Network Vision/LTE - Milwaukee Market (including Madison)

[HomerSimpson]

The last two days I haven't been able to connect to eHRPD at times, and connect to EV-DO instead.  Does that mean they might be working on the towers near me?

[Dkoellerwx]

I'm new here but honestly, it feel like Sprint just keeps tickling peoples nuts about going live in the Milwaukee area. I have to work downtown Milwaukee on occassion and I swear there is a force field down there that prevents me from getting over 1 or 2 bars regardless of tower locale and LoS. Sprint just plain sucks there no?

There's likely two different clusters of sites that cover the Milwaukee area. They are waiting to switch on each cluster all at once. One cluster one week, one the next, or sometime soon after most likely. They are very close to having these clusters ready.

 

The weather certainly isn't helping, but I would expect the clusters to be complete this month, hopefully online by the end of the year. Not making any guaranties, but if I were betting, I would put money down on the majority of sites being upgraded by the end of the year.

 

It has been a long frustrating wait, I know, I'm still waiting where I live too. But the light at the end of the tunnel is so - so close now.

[mmark27]

There's likely two different clusters of sites that cover the Milwaukee area. They are waiting to switch on each cluster all at once. One cluster one week, one the next, or sometime soon after most likely. They are very close to having these clusters ready.

 

The weather certainly isn't helping, but I would expect the clusters to be complete this month, hopefully online by the end of the year. Not making any guaranties, but if I were betting, I would put money down on the majority of sites being upgraded by the end of the year.

 

It has been a long frustrating wait, I know, I'm still waiting where I live too. But the light at the end of the tunnel is so - so close now.

 

Even then, Milwaukee downtown doesn't have very many towers for the density of people and buildings looking at the maps in the sponsor section, in my opinion.  So I'm not sure that this light will be very bright at the end of the tunnel.  However, you'll probably be able to get service outdoors most places and better.  Madison lacks towers in certain locations and sure I could make a phone call, but data is still atrocious.  I'm sure hoping that 800LTE will change most of this assessment, but I just still think downtown Milwaukee needs more towers than it has even with NV.

[uecker87]

I'm pretty new to this site and Sprint overall.  I have a quick question for some of you 'vets'. 

 

Do some of the sites that are sending out 1x800 signals have their power turned down or something?  I'm in Baraboo, which only has 1 tower within the city limits.  I am pulling in a 1x800 signal from both the Dells (about 8-10 miles away) and Tower Rd (located on the bluffs closer to Merrimac than Baraboo) while in parts of Baraboo, but I can only pull in a 1x800 signal from the Baraboo tower if I am within 10 blocks.  Mind you the Baraboo 'tower' is located on top of the Courthouse which is only a 5 floor building, so maybe that is the cause.  Whereas the Tower Rd. tower is located on the Baraboo bluffs, and the Dells tower is actually a tower.

 

Just wondering if it is going to improve at all.  I'm sure the 4G LTE will if/when they go to 800 LTE, but if the 1x800 signal from Baraboo is any indication then it won't be all that much of an improvement.

[andyp]

Looks like more acceptances today for Milwaukee, its creeping in from the burbs very slowly.....however, nothing has changed downtown proper.  I thought for sure it would be better by the time I head there on Dec 7th. There's still a few days left to make things happen!  

We're going to be near the Oriental Theater area, then down on Water street, both don't look real great for LTE coverage yet....

 

 

Since I got my G2 downtown has been inconsistent, anywhere from .75 - 1.5 Mbps down

 

I live a few blocks north of the oriental. I get consistently .75 down however sensorly reports that there should be LTE where i live...

[Dkoellerwx]

Since I got my G2 downtown has been inconsistent, anywhere from .75 - 1.5 Mbps down

 

I live a few blocks north of the oriental. I get consistently .75 down however sensorly reports that there should be LTE where i live...

LTE will not work for you right now in Milwaukee. Due to the eCSFB issue that has been discussed ad infinitum, tri-band devices cannot connect to LTE.

 

See the article on the wall, front page of this site for more information.

[aackmann]

Well, looks like 1x800 is broadcasting again in Waukesha right now. I'm hopping between 2 different towers in Waukesha with the 800. We'll see if it stays on this time!

[andyp]

LTE will not work for you right now in Milwaukee. Due to the eCSFB issue that has been discussed ad infinitum, tri-band devices cannot connect to LTE.

 

See the article on the wall, front page of this site for more information.

 

 

Thanks, I was already aware.

[smalltimehack]

Thanks, I was already aware.

I don't get why you would ask your question then? The lte you're seeing on sensory was recorded with a phone that is not triband. Just because they can connect doesn't mean you can. Our phones will only connect to towers that have yellow pins which none of Milwaukee proper has. The closest is Oak Creek and even then I still haven't connected to lte on my g2.

[andyp]

I didnt ask a question lol.

 

I was responding to what someone had mentioned they were curious as to what people are getting for signal / speeds in downtown Milwaukee and on the upper eastside.

 

If that is not allowed then I apologize. 

[napali]

Well, looks like 1x800 is broadcasting again in Waukesha right now. I'm hopping between 2 different towers in Waukesha with the 800. We'll see if it stays on this time!

1 x 800 is on full time today for the remaining towers around the Muskego Tess corners 4g tower. Muskego West water tower, Mooreland road I-43, National Ave I-43, Calhoun and Cleveland water tower. Not certain my Vernon tower is as I am always locked on the I-43 tower at home, but LTE should be the next step.. hopefully sooner then later. I have been 1 x 800 all day today on Muskego West.

[uecker87]

Looks like I can respond to my own post earlier.  I had only been able to pull at best a -77 dBm signal from my house (in the exact chair and everything) in Baraboo from the 1x800 tower in town for the last week. 

 

Somehow today the signal is much, much better.  All over town in fact.  Anyway, turned off LTE on my LG G2 to get this screenshot:

 

 

 

Even LTE throughout town was a little bit better on my way home.  Still not the best (and probably a placebo effect), but for only one tower in town what can you expect.  Can't wait for 800 LTE...  And here's a LTE speed test for those of you waiting.  This is my first LTE phone and honestly I'm glad I picked Sprint for the unlimited data.  In my first week I've already used over 4 GB...  I'd be screwed on Verizon.

 

 

[AcctDeleted_w9awx1]

Well, looks like 1x800 is broadcasting again in Waukesha right now. I'm hopping between 2 different towers in Waukesha with the 800. We'll see if it stays on this time!

Two towers in Waukesha have been broadcasting 4g for most of the Summer and fall.  One is on Pearl and HWY 164, and the other is on a law building at Barker and I94.  If there are other City of Waukesha towers broadcasting, please let me know so I can go check them out.  Depending on where you are, you may be getting intermittent signal from Pewaukee.

[qhinton]

I have been reading Milwaukee 4g forum since the wimax days. This is really getting depressing.

 

Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk

 

 

[eljayyy91]

Looks like I can respond to my own post earlier.  I had only been able to pull at best a -77 dBm signal from my house (in the exact chair and everything) in Baraboo from the 1x800 tower in town for the last week. 

 

Somehow today the signal is much, much better.  All over town in fact.  Anyway, turned off LTE on my LG G2 to get this screenshot:

 

Screenshot_2013-12-05-17-07-401.png

 

Even LTE throughout town was a little bit better on my way home.  Still not the best (and probably a placebo effect), but for only one tower in town what can you expect.  Can't wait for 800 LTE...  And here's a LTE speed test for those of you waiting.  This is my first LTE phone and honestly I'm glad I picked Sprint for the unlimited data.  In my first week I've already used over 4 GB...  I'd be screwed on Verizon.

 

Screenshot_2013-12-05-17-19-501.png

Hey my mom has a trailer at the double kd ranch off hwy w. Do you think she will get 4g there?

[mmark27]

Good gravy Milwaukee data sucks! :-) ha I've been spoiled by Madison too long.

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

 

[smalltimehack]

Good gravy Milwaukee data sucks! :-) ha I've been spoiled by Madison too long.

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

Hey hey hey. We don't need it rubbed in our face!

It's sad that I look at the completed map and want to drive to Madison just to check out your network.

[andyp]

Good gravy Milwaukee data sucks! :-) ha I've been spoiled by Madison too long.

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

are you picking up LTE downtown or on the eastside?

 

the place that I have had the best speeds was when i traveled through fon du lac last week had 5Mbps down.

[mmark27]

are you picking up LTE downtown or on the eastside?

 

the place that I have had the best speeds was when i traveled through fon du lac last week had 5Mbps down.

I'm at old German beer haus. Downtown. Outside I can get blips of LTE. Inside, awful.

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

 

[ThomasM]

I'm new here but honestly, it feel like Sprint just keeps tickling peoples nuts about going live in the Milwaukee area. I have to work downtown Milwaukee on occassion and I swear there is a force field down there that prevents me from getting over 1 or 2 bars regardless of tower locale and LoS. Sprint just plain sucks there no?

 

Downtown Milwaukee is really difficult to cover.  When I worked at Nextel that was an area everyone complained about even though we had about 4 sites there-on 800MHz no less!!

 

After looking at the map of Sprint sites in downtown Milwaukee, I'd have to agree with you that it probably is "zero to one bar land".  

[ThomasM]

That would be the one!

I went looking for the second one a few months back but didn't have a sprint phone so I couldn't track the signal at all. I looked for a good half hour for antennae around the area and found none so I gave up and went home.

 

Here's another one that drove me crazy....

 

South 27th Street north of College.  I wondered why on earth they had a site here since it is only a short distance from their site on that ugly water tower just about in the Menard's parking lot between College and Rawson.

 

Turns out it's an IN BUILDING site at some sort of medical facility!!  In their parking lot I got a -50dB signal (a real WOW) but as soon as I pulled out on to 27th street it disappeared quickly.  No antennas visible on the building.  I was half tempted to go inside and ask them if Sprint had a cell site in their building but they might have rolled over a gurney and put ME on it!  

[uecker87]

Hey my mom has a trailer at the double kd ranch off hwy w. Do you think she will get 4g there?

 

Probably not unless it is on a hill.  I have been trying to fill up the map on Sensorly as of late.  I was able to get a bar or two on Hwy 113 by Hwy W, but only because of the added elevation.  I'll try to drive out there tomorrow and check it out for you. 

 

Check sensorly in a couple days for a better idea.

[eljayyy91]

Probably not unless it is on a hill.  I have been trying to fill up the map on Sensorly as of late.  I was able to get a bar or two on Hwy 113 by Hwy W, but only because of the added elevation.  I'll try to drive out there tomorrow and check it out for you.  C Check sensorly in a couple days for a better idea.

Okay thx that would be really cool I know her signal on 3g isn't the best so I didn't figure she would. That's why I had her wait for a tri band device even though who knows when 800 will light up lol

[smalltimehack]

Here's another one that drove me crazy....

 

South 27th Street north of College. I wondered why on earth they had a site here since it is only a short distance from their site on that ugly water tower just about in the Menard's parking lot between College and Rawson.

 

Turns out it's an IN BUILDING site at some sort of medical facility!! In their parking lot I got a -50dB signal (a real WOW) but as soon as I pulled out on to 27th street it disappeared quickly. No antennas visible on the building. I was half tempted to go inside and ask them if Sprint had a cell site in their building but they might have rolled over a gurney and put ME on it!

I went and looked this up thinking it was a repeater. It shows on a map I have access to as being an actual tower and not a repeater. Awkward the signal is such short lived with being a tower.

[uecker87]

Okay thx that would be really cool I know her signal on 3g isn't the best so I didn't figure she would. That's why I had her wait for a tri band device even though who knows when 800 will light up lol

 

I drove by yesterday and was able to pick up a very weak LTE signal on the road in front of it (she pretty much for sure won't get 4G inside).  I even did a speed test on Sensorly.  Nothing great, approx. 4 mbps down / 1 mbps up, so check Sensorly in a day or two.  It might improve once the tower on Tower Rd. lights up with 4G.  That tower seems to have fantastic range since it is on top of the Baraboo Hills (I sometimes get a 1X 800 signal as far away as Reedsburg, approximately 20 miles from the tower site).  But, it certainly will improve once 800 LTE lights up.