and regulatory point if the same company that provides a competitive wireless service, owns, operates, and maintains, the infrastructure backbone required to provide such wireless service and can control its deployment and development to the point where it can manipulate the end result, the competitive wireless service offered across multiple providers. Didn't the gov't break up ATT and de-regulated b/c of this exact issue 30 years ago?

 

Yes. But AT&T is not stupid. They wouldn't push it so far as to break the law or even their contract. But they will push it to the maximum threshold. The maximum tolerable malfeasance.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

[Joeynach]

Chicago has the best market saturation of any market to this point. At this point....the percentage is just a number.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forum Runner

 

Most saturated in completed Tower hardware perhaps, but what about backhaul, the backbone of the whole promised shiny new high performance NV network.

[Joeynach]

Yes. But AT&T is not stupid. They wouldn't push it so far as to break the law or even their contract. But they will push it to the maximum threshold. The maximum tolerable malfeasance.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

 

Oh for sure, no doubt about it. I would just assume that Sprint' probably built this red-taping into their deployment schedule one way or the other. Maybe all the promise of these "completed" networks by mid or early 2013 is overly aggressive given the competitive and political imbalances here.

[Fraydog]

The differences between the AT&T landline and wireless sides are blurry, especially in situations such as these. I frankly wish the government would compel AT&T to break into three:

 

1. Cingular Wireless

2. AT&T long line networks

3. SBC local landline

 

Repeat for Verizon. It will never happen, because too many people would scream "socialism!!!" senselessly without thinking over the dynamics of what is actually happening, which is to break up an anti-competitive duopoly to ensure a free and competitive market.

[aerxx]

 

Most saturated in completed Tower hardware perhaps' date=' but what about backhaul, the backbone of the whole promised shiny new high performance NV network.[/quote']

 

Most backhaul issues at this point are in rural areas.

 

Sent while driving.

[djmiro83]

 

Yes. But AT&T is not stupid. They wouldn't push it so far as to break the law or even their contract. But they will push it to the maximum threshold. The maximum tolerable malfeasance.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

 

And it's things like this that just urk me to no end. It's one thing to be a competitive company by offering better solutions and implementations over your competition, but when you play dirty, it says a lot about your "strategic" positioning. Sure it works, but to me there's no strategy in that approach... You're just nothing more than a bully.

 

And to stay on somewhat on topic.. When will Sprint obtain control of the spectrum they're getting from USCC? That's still happening right?

 

Sent from my JB iPhone 4S using Forum Runner

[mhammett]

Out of curiosity, how much do you use your phone to talk? I ask because my wife and I are right now doing everything possible to try and get rid of Sprint. I've been one of the biggest backers/supporters, etc for Sprint during this whole ordeal, but it's come to it's head now. Now that we're actually getting phone calls (which previously, would frequently just show up as a voicemail or we wouldn't even know people called) the majority of the time when they call us, they can't hear anything. Example, someone calls me, I answer and say "hello". Nothing. I can hear them and they can't hear me. I'll call them back right away and everything is fine.

 

It's been like this for months, and I simply cannot take it anymore. We run a business through our phones, and this just can't happen anymore. If we used it mostly for data, I'd be happier than a pig in slop, but when it comes to actually using your phone as, you know, a phone, it's absolutely horrendous.

 

Robert, any idea why this might happen? We both have GS3s, and she's had hers replaced twice now because they keep thinking it's the phone. It's not the phone. It used to only happen at our house, now it's all over the place. We live out near Elgin/Hoffman Estates.

 

Got an airave at our place too. Problem is, phones only connect to it maybe 20% of the time, and when the phone is connected to the airave, text messages will only be sent out maybe 10% of that time.

 

She's at home most of the time where the problem happens almost all the time, so I'm going to try and get her setup with GrooveIP so calls will go through wifi instead. It's our only choice for now as their voice service is absolutely atrocious.

 

EDIT: For what it's worth, I believe the two towers we would have the best chance to connect to at home would be CH13XC509 & CH03XC493.

 

*nods* Sprint has been screwing the pooch for a while now. It's nice to see them finally catching up.

 

 

So many people get this wrong. CDMA1X voice/data is 3G. EV-DO data is also 3G.

 

AJ

 

I wouldn't call CDMA1X data 3G by any means, but that's your call.

 

 

I was at my friend's apartment in Oak Park today and there is a Sprint tower on the roof of the building. In the laundry room was an electric meter labeled "Sprint" and some other equipment that appeared to be Clearwire, but don't know if it was shared. There were many phone lines being fed to two boxes with transparent covers over a large cable with numerous pairs. The two boxes had 6+ dsl modems each...each modem was on a card that seemed to share a common backplane. I would imagine that some kind of channel bonding is being used to get one really high capacity logical connection for use by the tower. The box that the phone lines were coming from was labelled "AT&T", but that might only be because it's the local phone company. Covad and others offer service in the area over ATT infrastructure. Is anybody else aware of DSL based backhaul at any other sites?

 

If half a dozen DSL lines can serve as backhaul probably with PPPOE (and I don't see why that wouldn't work just fine), it def makes one wonder why Sprint is so behind schedule. I'll add pictures next time I'm there.

 

There is no way DSL is being used for backhaul anywhere. HDSL can be used to carry PRIs or other traditional circuits. Maybe that's what you saw. AT&T doesn't have any that I'm aware of, but perhaps some of some other providers (Earthlink and XO come to mind) are doing EoC to tower sites. I'm speaking in general, not just Sprint.

 

ATT is the one of the main backhaul suppliers of the market. ATT is part of a duopoly who is taking Americans from behind with lube and have vested interests in keeping Sprints network vision project delayed. There's a reason backhaul was one of the main reasons for the 3+ months average delays.

 

/shrug

 

If AT&T was the source of the problem, they could have gone to Comcast or Windstream or Zayo or...

 

If thats true thats a big issue, but something that I assume Sprint is aware of and has accounted for. If I was ATT I would do the same thing, make Sprint's life more difficult. But it also brings up a political and regulatory point if the same company that provides a competitive wireless service, owns, operates, and maintains, the infrastructure backbone required to provide such wireless service and can control its deployment and development to the point where it can manipulate the end result, the competitive wireless service offered across multiple providers. Didn't the gov't break up ATT and de-regulated b/c of this exact issue 30 years ago?

 

The big telcos get away with stuff they shouldn't time and time again.

[drock2750]

Actually Alcatel Lucent has a whitepaper titled "Leveraging VDSL2 for mobile backhaul" that talks about how channel bonding is such a great solution for bringing an LTE site online quickly, and just a quick google search about DSL channel bonding and LTE backhaul turns up TONS of current stuff. The equipment I saw had "clearwire" written on the side, so I'm not stating that the LTE equipment was using DSL backhaul, but the wimax equipment was. Why are you so sure that DSL isn't being used? It seems like an excellent, cost effective solution, and many trade magazines seem to agree. Coincidentally, VDSL2 DSLAMS are installed in COs and VRADs across Chicagoland.

[Joeynach]

The differences between the AT&T landline and wireless sides are blurry, especially in situations such as these. I frankly wish the government would compel AT&T to break into three:

 

1. Cingular Wireless

2. AT&T long line networks

3. SBC local landline

 

Repeat for Verizon. It will never happen, because too many people would scream "socialism!!!" senselessly without thinking over the dynamics of what is actually happening, which is to break up an anti-competitive duopoly to ensure a free and competitive market.

 

I agree 100% we have a gleaming example in the telecom space here of a duopoly limiting competition and free market. But remember the same Gov't we want to force the break up also approves all the mergers to make these giant competition eliminating conglomerates. Just look at the airline industry too, gov't de-regulated the industry to foster all sorts of new entrants and lower barriers to entry some 30-35 years ago, yet now they approve all these mega airline mergers which destroy competition, drive prices up, and increase barriers to entry. Where do you think Southwest, Kiwi, ProAir, Vangaurd, National, ATA, and Air Florida came from. Im still with ya though, those who claim socialism everytime the Gov't proposes new or different rules and regulations are nuts, and need to look at what socialism really is, like Germany and their 50% income tax, Gov't pays for all services society.....that we are not.

[Joeynach]

Oh cool, good news guys, couple new Loop LTE towers showed up for the first time in forever. I know myself and others have been waiting and wishing for some progress from Samsung/Sprint. Two new towers east of Michigan Ave, one on Randolph near Prudential, one on Wacker near the Hyatt. That should defiantly help. I also see that the tower by Ogilvy station on W Washington is now 4G/800, was 3G/800 before. Hey its a start guys!

[Fraydog]

Letters are going out for US Cellular customers... They include this FAQ...

 

http://www.uscellula...nt-Websites.pdf

 

There's also this story on the TeamUSCellular blog:

 

http://teamuscellular.com/Forum/blog/2/entry-388-sprint-takeover-letters-trouble-updated-422-110-pm/

 

Forum discussion is here:

 

http://teamuscellular.com/Forum/topic/4226-chicago-users-where-are-you-going-next/

[lynyrd65]

Letters are going out for US Cellular customers... They include this FAQ...

 

http://www.uscellula...nt-Websites.pdf

 

There's also this story on the TeamUSCellular blog:

 

http://teamuscellular.com/Forum/blog/2/entry-388-sprint-takeover-letters-trouble-updated-422-110-pm/

 

Forum discussion is here:

 

http://teamuscellular.com/Forum/topic/4226-chicago-users-where-are-you-going-next/

 

That's a quick transition.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[mhammett]

Actually Alcatel Lucent has a whitepaper titled "Leveraging VDSL2 for mobile backhaul" that talks about how channel bonding is such a great solution for bringing an LTE site online quickly, and just a quick google search about DSL channel bonding and LTE backhaul turns up TONS of current stuff. The equipment I saw had "clearwire" written on the side, so I'm not stating that the LTE equipment was using DSL backhaul, but the wimax equipment was. Why are you so sure that DSL isn't being used? It seems like an excellent, cost effective solution, and many trade magazines seem to agree. Coincidentally, VDSL2 DSLAMS are installed in COs and VRADs across Chicagoland.

 

Because it can be done doesn't mean it is. Also, these technologies don't have the symmetric capacity that matched RF channels have. Now something with an asymmetric channel plan may take advantage of asymmetric backhaul.

 

Just because it was copper doesn't make it DSL.

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[Joeynach]

That's a quick transition.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

I feel bad for these US Cellular customers, they were acquired as like a throw in. Sprint wanted US Cellular's spectrum and really just had to take their customers. Reminds me of a baseball trade where you want the superstar, but they make you take the overpaid declining veteran along with him to make the deal go through.

[Y2Dre]

I bought a new HTC One last Friday. Yesterday, I had to swap it for a new one because the speakers were popping sometimes while watching YouTube videos. I noticed that ever since I changed over to the new One, I was only getting a 3G signal...no 4G. I live in the South suburbs. The Best Buy is in Homewood and I live in Matteson. I was pulling 4G fine Tuesday. Last night, I even drove right next to a tower in Matteson that I already know has LTE and I was still only getting 3G.

 

I called Sprint last night and was told that they were working on about 11 towers in my area and to wait a few days to see if anything changes. I took them at their word and let it go. Today, I go to my job in Chicago (60631) where I always pull LTE and again...no signal. I called Sprint this morning and was told that they are working on towers in this area as well.

 

My question is this...is there anybody in the Matteson or Chicago (around Rosemont/Park Ridge) areas who can confirm if they are pulling 4G signal or not? Also, is there some of test I can do on my phone to see if everything is working properly? If there are tower issues, I can live with it until they are fixed. But, if it's a phone issue...I want to know as soon as possible so I can swap it out.

 

Thanks to anyone who can chime in.

[Joeynach]

I bought a new HTC One last Friday. Yesterday, I had to swap it for a new one because the speakers were popping sometimes while watching YouTube videos. I noticed that ever since I changed over to the new One, I was only getting a 3G signal...no 4G. I live in the South suburbs. The Best Buy is in Homewood and I live in Matteson. I was pulling 4G fine Tuesday. Last night, I even drove right next to a tower in Matteson that I already know has LTE and I was still only getting 3G.

 

I called Sprint last night and was told that they were working on about 11 towers in my area and to wait a few days to see if anything changes. I took them at their word and let it go. Today, I go to my job in Chicago (60631) where I always pull LTE and again...no signal. I called Sprint this morning and was told that they are working on towers in this area as well.

 

My question is this...is there anybody in the Matteson or Chicago (around Rosemont/Park Ridge) areas who can confirm if they are pulling 4G signal or not? Also, is there some of test I can do on my phone to see if everything is working properly? If there are tower issues, I can live with it until they are fixed. But, if it's a phone issue...I want to know as soon as possible so I can swap it out.

 

Thanks to anyone who can chime in.

 

I can't confirm or deny anything. I know the south suburbs well, I was in Flossmoor last week and I was getting LTE. But I can tell you from the NV Sites complete map I have seen many many towers in Chicago go from listed as LTE (1900 Mhz) to now 3G/800/4G. To me that implies new back-haul finally being turned on and/or new equipment is being turned on (to make the 800 Mhz signal). I have seen many sites go from the purple 4G pin to the green 3G/800/4G pin. Perhaps this is the case in the towers in your area. Can anyone else shed some light?

[S4GRU]

 

I can't confirm or deny anything. I know the south suburbs well, I was in Flossmoor last week and I was getting LTE. But I can tell you from the NV Sites complete map I have seen many many towers in Chicago go from listed as LTE (1900 Mhz) to now 3G/800/4G. To me that implies new back-haul finally being turned on and/or new equipment is being turned on (to make the 800 Mhz signal). I have seen many sites go from the purple 4G pin to the green 3G/800/4G pin. Perhaps this is the case in the towers in your area. Can anyone else shed some light?

 

Just progress being made to wrap up the market once and for all. A final push to the finish line.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

[Boosted20V]

I bought a new HTC One last Friday. Yesterday, I had to swap it for a new one because the speakers were popping sometimes while watching YouTube videos. I noticed that ever since I changed over to the new One, I was only getting a 3G signal...no 4G. I live in the South suburbs. The Best Buy is in Homewood and I live in Matteson. I was pulling 4G fine Tuesday. Last night, I even drove right next to a tower in Matteson that I already know has LTE and I was still only getting 3G.

 

I called Sprint last night and was told that they were working on about 11 towers in my area and to wait a few days to see if anything changes. I took them at their word and let it go. Today, I go to my job in Chicago (60631) where I always pull LTE and again...no signal. I called Sprint this morning and was told that they are working on towers in this area as well.

 

My question is this...is there anybody in the Matteson or Chicago (around Rosemont/Park Ridge) areas who can confirm if they are pulling 4G signal or not? Also, is there some of test I can do on my phone to see if everything is working properly? If there are tower issues, I can live with it until they are fixed. But, if it's a phone issue...I want to know as soon as possible so I can swap it out.

 

Thanks to anyone who can chime in.

 

Hope it's nothing like the EVO LTE!

[Y2Dre]

Hope it's nothing like the EVO LTE!

 

Until yesterday, I was impressed with the signal quality of the One. That's why I'm hoping that there is just work being done on the towers. As for the phone itself...it's amazing. I don't wanna derail the thread...but, I am very glad I decided at the last minute to trade up from the EVO 4G LTE to get the One. I can't get over how amazing the speakers are...

[Y2Dre]

Just progress being made to wrap up the market once and for all. A final push to the finish line.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

 

Thanks a bunch for the insight, Robert. I've hung in there with minimal complaint for this long. I guess I can ride it out to the finish line.

[Joeynach]

Until yesterday, I was impressed with the signal quality of the One. That's why I'm hoping that there is just work being done on the towers. As for the phone itself...it's amazing. I don't wanna derail the thread...but, I am very glad I decided at the last minute to trade up from the EVO 4G LTE to get the One. I can't get over how amazing the speakers are...

 

Next week sometime when they say the upgrades will be complete on the towers update your phone PRL. That might do it.

[Dfarley]

 

Until yesterday' date=' I was impressed with the signal quality of the One. That's why I'm hoping that there is just work being done on the towers. As for the phone itself...it's amazing. I don't wanna derail the thread...but, I am very glad I decided at the last minute to trade up from the EVO 4G LTE to get the One. I can't get over how amazing the speakers are...[/quote']

 

Call into Sprint and make sure they have the proper ICCID (numerical identifier for your SIM card - which is needed to connect to LTE). I had a similar issue when I deactivated / re-activated my iPhone 5; I'm not sure of the exact issue but after speaking with a couple of reps, one finally took my ICCID and re activated it on my account. This could be similar to what you're facing.

 

Ironically I was traveling through Chicago and didn't pick up and LTE which is what prompted me to investigate my phone.

[Dfarley]

 

Until yesterday' date=' I was impressed with the signal quality of the One. That's why I'm hoping that there is just work being done on the towers. As for the phone itself...it's amazing. I don't wanna derail the thread...but, I am very glad I decided at the last minute to trade up from the EVO 4G LTE to get the One. I can't get over how amazing the speakers are...[/quote']

 

Call into Sprint and make sure they have the proper ICCID on your account (numerical identifier for your SIM card which is needed to connect to LTE). Ironically I was traveling through Chicago last week (O'Hare and North up 294) and didn't pick up any LTE which prompted me to investigate my phone. I had de-activated then re-activated my iPhone 5 two weeks prior, and because of that process Sprint did not have the correct ICCID on my account. After speaking with three different reps the issue was finally resolved and I have no issue connecting to LTE anymore. Since you swapped phones you may be experiencing the same issue.

 

Edit: sorry for the double post - I had an error message the first time I tried to reply...

[bigzeto]

Call into Sprint and make sure they have the proper ICCID on your account (numerical identifier for your SIM card which is needed to connect to LTE). Ironically I was traveling through Chicago last week (O'Hare and North up 294) and didn't pick up any LTE which prompted me to investigate my phone. I had de-activated then re-activated my iPhone 5 two weeks prior, and because of that process Sprint did not have the correct ICCID on my account. After speaking with three different reps the issue was finally resolved and I have no issue connecting to LTE anymore. Since you swapped phones you may be experiencing the same issue.

 

Interesting. This may be happening to my sister. She's got the Iphone 5 and has never connected to LTE in New Orleans. Thanks for the info.