Network Vision/LTE - Columbus Market

[thenight84]

From what I have seen in other markets and have read, I would say your source is mis-informed.

 

I hope your right but its his job to know his market.

[thenight84]

Source again is R.P.

[S4GRU]

I was on a call and LTE will not be launched in Columbus until early 2014. It was said enhanced 3g would be here by end of year. I can only imagine later in the year that there will be spottings of 4G popping up. (Soure RP)

 

Launched? Perhaps. However work is beginning in the next few weeks in the Columbus market. And it is a Samsung market, and Samsung tends to bring up the LTE side first because it is easier and doesn't have to be done in clusters like the 3G.

 

However, this is plausible because Sprint may have to do Columbus like Chicago. Both are legacy Motorola markets. They may have to do 3G first to minimize service disruptions from dropped calls. If so, they will have to do several months of 3G only installs.

 

Fortunately, the Columbus market is much smaller than Chicago, so they can bang this out much quicker. But if this is the case, I expect them to fly through the 3G upgrades because backhaul will not be an issue and the customers will be screaming bloody murder from dropped calls and service disruptions. Remember the 75-100 sites per week Samsung did in Chicago? After 2-3 months of an aggressive 3G rollout, they could start the LTE side.

 

If this is true for Columbus, it's also the case for Cincinnati and Cleveland. Because both of them are legacy Motorola markets too.

 

If Sprint and Samsung were smart, they'd do both. Have separate 3G and LTE crews. Send out the massive 3G conversion teams as planned and stick as many people on that as possible. But then have separate teams that go to each completed 3G convert and add LTE now as each site has upgraded backhaul in place to support it. That would be the best way to handle this issue.

 

Robert via LG Optimus G using Tapatalk

 

 

[thenight84]

Thats exactly how it was explained to me too. I was always confused about talk of samsung doing the work because everytime i access the Columbus market everything reports back Motorola but your description of the work done in Chicago makes sense. Anything would be a godsend here as 3G speeds are typically that of dial up and the block call rate is ridiculous. I'll take a fast 3G over nothing at all.

[andycapps]

LTE will be in Columbus long before 2014. May not be 100%, but they will start well before that. No reason for them to apply for permits and then wait 9 months before starting work.

[ArmyStrong34]

kineticman,

The picture you posted is of a cabinet that was already there. If you are looking at the site there are 4 raised pads. The cabinet they installed is on the pad that's farthest from the parking lot and on the left. I have driven by it several times since the permit was first applied for and that pad was empty before they started work. If I can get out of work before its dark I'll try to get over there an get a pic.

 

J

[ArmyStrong34]

Here's another one. This site is on Alkire Rd near Demorest. I don't know for sure what the address is there. I was driving up 270 and saw the lines and what looked like a panel hanging from one of them. In one of the pics I took I caught something that they were sending down one of the lines.

 

I'm going to have to set up a hosting service because I really have to cut down the quality of the pictures I take in order to post them.

 

J

[andycapps]

Here's another one. This site is on Alkire Rd near Demorest. I don't know for sure what the address is there. I was driving up 270 and saw the lines and what looked like a panel hanging from one of them. In one of the pics I took I caught something that they were sending down one of the lines.

 

I'm going to have to set up a hosting service because I really have to cut down the quality of the pictures I take in order to post them.

 

J

 

You could try imgur. I find it to be really easy. They should have an app for your phone as well.

 

So that picture of them raising something, I'm assuming they're mounting either new antenna arrays or RRU's if they're mounted at the antenna. That's pretty cool. So if that's for sure a Sprint tower you posted and we're sure that they were working on Sprint's stuff, then it's pretty clear that work has "started." I'd be curious when they turn out LTE or when 3G speeds from that tower improve.

[jfin]

So I live around 270 and West Broad St in Columbus I am able to connect to eHRPD but have no data connection when connected although if I update prl/profile my 3g pops on to do so but no gps data connection for web but as you can see my connection is great -63db a for the past year the tower I connect to service was horrible sprint was aware of %17 of calls through this tower being dropped here recently evdo has been solid although my signal is between -84db to 90 something db asu between 11 and 17 so they have had to of done something to the tower plus my 3g data speeds are solid it is located on the south side of west broad st and the 270 exit ramp

Edited March 14, 2013 by jfin

[andycapps]

So I live around 270 and West Broad St in Columbus I am able to connect to eHRPD but have no data connection when connected although if I update prl/profile my 3g pops on to do so but no gps data connection for web but as you can see my connection is great -63db a for the past year the tower I connect to service was horrible sprint was aware of %17 of calls through this tower being dropped here recently evdo has been solid although my signal is between -84db to 90 something db asu between 11 and 17 so they have had to of done something to the tower plus my 3g data speeds are solid it is located on the south side of west broad st and the 270 exit ramp

 

I can't figure out what you're saying because there is no punctuation, but are you complaining about your 3G speeds or happy about them? Because those are probably 4 times what I get in Reynoldsburg currently.

[COZisBack]

I think of all the upgrades, I'm more excited for better 3G service than LTE. I will appreciate the LTE, so I can go back and watch my Slingbox and Netflix again, but there are too many times when I wish I could just have a strong 3G speed so I can load basic things on my phone. I'm not expecting LTE to reach everywhere, but if I have that upgraded 3G, I'll get by.

[Oakley707]

Amen to this... I just was at Hillard Davidson all day for a gymnastics meet. I was able to get a consistent one meg bit down on my phone and tethered perfectly all day. Used spotify without any buffering problems and watched some big Ten basketball. It's amazing what only one meg can do. Just cannot wait for lte, ;-).

[Ejwilliamson90]

Also boost mobile and virgin Mobile offer lte phones on top of the 4g wimax phones as of March 7th it still amazes me that people are so un knowledgeable about sprint lte the guy says since I'm able to order virgin boost mobile lte phones on March 7th that's when lte will be active in Columbus

 

Why would you take a retail associates word? They come here to read what's going on

[derrph]

I also have seen a 3g speed increase. I live on the south side of columbus and both my galaxy note 2 and my iphone 5 have been more pleasant to use. I pull almost 1meg. Also when Im at school at osu I exceed 1meg. Sprint has really started its NV work here based on what Ive seen so work is underway I suppose.

[SandMan95]

Amen to this... I just was at Hillard Davidson all day for a gymnastics meet. I was able to get a consistent one meg bit down on my phone and tethered perfectly all day. Used spotify without any buffering problems and watched some big Ten basketball. It's amazing what only one meg can do. Just cannot wait for lte, ;-).

 

You went to the meet? Pretty ironic, i'm actually a senior at davidson this year, and I have the worst service in the building :-p

[Oakley707]

You went to the meet? Pretty ironic, i'm actually a senior at davidson this year, and I have the worst service in the building :-p

 

You caught me... I knew I was going to get the school name wrong. I was at Hilliard Darby, not Davidson my mistake. The service at Darby was great. Made the meet much more enjoyable, can't wait until LTE so I can stream the higher quality video.

[Oakley707]

I also have seen a 3g speed increase. I live on the south side of columbus and both my galaxy note 2 and my iphone 5 have been more pleasant to use. I pull almost 1meg. Also when Im at school at osu I exceed 1meg. Sprint has really started its NV work here based on what Ive seen so work is underway I suppose.

 

I couldn't agree more. I was on campus the other day and was consistently pulling 1.5 Mbit and was able to do just about anything while on a conference call in a parking lot. Sure makes my job more enjoyable, .

[andycapps]

East side hasn't seen any upgrades yet, that I've found. I assume you guys are seeing where they installed the fiber part or something for those sites. I doubt that's all they're doing in your area. I can't wait for those speeds.

[jfin]

East side hasn't seen any upgrades yet, that I've found. I assume you guys are seeing where they installed the fiber part or something for those sites. I doubt that's all they're doing in your area. I can't wait for those speeds.

 

I'm around the 270 and West Broad St and my 3g speeds are better now also 1.5 mb consistently

[imex99]

 

I'm around the 270 and West Broad St and my 3g speeds are better now also 1.5 mb consistently

 

Heck, the east side near Livingston and Noe Bixby ur lucky to have a signal...

 

This is outside of Columbus but only an hour or so... Lexington, OH in the sticks :

 

 

Sent from my HTC EVO 4G LTE

 

 

[andycapps]

Heck, the east side near Livingston and Noe Bixby ur lucky to have a signal...

 

This is outside of Columbus but only an hour or so... Lexington, OH in the sticks :

 

 

Sent from my HTC EVO 4G LTE

 

I got a good speedtest this morning in Reynoldsburg. I'll check when I'm home from work during what seem to be peak hours. For where I'm at, this is nuts. This was definitely the peak, but I was getting between .75 and 1.5 Mbps on subsequent tests.

 

[drewsonian]

I am loving what I'm hearing here... I am near 270 and Broad in the Galloway area and didn't notice any speed differences this weekend, but I was also not around the area much and when I am at home, I'm on WiFi. I just did a speedtest without wifi and got 0.08 Mbps down and 0.11 up, but I'm also downtown right now, which has never had great service anyways.

 

I'll do a test when I get home tonight and see how the speeds look. That Norton Road tower is likely the tower that I use as my home is at Galloway and Hall roads.

 

Awesome to see some movement around the west side!

 

Side note: does anyone drive the southwest leg of 270 regularly where all the construction is? I consistently have dropped calls as I travel west to east around the curve where 270 goes east, just before the route 64 exit. Has anyone experienced that? I have an iPhone 5.

 

Thanks!

Edited March 18, 2013 by drewsonian

[SandMan95]

Side note: does anyone drive the southwest leg of 270 regularly where all the construction is? I consistently have dropped calls as I travel west to east around the curve where 270 goes east, just before the route 64 exit. Has anyone experienced that? I have an iPhone 5.

 

Thanks!

 

I drive down to Grove city every weekend to work at Sprint, and it's safe to say that the service is absolute crap. It gets better once you get to georgesville and stringtown, but the area is quite horrible at times. I can't stream anything while in the car...pretty unbearable.

[drewsonian]

I drive down to Grove city every weekend to work at Sprint, and it's safe to say that the service is absolute crap. It gets better once you get to georgesville and stringtown, but the area is quite horrible at times. I can't stream anything while in the car...pretty unbearable.

 

Yep - I thought that the new tower that went up at Georgesville Rd exit on the west side of the interstate would help, but no such luck!

[ArmyStrong34]

 

 

Yep - I thought that the new tower that went up at Georgesville Rd exit on the west side of the interstate would help, but no such luck!

 

The new tower that went up there is for Verizon. Sprint has a tower caddy corner right behind the storage place and across from Walmart, its kind of hard to spot since its mixed in with the power lines. I usually get pretty good service there depending on the time of day, I'm sure it all depends on the network congestion.