Everything 800mhz (1xA, LTE, coverage, timeline, etc)

[S4GRU]

I can't tell if its Sprint's 800 lte that seems very fragile or its a bad radio on my s5.

 

Here are some of my findings:

 

1. often my s5 will not handoff to b26 when the b25 signal is degrading; i will watch it get to about -115dbm then drop to 3g. An immediate airplane toggle in the same location will get me on b26 with a good signal coming from the same site (Verified by looking at the GCI). this gets frustrating because my phone ends up being on 3g a lot more than it should, when i have a substantial amount of b26 around me.

 

2. I compared my s5 to an s5 on ATT in my basement. ATT's 700mhz and b26 on sprint will make it to my basement. the signals are coming from the same site (ATT is one rack higher so i understand why it would be a few dBms higher). Anyway my s5 on b26 sits around -104 to -106 while the ATT s5 was at -102 to 104. I simply placed the phone on my lap and the sprint s5 immediately drops to 3g but the ATT one gets to about -108 to -110. It just seems like b26 shouldn't drop that easily

 

so far i haven't really been impressed by b26. i'm hoping my phone is the issue though. Have you guys seen anything similar?

You cannot directly compare AT&T 700MHz and expect a similar experience when from the same site in every instance. Here's why...

 

Not all bands radiate the same from every device. If you follow S4GRU Device OEM articles, you would know that the ERP for one device is different from band to band. Some devices can be good for one band and bad for another. We have seen lots of devices be good at B25, but not B26 or B41, etc. It's possible that the B17 on AT&T has a better ERP than B26 on Sprint with the GS5.

 

Another thing to consider is there is a small propagation gain between B17 and B26. About 3%. Not huge, but could make a difference in poor signal quality or fringe signals.

 

Additionally, is the B17 by AT&T in your area on 10MHz channels? B26 is on 5MHz channels. Wider channels provide a better signal in edge of cell conditions.

 

And last...your area has not been optimized for B26. The obvious impact is power levels. But the big thing that is hampering your B26 experience is the proper configuration of neighboring cells. It's the reason why you're getting handed off to 3G instead of adjacent B26 sites. Sprint needs to go back and configure their existing B25 network to properly account for every possible B26 neighboring cell you can be handed to. When it doesn't find one of the neighboring cells configured, it drops to 3G. Then it will rescan for LTE in accordance to its rescan schedule.

 

It will get better.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

[amcferrin90]

Dropping more info on rebanding and what may be causing your 1x800 rollout delays....

 

www.800ta.org

 

The web site of the 800 Transition Administrator. I haven't really paid attention to this thread. So if it's reposted info, I apologize. It's just we in the Columbus market experienced a 1x800 site going live north of a boundary that we've noticed has not had 1x800 before. So in my beautiful mind kind of way all the Googles were aligning and these web sites started jumping out at me. I like to share.

 

Now on to the Sprint Spark in Columbus that was just too much... (GMO fire) 

[WiWavelength]

Another thing to consider is there is a small propagation gain between B17 and B26. About 3%. Not huge, but could make a difference in poor signal quality or fringe signals.

 

I would say the gain is greater than that.  The free space path loss difference between Lower 700 MHz and SMR 800 MHz is right around 0.75 dB.  In the real world RF environment, that difference probably gets elevated into the 2 dB range.  Not a huge gain, but a measurable one.

 

AJ

[TheForce627]

I would say the gain is greater than that. The free space path loss difference between Lower 700 MHz and SMR 800 MHz is right around 0.75 dB. In the real world RF environment, that difference probably gets elevated into the 2 dB range. Not a huge gain, but a measurable one.

 

AJ

that's what I saw on my friends phone during this test I did. His phone was 2-4 dB higher

[WiWavelength]

that's what I saw on my friends phone during this test I did. His phone was 2-4 dB higher

 

You cannot conduct an apples to apples scientific comparison in only one location -- especially when you do not know the respective site elevations and ERP levels.

 

But if you want just real world generalizations, Lower 700 MHz will be a little bit better than Upper 700 MHz, which will be a little bit better than SMR 800 MHz, which will be a little bit better than Cellular 850 MHz, which will be a lot better than PCS 1900 MHz, which will be a little bit better than AWS 2100+1700 MHz.

 

AJ

[BlueAngel]

I am bummed out to find that there is no 800LTE at my house yet, just bought a Nexus 5. Here's hoping soon!

Edited July 17, 2014 by BlueAngel

[BlueAngel]

Well at work I saw this popup a few times throughout the day, didn't stay on it long as it went back to B25.

 

 

Also saw my phone was connected to B41 when I woke up this morning but it was at about -128 so I was lucky enough to get a screenshot, but walking to work I was connected to B41 for most of my trip not bad. I love having a Triband phone, especially a performer like the Nexus 5. And for some reason Signal Check pro doesn't like showing a 1x connection when on LTE even though I have voice etc, it's weird.

Edited July 17, 2014 by BlueAngel

[SpenceSouth]

Well at work I saw this popup a few times throughout the day, didn't stay on it long as it went back to B25.

 

Also saw my phone was connected to B41 when I woke up this morning but it was at about -128 so I was lucky enough to get a screenshot, but walking to work I was connected to B41 for most of my trip not bad. I love having a Triband phone, especially a performer like the Nexus 5. And for some reason Signal Check pro doesn't like showing a 1x connection when on LTE even though I have voice etc, it's weird.

Simply put that would be because your phone doesn't actually connect to voice when you are on LTE.  When your phone receives a call it drops down to 1x to accept it, but it doesn't maintain the voice signal prior to that (unless you are not on LTE of course).  All tri-band LTE phones on Sprint behave like this.

[BlueAngel]

Simply put that would be because your phone doesn't actually connect to voice when you are on LTE.  When your phone receives a call it drops down to 1x to accept it, but it doesn't maintain the voice signal prior to that (unless you are not on LTE of course).  All tri-band LTE phones on Sprint behave like this.

Oh well that explains it then.

[AppleFanBoy]

I apologize if this has already been asked before but can the GCI/PCI/TAC codes be used to determine if B25 and B26 is coming from the same tower?

[Galaxyguy]

I apologize if this has already been asked before but can the GCI/PCI/TAC codes be used to determine if B25 and B26 is coming from the same tower?

The GCI will be the same between bands except for the last 2 characters if it's coming from the same tower.

 

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

[AppleFanBoy]

Thanks! My SCP logs show a new B26 entry at my house and I'm just curious if it came from a tower that previously logged B25.

[Galaxyguy]

Thanks! My SCP logs show a new B26 entry at my house and I'm just curious if it came from a tower that previously logged B25.

 

If you use the note feature in SCP, it will show the same note for all bands coming from that tower. 

[AppleFanBoy]

If you use the note feature in SCP, it will show the same note for all bands coming from that tower.

Yeah I figured that one out when I named the other B26 tower I previously logged at my house. SCP logged the new B26 hit with no name. That's how I figured out it was new. I live in the sticks so I'm very pleased I'm receiving B26 from 2 different towers. Edited July 18, 2014 by AppleFanBoy

[greenbastard]

I thought I should contribute some. Here is a Houston tower with B26, B25, and B41 all fired up. I'm using a GS5 to access all bands. So far from what I can tell, B26 is only better than B25 by about -3 to -4 dBms. Also, B41 is worse than I remember wimax being from the same tower. Right next to the tower, I never saw anything better than -87 dBms from B41. Obviously still a lot of work to go before this tower is fully optimized. This brings me to my next question. When all is said and done from NV, about how many dBms should B26 be better than B25?

 

[lilotimz]

I thought I should contribute some. Here is a Houston tower with B26, B25, and B41 all fired up. I'm using a GS5 to access all bands. So far from what I can tell, B26 is only better than B25 by about -3 to -4 dBms. Also, B41 is worse than I remember wimax being from the same tower. Right next to the tower, I never saw anything better than -87 dBms from B41. Obviously still a lot of work to go before this tower is fully optimized. This brings me to my next question. When all is said and done from NV, about how many dBms should B26 be better than B25?

]

What's the location of that site?

 

A -87 signal means it's not broadcasting and you're getting another nearby sites signal.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[JimBob]

I used to have consistent LTE 1900 connection in my house, but since CDMA 800 seemed to have been turned on this past week, my phone is now connected to 3G most of the time. Is this normal, and I will have to wait for LTE 800?

[Flompholph]

I used to have consistent LTE 1900 connection in my house, but since CDMA 800 seemed to have been turned on this past week, my phone is now connected to 3G most of the time. Is this normal, and I will have to wait for LTE 800?

Have you tried to disable band 26 and lower the lte rescan timer.

[greenbastard]

I used to have consistent LTE 1900 connection in my house, but since CDMA 800 seemed to have been turned on this past week, my phone is now connected to 3G most of the time. Is this normal, and I will have to wait for LTE 800?

Maybe Band 26 LTE was fired up but left with eCSFB issues. If Band 25 is congested, the system may be pushing you down to Band 26, which will then put you on EVDO is eCSFB is missing.

[blakebaa]

Maybe Band 26 LTE was fired up but left with eCSFB issues. If Band 25 is congested, the system may be pushing you down to Band 26, which will then put you on EVDO is eCSFB is missing.

I believe once a tower has CDMA 800, eCSFB is no longer an issue. Correct me if I'm wrong..

[ryry4ya]

Wish I knew what 800 was

 

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk 2

[WiWavelength]

Wish I knew what 800 was

 

Leave Toledo.

 

AJ

[EvanA]

I believe once a tower has CDMA 800, eCSFB is no longer an issue. Correct me if I'm wrong..

Not necessarily.  CDMA and LTE are two separate things.

[anthony.spina97]

Leave Toledo.

 

AJ

I literally just laughed out loud.

 

-Anthony

[WiWavelength]

I literally just laughed out loud.

 

Actually, I can do even better.

 

Leave Toledo expeditiously.

 

AJ