Network Vision/LTE - San Diego Market

[SlowSprintInSD]

You say that you are driving and walking in areas with mapped LTE. Are you toggling airplane mode when you are hunting LTE? Toggling airplane mode is the best way to pick up a LTE signal when your phone doesn't pick it up under normal operation. It can take your phone quite a while to scan for LTE but if you toggle airplane mode it scans for LTE when the radio turns back on.

 

If you are already using the airplane mode trick then something else is wrong.

 

Newb learns something new. Go figure. Thanks, I'll try the airplane mode toggle tonight in the "dark purple" spot at Catalina and Talbot. I tried it a little on the drive to work up Catalina (lighter purple on the map) when stopped at lights with no luck.  

 

It should also be of note that the EVO 4G LTE isn't the best RF phone out there, especially when it comes to picking up LTE.

 

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That could also be part of the problem.

 

Try using the LTE Discovery app, although it really only automates toggling airplane mode.

 

Thanks, will check it out.

[SlowSprintInSD]

Try using the LTE Discovery app, although it really only automates toggling airplane mode.

 

Installed. Thanks! Seems like a pretty cool app. 'Signals' Looks like the data I get from ##debug# but using a nice overlay, then adds the 'Discover' tab which will be useful while driving (all SDiegans know how 'great' our fellow motorists are - no need to add to the problem), and the 'Map' is useful, but wish it showed all known towers, not just the one you're pinging off of. Maybe add sensorly-like historical data. 

Edited October 23, 2013 by SlowSprintInSD

[Marv1]

3dog and djmatty, there are Sprint 2 towers behind that gas station on Manchester, that has a rusty brown color as well as the antennas to blend in with its surroundings from a distance. I stopped by yesterday after work, and the back of the gas station was closed off where extra parking is at. I couldn't get any pics due to that. When you pass by, you'll notice one tower that is being worked on that has white and/or grayish looking antennas on the bottom.

[djmatty]

Installed. Thanks! Seems like a pretty cool app. 'Signals' Looks like the data I get from ##debug# but using a nice overlay, then adds the 'Discover' tab which will be useful while driving (all SDiegans know how 'great' our fellow motorists are - no need to add to the problem), and the 'Map' is useful, but wish it showed all known towers, not just the one you're pinging off of. Maybe add sensorly-like historical data.

Yeah, it's tough to find an app that has everything. Netmonitor shows historical towers, but only yours.

[djmatty]

3dog and djmatty, there are Sprint 2 towers behind that gas station on Manchester, that has a rusty brown color as well as the antennas to blend in with its surroundings from a distance. I stopped by yesterday after work, and the back of the gas station was closed off where extra parking is at. I couldn't get any pics due to that. When you pass by, you'll notice one tower that is being worked on that has white and/or grayish looking antennas on the bottom.

I don't spend much time at that exit, all I may not be able to check it out. I'm definitely too busy tonight to stop by (go Sox!).

[SlowSprintInSD]

Tried the LTE Discovery on both phones (in a lighter signal strength area). First phone, got nothing. Second phone, had recordings of LTE signal, saw the 4G indicator light up once, but was never able to connect long enough to try out LTE.  Then I tried the first phone that was unsuccessful at the Catalina/Talbot hotspot, again with no luck. So it seems like the first phone has issues and the second phone may work when NV is done. Is it worth the time and energy it would take to call Sprint to get to a "level 3" tech that might be able to trouble shoot phone 1 or should I wait until LTE is "officially on" in San Diego? 

[SlowSprintInSD]

Wrote the previous message then proceeded to drive to the office. Sitting at the light at Catalina/Talbot, using "phone 1" (weaker of the two), I toggled airplane mode on then off... There it was: 4G! Had to rub the sleep out of my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing things. As this was the first time I experienced Sprint LTE, I had to pull over and play with it. It was glorious. But to put it into numbers, ran a speedtest. 18.67MB down, 7.63MB up, 50ms ping. Drove two blocks north and it was gone.

 

Now, on to trying to make sure I have the best settings/software for optimal connectivity.

[djmatty]

Signal is better at Palomar Airport Road and Paseo Del Norte, but I keep getting the attached error.

 

Edit: file was too big, I'll upload it at home tonight.

Edited October 24, 2013 by djmatty

[Marv1]

Signal is better at Palomar Airport Road and Paseo Del Norte, but I keep getting the attached error.Edit: file was too big, I'll upload it at home tonight.

Heading north and south on the 5 to work daily, signal is terrible in between Canyon and Poinsettia. Always been on freeway. Both 3G and LTE.

[djmatty]

It's a Google authentication error, may be completely unrelated.

[djmatty]

Seems to be whenever I launch Chrome, which I updated this morning. Hmmm.

[SlowSprintInSD]

Not sure if this is coincidence (i.e. Sprint suddenly lit up LTE towers on Wednesday night) or if installing and using LTE Discovery (thanks for the tip djmatty!) on Wednesday helped my phone find its LTE powers, but yesterday and today I've been noticing that the 4G indicator now lights up periodically as I roam my neighborhood/drive to the office. Again, before yesterday, I've never gotten LTE on my phone even when I travel to LTE live cities. 

[SlowSprintInSD]

I also mapped some new LTE on Voltaire near Catalina in OB last week....it's spreading.  Voltaire speed was 8.73 down.  This is the first week that it has shown up so I'm hopeful for the near future

 

 

I noticed my LTE on at Catalina and Voltaire as well.

 

In Bird Rock, I looked at my phone at La Jolla Blvd and Turquoise and saw the 4G indicator, but couldn't test it to confirm coverage. Sensorly shows it's not supposed to be active in that area. 

[djmatty]

Once your phone learns where LTE is, it will tend to seek it more. I've gone to places where there was LTE dark on the map, but I had 3G coverage. After the airplane mode trick, it had no issues finding LTE.

[DaQue]

I thought 800 wasn't getting EVDO at all, just 1x RTT and LTE.

[Marv1]

I decided to pass through to see if there was any progress on Vandergrift in Oceanside about an hr ago, and noticed a site on Vandergrift/Gold has some new antennas being replaced on a street light. Was too dark to take pics. Will take pics tomorrow and post.

[bucdenny]

New live 4G site on Garnet Ave and 5 Freeway getting pretty fast speeds.  Getting 30Mpbs+ going both directions towards PB and Clairemont.  Mapped Balboa Ave, Garnet Ave and Genesee Ave.  Looks like Clairemont will get better 4G coverage once 3 more sites come live.  Sites at Clairemont Square, Balboa Ave/Genesee, Clairemont Dr/Balboa Ave are taking forever which will give full 4G coverage throughout Clairemont area.

[Dkoellerwx]

I thought 800 wasn't getting EVDO at all, just 1x RTT and LTE.

 

 

That's correct. Not sure why you brought it up though....

[Marv1]

I decided to pass through to see if there was any progress on Vandergrift in Oceanside about an hr ago, and noticed a site on Vandergrift/Gold has some new antennas being replaced on a street light. Was too dark to take pics. Will take pics tomorrow and post.

I stopped by the Vandergrift/Gold Dr site and took pics. From a distance the day before while passing by it, I noticed an antenna change. It didn't look like new equipment when I went up to it, and had black hand smudges on them due to replacing them. It's a cleaner look that kinda looked similar to the old crap (last pic in link) that was on this street light. This site is also LTE live. Cabinets were a few feet away that were ATT and SDG&E. From what I've been reading on this site, I thought everything will be brand spankin' new with NV.

 

https://db.tt/adAGthks

[tmiw]

I stopped by the Vandergrift/Gold Dr site and took pics. From a distance the day before while passing by it, I noticed an antenna change. It didn't look like new equipment when I went up to it, and had black hand smudges on them due to replacing them. It's a cleaner look that kinda looked similar to the old crap (last pic in link) that was on this street light. This site is also LTE live. Cabinets were a few feet away that were ATT and SDG&E. From what I've been reading on this site, I thought everything will be brand spankin' new with NV.

 

https://db.tt/adAGthks

 

It might still be new, just that it's been sitting at some sort of central location for a while before being installed.

[Marv1]

Oh ok. I just looked at the sponsor map, and noticed the yellow 3G/4G marker is removed from this site.

[Dkoellerwx]

Oh ok. I just looked at the sponsor map, and noticed the yellow 3G/4G marker is removed from this site.

It was marked and then removed? Are you sure? Unless it was marked in error, sites are not downgraded once accepted.

 

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[Marv1]

It was marked and then removed? Are you sure? Unless it was marked in error, sites are not downgraded once accepted.

 

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Yes I'm sure. Seen it along with the next nearest that is live when I mapped a month in half to 2 months ago.

[tmiw]

Yes I'm sure. Seen it along with the next nearest that is live when I mapped a month in half to 2 months ago.

 

May want to ask Robert about that. Could be a mistake.

[bookertdub]

Found some 4G LTE at the Del Mar Racetrack on Jimmy Durante Blvd last night and a bit more 4G LTE in the southern part of Oceanside Harbor today. Was able to map both locations on Sensorly. Sensorly maps be updating within the next 24 to 48 hours.

 

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