Network Vision/LTE - Houston Market

[greenbastard]

Yes. In most LTE markets, 3G now works pretty well. But not everywhere. But B25 and B41 operate so much better than 3G. So it may not be worth it.

 

Using Tapatalk on Nexus 6

3G has improved dramatically in Houston. A lot of +1 Mbps in a lot of places now.

[S4GRU]

I wouldn't be surprised if Sprint is balancing Triband capable devices off B25 whenever possible to keep it open for Uniband customers. I too noticed being on B41 or B26 most of the time. I would only be on B25 at those rare times when I could not get a signal from any other band.

 

Using Nexus 6 on Tapatalk

[avb]

I wouldn't be surprised if Sprint is balancing Triband capable devices off B25 whenever possible to keep it open for Uniband customers. I too noticed being on B41 or B26 most of the time. I would only be on B25 at those rare times when I could not get a signal from any other band.

 

Using Nexus 6 on Tapatalk

When B26 first launched I thought that made sense as there were a lot more single band phones and B25 was starting to get crowded, but at this point I don't think it's necessary.  I hope there is some type of software at the network level that can do the load balancing instead of defaulting to {if triband = yes then skip B25}.

[greenbastard]

I wouldn't be surprised if Sprint is balancing Triband capable devices off B25 whenever possible to keep it open for Uniband customers. I too noticed being on B41 or B26 most of the time. I would only be on B25 at those rare times when I could not get a signal from any other band.

 

Using Nexus 6 on Tapatalk

Interesting theory.

 

However, I do find it annoying that Band 41 is still usable under -120 dbm (sometimes even better than B26), yet most Sprint phones will drop B41 right at -117 dbm.

 

Heck, I've witnessed Clear B41 once pull a download speed of 1.5 Mbps with a fringe RSRP of -128 dbm, which is good enough to browse and even check out a low quality video.

[Dkoellerwx]

When B26 first launched I thought that made sense as there were a lot more single band phones and B25 was starting to get crowded, but at this point I don't think it's necessary.  I hope there is some type of software at the network level that can do the load balancing instead of defaulting to {if triband = yes then skip B25}.

 

The latest load balancing update aggressively pushes dual/triband devices to B26 and B41. Future updates will incorporate B25 better now that the number of triband devices in the wild has increased enough. Late at night when the load on the network is very low, I do find that my triband devices are allowed to idle on B25 instead of B26. However, your market may vary depending on market share and density.

[greenbastard]

The sprawling subdivisions of Katy need help. Took this outdoors in the middle of a busy intersection near Cinco Ranch. A distant, weak and overloaded B26 carrier. EVDO faired a lot better, but my phone would only drop to 3G when I forced it to. All wireless providers have their work cut out with strict zoning laws that prevent cellphone towers from being erected and fast growth of neighborhoods in places that used to be cow pastures.

 

[S4GRU]

-116dBm RSRP on a B26 5MHz wide LTE carrier, I'm shocked you had any throughput.  That's a pretty miserably weak connection.  However, in my opinion, Sprint allows too many to connect to B26.  I would limit it to users only who have no other usable LTE band detectable.  I don't know how many times Sprint forces me to stay on B26 in areas where I know B25 or 41 are available, and they even perform better.

[nick]

-116dBm RSRP on a B26 5MHz wide LTE carrier, I'm shocked you had any throughput. That's a pretty miserably weak connection. However, in my opinion, Sprint allows too many to connect to B26. I would limit it to users only who have no other usable LTE band detectable. I don't know how many times Sprint forces me to stay on B26 in areas where I know B25 or 41 are available, and they even perform better.

It is very frustrating, I will be stuck on unusable b26, in areas with usable b25 and even b41, it seems sprint or my iPhone is set to connect to the strongest signal... Even when that signal is strong but unusable. For example today I was at Wisconsin state fair, I was stuck on b26 90% of the time getting no throughput... However if I toggled airplane mode it would briefly connect to sting b41, it was lightning fast but would switch back to b26 within 1-2 min.

 

 

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[greenbastard]

-116dBm RSRP on a B26 5MHz wide LTE carrier, I'm shocked you had any throughput. That's a pretty miserably weak connection. However, in my opinion, Sprint allows too many to connect to B26. I would limit it to users only who have no other usable LTE band detectable. I don't know how many times Sprint forces me to stay on B26 in areas where I know B25 or 41 are available, and they even perform better.

More importantly, Sprint needs to keep users on B41 more aggressively instead of dropping them to another band at -117 RSRP. Battery life shouldn't be affected that much if Sprint where to lower the threshold about 4 to 5 decibels. Edited August 9, 2015 by greenbastard

[greenbastard]

Anyone else experiencing delayed SMS messages over the LTE network (triband devices)? I can tell because I get 3-4 messages at a time at random times or when I fallback to 1x for a phone call. I also check the time stamps of when they are sent from the sender and when they are received by me and theres usually a ~30 minute gap at a minimum.

[deankelem]

Does anyone know when we can expect to start seeing small cells being deployed across Houston? 

[greenbastard]

Does anyone know when we can expect to start seeing small cells being deployed across Houston?

No permits are showing up on the city's webpage. One of the very last things done in Houston was the replacement/installation of natural gas generators for emergencies. Small cells are probably not coming anytime soon seeing as how Sprint was (highly questionable) tied for 1st place by rootmetrics in the Houston Metro area. Other metros are probably high priority

 

But with Houston's lack of zoning laws, I'm sure they'll be able to roll out quicker than most other cities when they finally get started. A lot of utility poles around inner Houston that can be used. The suburbs will be a different story though. Residential suburbs will put a good fight to prevent any small cell that sticks out. Sprint will probably have to spend extra money to camouflage those hideous poles that will be visible via right of way.

[deankelem]

No permits are showing up on the city's webpage. One of the very last things done in Houston was the replacement/installation of natural gas generators for emergencies. Small cells are probably not coming anytime soon seeing as how Sprint was (highly questionable) tied for 1st place by rootmetrics in the Houston Metro area. Other metros are probably high priority

 

But with Houston's lack of zoning laws, I'm sure they'll be able to roll out quicker than most other cities when they finally get started. A lot of utility poles around inner Houston that can be used. The suburbs will be a different story though. Residential suburbs will put a good fight to prevent any small cell that sticks out. Sprint will probably have to spend extra money to camouflage those hideous poles that will be visible via right of way.

Awesome, thanks for the info and I agree with you completely on the metro area zoning versus the suburbs.  Idk if you have ever seen some of the camouflaging verizon has done in the Katy area with cell towers looks like pine trees but they obviously spent a lot of money to do so.. I would love to see sprint densified in this area because the b41 speeds are amazing. 

[avb]

Does anyone know when we can expect to start seeing small cells being deployed across Houston?

 

Send a pm to lilotimz - I asked about some areas and he was able to tell me if there was a small cell planned.

[greenbastard]

Awesome, thanks for the info and I agree with you completely on the metro area zoning versus the suburbs. Idk if you have ever seen some of the camouflaging verizon has done in the Katy area with cell towers looks like pine trees but they obviously spent a lot of money to do so.. I would love to see sprint densified in this area because the b41 speeds are amazing.

I have yet to see any camouflage towers or cells for Sprint. Out in Katy, Sprint is still using the same infrastructure it had when Cinco Ranch and all those subdivisions where cow pastures in the early 2000s. Only place that I've seen Sprint go out of its way to camouflage their towers in this part of the state is in the City of College Station just northwest of Houston. I think I counted 2 flag poles last time I was in the area. Aggies love their patriotic cellular flag poles.

 

Small Cells could start up soon, but considering that other markets are higher priority and Houston has rootmetrics to hang it's hat on, I'm just not seeing anything for Houston this year. I know they are working on readjusting tower tilt for coverage on B41, but thats about it. I could be wrong, but I'm just not seeing it.

 

There are still a lot of Clear-only towers that have yet to be touched. Some of them could benefit from having B25/B26 added to them, but I think I read somewhere around here that any work done to them would open a Pandora's box of site contract negotiations. With Sprint's low network spending this year, I don't think that's something they plan on touching this year.

[deankelem]

I have yet to see any camouflage towers or cells for Sprint. Out in Katy, Sprint is still using the same infrastructure it had when Cinco Ranch and all those subdivisions where cow pastures in the early 2000s. Only place that I've seen Sprint go out of its way to camouflage their towers in this part of the state is in the City of College Station just northwest of Houston. I think I counted 2 flag poles last time I was in the area. Aggies love their patriotic cellular flag poles.

 

Small Cells could start up soon, but considering that other markets are higher priority and Houston has rootmetrics to hang it's hat on, I'm just not seeing anything for Houston this year. I know they are working on readjusting tower tilt for coverage on B41, but thats about it. I could be wrong, but I'm just not seeing it.

 

There are still a lot of Clear-only towers that have yet to be touched. Some of them could benefit from having B25/B26 added to them, but I think I read somewhere around here that any work done to them would open a Pandora's box of site contract negotiations. With Sprint's low network spending this year, I don't think that's something they plan on touching this year.

Awesome, I benefited greatly at my home from a clear site being converted to b41 lte.  Do you know of any clear sites that still need to be converted?  I know you mentioned there are some but do you have any specific ones you can tell me?

[greenbastard]

Awesome, I benefited greatly at my home from a clear site being converted to b41 lte. Do you know of any clear sites that still need to be converted? I know you mentioned there are some but do you have any specific ones you can tell me?

When I talk about conversion, I mean from B41 Clear-only to a full Sprint build out of B25/26/41.

 

There are a few deep inside Houston that could benefit from a full conversion. The heights has one near the farmers market on Airline, just south of 610. Another one on Studemont and the Katy Freeway just west of downtown. Those could really benefit the entire area as Clear doesn't penetrate indoors and you have to rely on congested B26 cells from sites farther away.

 

I did forget to mention that I MAY have possibly sniffed out a B25 Second carrier in Katy a while back. SCP caught it but I couldn't check the engineering screen to confirm it in time. It may have been testing since it was right at the county line or maybe an error on SCP since I have yet to catch it again.

 

Be on the look out for GCI 04E01205 in this area.

[Dkoellerwx]

Be on the look out for GCI 04E01205 in this area.

 

That GCI pattern would not line up with any of the known Ericsson/Nokia patterns. Second carrier B25 should end with 09/0A/0B.

3rd carrier B41 should end with 41/42/43.

[greenbastard]

That GCI pattern would not line up with any of the known Ericsson/Nokia patterns. Second carrier B25 should end with 09/0A/0B.

3rd carrier B41 should end with 41/42/43.

That's what I figured. SCP did display a B25² display. I quickly went to the DEBUG menu, but by the time I got there I was handed to Band 26. That GCI is the one associated with the B25² on my logs. There's also another one in the Katy area, but I can't access my logs at the moment.

[greenbastard]

Just a quick update about small cells.

 

Looks like Mobilitie is hiring a Senior Project Manager in Houston. Whether that's for venues/stadiums or small cells remains to be seen. Still interesting nonetheless.

[deankelem]

awesome thanks for the info

[avb]

Has anyone been to Reliant stadium recently for Texans games?  Reliant has been a black hole for all carriers, but this year the das should be completed as the Super Bowl is in Houston this year.  That should be a big boost for all carriers.

[greenbastard]

Sprint 8t8r radios inside the loop are now broadcasting B41 3rd Carrier at EARFCN 41374. Sprint is probably still testing since the new carrier is slow (sub 1 Mbps speeds).

 

Unfortunately there aren't many towers broadcasting the 3rd Carrier since Clearwire antennas and radios are still widespread throughout the city and can only broadcast two carriers.

[tyroned3222]

Has anyone spotted these 100+ small cells sprint is talking about in Houston

 

 

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[greenbastard]

I'll venture out that way once the circus leaves town. I'm avoiding anything South of downtown until Monday.

 

To be honest, I'm not confident in Sprint doing well if those small cells are too spread out. For Sprint, Houston is a pcs spectrum constrained market so small cells probably need to be within line of sight of every event for them to work.

 

Here is what Sprint has to work with in Houston. Not very comforting PCS selection tbh. No 2nd B25 carrier available yet.