Network Vision/LTE - Pittsburgh Market

[Flompholph]

Yup, got same message earlier today.

 

Also, seems now to prefer 1x 800 (SID 22427) now over 1x1900 (SID 4171) after PRL and profile updating. Before would always be on 1900, besides for short period of time during scanning. Still same PRL number as before however, so maybe this is because of tower upgrades (or profile update?).

I got the message today to but I think it's just a national message. If you look around others are seeing the message even if they leave in an area that just has roaming.

 

After a prl update android will scan for 1x800 first if it finds an 1x800 signal it will stay on 1x800 until there are no towers with 1x800. No changes to the priority of 1x800 and 1x1900 are still the same they won't scan the other until you lose signal or do a prl update. There are just a lot of 1x800 around the outside of town. I have not been downtown in a long time so I don't know about there. I mainly take the turnpike or go i70 to i79 around town.

[Jakob]

Just wanted to ask anyone if they have noticed a drop in their 4G speeds, because as of the last week or so I have been sitting at an average of 5 Mbps compared to 11-13 before, sometimes dipping below 2 Mbps. At times 3G will be faster than 4g... Also, my upload speed consistently doubles my download speed, which makes absolutely no sense to me. Any reason for why this is happening?

[Jakob]

Most recent speed test

[SNG4L]

Most recent speed test

 

 

pittsburgh servers are crap...some times u gotta jump to diffrent servers

[evo bryan]

pittsburgh servers are crap...some times u gotta jump to diffrent servers

no its like that with Baltimore and dc as well

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[christianpreachr]

I live out by the Mills Malls...and the tower does the same thing. Its weird tho, it doesn't always register touch tones, sometimes its super fast, other times it switches to 3g. I can't explain it...but I do know that 3G as a whole is way faster than its ever been. I map it on Sensorly whenever I can. Whatever tower hits Monroeville tho...its amazing!! I've not seen 4g tower like that. Reading all these forums....We have 4g in Greentree, New Castle, parts of Butler, Cranberry, Greensburg, Monroeville, part of New Ken...shouldn't be long now. I also got the message about a network upgrade coming soon.

[S4GRU]

Upgrades are a still occurring. Too few sites carrying too much traffic. Additional sites spread out the loads allowing speeds to return to normal.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

 

 

[Josh]

To Jakob: this usually indicates that the tower is at capacity with too many people downloading at the same time (Hence why your upload was near average). Increased back haul could help as I believe most sites have the ability to increase back haul. This would increase the speed assuming everything else remains the same. Also it could be that the 5X5 1900MHz carrier is at capacity and additional LTE carriers are necessary. But we will have a better picture of what is needed once all towers are completed, and 800MHz and hopefully 2600MHz are added to every tower.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Josh

[S4GRU]

To Jakob: this usually indicates that the tower is at capacity with too many people downloading at the same time (Hence why your upload was near average). Increased back haul could help as I believe most sites have the ability to increase back haul. This would increase the speed assuming everything else remains the same. Also it could be that the 5X5 1900MHz carrier is at capacity and additional LTE carriers are necessary. But we will have a better picture of what is needed once all towers are completed, and 800MHz and hopefully 2600MHz are added to every tower.

The backhaul supplied is supposed to be able to handle all three LTE sectors and deployed EVDO carriers to capacity. If it's backhaul related, then the backhaul installed did not meet NV spec. Which had to occur in some instances where backhaul could not be obtained that met NV spec. This is not common, but it is possible.

 

As you also outlined, it is most likely the downstream channel airlink is over capacity. Additional LTE sites nearby coming online will solve the problem. Or an additional LTE carrier being installed on the underperforming site should it be in an area where there is no other sites nearby to help with the load (assuming there is spare spectrum to do so in this area).

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

 

 

[hhm0]

It seems like, looking at sensorly etc., that the suburbs of the 'burgh have a lot more 4G LTE than the 'burgh itself; but the densest populations (between the three rivers) do not yet have 4G.

 

Is this connected to the fact that these areas have a lot of 4G WiMAX (on sensorly)? (if so, doesn't wimax only use the EBS and BRS frequency bands? so why no PCS and SMR bands LTE there)

Or maybe is this because of CSFB issues (so tri-band phones can't connect)?

Or simply because the sourrounding areas are considered western PA market and not pgh market, and pgh market is later in scheduling?

Edited February 5, 2014 by hhm0

[Flompholph]

I blame permits there is no reason for those not to be done. Wimax is separate it does not have anything to do with nv upgades. It was built by clearwire not connected to nv.

[ROMORC]

I agree. It would be nice if they speed the rollout in Pittsburgh proper up a bit. I live in Oakland and am 5 blocks away from 2 towers, yet I only get 1 bar and no Wimax when inside my apartment. Hopefully they upgrade us to Spark right away when they finally get to upgrading these towers. Does anyone know what the likelihood of that happening is? 

[Flompholph]

I agree. It would be nice if they speed the rollout in Pittsburgh proper up a bit. I live in Oakland and am 5 blocks away from 2 towers, yet I only get 1 bar and no Wimax when inside my apartment. Hopefully they upgrade us to Spark right away when they finally get to upgrading these towers. Does anyone know what the likelihood of that happening is?

 

Spark as in band 41(2500/2600) not band 26(800lte)? Band41 will be replaced sometime this year. It's Pittsburgh so it might be awhile. Band 26 should be live anyday. In some of the towers outside the city already have most of what is needed for band 26. They are waiting on data cards for band 26 to be put in place and turned on.

[hhm0]

It seems like, looking at sensorly etc., that the suburbs of the 'burgh have a lot more 4G LTE than the 'burgh itself; but the densest populations (between the three rivers) do not yet have 4G.

 

Is this connected to the fact that these areas have a lot of 4G WiMAX (on sensorly)? (if so, doesn't wimax only use the EBS and BRS frequency bands? so why no PCS and SMR bands LTE there)

Or maybe is this because of CSFB issues (so tri-band phones can't connect)?

Or simply because the sourrounding areas are considered western PA market and not pgh market, and pgh market is later in scheduling?

 

Update!

 

(1) It seems that the pittsburgh area has eCSFB issues, since the legacy vendor was Lucent and the network vision

vendor = samsung.

This stops tri-band capable devices accessing LTE, in the places which have it.

 

(2) LTE is sparse in between the rivers, with more LTE upgrades coming some time within the next 6 months (according to Sprint techsupport).

This makes it more difficult to receive LTE on the devices which can get it already.

 

So when sprint updates the towers for LTE and network vision, both these issues would go away. However the way the weather is, they may wait for warmer, better weather? Patience must the name of the game here :-)

 

P.S. To anyone who has a say in the updating progress...please see this! :-)

 

Does anyone have better info on when upgrades arrive than sometime within the next six mos.?

Edited February 14, 2014 by hhm0

[hhm0]

Also, it seems like network vision has halted at the City of Pittsburgh borders for now. Why might this be the case, that the market has been getting updates, but not the city itself?

 

Any guesses would be appreciated :-D

 

PS Thanks everyone who answered to my earlier questioning :-)

Edited February 14, 2014 by hhm0

[S4GRU]

Also, it seems like network vision has halted at the City of Pittsburgh borders for now. Why might this be the case, that the market has been getting updates, but not the city itself?

 

Any guesses would be appreciated :-D

 

PS Thanks everyone who answered to my earlier questioning :-)

Work is ongoing in the city too. Sites can only be accepted and activated in clusters in Samsung markets. When full clusters are ready in the city, they will get inspected, accepted and integrated.

 

Robert via Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[ROMORC]

Thanks for the update! When do you think the first clusters will be getting turned on in Pittsburgh proper? 

[Flompholph]

Thanks for the update! When do you think the first clusters will be getting turned on in Pittsburgh proper?

 

The clusters s4gru is talking about are 3g clusters. We had one cluster turn on at the beginning of the month. As hhm0 has said they can't turn LTE on without 3g being on. Hopefully there is fiber ready for LTE at those sites that have not been 3g accepted so they can turn them both on at the same time.

[steelman3300]

It looks like South Hills might be finally catching a break. Every since last summer I have seen some spotty LTE near Jamisons bar and a little bit up 19 but the last few months I noticed its turned on in bethel and south park.

 

The mount washington/downtown and south side areas are still the worst for coverage especially the north side but that might be changing soon.

 

I picked up LTE once at my house last summer and haven't since but as of about 2 weeks ago I noticed its on all the time now in Dormont/Beechview areas.

 

I was getting very solid LTE at mcdonalds on 19. It still needs some work though.

 

So far the best coverage I have seen is homestead/munhall/west mifflin area but the fastest speeds are right near cambells run road. I work near cambells and stueben and I'm flying all the time.

[bmantz65]

‎

I live in the 15133 zip. I had sparse LTE coverage and speeds  up until ‎three weeks ago and then just 3G only. I came home from work today and noticed four bars of LTE on my Phone 5s. I ran some speed tests and averaged about 12 Mbps down and 5 Mbps up. Let's hope it sticks around now!

[Flompholph]

Looks like a decent number of LTE update for the Pittsburgh on the sponser map.

[hhm0]

Looks like a decent number of LTE update for the Pittsburgh on the sponser map.

Yes 8 4G and 2 3g (with 3g @ 1 new nv site) upgrades, according to (non-s4gru-sponsor) source(s).

Edited February 26, 2014 by hhm0

[Flompholph]

Yes 8 4G and 2 3g (with 3g @ 1 new nv site) upgrades, according to (non-s4gru-sponsor) source(s).

I count 12 4g but I guess it depends what is pittsburgh.

[steelman3300]

LTE at last, LTE at last,

 

Thank god almighty LTE at last!

[Flompholph]

Big 800 update number coming. Some of them had lte already so maybe the tech integrated the sites 800 lte at the same time. Anyone with a triband lte phone?