Network Vision/LTE - South Bay Market (San Jose/Salinas/Monterey)

[Xlegendxero]

Well as luck would have it. LTE is live as of today in Soledad.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

 

[evilluc]

I just noticed that eHRPD is back on in San Jose today. Also, the tower close to Santana Row has been broadcasting 800Mhz all week and now it looks like LTE as well. Hopefully things are picking up steam in this part of the market

[Xlegendxero]

Look what popped out of the ground the other day, could the recent rain we had have led to this?

Seems like the old water tower may no longer be the sprint cell site. Can't wait for it to be completed. This is in Gonzales, CA.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
 

[crazy_vag]

Look what popped out of the ground the other day, could the recent rain we had have led to this?

 

Seems like the old water tower may no longer be the sprint cell site. Can't wait for it to be completed. This is in Gonzales, CA.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

What is that?  It looks like a doppler radar site.

[Xlegendxero]

 

This is what it is. Although this picture is a bit old as well. If you guys want up an updated picture, I can get one. Right now that water tower looks crazy. Has a giant scaffold and being repainted.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[LuisBOSS302]

Anyone else struggling to connect to cdma 800 in San Jose??

[mfield]

Will let you know later today, when I'm in the north part of San Jose.  What device are you using, and where are you trying to catch the signal?  I'm curious as to what practical effect the new 800 CDMA signal will have on my day to day use.

 

Marc

[mfield]

No 800 on my drive to work or at work.  I've been on band 25 the whole time.  I'm on an iPhone 5s and am in an area where 99% of the towers are now 800 CMDA accepted.  Based on info in the map updates thread, it seems I'll get 800 only when there's no 1900 available...

[crazy_vag]

I believe that iPhones prefer 1900 (if available) over 800.  Other phones simply prefer either 800 or 1900 depending on what they're currently / last connected to.

[S4GRU]

I believe that iPhones prefer 1900 (if available) over 800.  Other phones simply prefer either 800 or 1900 depending on what they're currently / last connected to.

 

You're right.  Getting CDMA 800 on an iPhone in an urban area is tough to impossible.

 

Robert

[bucdenny]

Try going deep in a building.  Might help 

[mfield]

Try going deep in a building.  Might help 

 

Doesn't help for me...though I do get a weak 1900 signal so it must take zero (or close) 1900 signal to have the phone switch to 800.  I don't care which I'm using but with all the talk about 800 making things better indoors, it's a bummer that I'm not seeing it.

[S4GRU]

Doesn't help for me...though I do get a weak 1900 signal so it must take zero (or close) 1900 signal to have the phone switch to 800.  I don't care which I'm using but with all the talk about 800 making things better indoors, it's a bummer that I'm not seeing it.

 

On an iPhone, it will not begin to scan 1900 until you completely lose a 1900 signal and then rescans all the 1900 channels to make sure there is no 1900 available.  After a 1900 rescan, it will then scan 800.  It is pretty hard to get CDMA 800 on an iPhone.

 

Robert

[bbspot]

On an iPhone, it will not begin to scan 1900 until you completely lose a 1900 signal and then rescans all the 1900 channels to make sure there is no 1900 available.  After a 1900 rescan, it will then scan 800.  It is pretty hard to get CDMA 800 on an iPhone.

 

Robert

Does the iphone have similar behavior for LTE800?  Or is it network controlled?

[mfield]

On an iPhone, it will not begin to scan 1900 until you completely lose a 1900 signal and then rescans all the 1900 channels to make sure there is no 1900 available.  After a 1900 rescan, it will then scan 800.  It is pretty hard to get CDMA 800 on an iPhone.

 

Robert

 

Robert,

 

Thanks for the response.  Does this mean that iPhone users will benefit from 800 only when in areas with truly no 1900 coverage such as more rural areas or very deep inside a building (so basically we will roam less)?  It sounds as if 800 won't even help iPhone users with dropped calls, if the phone won't look for 800 until 1900 is completely lost.  Is there some other benefit for iPhone users that I'm missing?

 

Marc

[S4GRU]

Does the iphone have similar behavior for LTE800?  Or is it network controlled?

 

PRL's only control scan behavior for CDMA.  For LTE it is network controlled regardless of device type.  We have already had a member in Wisconsin report being able to connect to Band 26 on an iPhone even while they were within Band 25 coverage.

 

Robert

Edited January 17, 2014 by S4GRU
Added info about Band 26 behavior in Wisconsin

[S4GRU]

Robert,

 

Thanks for the response.  Does this mean that iPhone users will benefit from 800 only when in areas with truly no 1900 coverage such as more rural areas or very deep inside a building (so basically we will roam less)?  It sounds as if 800 won't even help iPhone users with dropped calls, if the phone won't look for 800 until 1900 is completely lost.  Is there some other benefit for iPhone users that I'm missing?

 

Marc

 

Yes, this pretty much sums it up.  An iPhone user will get the benefit of 800 when they go outside of 1900 coverage.  However, once an iPhone gets on CDMA 800, it would likely stay there until it loses an 800 signal, the device is rebooted, airplane mode is cycled or the PRL is updated.

 

Robert

[mfield]

Yes, this pretty much sums it up.  An iPhone user will get the benefit of 800 when they go outside of 1900 coverage.  However, once an iPhone gets on CDMA 800, it would likely stay there until it loses an 800 signal, the device is rebooted, airplane mode is cycled or the PRL is updated.

 

Robert

 

Got it.  Thank you for the info.  It's a bummer that they program the iPhone this way...

[jamisonshaw125]

Yes, this pretty much sums it up.  An iPhone user will get the benefit of 800 when they go outside of 1900 coverage.  However, once an iPhone gets on CDMA 800, it would likely stay there until it loses an 800 signal, the device is rebooted, airplane mode is cycled or the PRL is updated.

 

Robert

Well....That's just annoying. At least LTE is network controlled so Ill be able to get data inside. Most of my friends have iPhones so I can always just make a FaceTime audio call if I have crappy voice. Thanks for the insight... This seems to be  a very big question that a lot of people are asking, including me. Maybe it should be an article? OR is it already?

[crazy_vag]

Anyone else having a complete outage in North San Jose? I toggled airplane mode on and off, and my phone is getting no service.  This isn't looking good either:

http://downdetector.com/status/sprint/map/

[S4GRU]

Got it.  Thank you for the info.  It's a bummer that they program the iPhone this way...

 

I don't think it's really just a choice by Sprint.  In my mind, it is either a device problem and they are working on a software solution for it.  Or Apple has requested that 800 be a low priority until 800 is more prevalent.  So the user experience is not hindered.  It is actually better to be on a cohesive 1900 network than a patchy 800 network.  It may change in the future.

 

Robert

[mfield]

Anyone else having a complete outage in North San Jose? I toggled airplane mode on and off, and my phone is getting no service.  This isn't looking good either:

http://downdetector.com/status/sprint/map/

I've been fine all day - Tasman/First area and Rivermark area.

[mfield]

I don't think it's really just a choice by Sprint.  In my mind, it is either a device problem and they are working on a software solution for it.  Or Apple has requested that 800 be a low priority until 800 is more prevalent.  So the user experience is not hindered.  It is actually better to be on a cohesive 1900 network than a patchy 800 network.  It may change in the future.

 

Robert

When you say it's better to be on a cohesive 1900 network than a patchy 800 network, does that mean that the phone can't easily hand off between 1900 and 800 so it's not the same as any tower hand off?  In that case, I see the point.  If not (i.e., if the phone can hand off between 1900 and 800 interchangeably), then why not just make them the same priority?  Anyway, it will be interesting to see what happens with this.  Given Sprint's investment, and given how many subscribers use iPhones, I would think they will also invest in the software solution (if it's a device issue) or push Apple (if that's the issue) or come to their senses (if they're the ones programming the PRL in this manner).

 

Marc

[S4GRU]

When you say it's better to be on a cohesive 1900 network than a patchy 800 network, does that mean that the phone can't easily hand off between 1900 and 800 so it's not the same as any tower hand off?  In that case, I see the point.  If not (i.e., if the phone can hand off between 1900 and 800 interchangeably), then why not just make them the same priority?  Anyway, it will be interesting to see what happens with this.  Given Sprint's investment, and given how many subscribers use iPhones, I would think they will also invest in the software solution (if it's a device issue) or push Apple (if that's the issue) or come to their senses (if they're the ones programming the PRL in this manner).

 

Marc

 

A handoff between 800 and 1900 is technically possible if both networks are tied together at the same MSC cohesively.  But even in an ideal network set up, it is still a hard handoff and will have a much higher call drop rate than handing off between cells in the same CDMA band class.

 

Up until the 3G network is complete on all sites, both 1900 and 800, I don't think we will see a satisfactory handoff scenario between bands.  And this could be a driving factor with Apple.  Apple certainly doesn't want the perception that it is their device that is the problem.  And it's conceivable if someone moved from a Sprint 1900 only device and purchased a Sprint iPhone and then started dropping all over the place that they may conclude the problem is the iPhone since their previous device worked fine.

 

I don't know for fact, but I really feel Apple is the one that has pushed for iPhone PRL's to push CDMA 800 only as a last resort.  If I am right, then a new PRL will come out likely by Mid 2014 that will change the priority for CMDA 800 for iOS devices.

 

Robert

[mfield]

A handoff between 800 and 1900 is technically possible if both networks are tied together at the same MSC cohesively.  But even in an ideal network set up, it is still a hard handoff and will have a much higher call drop rate than handing off between cells in the same CDMA band class.

 

Up until the 3G network is complete on all sites, both 1900 and 800, I don't think we will see a satisfactory handoff scenario between bands.  And this could be a driving factor with Apple.  Apple certainly doesn't want the perception that it is their device that is the problem.  And it's conceivable if someone moved from a Sprint 1900 only device and purchased a Sprint iPhone and then started dropping all over the place that they may conclude the problem is the iPhone since their previous device worked fine.

 

I don't know for fact, but I really feel Apple is the one that has pushed for iPhone PRL's to push CDMA 800 only as a last resort.  If I am right, then a new PRL will come out likely by Mid 2014 that will change the priority for CMDA 800 for iOS devices.

 

Robert

Thanks for the response.  Given the handoff issue, that makes sense.  And in this area, I go from the part of town where I live, where Sprint hasn't done much upgrading (many brown dots on the map and several white ones), to the part where I work (95% NV and 800 capable)...that would result in dropped calls (though I already get TONS in the first place).  Your suspicion would make sense for the South Bay market, which is where many of the Apple decision makers must live.