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

[Dkoellerwx]

3 hours ago, PedroDaGr8 said:

I forgot to add, T-Mobile was already on that Sprint Keep Tower but on a lower rack. Sure enough, all of the new T-Mobile equipment is on the top rack (where Sprint used to be). This is the first conversion I have seen in the area where the Keep PLMN was used to denote T-Mobile was taking over Sprint's rack. I'm sure that has been very common in other areas. 

We have seen the keep PLMN on co-located sites here in Omaha, NE where we suspect they are going to take over the Sprint level. Permits have been issued that suggest as much but we haven't actually seen it happen yet. 

[xmx1024]

On 5/12/2022 at 9:48 AM, PedroDaGr8 said:

I forgot to add, T-Mobile was already on that Sprint Keep Tower but on a lower rack. Sure enough, all of the new T-Mobile equipment is on the top rack (where Sprint used to be). This is the first conversion I have seen in the area where the Keep PLMN was used to denote T-Mobile was taking over Sprint's rack. I'm sure that has been very common in other areas. 

The convert site behind Target at Alderwood may be active now, and potentially the conversion site by 196th / Alderwood mall PKWY

[PedroDaGr8]

1 hour ago, xmx1024 said:

The convert site behind Target at Alderwood may be active now, and potentially the conversion site by 196th / Alderwood mall PKWY

T-Mobile wasn't on the tower behind Target, they were on the power pylon nearby.  I've seen a number of conversions but not one where T-Mobile was already on the same tower.

That being said, I drove by there this morning going to the Costco Business Center and neither appeared to be live yet. 

[PedroDaGr8]

Sprint B41 has been moved down to 2501MHz. This leaves 2650-2694 free for a second n41 channel. 

[xmx1024]

On 5/14/2022 at 1:46 PM, PedroDaGr8 said:

T-Mobile wasn't on the tower behind Target, they were on the power pylon nearby.  I've seen a number of conversions but not one where T-Mobile was already on the same tower.

That being said, I drove by there this morning going to the Costco Business Center and neither appeared to be live yet. 

Ah, I was under the impression that the Sprint rack would be decommissioned, and T-Mobile would be migrating from the power pylon over to the Sprint rack due to some logistics issues working with PUD to perform work on the Pylon, hence why it has not been touched in such a long time.

[PedroDaGr8]

The main n41 channel was just moved up to 2639MHz this morning.  This means that channel spans from 2589MHz-2689MHz. With Sprint B41 at 2501.5MHz, and TMobile B41 spanning 2508MHz-2548MHz. That leaves room for a 40MHz n41 channel. If they drop one of the TMobile B41 channels, they could easily expand that to 60MHz. This all in line with their permit filings which indicate a second n41 carrier of <=80MHz.

[S4GRU]

I haven't caught a whiff of n41 down here in the South Sound, yet.  I am slowly finding more B41, though.  Recently in Shelton, the two Sprint Retain sites that were converted have B41 live now.  Their permits show n41 equipment.  But they just haven't fired them up, yet.

Robert

[falconhand]

https://imgur.com/a/6642kIq

 

Second n41 carrier spotted out in Kitsap County today! 100+40 as expected, given the recent spectrum shifting. 

[PedroDaGr8]

34 minutes ago, falconhand said:

https://imgur.com/a/6642kIq

 

Second n41 carrier spotted out in Kitsap County today! 100+40 as expected, given the recent spectrum shifting. 

Can confirm, my phone shows NR_CC_Active:2 while speed testing in NSA mode. It doesn't show the actual carrier because it hasn't received that update yet. 

[falconhand]

Excited to test it on the gig+ backhaul site at the University of Washington tomorrow, previously was maxing out around 1100mbps on 100MHz. 

[PedroDaGr8]

Can confirm, it is live in Snohomish County as well. 

[xmx1024]

On 6/2/2022 at 6:12 PM, falconhand said:

Excited to test it on the gig+ backhaul site at the University of Washington tomorrow, previously was maxing out around 1100mbps on 100MHz. 

How was it?

[PedroDaGr8]

The rooftop Sprint Keep site at the 85th/405 interchange in Kirkland has been upgraded but isn't live. That makes 6 towers so far which have been upgraded over the past few months but aren't live. 

At this point, there are only a handful Sprint Keep sites left that haven't been upgraded yet. Specifically, Carillon Point (permit issued), the other Sprint Keep site at the 85th/405 interchange in Kirkland (permitted), the Hollywood Hills tower in Woodinville/unincorp King County, and the mini macro tower in Kenmore.

[S4GRU]

48 minutes ago, PedroDaGr8 said:

The rooftop Sprint Keep site at the 85th/405 interchange in Kirkland has been upgraded but isn't live. That makes 6 towers so far which have been upgraded over the past few months but aren't live. 

At this point, there are only a handful Sprint Keep sites left that haven't been upgraded yet. Specifically, Carillon Point (permit issued), the other Sprint Keep site at the 85th/405 interchange in Kirkland (permitted), the Hollywood Hills tower in Woodinville/unincorp King County, and the mini macro tower in Kenmore.

They have been coming on live quickly in the South Sound when completed.  I wonder what the delay is up that way?  Maybe RF integration?

Robert

[PedroDaGr8]

1 hour ago, S4GRU said:

They have been coming on live quickly in the South Sound when completed.  I wonder what the delay is up that way?  Maybe RF integration?

Robert

I honestly have no clue, maybe someone like Ravirani could offer some insight. The only thing I can think of is that they are waiting on additional sites to come online so that they can optimize all of the sites at once. 

The sites are:

1. Cedar Park Christian School - Updated over a year ago, still not live. 
2. Tower between Maltby and Woodinville - Updated a month ago (or so)
3. Tower behind Safeway at intersection of Avondale and Woondinville-Duvall - Updated over a month ago
4. The tower on top of the Motel 6 in Totem Lake - Updated about a month ago at this point. 
5. Tower at intersection of Bellevue Way and NE 24th St. in Bellevue - Updated at least a month ago
6. The aforementioned tower at the 85th/405 intersection. 

[RAvirani]

17 hours ago, S4GRU said:

They have been coming on live quickly in the South Sound when completed.  I wonder what the delay is up that way?  Maybe RF integration?

Robert

The South Sound’s network is a lot more sparse which maker integration much simpler. 

14 hours ago, PedroDaGr8 said:

I honestly have no clue, maybe someone like Ravirani could offer some insight. The only thing I can think of is that they are waiting on additional sites to come online so that they can optimize all of the sites at once. 

I’m guessing these sites (with the exception of #1) are delayed for cluster optimization. Optimizing things like tonnage config, etilt, mobility/HO params, etc is complex in areas with a high number of neighbors.

Also, if nearby new sites are slated to come online in the near future, it often makes more sense to push the new config when all eNBs are ready to go. Otherwise, you’re essentially designing the network twice for a given area. 

I’ll get back to you on site #1. 

[PedroDaGr8]

The site at t 

On 6/20/2022 at 6:19 AM, PedroDaGr8 said:

The rooftop Sprint Keep site at the 85th/405 interchange in Kirkland has been upgraded but isn't live. 

This site is now live! So the newest site out of the 6 is already live while the others are not. 

 

On 6/21/2022 at 12:41 AM, RAvirani said:

 

I’ll get back to you on site #1. 

Any updates on this one? 

[RAvirani]

2 hours ago, PedroDaGr8 said:

Any updates on this one? 

https://imgur.com/a/MJm0ARh

[PedroDaGr8]

1 hour ago, RAvirani said:

https://imgur.com/a/MJm0ARh

I guess that makes sense. I know that ZiplyFiber (my ISP) has had issues with sourcing fiber as well. 

Also, that recently upgraded site is interesting. NOt only does it have a strange eNB value, 236960, which  is different from the ones usually around here but also, all of the LTE bands (including B41) are on the same eNB. This is the first time I have seen  T-Mobile do that in this area. 

Also found another upgraded site, eNB 84770, by FireStation 26 has been upgraded with B71/n71 (no n41). 

[PedroDaGr8]

I think I found out why the Totem Lake Motel 6 isn't live yet. Drove by the tower right across I405 from there (right next to the CKC) and there were workers installing a new rack a few inches above the T-Mobile "rack". Link to StreetView of the tower (T-Mobile is the lower "rack"). It was MUCH too close to be a different operator, so my guess is T-Mobile is going to be installing larger antenna's and/or equipment on this site as well. I'll try to get an image later if I can. 

[PedroDaGr8]

7 hours ago, PedroDaGr8 said:

I think I found out why the Totem Lake Motel 6 isn't live yet. Drove by the tower right across I405 from there (right next to the CKC) and there were workers installing a new rack a few inches above the T-Mobile "rack". Link to StreetView of the tower (T-Mobile is the lower "rack"). It was MUCH too close to be a different operator, so my guess is T-Mobile is going to be installing larger antenna's and/or equipment on this site as well. I'll try to get an image later if I can. 

And, wow. It's getting the full suite of bands as well. They were in the process of putting n41 on the tower. I couldn't snap a good pic but everyone knows what the looks like.

[PedroDaGr8]

At this point, Totem Lake will have four towers with the full suite of bands within a radius of 1300 ft, an additional tower 1/2 mile away overlooking everything, and a sixth in the opposite direction around a 1/2 mile away (Forbes Creek). Absurd. 

I just saw a permit for a new T-Mobile site at UW Bothell right by the 405/522 interchange. That is just as ridiculous as some of the towers in Totem Lake. Combine this with the 85th/405 interchange in Kirkland and it seems like T-Mobile is going for absurd numbers of towers around specific interchanges. 

Strangely though, in other areas nearby, the coverage is less than stellar. For example, the 70th/405 interchange in Kirkland (especially on the elevated 70th at the interchange and just east of there) continues to have horrible coverage. 

 

[PedroDaGr8]

Also, it looks like they may have changed the eNB for the Sprint Keep tower in downtown Bellevue. A new eNB showed up (887558) right by 505970/506079 which has the same PCIs for sectors 1 and 2. I will investigate that one later. 

[PedroDaGr8]

7 hours ago, PedroDaGr8 said:

Also, it looks like they may have changed the eNB for the Sprint Keep tower in downtown Bellevue. A new eNB showed up (887558) right by 505970/506079 which has the same PCIs for sectors 1 and 2. I will investigate that one later. 

Confirmed, 505970/506079 is now 887558/887561. I have no idea why they changed the eNBs or what the difference in meaning is between them.

[Dkoellerwx]

5 hours ago, PedroDaGr8 said:

Confirmed, 505970/506079 is now 887558/887561. I have no idea why they changed the eNBs or what the difference in meaning is between them.

Some of the early keep conversions here changed GCI's randomly in the last couple months. The first several conversions were 07Bxxx until they changed to using 01C/D/E which better fit the numbering system for the rest of their sites in the area. Not clear why they made that change or why they are going back and changing the first round of conversions.