Network Vision/LTE - West Washington Market (Seattle/Puget Sound Region)

[dhlee528]

I live in a place where I NEED airave, I don't eve get good 3g signal (all signal above 100), however, I got very weak LTE signal and sensory mapped it..

 

it's very weird..

[JThorson]

Hey everyone, I know Sprint is still working on everything, but I was curious. Has any seen improvement in their 3G speeds? I saw some awhile ago but now I'm back down between 300-500kbps. I was hoping for something a little faster

[drlovety]

Hey everyone, I know Sprint is still working on everything, but I was curious. Has any seen improvement in their 3G speeds? I saw some awhile ago but now I'm back down between 300-500kbps. I was hoping for something a little faster

I've only seen increases on 4G towers.  I think the main reason is most locations don't have fiber yet.

[oversight]

Hey everyone, I know Sprint is still working on everything, but I was curious. Has any seen improvement in their 3G speeds? I saw some awhile ago but now I'm back down between 300-500kbps. I was hoping for something a little faster <_>

I've noticed slower speeds in areas I used to see 1-2 megs and far more instances where the data connection seems to just hang for periods of time.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[drlovety]

I'm a little bummed as it appears Sprint is not installing 800 Mhz on the towers in the North Sound.  I believe this is because of the Canadian IBEZ.

 

Take a look at this thread, it will give you an idea on how to tell if you have 800 gear on your tower (scroll to bottom).  With all the hills and trees, we need 800mhz.  Even if we get a better contract with Canada, it will only take longer for crews to add the 800mhz gear.  What a pain.

 

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/3906-how-to-spot-sprint-antennas-and-rrus-samsung-style/

 

The big indicators are the RRU there are 2 for 800 and the look of the panel, 4 connectors vs 6 (I think)

[oversight]

 

I've noticed slower speeds in areas I used to see 1-2 megs and far more instances where the data connection seems to just hang for periods of time.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[Bob Newhart]

I've only seen increases on 4G towers.  I think the main reason is most locations don't have fiber yet.

 

For the areas outside of the cities they depend a lot on CenturyLink.

The landscape and trees means microwave can't be used in a lot of areas.

 

CenturyLink is expanding fibre to the outer laying areas, but they keep putting their target dates behind month after month.

My area is already 6 months behind schedule. They are adding DSLAMs that replace the old terminals, the fibre hasn't been run yet. CL told me they are running fibre quite a few miles.

 

Sprint just turned on a tower in Maple Valley and Black Diamond a while ago.

VZW is also starting to enable LTE in the same areas, I don't know which frequencies they are using.

[dhlee528]

Seem like Seattle is getting TD-LTE..

 

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/4083-sprint-td-lte-25002600mhz-discussion/page-7&do=findComment&comment=171765

 

 

will we be able to see the difference?

 

also, which devices support this?

[njjdnt]

Seem like Seattle is getting TD-LTE..

 

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/4083-sprint-td-lte-25002600mhz-discussion/page-7&do=findComment&comment=171765

 

 

will we be able to see the difference?

 

also, which devices support this?

You link to the post that lists the devices.

 

Read further through the thread and Robert gives a review of his experience on Sprint TD-LTE 2500/2600mhz

[drlovety]

Sprint TD-LTE sounds cool, but I'm not excited.  While it will be great to have the speeds and capacity, I'm afraid coverage will continue to be poor in and around the Seattle area.  Sprint needs to complete with VZW, who seem to kill Sprint with towers.  The fact that Sprint's 800 Mhz coverage is not being built out is kinda of depressing.  TD-LTE is just overlay, not penetration.  VZW has 700 Mhz and a crazy amount of towers compared to Sprint.  The only bright spot is that Clear is only on 40% of Sprint towers, so there will be a few exceptions where we could gain coverage.  Side note, I do like how Clear places their tower location on their coverage maps. 

[Bob Newhart]

We could get lucky and get the 800 Mhz coverage in SE King County into Pierce County.

[Beejis]

Sprint TD-LTE sounds cool, but I'm not excited.  While it will be great to have the speeds and capacity, I'm afraid coverage will continue to be poor in and around the Seattle area.  Sprint needs to complete with VZW, who seem to kill Sprint with towers.  The fact that Sprint's 800 Mhz coverage is not being built out is kinda of depressing.  TD-LTE is just overlay, not penetration.  VZW has 700 Mhz and a crazy amount of towers compared to Sprint.  The only bright spot is that Clear is only on 40% of Sprint towers, so there will be a few exceptions where we could gain coverage.  Side note, I do like how Clear places their tower location on their coverage maps. 

I'm kind of with you.  It sucks we won't see 800 for a while (hopefully next year).  Anything dealing with the GOV is slow.  Not necessarily Sprints fault but it sucks nonetheless.  When is the earliest you guys would expect to see 800?

[ericdabbs]

I'm kind of with you. It sucks we won't see 800 for a while (hopefully next year). Anything dealing with the GOV is slow. Not necessarily Sprints fault but it sucks nonetheless. When is the earliest you guys would expect to see 800?

Hate to break it to you its going to be several more years before we see 800 mhz deployed in the canadian ibez markets. I think I read that the canadian carrier wont stop iDEN services until 2015. Maybe someone else can confirm this. Hopefully sprint, FCC and canadian govt are starting discussions now to talk about 800 mhz rebanding so that sprint can start deploying lte on 800 in those markets in 2016 or 2017.

 

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[drlovety]

I'm kind of with you.  It sucks we won't see 800 for a while (hopefully next year).  Anything dealing with the GOV is slow.  Not necessarily Sprints fault but it sucks nonetheless.  When is the earliest you guys would expect to see 800?

 

It will take a lot longer than just next year.  I think the BIGGEST indicator is the type of LTE panels I'm seeing.  All of the ones I've seen are the special IBEZ panels.  I think that is a big indicator on the timeline Sprint expects.  They are willing to add special panels vs adding regular panels and just drop in card when approval is granted.  So even if the US Govt and the Canadian Govt shake on it, you will have to deal with another site to site roll out.  Site roll out is $$!

 

 

We could get lucky and get the 800 Mhz coverage in SE King County into Pierce County.

 

Like I said above, check out the type of panels at converted sites.  If you see the 800MHZ RRU or the (I think) 6 wire "wall" that plugs into the panel, then you will probably get the 800 MHZ.  Head to the how to ID a Samsung site..great post with pics to help you out.  Please report back, i think it'd be great to see where the 800 MHZ line is located.

 

 

Hate to break it to you its going to be several more years before we see 800 mhz deployed in the canadian ibez markets. I think I read that the canadian carrier wont stop iDEN services until 2015. Maybe someone else can confirm this. Hopefully sprint, FCC and canadian govt are starting discussions now to talk about 800 mhz rebanding so that sprint can start deploying lte on 800 in those markets in 2016 or 2017.

 

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

Agreed!  Working with not just one but TWO govts.

 

Sprint needs to add more micro sites like this one (it isn't sprint) which is still costly, but not as costly as the footprint is much smaller. GOOGLE Maps

 

One thing to consider and something I've come to depend on is VZW's network.  Here in the PNW there is no comparison, but luckily we've been able to use their network.  Unfortunately, VZW is looking at deploying a full VOLTE and they must use other spectrum to complete this.  They will, in many years (I hope) turn off their EVDO network to free up spectrum for LTE.  

[Bob Newhart]

 

 

Like I said above, check out the type of panels at converted sites.  If you see the 800MHZ RRU or the (I think) 6 wire "wall" that plugs into the panel, then you will probably get the 800 MHZ.  Head to the how to ID a Samsung site..great post with pics to help you out.  Please report back, i think it'd be great to see where the 800 MHZ line is located.

 

 

 

The 800 Mhz panels are those tall skinny ones that are on either side of the large 1900 Mhz panel, is that correct?

[drlovety]

The 800 Mhz panels are those tall skinny ones that are on either side of the large 1900 Mhz panel, is that correct?

 

The skinny panels are probably Sprint's legacy panels, those are coming down.  Since you live in the PNW, Sprint went with Samsung, so check out this thread here.  You will see the large panels that have 2 RRUs per panel.  One RRU is for 1900 and the (smaller) RRU is for 800.  I'm north of Seattle and have not seen an LTE site with 2 RRUs per panel.  Also, you can look at how many cables connect to the bottom of the panel.  If you see 6, it's a good sign that it is setup for 800.  Scroll down the thread and you'll see panels for the IBEZ zone, those are the ones I've seen around here,  One RRU per panel.  

[teeitup]

A few weeks back I noticed I had full signal in the building where I work in Bremerton.  I used to only get 1 or 2 bars.  The NV sites complete map notes the nearby tower was converted from iDEN to CDMA.  Not sure if this is a typical conversion or a special case because of all the Nextel (now Sprint) phones used at the shipyard.

[VEllisWade]

A few weeks back I noticed I had full signal in the building where I work in Bremerton.  I used to only get 1 or 2 bars.  The NV sites complete map notes the nearby tower was converted from iDEN to CDMA.  Not sure if this is a typical conversion or a special case because of all the Nextel (now Sprint) phones used at the shipyard.

 

Sprint shut down its entire Nextel network back on June 30th and is now in the process of converting those towers. Anyone down on the docks still using 'Nextel' is actually using Sprint's newer CDMA Direct Connect service.

[jreuschl]

Visitor from Milwaukee in town for the Brewers Mariners series. Both 4G and 3G was pitiful at Safeco. Actually 4G seemed worse!

 

I know it is high traffic time but you think with 4G upgrade Sprint would have more bandwidth to at least make it usable.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[Bumbershoot]

Visitor from Milwaukee in town for the Brewers Mariners series. Both 4G and 3G was pitiful at Safeco. Actually 4G seemed worse! I know it is high traffic time but you think with 4G upgrade Sprint would have more bandwidth to at least make it usable. Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

I believe there's an eventual NV site at Centurylink Field. No progress on it yet, however. I hope it will be able to acommodate game day bandwidth requirements.

[drlovety]

Visitor from Milwaukee in town for the Brewers Mariners series. Both 4G and 3G was pitiful at Safeco. Actually 4G seemed worse!

 

I know it is high traffic time but you think with 4G upgrade Sprint would have more bandwidth to at least make it usable.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

 

I always switch to my WIMAX device if I'm headed there for a game or an event.  3G signal there is useless and WiMAX is great!  I call it the hidden network.  Sad to hear about the 4G LTE too.

[jreuschl]

There actually is a Wimax protection site that you could get at Miller Park in Milwaukee and have no problems with data unlike anyone else.

 

Friend won a big Brewers promo so we were flown out no charge! Friendly people here, I enjoyed visiting.

 

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[isajym]

Has anyone been able to check coverage on the eastside? Bellevue, Kirkland ?

[oversight]

Has anyone been able to check coverage on the eastside? Bellevue, Kirkland ?

 

Bellevue, not much has been done. Kirkland has a fair bit of coverage in Houghton, Carillon Point, downtown, north Juanita, and the area near costco.  

[DR3AD5]

I was on 6th ave in Tacoma today and noticed the 4G symbol was on and i had 5 bars of signal. I was getting 15mbps down and 3mbps up.