Network Vision/LTE - Jacksonville Market (including Gainesville/St. Augustine/Ocala)

[radem]

With 80mhz or less of 2.5GHz B41 LTE in use in most higher population areas, (3xCA+Small cell/MagicBox) there should be no rush to shut down Sprint's B41 network until well after a comprehensive inventory of how much bandwidth is really needed in each area and New T-Mobile is ready to start deploying 5G.   They certainly could thin out B41 LTE in areas they are deploying 5G but there is no way for example that they are going to allow New York city to suffer from poor speeds while they build a 5G network and it is highly unlikely that the exiting T-Mobile deployed bandwidth would be enough to be able to add all the Sprint customers without using B41 LTE unless they want their network to slow down significantly. 

It is much more likely that the 5G network will be spun up using bandwidth that Sprint owns but is not currently using.  When 5G devices start selling in the market and customers start getting them, they would then start to move B41 LTE bandwidth to their 5G network.

[greenbastard]

On 8/18/2018 at 4:59 PM, tybo31316 said:

Video capped at 12mpbs

This is something I stumbled upon on Sprint over a year ago as well. I noticed that in areas with B41, I could get 30-40 Mbps on the Speedtest app. But on Netflix's own speed test site, it would max out at 12-13 Mbps. 

These speeds made sense for network management purposes (ED1500 allowed for such thing under T&C). The minimum speed requirements for 4K streaming on Netflix are 15 Mbps. Not allowing 4K goes a long way in keeping congestion down.

[1dante]

I think Sprint is turning up the heat in Gainesville to some extent. I’ve been picking up B41 in places that I’ve usually had slow data. Got B41 in front of Oaks mall the other day and now I’m picking it up just down the road from where I live. Unfortunately I get B25 or B26 once I get into my apartment complex. It’s for sure getting better here though. 

[tybo31316]

1 hour ago, 1dante said:

I think Sprint is turning up the heat in Gainesville to some extent. I’ve been picking up B41 in places that I’ve usually had slow data. Got B41 in front of Oaks mall the other day and now I’m picking it up just down the road from where I live. Unfortunately I get B25 or B26 once I get into my apartment complex. It’s for sure getting better here though. 

The last few months Sprint has been rolling in Jacksonville too adding 8t8r’s to every site including the old Clearwire sites. 

[Terrell352]

The last few months Sprint has been rolling in Jacksonville too adding 8t8r’s to every site including the old Clearwire sites. 

That's a waste of money since clear equipment can so 3xca and even upload CA. They need to update tower that dont have 2.5 not replace towers that are capable already to do more.

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[tybo31316]

56 minutes ago, Terrell352 said:

That's a waste of money since clear equipment can so 3xca and even upload CA. They need to update tower that dont have 2.5 not replace towers that are capable already to do more.

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They have completed almost all the band 41 add ons. Seem like they are just going around and adding 8t8r equipement and decommissioning the Clearwire gear 

[lilotimz]

They have completed almost all the band 41 add ons. Seem like they are just going around and adding 8t8r equipement and decommissioning the Clearwire gear 

And adding 25/26?

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[danlodish345]

And adding 25/26?

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That's what I'm thinking when is the rest of the 800 going to be deployed down there

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[Terrell352]

Wait there are still towers without 800 in Jacksonville??

That's what I'm thinking when is the rest of the 800 going to be deployed down there

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[danlodish345]

Wait there are still towers without 800 in Jacksonville??


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I don't know I'm just asking because the last time I was in Jacksonville which is about 6 months ago coverage has improved but not nearly as much as it should have

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[Terrell352]

I don't know I'm just asking because the last time I was in Jacksonville which is about 6 months ago coverage has improved but not nearly as much as it should have

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I dont think you understand how many upgrades Sprint has pulled off in the last 6 months. I mean Ocala only had two b41 towers March. Now we have 19. So I can only imagine what they are doing in Jacksonville in that same time period. I dont think there are any towers that dont have 800mhz in north Florida besides any GMO tower which are super rare anyway.

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[danlodish345]

I dont think you understand how many upgrades Sprint has pulled off in the last 6 months. I mean Ocala only had two b41 towers March. Now we have 19. So I can only imagine what they are doing in Jacksonville in that same time period. I dont think there are any towers that dont have 800mhz in north Florida besides any GMO tower which are super rare anyway.

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Now I understand better. Over here there's one site that is still a GMO.

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[tybo31316]

1 hour ago, lilotimz said:

And adding 25/26?

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There’s one site that Sprint rippped out the Clearwire gear. Installed a rack and installed a massive panel on each sector with the microwave backhaul still attached. 

[lilotimz]

Yep. Typically if they're deploying 8t8r on Clear conversions it's a triband setup with 16 port antennas for 2x4 800, 4x4 1.9, and 2.5. They swapped to massive mimo entitlements and permits earlier this spring. Which entails new racks to be built for 6 antennas. Lot more money and work which are in short supply for Clear conversions.

1 hour ago, tybo31316 said:

There’s one site that Sprint rippped out the Clearwire gear. Installed a rack and installed a massive panel on each sector with the microwave backhaul still attached. 

 

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[danlodish345]

Yep. Typically if they're deploying 8t8r on Clear conversions it's a triband setup with 16 port antennas for 2x4 800, 4x4 1.9, and 2.5. They swapped to massive mimo entitlements and permits earlier this spring. Which entails new racks to be built for 6 antennas. Lot more money and work which are in short supply for Clead conversions.


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Lucky because where i live there is only one 8T8R site in town..

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[tybo31316]

55 minutes ago, lilotimz said:

Yep. Typically if they're deploying 8t8r on Clear conversions it's a triband setup with 16 port antennas for 2x4 800, 4x4 1.9, and 2.5. They swapped to massive mimo entitlements and permits earlier this spring. Which entails new racks to be built for 6 antennas. Lot more money and work which are in short supply for Clear conversions.

 

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So maybe that’s what was installed at that site. 

[tybo31316]

This is the fastest upload speed I’ve seen on Sprint. 

[RAvirani]

3 hours ago, tybo31316 said:

This is the fastest upload speed I’ve seen on Sprint. 

What was that? I’m guessing a 15 MHz PCS carrier with 64QAM/4x UL diversity?

[tybo31316]

3 hours ago, RAvirani said:

What was that? I’m guessing a 15 MHz PCS carrier with 64QAM/4x UL diversity?

I’m guessing 15mhz PCS as you stated. I couldn’t check because my field test mode on my iPhone is screwed up. 

[Terrell352]

This is the fastest upload speed I’ve seen on Sprint. 

I just barely beat your upload. I got 73.3 down and 40.6 up. [emoji16]

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[tybo31316]

Possible small cell sighting. Don’t know the carrier but it’s the first I’ve seen in the Jacksonville market. On Wells Road Orange Park. In front of Burger King. 

[Terrell352]

Possible small cell sighting. Don’t know the carrier but it’s the first I’ve seen in the Jacksonville market. On Wells Road Orange Park. In front of Burger King. 

Sprint put in for a small cell in Ocala last month. It's still in review. No other carrier has tried.

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[lilotimz]

42 minutes ago, tybo31316 said:

Possible small cell sighting. Don’t know the carrier but it’s the first I’ve seen in the Jacksonville market. On Wells Road Orange Park. In front of Burger King. 

 

Antenna pictures are not that useful for identifying carriers for small cells since they're all pretty much very similar omnis.  Need pics of the actual equipment if there is any. 

 

[Dkoellerwx]

On 10/7/2018 at 1:15 PM, Terrell352 said:

That's a waste of money since clear equipment can so 3xca and even upload CA. They need to update tower that dont have 2.5 not replace towers that are capable already to do more.

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Clear equipment can do 3xCA *in some cases.* Not all Clear markets have the proper equipment for that. And even then, it's a 2T2R, with no beam forming and a somewhat more limited range. Swapping out the equipment makes sense if the market is far enough along that upgrading to 8T8R capable equipment helps improve capacity.

[tybo31316]

Looks like T-Mobile roaming is active in Jacksonville.