Network Vision/LTE - Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands Market

[Skypr]

1 minute ago, Dkoellerwx said:

That's a limit imposed by IP Board. You can use a third party to host screenshots, like Imgur or Photobucket, and then embed the images here. 

Ohh, give a sec to post the image...

[Dkoellerwx]

7 minutes ago, nexgencpu said:

Actually I thought PLMN controlled the Carrier String info.

When there isn't a specific GCI pattern (like we have on Sprint) the display is driven by EARFCN *and* PLMN. B13 comes from EARFCN. 

[Skypr]

Band 13 Speed test in my area.

[lilotimz]

2 hours ago, Skypr said:

Band 13 Speed test in my area.

 

 

Just think. That single Band 13 carrier is double the spectrum Sprint has on air in most of PR (5 MHz G) which is in essence doubling Sprints capacity...

Open Mobile has another 20 MHz that Sprint now can use too..... 

So from just 5x5 B25 G they can go to 10x10 B13 + 10x10 B25 + 5x5 B25.... 4x more capacity than before. 

[RAvirani]

1 hour ago, lilotimz said:

 

Just think. That single Band 13 carrier is double the spectrum Sprint has on air in most of PR (5 MHz G) which is in essence doubling Sprints capacity...

Open Mobile has another 20 MHz that Sprint now can use too..... 

So from just 5x5 B25 G they can go to 10x10 B13 + 10x10 B25 + 5x5 B25.... 4x more capacity than before. 

Don’t forget the improved coverage and propagation with lowband spectrum. 

[wacko 11]

2 hours ago, lilotimz said:

 

Just think. That single Band 13 carrier is double the spectrum Sprint has on air in most of PR (5 MHz G) which is in essence doubling Sprints capacity...

Open Mobile has another 20 MHz that Sprint now can use too..... 

So from just 5x5 B25 G they can go to 10x10 B13 + 10x10 B25 + 5x5 B25.... 4x more capacity than before. 

What about STX....do we have band 13 in the VI?

[Rawvega]

What about STX....do we have band 13 in the VI?

Yes, Open Mobile's B13 license covers the USVI as well which is a good thing. Sprint's problem in the USVI is that they're very limited as far as B41 spectrum. Some company called Choice Communications has the lion's share of it there unfortunately.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[themuffinman]

I can confirm a band 13 sighting on st thomas, won't let me connect though.

[Skypr]

Bad news... I was kicked out of band 13. I'm now at B25 like always.

Power is now restored in the island. I suspect that b13 connectivity was due to Sprint losing multiple towers in my area due to the blackout.

Roaming data consumption still at 0.

[nexgencpu]

18 minutes ago, Skypr said:

Bad news... I was kicked out of band 13. I'm now at B25 like always.

Power is now restored in the island. I suspect that b13 connectivity was due to Sprint losing multiple towers in my area due to the blackout.

Roaming data consumption still at 0.

Probably still in testing. Give it some time while they integrate both networks.

[Tengen31]

23 hours ago, Skypr said:

Band 13 Speed test in my area.
 

Why is there a R by the signal bar?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 

[Dkoellerwx]

8 hours ago, Tengen31 said:

Why is there a R by the signal bar?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 

Extended networks always show as roaming, even though the data use doesn't count as roaming.

[Skypr]

On 4/18/2018 at 7:28 PM, lilotimz said:

 

Just think. That single Band 13 carrier is double the spectrum Sprint has on air in most of PR (5 MHz G) which is in essence doubling Sprints capacity...

Open Mobile has another 20 MHz that Sprint now can use too..... 

So from just 5x5 B25 G they can go to 10x10 B13 + 10x10 B25 + 5x5 B25.... 4x more capacity than before. 

I know, it should be a big improvement once is enabled.

[Skypr]

Update:

There was a second major power outage in my area on Wednesday and I was able to connect to Open Mobile's B13 again.

Data roaming allotment as of today still at zero. Definitely Sprint must be considering Open Mobile as extended network at the moment.

What's surprising for me is that on the island wide power blackout and on the second local power blackout, Sprint towers in my area are went offline in less than an hour. Is was like if their batteries or generators were damaged or not prepared. In contrast, Open Mobile's towers in my area (the one that I roamed) never went offline and were up the entire time on the first and second blackout.

As soon as power was restored on both events, I was kicked out of B13.

Edited April 21, 2018 by Skypr

[Robert7]

Where exactly are you located? 

[Dkoellerwx]

7 hours ago, Skypr said:

Update:

There was a second major power outage in my area on Wednesday and I was able to connect to Open Mobile's B13 again.

Data roaming allotment as of today still at zero. Definitely Sprint must be considering Open Mobile as extended network at the moment.

What's surprising for me is that on the island wide power blackout and on the second local power blackout, Sprint towers in my area are went offline in less than an hour. Is was like if their batteries or generators were damaged or not prepared. In contrast, Open Mobile's towers in my area (the one that I roamed) never went offline and were up the entire time on the first and second blackout.

As soon as power was restored on both events, I was kicked out of B13.

I suspect the batteries are meant to last for an hour. If they are still original, they probably didn't anticipate the power being out for days/months. Only a fraction of sites have generator backups. Even in Kansas City, Kansas (Sprint's home market) when we lost power most of the Sprint sites in the area went down after a couple hours as the batteries failed. Only a few actually had generators. 

[gerardopr91]

Whats going on with Sprint/Open merge?

 

I see that Open Mobile stores are changing to Boost Mobile but the signal and data speeds are the same (Less than 1 mb).  Any news? 

[Robert7]

I guess no tower update yet.still testing

[Skypr]

On 4/21/2018 at 1:33 PM, Robert7 said:

Where exactly are you located? 

Sabana Grande

Edited April 27, 2018 by Skypr

[Skypr]

Update:

Did a PRL update (55069) and sightings of B13 using Signal Check Pro are less frequent know in my area. Before this latest PRL, I was able to see between 2-3 B13 signals everyday for the entire time that I had the app open but not anymore. There is a B13 in my area at -98 dBm that's constantly disappearing from Signal Check Pro. As for roaming charges when I was using Open Mobile, there are none and the roaming data allotment stills at zero.

Two question for thought...

If Sprint and T-Mobile merge, what could be the implications for PRWireless in Puerto Rico (Joint company between Sprint and Open Mobile)? Would the DOJ step in to prevent a 3 carrier merge in PR? Or would it go thru making a super telecom company in PR? Or maybe the DOJ allows the merge in the USA but not in PR...

Lastly, could the rollout of Sprint VoLTE be affected in PR do to Open Mobile's equipment?

[RAvirani]

1 hour ago, Skypr said:

Did a PRL update (55069) and sightings of B13 using Signal Check Pro are less frequent know in my area.

PRLs do not affect LTE connectivity — they are only for CDMA. What you are observing must be a coincidence. As Sprint and Open Mobile are still integrating their networks, Band 13 will probably come and go quite a few more times before you’ll be able to properly connect to it. 

1 hour ago, Skypr said:

If Sprint and T-Mobile merge, what could be the implications for PRWireless in Puerto Rico (Joint company between Sprint and Open Mobile)? Would the DOJ step in to prevent a 3 carrier merge in PR? Or would it go thru making a super telecom company in PR? Or maybe the DOJ allows the merge in the USA but not in PR...

It’s hard to say. Although I may be wrong, I think that if the merger does goes through (which it may or may not), it will go through everywhere. 

[Skypr]

Another power outage in my area. Currently 7 hours without electricity in the entire town.

Sprint towers are long gone. No 1xRTT, 3G or LTE... Nothing, nada.

Phone is roaming again with Open Mobile. Speeds right now are lighting fast compared to Sprint normal B25 in my town. I can't wait for Sprint to implement B13.

[gerardopr91]

8 hours ago, Skypr said:

Another power outage in my area. Currently 7 hours without electricity in the entire town.

Sprint towers are long gone. No 1xRTT, 3G or LTE... Nothing, nada.

Phone is roaming again with Open Mobile. Speeds right now are lighting fast compared to Sprint normal B25 in my town. I can't wait for Sprint to implement B13.

Amazing...

 

[greenbastard]

11 hours ago, Skypr said:

Another power outage in my area. Currently 7 hours without electricity in the entire town.

Sprint towers are long gone. No 1xRTT, 3G or LTE... Nothing, nada.

Phone is roaming again with Open Mobile. Speeds right now are lighting fast compared to Sprint normal B25 in my town. I can't wait for Sprint to implement B13.

If your phone is rooted, you could turn off the Sprint bands and force your phone to roam on Open Mobile for data with the Network Signal Guru app. You'd miss out on calls since you would have to turn off CDMA 1900 (phone won't roam if it detects Sprint 1x). But at least you could see how well B13 performs for you and test drive it for educational purposes.

Edited April 28, 2018 by greenbastard

[Skypr]

7 hours ago, greenbastard said:

If your phone is rooted, you could turn off the Sprint bands and force your phone to roam on Open Mobile for data with the Network Signal Guru app. You'd miss out on calls since you would have to turn off CDMA 1900 (phone won't roam if it detects Sprint 1x). But at least you could see how well B13 performs for you and test drive it for educational purposes.

Not rooted but that suggestion is a great idea. I will check they out... Obviously, for educational purposes...