Network Vision/LTE - Charlotte Market

[smkyle]

Robert (site admin) did some testing when he went to Waco a while back and found the EVO LTE didn't connect as well as other phones.

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

I've been doing some research and this is a known issue with the evo. I will let everyone know if I find a workaround

 

Update: I found this on xda:

 

You can use the dialer codes to change a mode to force LTE.

 

*#*#4636#*#*

 

or

 

##3282# (Requires MSL)

 

In there you can change the preferred network type to LTE CDMA only and that will force LTE for you. It will hold the LTE connection for much longer. If you happen to fall out of LTE, you'll be on 1X. Just switch back to the orignal setting and you'll be on 3G.

 

This is a work around for now. HTC/Sprint will need to resolve the issue.

 

The obvious flaw is that you can't get 3g while in LTE CDMA only mode. I tried it at my work uptown and I didn't detect a 4G signal, which confirms what I already knew. I will be trying it on my busride home to see what happens at the 85/77 spot. Now that I know it's a problem with my phone, I want to storm into sprint and throw a tantrum and get them to let me upgrade to the Optimus G. But I will wait until 4G is available at my office and see if HTC can get a fix out there. I'm not holding my breath though.

Edited November 19, 2012 by smkyle

[smkyle]

Following up on my previous post...

Before starting my bus ride home, I used the *#*#4636#*#* method to switch my phone to LTE CDMA only. There is good news and bad news. The good news is that it switched from 1X to 4G on its own. The bad news is that it wouldn't hold on to the 4G signal. It kept going back and forth between the two and I would say the longest that it was just on 4G was around 30 seconds. I also called Sprint today to see if I could find anything out about the EVO's problem. I was told that 1) the 4G problem is a known issue 2) they are already rolling out Jelly Bean to select EVO LTE devices. My sense of things is that the sprint person was giving me accurate and up-to-date information. We'll find out in the next day or two.

[kendokken3]

Crickets chirping... That's all I'm hearing out of the Charlotte area the last couple of days. Anybody seeing anything new?

Also as anyone been able to connect to LTE on the tower in Ballantyne? I haven't been able to connect since upgrading to JB, I didn't know if it's the phone or tower.

[unccjester]

Crickets chirping... That's all I'm hearing out of the Charlotte area the last couple of days. Anybody seeing anything new?

Also as anyone been able to connect to LTE on the tower in Ballantyne? I haven't been able to connect since upgrading to JB, I didn't know if it's the phone or tower.

 

Hokay so... I have to drive all over the place today - Kannapolis to basically a mile away from Carowinds for one holiday stop, then take 485 all the way around to 24/27 & out to Locust for the wife's holiday stop. Basically, I'll have her drive so I'm not a menace on the roads while I'm mapping Sensorly, doing speed tests, and toggling airplane mode on the EVO around the areas we know have 4G . I'll see if there's any expanded coverage around 85, 77, then start checking again once I hit the Hwy 51 exit and around Ballantyne, as well as other areas, and report back. If there are any new coverage areas on 85/77, they'll be mapped on Sensorly before 2pm and 485 & 24/27 will be mapped by 5:30pm.

 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

[smkyle]

 

Hokay so... I have to drive all over the place today - Kannapolis to basically a mile away from Carowinds for one holiday stop, then take 485 all the way around to 24/27 & out to Locust for the wife's holiday stop. Basically, I'll have her drive so I'm not a menace on the roads while I'm mapping Sensorly, doing speed tests, and toggling airplane mode on the EVO around the areas we know have 4G . I'll see if there's any expanded coverage around 85, 77, then start checking again once I hit the Hwy 51 exit and around Ballantyne, as well as other areas, and report back. If there are any new coverage areas on 85/77, they'll be mapped on Sensorly before 2pm and 485 & 24/27 will be mapped by 5:30pm.

 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

 

I'll be mapping from here to Boone today on my 4G troubled evo

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[unccjester]

I barely caught the 4G at 77 and 85... only 4 points worth on Sensorly and NOTHING on 485, even through Ballantyne. Nothing on 24/27 either. Boooo...

[smkyle]

 

I'll be mapping from here to Boone today on my 4G troubled evo

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

Got nuthin

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[jackjr55]

What has happened to the launched of this area .

[btbaley]

It will be on soon. I picked up lte on interstate 85 right where 77 and 85 meet. I also picked up lte in gastonia. The 4 g lte is spotty at best and most people dont even know its on at all.

[owensri2]

I did lots of LTE scouting the past two days in the Charlotte area. Sadly, only picked up LTE 2 times. Once for about 30 seconds near Providence Rd and Fairview Rd (slight blip on Sensorly if you look), and for about a minute at the I-77/I-85 interchange. That was going from Waxhaw to South Park Mall, and then to Northlake Mall on Black Friday. Went almost through Uptown as well, but zilch there for LTE. On the way back from Northlake mall, I went to Carolina Place Mall area in Pineville. Nothing there either, or on I-485 near Ballantyne where all the Sensorly LTE patches are.

 

I was really disappointed by the lack of LTE coverage. I would expect by now they would be a bit further along.

[TH4RO]

I was in Charlotte for Thanksgiving and was getting 4g in several area around town. The South Park area is where I spent most of my time. I was getting 20megs down and 10 megs up. It was faster than the WiFi I was connecting to at a friends. The problem I had was the typical EVO LTE radio issues. Good things ahead for Charlotte!

[owensri2]

I was in Charlotte for Thanksgiving and was getting 4g in several area around town. The South Park area is where I spent most of my time. I was getting 20megs down and 10 megs up. It was faster than the WiFi I was connecting to at a friends. The problem I had was the typical EVO LTE radio issues. Good things ahead for Charlotte!

 

I was at South Park the day after Thanksgiving and got quite the opposite. No LTE at all around there.

[Brandonlmbrt]

I did lots of LTE scouting the past two days in the Charlotte area. Sadly, only picked up LTE 2 times. Once for about 30 seconds near Providence Rd and Fairview Rd (slight blip on Sensorly if you look), and for about a minute at the I-77/I-85 interchange. That was going from Waxhaw to South Park Mall, and then to Northlake Mall on Black Friday. Went almost through Uptown as well, but zilch there for LTE. On the way back from Northlake mall, I went to Carolina Place Mall area in Pineville. Nothing there either, or on I-485 near Ballantyne where all the Sensorly LTE patches are.

 

I was really disappointed by the lack of LTE coverage. I would expect by now they would be a bit further along.

 

 

I completely agree. I know they've had some setbacks, but it seems like they've attacked other markets a lot more aggressively after initial work began. It's obviously not as large as Houston, or Chicago, but no less important I believe. Sprint is announcing a lot of markets, but has yet to "launch" any new ones.

[Coop1979]

I was watching the Clemson/Carolina game at a buddy's house off Sharon Amity last night, saw LTE pop up on my new Note and grabbed a few speed tests along Providence and Sharon Amity.

 

Sensorly wasn't working for me, so I didn't update the maps, but here's a screen shot of my tests.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Brandonlmbrt]

1 site in 2 weeks. Wow.

[S4GRU]

The Charlotte and RDU markets were really quiet the past two weeks. This is not all that usual. If you have several crews who start work all around the same time, then will produce results in batches. You will get several sites one week, then it will be quiet for a few weeks. You would get more consistent results if they were staggered.

 

I'm not saying that is what is for sure happening here. But it could be.

 

Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

 

 

[Brandonlmbrt]

Thanks Robert. That helps make sense of it to a degree. I just assumed it was a market that they could knock out relatively quickly, given that it isn't that large, but also not terribly small. I guess I just assumed they would slowly pick up the pace if anything. Just not go backwards lol.

[smkyle]

Thanks Robert. That helps make sense of it to a degree. I just assumed it was a market that they could knock out relatively quickly, given that it isn't that large, but also not terribly small. I guess I just assumed they would slowly pick up the pace if anything. Just not go backwards lol.

 

I believe this market includes Asheville too

[unccjester]

I believe this market includes Asheville too

 

It does... here's the link to the market picture from Rob's article on the area. Basically from CLT, it reaches down I-77 to Rock Hill, out Hwy 74 past Shelby and nearly to Rockingham, up I-85 past Salisbury, up I-77 to I-40, then all the way out to Asheville and a lot of gap-fillers in the areas between the major interstates. That's a LOT of territory to cover in a lot of different directions.

[jackjr55]

I sure hope it does and it is better then wimax was on Old EVO only way i got it (wimax)was on the 8 9 10 floor of Mission Hospital If there 4G LTE is no better my 8 phone are gone to Verizon had enough of Sprint lies

 

I believe this market includes Asheville too

[Dkoellerwx]

I sure hope it does and it is better then wimax was on Old EVO only way i got it (wimax)was on the 8 9 10 floor of Mission Hospital If there 4G LTE is no better my 8 phone are gone to Verizon had enough of Sprint lies

 

It will be better than WiMax, it is not even comparable to WiMax.

Please read the site rules before posting to much negativity.

[kendokken3]

The tower at Ballantyne is broadcasting LTE again this morning after 2-3 weeks of nothing. My GS3 switched over seemlessly which was nice to see,much better than when it was running ICS.

[Zachthelizard]

While driving through Charlotte for the holidays, I was able to get an LTE signal on 85 south past Gastonia. It wasn't a terribly strong signal, but I did get ~11mbps down and 3 mbps up. I didn't get any LTE in or before Charlotte itself, however. I think the LTE radio timer is the factor there.

[llm5505]

The tower on Albemarle road in Charlotte is back to broadcasting 4G as well. I had just checked 2 days ago and it was still 3g. Maybe this is a sign of good things?

 

Usually the 3g downtown is pretty good (as of only a couple of months ago) but this morning I cannot even stream Spotify on low quality. So ready for 4g!

[smkyle]

The tower on Albemarle road in Charlotte is back to broadcasting 4G as well. I had just checked 2 days ago and it was still 3g. Maybe this is a sign of good things?

 

Usually the 3g downtown is pretty good (as of only a couple of months ago) but this morning I cannot even stream Spotify on low quality. So ready for 4g!

 

I hear ya. Well a while back I got 4G in the BOA corporate center. I'm guessing there is something in place and hopefully it will light up soon