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How far should a signal travel from the tower? Normally with normal obstacles?

 

From reading in these forums, I know it is very dependant on the installation of the towers. They might have tilted them down to minimize coverage. The reason they might do this is so not too many people are able to utilize the tower and overload it.

In the country and flat land I believe 2+ miles is not uncommon.

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In the country and flat land I believe 2+ miles is not uncommon.

 

Estimates of cell site coverage radius often distinguish the easterners from the westerners. Here, west of the Mississippi, 10+ miles coverage from a single PCS 1900 MHz cell site is not uncommon.

 

AJ

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Looking at the one coverage chart in Dallas from Sprint LTE it kind of scares me as the signal around the tower doesn't look to travel very far? It's hard to tell via the map but it looks to be only a few blocks if even that far? How far should a signal travel from the tower? Normally with normal obstacles?

 

One of our core members in McPherson, Kansas has discovered a LTE site that is usable up to 10 miles. So distance really isn't an issue. But urban areas are deployed in much smaller cells for more capacity. With downtilt, some urban sites are mere blocks.

 

No need to be scared.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

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a LTE? Not an LTE? Here we go again...

 

I was given permission to use either "a" or "an", so there! :P

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

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let me say this so I don't come off as a hater :-) I admire Sprint for opening its sites that are on an LTE tower before it hits 40%+

 

BUT

 

I really hope they actually have a decent fall back evdo network in place too, in my area only a few spots hit 500k or higher, most are in the low 100k or LOWER range… for 2012 that is not acceptable IMHO.

 

and announcing those 100+ cities was a great thing but VZW has been lighting up full cities then announcing at a breakneck pace, I assume since its evdo network also stinks (but from my simple tests they seem to be more or less 500k and higher in most places)

 

that all said - I am all in on Sprint :-)

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let me say this so I don't come off as a hater :-) I admire Sprint for opening its sites that are on an LTE tower before it hits 40%+

 

BUT

 

I really hope they actually have a decent fall back evdo network in place too' date=' in my area only a few spots hit 500k or higher, most are in the low 100k or LOWER range… for 2012 that is not acceptable IMHO.

 

and announcing those 100+ cities was a great thing but VZW has been lighting up full cities then announcing at a breakneck pace, I assume since its evdo network also stinks (but from my simple tests they seem to be more or less 500k and higher in most places)

 

that all said - I am all in on Sprint :-)[/quote']

 

As a part of the Network Vision upgrade, the fall back 3G EVDO network will be upgraded as well. Normal 3G performance is anticipated to be in the 1-2.5Mbps DL range after being upgraded.

 

That being said, I was stuck on VZW yesterday on their 3G with 200-300kbps speeds. Although their network has far fewer dog slow sites than Sprint, I can tell you it is a myth that VZW 3G is always a stellar performer everywhere.

 

My work phone is VZW and I have a personal VZW hotspot and have probably used every VZW site in New Mexico. About 25% of VZW 3G is greater than 1.5Mbps in our area. Usually in rural areas. About 25% is 1-1.5Mbps. Another 25% is 500k-1Mbps. But approximately a full quarter run less than 500kbps.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

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Sprint has responded to this

 

 

http://www.sitesette...ing-in.html?m=1

 

 

Thanks for this. Here's a page comparing Sprint's Dallas coverage map with the study. The study is much more in line with what I'm seeing than what Sprint claims to have.

 

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnfull/20121002/LA85743-INFO

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Sprint has responded to this

 

 

http://www.sitesetter.info/2012/10/sprints-lte-coverage-found-lacking-in.html?m=1

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

Yeah.....her comments in response show that there is a giant disconnect b/w two departments of site management and PR with the maps as her reasons for the discrepancy in the maps and coverage are junk basically... Maps are "...updated weekly..." Lol okay... Not in cities they announce as live already...

 

The maps are the one thing they can adjust and fix many of the current deployment complaints customers have... With such a great thing they are doing you'd think they would be a little more careful map wise to not tarnish the avg customers thoughts...

 

 

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

 

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I personally believe Sprint's network will always be slow until they limit and remove unlimited data. To many people will be hogging the network. That's why I believe Version and ATT removed it, it is just not possible to sustain a fast network with unlimited data. Any opinion?

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I personally believe Sprint's network will always be slow until they limit and remove unlimited data. To many people will be hogging the network. That's why I believe Version and ATT removed it, it is just not possible to sustain a fast network with unlimited data. Any opinion?

 

Blasphemy! Now, if you do not mind, I am very busy. I have to get back to watching YouTube, streaming Pandora 24/7 in the background, and downloading my Microsoft service pack updates -- all over the Sprint network. Unlimited rulez!

 

AJ

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Blasphemy! Now, if you do not mind, I am very busy. I have to get back to watching YouTube, streaming Pandora 24/7 in the background, and downloading my Microsoft service pack updates -- all over the Sprint network. Unlimited rulez!

 

AJ

 

Hell yeah! Smoke data everyday!

 

sent from my 3VO from another EVO

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Yea, EVDO and LTE do not have the same coverage from the same site on 1900Mhz (or any similar frequency for that matter). If you measure both in RSSI, there is a 10dBm difference in maximum threshold. And that is very significant. Its much better than WiMax's 20dBm difference, but it is far from equal.

 

In my observations, even VZW EVDO 850 is usable farther from the same site with LTE 750 on it. Because VZW LTE fades out between -93dBm and -95dBm RSSI in my testing. The same as Sprint LTE.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

 

I've used Verizon LTE at -113dBm here in Ohio. It works quite well, but even with full signal I can't get more than 10/10Mbps.

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I'm not sure what it would take for me to agree with the banishment of unlimited data. I believe that the amount of people that are just using it to bathe in are not that great and concentrated in one area. Look at us on this board, we are from all over the country from one coast to another but all of us have the same data speed issues. Do all of us work, live next door to, shop with, data torrenting, BF3 playing, Netflix streaming data hogs? I can believe that. Carriers would like us to believe that.

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I've used Verizon LTE at -113dBm here in Ohio. It works quite well' date=' but even with full signal I can't get more than 10/10Mbps.[/quote']

 

If you used VZW LTE at -113dBm, then that is RSRP. Not RSSI. That is -88dBm RSSI equivalent. That would be a good signal.

 

You will not be able to use LTE at -113dBm RSSI.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

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Blasphemy! Now, if you do not mind, I am very busy. I have to get back to watching YouTube, streaming Pandora 24/7 in the background, and downloading my Microsoft service pack updates -- all over the Sprint network. Unlimited rulez!

 

AJ

Let us not forget about all that UNLIMITED FACEBOOK!!

Sent from my TITAN X310e using Board Express

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The maps are way off on the S3 unless you force the Lte on in the ##DATA# Menu, Then the maps are correct to a point. Along the egdes of the orange I still have a connection but nothing works... Where I live, and I'll show the map below. I am clearly in the Lte area, but I can only get it if I force the Lte on. I use a GS3.

 

one.jpg

 

- Map is from Sprints Coverage Site, updated 10-4-12

- Red Circle is where I live (Roanoke, TX)

 

815 has Lte but its not on yet. 103 isn't upgraded yet, and 317 Is where I'm picking up my signal from (3.76 Miles from my driveway to the tower itself). I do not get Lte under normal settings on 96% of that map shown. Wants again the GS3. Now when I force Lte only, the map is true to its word 99.6% of the time. The top left corner connects to 320 at the yellow line. Also, when I say it connects in this map showen above, it really is just usable and might as well switch to 3G. (1 to 5Mbps). We get on average about 1 to 2.5Mbps on 3G in this area.

 

 

two.jpg

 

- From my house, on the street. Connected to 317

- (##DEBUG#)

 

 

 

three.jpg

 

- This is walking into my garage, just before it drops.

 

And this is how it is anywhere I go and compare the map. In the real world... My S3 connects when ever it feels like it. Sometimes my wife will get it and I won't unless I power cycle. Same with hers. I have 5 S3s in my circle and the same holds true for all of them. HTC isn't any better.

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The maps are way off on the S3 unless you force the Lte on in the ##DATA# Menu, Then the maps are correct to a point. Along the egdes of the orange I still have a connection but nothing works... Where I live, and I'll show the map below. I am clearly in the Lte area, but I can only get it if I force the Lte on. I use a GS3.

-- snip --

And this is how it is anywhere I go and compare the map. In the real world... My S3 connects when ever it feels like it. Sometimes my wife will get it and I won't unless I power cycle. Same with hers. I have 5 S3s in my circle and the same holds true for all of them. HTC isn't any better.

 

Love your map!

 

This is certainly consistent with what I've seen. The only consistently "usable" LTE signal for me is in far north Southlake around Bob Jones Park and the adjacent parts of Trophy Club. All coming from 317, of course.

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If you used VZW LTE at -113dBm, then that is RSRP. Not RSSI. That is -88dBm RSSI equivalent. That would be a good signal.

 

You will not be able to use LTE at -113dBm RSSI.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

 

I'll have to check what they're listing the signal as i.e. RSSI, RSRP, etc...

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I'll have to check what they're listing the signal as i.e. RSSI, RSRP, etc...

 

Robert is right. Trust him. Your -113 dBm signal is RSRP. LTE at -113 dBm RSSI is unusable.

 

AJ

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Given this report, and Sprint's fairly lame response, does anyone really believe that Sprint's Chicago build-out is going to be solid within a few months? I read opinions here that the Sprint LTE network here will soon exceed that of Verizon and AT&T, and I want to believe it, but the little skeptic in me is shouting no way based on available evidence.

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