Network Vision/LTE - San Antonio market

[rackhivee]

I guess this goes along with the city's agreement in October with Mobilitie to provide permits for a build out in the right of way.

[cyclone]

Has anyone been having issues over the weekend with data connections stalling on the NW side? I've had texts randomly take up to 2 minutes to send or data sessions seem to buffer. I've even tried running speed tests that fail to initialize a ping test. I just started a new cycle on the 9th so I know it's not deprioritization.

[rackhivee]

I've had similar problems before, but they usually go away the next day. Have you tried changing servers for speedtests? For some reason the San Antonio Sprint server times out if I try to run speed test over the network.

[cyclone]

I wasn't aware you could change your server on the speedtest app. I've noticed some good speed increases lately so maybe there's just some new installs or optimizing going on. Will keep a lookout through the week to see if it's persistent

[rackhivee]

I wasn't aware you could change your server on the speedtest app. I've noticed some good speed increases lately so maybe there's just some new installs or optimizing going on. Will keep a lookout through the week to see if it's persistent

I finally saw the 3rd carrier downtown today. That might be why you're noticing faster speeds. I'll post a screenshot when I'm home.

[cyclone]

Awesome! That could explain the erratic data connections too. It was really bad yesterday along Bandera. I'm hoping areas still using clearwire hardware will be among the first to get the 64T64R radios like used in New Orleans

[rackhivee]

Here are the 2nd and 3rd carrier aggregated.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7-vOBw3Q8N-SVdfVkktODBReVE/view?usp=sharing

[greenbastard]

Here are the 2nd and 3rd carrier aggregated.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7-vOBw3Q8N-SVdfVkktODBReVE/view?usp=sharing

That's definitely 3rd carrier in Nokia territory. I don't expect Clearwire equipment to be replaced anytime soon since Sprint is currently using mini macro panels capable of only doing 2CA for B41 expansion. Looks like 8T8R panels are only being installed in areas that need more than 2 carriers. Make no sense to replace Clear equipment with Nokia equipment that doesn't expand capacity.

 

For small cells, expect earfcn 40072 and 40270. At least that's what was being used in Houston during super bowl weekend. No CA was available out of these small cells even though they broadcast two carriers.

[rackhivee]

A lot of those clear sites are becoming obsolete very fast. Hit some with very slow connections in the middle of downtown, it would be very easy to saturate those sites during an event. I don't know if they're able to do 4x2 or if they're only running 2x2. I got used to seeing single carrier clear sites running at 20 mbps in Denver, I'm dumbfounded that the clear sites here with 2 carriers timeout more frequently.

[rackhivee]

I found this weird B41 signal in the Wal-Mart at Rigsby and 410 loop.  Seems like a fairly recent change, I would only get B25 in this area before.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7-vOBw3Q8N-ZjFSZUNubjdKVXc/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7-vOBw3Q8N-a3VjNkRiTEg1clE/view?usp=sharing

 

I didn't check outside though.

[nexgencpu]

I found this weird B41 signal in the Wal-Mart at Rigsby and 410 loop.  Seems like a fairly recent change, I would only get B25 in this area before.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7-vOBw3Q8N-ZjFSZUNubjdKVXc/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7-vOBw3Q8N-a3VjNkRiTEg1clE/view?usp=sharing

 

I didn't check outside though.

By the mere fact that SCP is not identifying it, and its very strong SNR, could be small cell.

[greenbastard]

By the mere fact that SCP is not identifying it, and its very strong SNR, could be small cell.

Doubt it. A Sprint macro site is visible from the Walmart parking lot. Sprint probably just fired up B41 on it. The only B41 in that area was a faint Clearwire B41 signal coming from another site farther down the road. Edited March 15, 2017 by greenbastard

[Dkoellerwx]

By the mere fact that SCP is not identifying it, and its very strong SNR, could be small cell.

 

 

Doubt it. A Sprint macro site is visible from the Walmart parking lot. Sprint probably just fired up B41 on it. The only B41 in that area was a faint Clearwire B41 signal coming from another site farther down the road.

 

SCP isn't identifying it because of the 064 market code on the GCI. If it was 065 it would see it as B41. Could be a new Nokia mini-macro setup added to the nearby Sprint site. 

[cyclone]

I caught this along Bandera Rd near the entrance to OP Schnabel. It's the same earfcn that Rackhivee found on the east side. Y'all are saying this is just an added mini-macro and not a change out to the clearwire antennas? I will say I'm excited either way because I've gotten a Speedtest over 80mbps since these changes have been made. Now if we can get sprint to put antennas or small cells over six flags/la cantera

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rackhivee]

I caught this along Bandera Rd near the entrance to OP Schnabel. It's the same earfcn that Rackhivee found on the east side. Y'all are saying this is just an added mini-macro and not a change out to the clearwire antennas? I will say I'm excited either way because I've gotten a Speedtest over 80mbps since these changes have been made. Now if we can get sprint to put antennas or small cells over six flags/la cantera

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That earfcn is indicative of the 3rd carrier being live. A GCI that puts out Sprint with no band indicator in SCP is likely a small cell or mini macro, based on other reports. Yes, Six Flags needs an upgrade. Last time I was there I could talk or text, but nothing else beyond that.

[Flompholph]

The gci is from the iphone is 0654A943. Meaning most likely 8t8r 3rd carrier.

 

Convert the cell identity from dec to hex.

[rackhivee]

Sitting on the corner of SW Military and Commercial Ave, SCP is identifying a B25 with GCI ending 0B. Engineering screen shows band 0 for some reason and PCC and SCC1 showing as PCI 245. Speed test gave me a 25 down 3 up, this wasn't here 2 months ago.

[Dkoellerwx]

Sitting on the corner of SW Military and Commercial Ave, SCP is identifying a B25 with GCI ending 0B. Engineering screen shows band 0 for some reason and PCC and SCC1 showing as PCI 245. Speed test gave me a 25 down 3 up, this wasn't here 2 months ago.

 

2nd carrier

[rackhivee]

2nd carrier

That's cool. I think there was a combo of 2nd carrier and stale Clearwire data in theengineering screen. Clearwire data I couldn't access before because I had a note 5 and it was a weak signal. Now with the G6 it seems like there are a few places I'm connecting to where I couldn't before.

[greenbastard]

That's cool. I think there was a combo of 2nd carrier and stale Clearwire data in theengineering screen. Clearwire data I couldn't access before because I had a note 5 and it was a weak signal. Now with the G6 it seems like there are a few places I'm connecting to where I couldn't before.

If you are mostly in the south side, then you are lucky to catch any B41. Most of the area has Clearwater equipment that doesn't work very well. They put out decent range because they don't use much downtilt, but as soon as you go inside you'll likely lose B41.

[rackhivee]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7-vOBw3Q8N-amxOcHhOa0pyUEk/view?usp=sharing

 

All this talk about B25 CA made me decide to turn it on on my G6 and I guess it's also live in San Antonio now.  I had to turn off B26, I'm on the fringe of the site at around -118 dBm, but was still able to pull 1.5 mbps.  So it's performing like a B26 signal that is 10 dBm stronger.

[rackhivee]

Been picking up plmn 311940 this morning at home. It shows up as Sprint ** in signal check pro.

[Dkoellerwx]

Been picking up plmn 311940 this morning at home. It shows up as Sprint ** in signal check pro.

Clearwire B41

 

Sent from my LG G5

[greenbastard]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7-vOBw3Q8N-amxOcHhOa0pyUEk/view?usp=sharing

 

All this talk about B25 CA made me decide to turn it on on my G6 and I guess it's also live in San Antonio now. I had to turn off B26, I'm on the fringe of the site at around -118 dBm, but was still able to pull 1.5 mbps. So it's performing like a B26 signal that is 10 dBm stronger.

Meanwhile, in East Texas & Houston...No sign of a second B25 carrier at all. Just a single congested G block carrier to go along with an even more congested B26 carrier. This network inconsistency Sprint has in each market drives me crazy. They should just thin out CDMA already since EVOD sits unused for the most part.

 

It's been a while since I've been to SA, but I believe the last 2nd B25 carrier is seen just east of Luling on I-10 when you head to Houston. Anyone know if that's changed? I think Sprint had the spectrum to push a second carrier all the way to Sealy, TX but they haven't done so since my last drive out there.

[avb]

Meanwhile, in East Texas & Houston...No sign of a second B25 carrier at all. Just a single congested G block carrier to go along with an even more congested B26 carrier. This network inconsistency Sprint has in each market drives me crazy. They should just thin out CDMA already since EVOD sits unused for the most part.

 

It's been a while since I've been to SA, but I believe the last 2nd B25 carrier is seen just east of Luling on I-10 when you head to Houston. Anyone know if that's changed? I think Sprint had the spectrum to push a second carrier all the way to Sealy, TX but they haven't done so since my last drive out there.

 

Houston is really thin with 1900mhz spectrum.  Wish Sprint would have been able to grab some 1900mhz when AT&T bought out Cricket Wireless.