Jump to content

Does Sprint have LTE repeaters in stores?

bkrodgers
 Share

Recommended Posts

bkrodgers Member Level: Digital

bkrodgers

Posted
Posted

One of the things that's always bugged me as being borderline dishonest (maybe not even borderline) is to have repeaters in the store that present a completely false impression of what the network is like in a given area. I think all the carriers do it, but with the real state of Sprint's network in many places (like St. Louis), it bothers me in particular. I do realize that it's a somewhat higher concentration of handsets on the network in the store, and I also realize that even without repeaters the network can drop off from one point to another 100 feet away. But it still paints a false picture of the network to potential customers, especially in areas where nowhere within 10 miles of the store has a usable network.

 

Anyway, I'm going to be up in the Chicago burbs later this week (Wilmette, Glenview, and the area), and I was thinking I'd stop by a Sprint store to see what the LTE network is looking like so far. Does anyone know if Sprint's already putting LTE repeaters in the store yet though? Or will I actually be on the real network if I get LTE in the store?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
gusherb Member Level: eHRPD

gusherb

Posted
Posted

There is supposed to be only a small percentage of corporate stores with repeaters or LTE repeaters I read in a thread around here. The corporate store by me had an LTE repeater but they hadn't turned it on yet, I could tell, the phones had LTE coming and going constantly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
halcyoncmdr Member Level: eHRPD

halcyoncmdr

Posted
Posted

Repeaters are usually only installed in stores that have weak RF signals. For example, my store has a repeater in the back because we are equidistant from 4 different towers and are in a zone where phones hop around all the time. The network 500 feet in any direction is usable and doesn't have this issue. But the particular location of the store, combined with the building's materials means a poor experience in the store compared to the surrounding area, obviously Sprint can't let that happen.

 

That being said, we have a single T1 coming into the store to provide backhaul to this repeater (from what I can tell based on the maze of wires for the server rack), and while that may have worked when most phones were 1xRTT only, it sure doesn't cut it now in the age of EvDO devices.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
S4GRU Member Level: LTE Advanced

S4GRU

Posted
Posted

In Network Vision documents, only approximately 10%-25% of corporate stores will get LTE repeaters. It seems highly variable by market.

 

Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Boosted20V Member Level: eHRPD

Boosted20V

Posted
Posted

No repeaters around here. Sprint picks the worst locations for their stores, I always have bad signal at them.

 

Interestingly, Shentel does pretty much the opposite and places most of their stores directly next to a tower from what I've seen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
koiulpoi Member Level: 4G WiMax

koiulpoi

Posted
Posted

No repeaters around here. Sprint picks the worst locations for their stores, I always have bad signal at them.

Well, they certainly did a good job here.

*opens back door*

*takes a photo*

25i9r2t.jpg

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites
MacinJosh Member Level: LTE Advanced

MacinJosh

Posted
Posted

The Sprint store i go to in Fresno doesn't have a repeater, and you can tell with signals ranging from -85 to -90. The Visalia store is close to a site and does have a repeater, so its hit or miss in some areas.

 

Sent from my LG-LS840 Viper 4G LTE using Forum Runner

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fightcrazy Member Level: Smoke Signals

fightcrazy

Posted
Posted

I don't think a repeater will work in a area without LTE to begin with. You must have some kind of LTE signal for a repeater to work, I think that is how it goes. I have a signal booster at my house and it was the best investment I ever made. All bars all the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
S4GRU Member Level: LTE Advanced

S4GRU

Posted
Posted
The local Sprint store I bought my iPhone5 in had a great signal in the store but it was not an LTE repeater. I've yet to see LTE anything in the Twin Cities with regards to Sprint.

 

We have our first LTE sites in Minnesota in the update this week. Stay tuned.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 on Tapatalk

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rickie546 Member Level: 4G WiMax

Rickie546

Posted
Posted

Today was in my local Sprint store (ran by wireless lifestyle) and checked my LTE reception and was getting it like I was right next to a tower. Looked around and found the antenna pointed right into the sales floor area. Not great speed so might be using the backhaul from the store's connection. But there is real LTE in the area.

Screenshot_2012-11-26-13-05-45.pngScreenshot_2012-11-26-13-09-09.pngIMAG0344-1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • large.unreadcontent.png.6ef00db54e758d06

  • gallery_1_23_9202.png

  • Posts

    • iansltx
      T-Mobile to acquire UScellular

      By iansltx · Posted

      A heavy n41 overlay as an acquisition condition would be a win for customers, and eventually a win for T-Mobile as that might be enough to preclude VZW/AT&T adding C-Band for FWA due to spreading the market too thinly (which means T-Mobile would just have local WISPs/wireline ISPs as competition). USCC spacing (which is likely for contiguous 700 MHz LTE coverage in rural areas) isn't going to be enough for contiguous n41 anyway, and I doubt they'll densify enough to get there.
    • iansltx
      Dish Network/Boost Mobile cell/5G buildout thread

      By iansltx · Posted

      Boost Infinite with a rainbow SIM (you can get it SIM-only) is the cheapest way, at $25/mo, to my knowledge; the cheaper Boost Mobile plans don't run on Dish native. Check Phonescoop for n70 support on a given phone; the Moto G 5G from last year may be the cheapest unlocked phone with n70 though data speeds aren't as good as something with an X70 or better modem.
    • iansltx
      Official Tmobile-Sprint merger discussion thread

      By iansltx · Posted

      Continuing the USCC discussion, if T-Mobile does a full equipment swap at all of USCC's sites, which they probably will for vendor consistency, and if they include 2.5 on all of those sites, which they probably will as they definitely have economies of scale on the base stations, that'll represent a massive capacity increase in those areas over what USCC had, and maybe a coverage increase since n71 will get deployed everywhere and B71 will get deployed any time T-Mobile has at least 25x25, and maybe where they have 20x20. Assuming this deal goes through (I'm betting it does), I figure I'll see contiguous coverage in the area of southern IL where I was attempting to roam on USCC the last time I was there, though it might be late next year before that switchover happens.
    • cooltech6597
      Official Tmobile-Sprint merger discussion thread

      By cooltech6597 · Posted

      Forgot to post this, but a few weeks ago I got to visit these small cells myself! They're spread around Grant park and the surrounding areas, but unfortunately none of the mmwave cells made it outside of the parks along the lake into the rest of downtown. I did spot some n41 small cells around downtown, but they seemed to be older deployments limited to 100mhz and performed poorly.    
    • JossMan
      Dish Network/Boost Mobile cell/5G buildout thread

      By JossMan · Posted

      What is the cheapest way to try Dish's wireless network?  Over the past year I've seen them add their equipment to just about every cell site here, I'm assuming just go through Boost's website?  What phones are Dish native?  

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...