Network Vision/LTE - Columbus Market

[valerious]

Nope, I have not checked the phone section just yet.  My next step.  I was surprised to see N5 for $50 on Sprint pre-order.

[COZisBack]

Nope, I have not checked the phone section just yet. My next step. I was surprised to see N5 for $50 on Sprint pre-order.

It's better to buy it off contract.

 

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[imex99]

G2 only costing me $50 on contract, can't pass that up unless it's that bad with radios, then I'll return...

 

 

 

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[amcferrin90]

What is it with everyone whining about having to use a SIM card on Sprint's new LTE phones?

 

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[imex99]

What is it with everyone whining about having to use a SIM card on Sprint's new LTE phones?

 

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Peeps got there phones early from Google, doesn't ship with sim cards and Sprint being Sprint, giving people hard time to get a sim to activate...

 

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[Dfarley]

What is it with everyone whining about having to use a SIM card on Sprint's new LTE phones?

 

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I'm the opposite than anybody complaining about Sprint and SIMs / UICCs. I'd much prefer having the ability to seamlessly pop a SIM / UICC out of one phone and into another. That way I could still have my iPhone when I want, but toy around with some sort of Triband Android device without having to add a line to my contract. The fact that the phones aren't shipping with a SIM is just a nuisance, but easily tolerable if Sprint is moving towards having swap-ability like I described.

[COZisBack]

I'm the opposite than anybody complaining about Sprint and SIMs / UICCs. I'd much prefer having the ability to seamlessly pop a SIM / UICC out of one phone and into another. That way I could still have my iPhone when I want, but toy around with some sort of Triband Android device without having to add a line to my contract. The fact that the phones aren't shipping with a SIM is just a nuisance, but easily tolerable if Sprint is moving towards having swap-ability like I described.

The thing with Sprint SIMs is they are only for LTE and must match the IMEI they're in on Sprint's system. The reason they don't have SIMs in them are because everyone who has one now ordered directly from the Google Play store and they ship just one device type and you pop your own SIM in.

 

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[jtravers]

The thing with Sprint SIMs is they are only for LTE and must match the IMEI they're in on Sprint's system. The reason they don't have SIMs in them are because everyone who has one now ordered directly from the Google Play store and they ship just one device type and you pop your own SIM in.

 

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Hate that Sprint locks down their phones more than any other carrier. You would think they would be trying to make it as easy as possible for potential customers to switch. But I digress.... 

[COZisBack]

Hate that Sprint locks down their phones more than any other carrier. You would think they would be trying to make it as easy as possible for potential customers to switch. But I digress....

I personally think they're one of the most laxed. They don't bog down their phones with bloatware. They have no problem providing you lock codes. They're a CDMA carrier so if the phone isn't loaded in their system, it's just not there.

 

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[Dfarley]

The thing with Sprint SIMs is they are only for LTE and must match the IMEI they're in on Sprint's system. The reason they don't have SIMs in them are because everyone who has one now ordered directly from the Google Play store and they ship just one device type and you pop your own SIM in.

 

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While it is true that Sprint utilizes SIMs for authentication on the LTE network, there is also discussion about the potential swap-ability using the newer UICC (replacing standard SIM cards) which is what is utilized in the new iPhone 5s/c (I'm not sure about other new devices):

 

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/4845-uicc-compatibility-matrix/&do=findComment&comment=232185

 

While the ESN / IMEI must be in Sprint's database to allow phone activation, it would still be nice to be able to pull a UICC out of one, pop it into another, and as long as the UICC / IMEI combo is in Sprints database the phone would function and the users contract / phone number data would transfer.

 

In regards to Sprint's unlocking policies, I think they are a bit behind other carriers but that has more to do with the fact that they are a CDMA carrier first and CDMA has not traditionally authenticated devices in the same manner as a GSM network such as T Mobile or AT&T. All Verizon LTE devices come factory unlocked out of the box; however that is due to some sort of FCC regulation placed upon them when they acquired their blocks of the 700 MHz spectrum, otherwise since they are a CDMA network first (similar to Sprint) they would be just as / more stringent than Sprint on their unlocking policies. The value of a used Verizon iPhone 5 on eBay is more than double that of a comparible Sprint model, for two reasons, A: there more Verizon users in the market driving the price up; B: the phone is unlocked so the phone will work with any GSM network worldwide (it may not pick up all bands of 3G / LTE, but as close as you'll get in today's market).

[COZisBack]

While it is true that Sprint utilizes SIMs for authentication on the LTE network, there is also discussion about the potential swap-ability using the newer UICC (replacing standard SIM cards) which is what is utilized in the new iPhone 5s/c (I'm not sure about other new devices):

 

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/4845-uicc-compatibility-matrix/&do=findComment&comment=232185

 

While the ESN / IMEI must be in Sprint's database to allow phone activation, it would still be nice to be able to pull a UICC out of one, pop it into another, and as long as the UICC / IMEI combo is in Sprints database the phone would function and the users contract / phone number data would transfer.

 

In regards to Sprint's unlocking policies, I think they are a bit behind other carriers but that has more to do with the fact that they are a CDMA carrier first and CDMA has not traditionally authenticated devices in the same manner as a GSM network such as T Mobile or AT&T. All Verizon LTE devices come factory unlocked out of the box; however that is due to some sort of FCC regulation placed upon them when they acquired their blocks of the 700 MHz spectrum, otherwise since they are a CDMA network first (similar to Sprint) they would be just as / more stringent than Sprint on their unlocking policies. The value of a used Verizon iPhone 5 on eBay is more than double that of a comparible Sprint model, for two reasons, A: there more Verizon users in the market driving the price up; B: the phone is unlocked so the phone will work with any GSM network worldwide (it may not pick up all bands of 3G / LTE, but as close as you'll get in today's market).

Agreed on most points. I personally think VZW iPhones go for more just because Sprint's network is still struggling.

 

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[Dfarley]

Agreed on most points. I personally think VZW iPhones go for more just because Sprint's network is still struggling.

 

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VZW's network vs Sprint is most certainly a factor as well. Side note, just jumped on the Nexus 5 thread and looks like Sprint is headed in the swappable CSIM arena - at least as it pertains to other networks. Next I'd like interoperability / CSIM seamless swap-ability between Sprint devices.

 

Sorry to hijack your thread again...please resume 800 & LTE hunting...

[COZisBack]

VZW's network vs Sprint is most certainly a factor as well. Side note, just jumped on the Nexus 5 thread and looks like Sprint is headed in the swappable CSIM arena - at least as it pertains to other networks. Next I'd like interoperability / CSIM seamless swap-ability between Sprint devices.

 

Sorry to hijack your thread again...please resume 800 & LTE hunting...

 

Nah, you're always welcome in here. Stop by more often.

[bumonbox]

Hmm, so it looks as if we've hit a small lull in the progress they were making.  

No new accepts since the 31st.  Which, was pretty normal over a month ago, and we got spoiled.  hopefully things will pick back up soon?

[Oakley707]

Hmm, so it looks as if we've hit a small lull in the progress they were making.  

No new accepts since the 31st.  Which, was pretty normal over a month ago, and we got spoiled.  hopefully things will pick back up soon?

You may want to check the Columbus Spreadsheet thread, I believe you will find some relatively good news...

[AirJordan613]

Any hope for the Ohio State campus area?

 

 

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[COZisBack]

Any hope for the Ohio State campus area?

 

 

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Nothing major inside of 270 yet.

 

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[jtravers]

I personally think they're one of the most laxed. They don't bog down their phones with bloatware. They have no problem providing you lock codes. They're a CDMA carrier so if the phone isn't loaded in their system, it's just not there.

 

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I wasn't talking about bloatware but unlocking phones for use on other carriers. Dfarley pretty much explained it perfectly.

[MeaseBewithU]

They must be ready to flip the 4g or at least the NV 3g switch in Clintonville (and Grandview), right? Please!!! Because that's what I've been telling myself after suddenly experiencing 1x almost exclusively over the past two days in places where I routinely have been getting 3g for years (even if it has been often unusable 3g for six months now).

 

In other news, I've been getting LTE for a few seconds, only in the mornings, for several months now in central Clintonville, when close to Indianola (and therefore I-71). I think it's only due to the 3g signal being markedly poorer in the morning than later in the day, when I usually have full "bars" (sorry don't have any real numbers, I've never figured out how since switching from Android). 

Edited November 8, 2013 by MeaseBewithU

[Oakley707]

They must be ready to flip the 4g or at least the NV 3g switch in Clintonville (and Grandview), right? Please!!! Because that's what I've been telling myself after suddenly experiencing 1x almost exclusively over the past two days in places where I routinely have been getting 3g for years (even if it has been often unusable 3g for six months now).

 

In other news, I've been getting LTE for a few seconds, only in the mornings, for several months now in central Clintonville, when close to Indianola (and therefore I-71). I think it's only due to the 3g signal being markedly poorer in the morning than later in the day, when I usually have full "bars" (sorry don't have any real numbers, I've never figured out how since switching from Android). 

Welcome to the forums, if you can donate even a modest amount you will not be disappointed.  For instance, we currently have a market map of all of the sites with updates / in progress status shown.

 

We don't have a lot of eyes in that area scoping the towers out, so maybe you can help us with that.  Take a look at Coz signature or the link: http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/3906-how-to-spot-sprint-antennas-and-rrus-samsung-style/ to help identify 1900 sites in our market.  How close are you to Riverside hospital?

 

As for signal strength download a program called Signal Check Lite (referred to here as SCP, this is the pro version which costs about $2).  It will not only tell you your 1X voice strength, but also your 3g and LTE signal when you have it.

 

Thanks for all of your help.

[MeaseBewithU_27958]

Thanks for the welcome. (Lost control of that account I posted with above, and the email recovery system seems to not be working at the moment.) I am on the East side of Clintonville, so not too close to Riverside. This missing 3g is in most of the places I've been in the city over the past 2 days, though. On high, from campus through Worthington, for example, is all 1x. I've snuck in a few Service Updates when they would go through, but no help. Just this moment near High and N Broadway it switched to 3g with 3 signal dots... I have an iPhone now, so that app you mentioned isn't an option.

[Dfarley]

Thanks for the welcome. (Lost control of that account I posted with above, and the email recovery system seems to not be working at the moment.) I am on the East side of Clintonville, so not too close to Riverside. This missing 3g is in most of the places I've been in the city over the past 2 days, though. On high, from campus through Worthington, for example, is all 1x. I've snuck in a few Service Updates when they would go through, but no help. Just this moment near High and N Broadway it switched to 3g with 3 signal dots... I have an iPhone now, so that app you mentioned isn't an option.

You can access the engineering screen on an iPhone by dialing *3001#12345#* then "Call". When in an EVDO only location (no LTE) you'll get a 1x and EVDO options with a decent amount of information. There's a lot more information available when you have an LTE connection. For some reason the iPhone 5 only intermittently shows the actual dBm numerical value when in the engineering screen; other times it just generically shows -106. But that is how you access it from your iPhone.

[amcferrin90]

Hi and welcome! I work in Grandview and there hasn't been much happen around here. There are two cells bordering Columbus on the south end of Grandview that have been ready since June, otherwise there hasn't been any work around this area. There's a lot of information on the forums. There's a lot more information in the donate section including progress maps and more information still in the premier donate section. Well worth the price of admission for sure!!!

 

What you are probably experiencing is the entire Columbus area Sprint network reacting to changes in the network. Usually things just start being weird leading up to sites being switched over. This could be in Mount Vernon or Washington Courthouse, all affecting the network. Slow speeds, dropped calls, no service, you name it. In fact sitting still at the office, my phone is acting wonky today so there is probably some sites coming up.

[imex99]

Did anyone pick up a tri-band phone today?

 

 

 

 

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[Zaevansious]

Just drove by the site at Brandenberry and Norton Road. There are boxes stacked up inside the fence. I hate that every time I see something they I don't have time to stop.