Network Vision/LTE - Washington DC Market

[Abyss19707]

I have been in the D.C area over the past few days. To be more specific Richmond, Virgiana. I know that the D.C market is a 1st round market for Sprint. During my trip I noticed great signal. I had almost 4 to 5 bars my entire trip on both my iPhone 4S and Galaxy Nexus. Also running several speed tests I was able to get constant speeds of 1-1.5 Mbps on both devices. During these speed tests I know I was connected to an eHRPD network on my Galaxy Nexus but I am unsure on my iPhone 4S. Will post pictures once I downsize them to smaller files. Forgot to mention that uploads speeds were about .8 Mbps on both phones.

[whodatboy77]

I have been getting much improved 3g speeds in the suburbs of DC on the MD side although not everywhere......Hopefully the market continues to improve and there is an announcement soon on this area going live with LTE

[shawn_kc]

I have been in the D.C area over the past few days. To be more specific Richmond, Virgiana. I know that the D.C market is a 1st round market for Sprint. During my trip I noticed great signal. I had almost 4 to 5 bars my entire trip on both my iPhone 4S and Galaxy Nexus. Also running several speed tests I was able to get constant speeds of 1-1.5 Mbps on both devices. During these speed tests I know I was connected to an eHRPD network on my Galaxy Nexus but I am unsure on my iPhone 4S. Will post pictures once I downsize them to smaller files.

 

The phone has to be an LTE phone to connect to eHPRD, so the iphone will connect to evdo

[feteru]

I seem to be getting better reception in my house, which is just outside of DC (Silver Spring), and definitely faster 3G. I went from getting about 2 bars (out of 6) of reception to getting 3-5, and my speed is now consistently close to 1mbps down and around .5mbps up, with pings hovering around the low 100 range. This is testing connected to the DC Server. This makes me all the more excited to get my 32gb GSIII when my upgrade rolls around in a couple of weeks. This is an exciting time to be a sprint customer!

 

EDIT: Nice to see another person in the silver spring area on these forums! Small world. How're you liking the GSIII?

Edited July 16, 2012 by feteru

[grapkoski]

So after all my complaining last week about horrendous service at my office (15th and NY Ave NW), it seems that that short term pain was worth it. After months of 50kbps or slower connections - I just clocked in at a record 454kbps (on EVDO, so not a NV tower). While not strikingly amazing to most this 'band-aid' is MORE than welcome and my phone is now actually usable. For those that are curious the tower, based on network.sprint.com, was due to a data capacity upgrade.

 

Can't wait to see what is next!

[chappo2000]

It appears the night is darkest before the dawn.

[DC_MTP]

Any updates on LTE in DC? Are we still looking at a late August / Early September launch date? 3g on my SGS III is just horrible and not to mention constantly in and out of 1x roaming.

[grapkoski]

Any updates on LTE in DC? Are we still looking at a late August / Early September launch date? 3g on my SGS III is just horrible and not to mention constantly in and out of 1x roaming.

 

I can't quote on LTE specifically but in the District (Downtown, 17th St and Logan, specifically) - I have seen 3G speeds increase to levels that I haven't seen since Palm was popular. So while 4G may be a month or so away - 3G is finally starting to improve and be useful.

[miguell2]

I seem to be getting better reception in my house, which is just outside of DC (Silver Spring), and definitely faster 3G. I went from getting about 2 bars (out of 6) of reception to getting 3-5, and my speed is now consistently close to 1mbps down and around .5mbps up, with pings hovering around the low 100 range. This is testing connected to the DC Server. This makes me all the more excited to get my 32gb GSIII when my upgrade rolls around in a couple of weeks. This is an exciting time to be a sprint customer!

 

EDIT: Nice to see another person in the silver spring area on these forums! Small world. How're you liking the GSIII?

So after all my complaining last week about horrendous service at my office (15th and NY Ave NW), it seems that that short term pain was worth it. After months of 50kbps or slower connections - I just clocked in at a record 454kbps (on EVDO, so not a NV tower). While not strikingly amazing to most this 'band-aid' is MORE than welcome and my phone is now actually usable. For those that are curious the tower, based on network.sprint.com, was due to a data capacity upgrade.

 

Can't wait to see what is next!

 

I haven't seen it here 14th and H.

[grapkoski]

I haven't seen it here 14th and H.

 

That's odd - I see it at 14th and New York/G....

[DC_MTP]

Sprint Bringing LTE to Four New Markets Before Labor Day (Spetember 3rd 2012)

• Baltimore, MD
  
• Gainesville, GA
  
• Manhattan/Junction City, KS
  
• Sherman-Denison, TX
  

Source:http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/07/26/sprint-bringing-lte-to-four-new-markets-before-labor-day-september-3rd-2012/

 

Does anyone know if the Baltimore, MD market extends to DC?

Edited July 26, 2012 by DC_MTP

[Odell]

Does anyone know if the Baltimore, MD market extends to DC?

 

No, it comes about as close as parts of Laurel, MD.

[kg4icg]

DC market and Baltimore market are separate.

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

[Odell]

Just to be clear, the DC market includes DC proper, Northern VA and as far south as Stafford as well as most of the Maryland suburbs and extends to parts of Frederick and as far southeast as Hollywood.

 

That's just a rough outline so please don't get upset if I didn't define the borders exactly.

 

Of course Sponsors can see the interactive maps and see exactly where the DC and Baltimore Markets fall.

[feteru]

Does anyone have more updated information on when the DC Market launches? I had heard rumors of end of August, but I am not quite sure if that is still accurate.

[S4GRU]

Does anyone have more updated information on when the DC Market launches? I had heard rumors of end of August, but I am not quite sure if that is still accurate.

 

We have been reporting September, but it seems all Sprint launches are appearing to be running about 30 days behind at this point. So it could be October.

 

Robert

[feteru]

We have been reporting September, but it seems all Sprint launches are appearing to be running about 30 days behind at this point. So it could be October.

 

Robert

Thanks! And that's interesting, because I get my upgrade (and SGSIII) on October 1st, so that seems as though it could line up pretty well.

[fubka]

In Mt Pleasant DC, voice went out today at about 5pm, have been roaming ever since. 4g wimax is strong however, streamed an HD movie last night.

[Odell]

I ran a continuous Root Metric test while on the Beltway from Georgia Ave in Silver Spring to RT 202 in Largo. Download speeds were not very good at all for long stretches but the upload speeds were pretty good for 3G.

 

[WiWavelength]

I ran a continuous Root Metric test while on the Beltway from Georgia Ave in Silver Spring to RT 202 in Largo. Download speeds were not very good at all for long stretches but the upload speeds were pretty good for 3G.

 

Geez, 10.1 MB. I wonder how much network congestion is caused by users running so many speed tests.

 

Call it the wireless network version of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle -- the more speed tests everyone runs to gauge per user data rates, the less accurate the results become because the overlapping speed tests slow down per user data rates.

 

AJ

[Odell]

I would guess that the percentage of Sprint customers who know about and run speed tests is quite small. Our impact on the network is probably nothing compared to those who are tethering their tablets and streaming episodes of The Cleveland Show on Hulu.

[Pillowsplat]

I'm getting the same unscientific results. Very low downloads 25 - 350 kbs and 400+ kbs up around the beltway. Northern VA was a bit better.

[feteru]

Just a couple days ago I go 2.44 down and .93 up with a sub 100ms ping, in the takoma park area. I'll edit this post in a minute with the image.

 

EDIT:

 

These have been my best tests, and I got at least 15-20 similar ones, so it wasn't a fluke. This was with full bars on my Optimus S, and I will check next time I am there what the signal was with NetMonitor.

Edited August 15, 2012 by feteru

[grapkoski]

Just a couple days ago I go 2.44 down and .93 up with a sub 100ms ping, in the takoma park area. I'll edit this post in a minute with the image.

 

EDIT:

 

These have been my best tests, and I got at least 15-20 similar ones, so it wasn't a fluke. This was with full bars on my Optimus S, and I will check next time I am there what the signal was with NetMonitor.

 

You're probably connecting to a NV tower (jealous). Takoma Park and the immediate area has two completed NV (3G) towers. Hopefully, 4G will be switched on for you but I bet VZ or whomever is supplying the backhaul in DC is holding it up...

[feteru]

You're probably connecting to a NV tower (jealous). Takoma Park and the immediate area has two completed NV (3G) towers. Hopefully, 4G will be switched on for you but I bet VZ or whomever is supplying the backhaul in DC is holding it up...

That's what I think, but I am not quite sure where the tower is located. I'll post pictures of it if I get the chance. Also, I think the tower by MBHS is band-aided, or they are still working on the backhaul, because I got .89 down, and .91 up, with a 111ms ping there a couple of days ago, with line-of-sight to the tower. I will definitely try to get a picture of that one within a week, so that you guys can tell me whether or not it is.