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

[tybo31316]

Does anyone know if GMR sites are rare in the Jax Market.

Yes. I only knew of one GMR site and it was eventually converted into a full build with band 41 equipment. The site had to get metal beams welded to it to support the new equipment.

[Terrell352]

Yes. I only knew of one GMR site and it was eventually converted into a full build with band 41 equipment. The site had to get metal beams welded to it to support the new equipment.

Well we have one in Ocala. Although its schedule for band 26 has come and gone 2 months ago. I guess that's why

[S4GRU]

Very few GMO sites in Florida, except the Panhandle and Gulf Coast markets. They have a lot.

 

Using Moto X² on Tapatalk

[tybo31316]

Does anyone know if Shands/UF health of Jacksonville have a DAS system installed? I know there's a site on their building across the street from the main hospital and another a few blocks away but I've never seen a Sprint signal so strong on LTE.

[Terrell352]

Does anyone know if Shands/UF health of Jacksonville have a DAS system installed? I know there's a site on their building across the street from the main hospital and another a few blocks away but I've never seen a Sprint signal so strong on LTE. Screenshot_2015-04-14-16-53-57.png

It must be even when I'm right at the panel across the street its really hard to get dbm that low.

[Terrell352]

The villages has new Nokia equipment. Not optimized but speeds are good between 30-45 in daylight. I don't understand why they get it and Ocala and Gainesville don't though. They turned on band 25 on my home site and service is actually worse. Its constantly at capacity along with its neighboring tower. Less than 1mb at all times of daylight hours. I took a trip to every tower in Ocala three days ago on my day off to discover that only 3 sprint towers are in really bad shape the two around my area is in the worst shape and my site is only 3 weeks old. Band 26 should help once it gets going but without a second band 25 carrier or band 41 sprint will continue to flat out suck in my area. Makes Sprint look bad when metro is faster and more reliable in data. Voice is fantastic though.

[Ascertion]

The villages has new Nokia equipment. Not optimized but speeds are good between 30-45 in daylight. I don't understand why they get it and Ocala and Gainesville don't though. They turned on band 25 on my home site and service is actually worse. Its constantly at capacity along with its neighboring tower. Less than 1mb at all times of daylight hours. I took a trip to every tower in Ocala three days ago on my day off to discover that only 3 sprint towers are in really bad shape the two around my area is in the worst shape and my site is only 3 weeks old. Band 26 should help once it gets going but without a second band 25 carrier or band 41 sprint will continue to flat out suck in my area. Makes Sprint look bad when metro is faster and more reliable in data. Voice is fantastic though.

My friend moved from The Villages about 6 months ago but when I was there, Sprint's signal was quite consistent on B25/B26.  B41 being live there is pretty sweet.  I'm hoping south Jax gets some Nokia love.  Would love some Clearwire sites to get LTE soon.

[Terrell352]

My friend moved from The Villages about 6 months ago but when I was there, Sprint's signal was quite consistent on B25/B26. B41 being live there is pretty sweet. I'm hoping south Jax gets some Nokia love. Would love some Clearwire sites to get LTE soon.

They have good band 25/26 in the villages which is why I'm confused why they get band 41 before sites that actually need the capacity gets it. I'm trying to figure out how does Sprint select which towers get band 41 and which don't. In my area Sprint has been terrible with capacity for over a year I'm wondering how much longer I have to wait for competitive speeds that actually work when I need it.

[Ascertion]

They have good band 25/26 in the villages which is why I'm confused why they get band 41 before sites that actually need the capacity gets it. I'm trying to figure out how does Sprint select which towers get band 41 and which don't. In my area Sprint has been terrible with capacity for over a year I'm wondering how much longer I have to wait for competitive speeds that actually work when I need it.

It must be based on Sprint subscribers in the area to maintain "low" retention.  My area has Clearwire sites that would fill in the gaps where Sprint's 4G LTE drops to 3G-only.  I wish we could see the metrics like you said, but what can you do?  I October, my local site (which doesn't necessarily need capacity) was scheduled for B41 within 90 days.  November, it completely changed.  

[Terrell352]

It must be based on Sprint subscribers in the area to maintain "low" retention. My area has Clearwire sites that would fill in the gaps where Sprint's 4G LTE drops to 3G-only. I wish we could see the metrics like you said, but what can you do? I October, my local site (which doesn't necessarily need capacity) was scheduled for B41 within 90 days. November, it completely changed.

Metric reports of this would be amazing. To bad sources are scarce these days [emoji17]

[Terrell352]

Metric reports of this would be amazing. To bad sources are scarce these days [emoji17]

Home tower finally got band 26 making signal go to a average of 90dbm or lower in my neighborhood speeds increased but not enough. Went from .5mbps on LTE with 3 bars to 1.5 on LTE with full bars. Band 41 is the only savior here. The only site left in the city now without band 26 is that rare GMR site on the east side of town.

[tybo31316]

Has anyone in the Jacksonville market experience problems placing calls? When placing the call it starts counting as if the call is trying to connect but the phone never rings. This has been going on for about two days and it don't effect every phone call.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6

[Ascertion]

Has anyone in the Jacksonville market experience problems placing calls? When placing the call it starts counting as if the call is trying to connect but the phone never rings. This has been going on for about two days and it don't effect every phone call.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6

I haven't had that issue, although I've been running on Sprint repeaters at work this week.

[tybo31316]

I haven't had that issue, although I've been running on Sprint repeaters at work this week.

I talked to one of my coworkers and he's having the same issue. I thought maybe it was an eCSFB issue with a newly accepted site. My coworker has an iPhone 4s and having these issues.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6

[Ascertion]

I talked to one of my coworkers and he's having the same issue. I thought maybe it was an eCSFB issue with a newly accepted site. My coworker has an iPhone 4s and having these issues.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6

I'm in St Johns cty.  No issues here, but I'll report my findings if I find anything.

[Ascertion]

My brother has At&t and we're at his football game today at Nocatee community park. His At&t signal is -112dBm on B17 but he has no data whatsoever. (It's too slow.) Sprint is pulling 25mbps down here on both B25 and B26. Sprint's awesome here.

 

Just wanted to share my experience. Did a Sensorly mapping and At&t never dropped 4G, and Sprint did on the drive over, though. At the destination (mainly where it matters), Sprint is better.

 

Sent from my M8

[Ascertion]

Anyone see any second B25 carriers in Jax yet?  Sprint's rolling them out in certain markets (so far, there's been a confirmation in the Phoenix, AZ thread.)  I'm more curious about this as capacity seems to be an issue in certain areas in Jax.

[lilotimz]

Anyone see any second B25 carriers in Jax yet?  Sprint's rolling them out in certain markets (so far, there's been a confirmation in the Phoenix, AZ thread.)  I'm more curious about this as capacity seems to be an issue in certain areas in Jax.

 

No one will in this market.

 

Sprint only owns 10x10 of PCS A-F in the market plus the G block. 

[Ascertion]

No one will in this market.

 

Sprint only owns 10x10 of PCS A-F in the market plus the G block. 

They need PCS H-Block for a second carrier, yes?

[lilotimz]

They need PCS H-Block for a second carrier, yes?

 

PCS H block is owned by DIsh and incompatible with any of the cellular carriers equipment. 

 

So no. Sprint has no way in hell to do a second B25 carrier in Jax. 

 

Other than some switches up in the midwest and ohio region this spreadsheet of the top markets it still the most accurate.

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Foy7Rc1EUG1DwdNXJ-_d25qt9aA14q6pbG6SXJqz0tI/edit#gid=0

[tybo31316]

My brother has At&t and we're at his football game today at Nocatee community park. His At&t signal is -112dBm on B17 but he has no data whatsoever. (It's too slow.) Sprint is pulling 25mbps down here on both B25 and B26. Sprint's awesome here.

 

Just wanted to share my experience. Did a Sensorly mapping and At&t never dropped 4G, and Sprint did on the drive over, though. At the destination (mainly where it matters), Sprint is better.

 

Sent from my M8

I went out to Huguenot Park (Beach) my LTE signal was rock solid. Never dropped down to 3G on the ride there. Sprint has really improved the Jacksonville market. I feel Sprint can go toe to toe with any carrier in this market. The speeds may not be super high but its reliable and performs all tasks that I need daily.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6

[tampaflusa]

I went out to Huguenot Park (Beach) my LTE signal was rock solid. Never dropped down to 3G on the ride there. Sprint has really improved the Jacksonville market. I feel Sprint can go toe to toe with any carrier in this market. The speeds may not be super high but its reliable and performs all tasks that I need daily.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6

Except St Augustine unless it changed over the past 3 months.

[tybo31316]

Except St Augustine unless it changed over the past 3 months.

I went out to St Augustine about 3 months ago. I was in the tourist area near the Fort's. My data experience was pretty good. I did drop down to 3G a couple times when going into some stores.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6

[Terrell352]

I don't like how Verizon does business but I took a long drive into boondock territory yesterday and while Sprint was 3g and faint signals of band 26. Verizon was band 13 all the way and even lots of band 4 in the middle of nowhere it was a massacre. Verizon had speed, capacity, coverage and reliability while Sprint did not. Tmobile was on edge or no service though so there's that at least Sprint had a minimum of 1x800.

[Terrell352]

Spark map has been updated today. I want to know how cities like Gainesville and Ocala get not a single Spark tower even though there are towers here that need Spark like yesterday and a town that I never heard of before with a population of less that 1000 gets band 41. I'm not trying to complain but that has me scratching my head.