Network Vision/LTE - West Michigan Market (Grand Rapids/Lansing/Kalamazoo)

[JosefTor]

Most Sprint sites in Grand Rapids today only have 30-50mbps of backhaul to share between B25, B26, B41 and EVDO.

 

I noticed this once they added B41 to a cell site near me... The speeds dropped from 15 Mbps to 7 Mbps. Ugh.

 

PS: The only reason why we are getting such high speeds such as 15 in the first place is because the LTE only goes for about 50 to 100 ft. All the towers in Aliso Viejo are the wrong towers. The new B41 site goes for about 20 ft (it covers half the parking lot the tower is installed in).

[Jones]

It's usually just a lack of backhaul.

 

Most Sprint sites in Grand Rapids today only have 30-50mbps of backhaul to share between B25, B26, B41 and EVDO.

 

 

Max, is your source on this reliable? I was also under the impression that 100 Mbps was the minimum.

[S4GRU]

Although 30-40Mbps total backhaul is quite uncommon (only where there was no other choice), there are instances where less than 100Mbps total throughput was used. Especially early in Network Vision. By the time third round markets were getting started they stopped using any substandard backhaul as a stop gap and waiting for 100Mbps minimum that is scalable higher as needed.

 

Since West Michigan is a relatively early market, I wouldn't be shocked if there are a few dozen substandard backhaul sites. But the sites that are slowish, like 7-10Mbps on B41, could be reduced that low even with 100Mbps total throughput. Because when you add three sectors of B25, three sectors of B26 and three sectors of B41, even 100Mbps is insufficient. Ideally, 100Mbps is required just for three sectors of B25 and EVDO to run near maximum throughput.

 

You need 100Mbps for B25, Another 100Mbps for B26 and approx. 250 Mbps for each B41 carrier. So a site needs almost 500Mbps throughput just for a full NV2.0 build, just with one B41 carrier...if it is to run at maximum throughput. If you make that a full B41 build with three CA capable carriers, then that would be a full 1Gbps throughput required.

 

So 100Mbps ain't nothing. And most likely if B41 is still pulling 7-10Mbps, then the total throughput of the site is at least 100Mbps, of not more. And if a site is to fully support NV2.0 with three B41 carriers it will need a Gig.

[jefbal99]

Add that to the faq

[jefbal99]

Grand River Ave and Grange Rd at the Eagle exit wad broadcasting B41 this afternoon

[maxsilver]

Battle Creek and Muskegon are now "launched" Spark markets, just in case anyone missed the press release today.

[nmartine3]

Gonna be in the Traverse City/Williamsburg/Fife Lake area next week. I'll be sure to give my reports on any new LTE deployments in those areas.

[jefbal99]

Portland site near the Kent St exit is braising broadcasting B41

[jlbattagli]

Battle Creek and Muskegon are now "launched" Spark markets, just in case anyone missed the press release today.

Hey all -

 

Been too swamped with work and holidays to peruse this fine site as much as I'd like. Just wanted to mention that I caught some B41 while at the Norton Shores (near Muskegon) Home Depot a few days back. About 14 Mbps down with about -105 RSRP.

 

Noticed some B41 in other places here and there, but didn't have the time to check it out.

[mittenmitten]

Found B41 and did a speed test at Plainfield and Leonard in Grand Rapids.

 

 

[Theot]

Found B41 and did a speed test at Plainfield and Leonard in Grand Rapids.

 

I got the G3 a month ago. I've been picking up B41 at Michigan and Plymouth for a week now. It's only 1-2 bars but I'm getting it and most of the time I'm getting over 20 mbs down at around -110db which is impressive.

 

Bought signal check pro so I can keep an eye on it too!

[Theot]

So the last 2 days at work my G3 will not pull any data on band 41, I've tried prl and profile updates, reboots, etc. It will briefly snag band 26 with 3-5 bars (85-95 dBm) and I can then do things but then it switches to band 41 to which I'm only pulling 1 bar usually (105-110 dBm) and then, no data. For the past week before yesterday I was pulling 20+ mbps down on 41 even with 1 bar. But this is the 2nd day in a row I cannot get data on b41. I'm in GR near Plymouth & Michigan.

 

Anybody else seeing this?

Edited January 15, 2015 by Theot

[maxsilver]

So the last 2 days at work my G3 will not pull any data on band 41, I've tried prl and profile updates, reboots, etc. (snip) For the past week before yesterday I was pulling 20+ mbps down on 41 even with 1 bar. But this is the 2nd day in a row I cannot get data on b41. I'm in GR near Plymouth & Michigan.

 

It might not have anything to do with you, they might still be messing with the site.

 

The site at Michigan + Plymouth had B41 live and working for a while, then they shut it off for a few days, and then brought it back online. I know that's not the same as your situation, but if they're switching backhaul over and forget to turn B41 off, (or just doing some other work) I could see something like that happening.

 

You should call it into Sprint, just so they have it logged.

[Theot]

It might not have anything to do with you, they might still be messing with the site.

 

The site at Michigan + Plymouth had B41 live and working for a while, then they shut it off for a few days, and then brought it back online. I know that's not the same as your situation, but if they're switching backhaul over and forget to turn B41 off, (or just doing some other work) I could see something like that happening.

 

You should call it into Sprint, just so they have it logged.

 

I tweeted sprintcare, they said they have alerted the network team.  so hopefully they can turn it off till its fixed. 

[Theot]

So the band 41 issue seems to be working again. But the signal was still pretty weak. However after my previous post I found a way to disable the individual LTE bands and I've been running around GR using just band 25 with great results.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Theot

[jefbal99]

Boom lift at the downtown Lansing lugnut site this afternoon. I wouldn't want to be up there, crazy cold. Couldn't tell what they were actually doing to the antennas.

 

I'll be back downtown on Tuesday.

[jefbal99]

Boom lift still at the lugnut, third antenna installed between the two NV1 antennas.

[RCM]

I was in the Kalamazoo area today and noticed B41 on both EARFCN 40978 and 39858. I dont have the tower location/GCI data in Signal Check for this area to know what signal was coming from where. But I'm wondering if multi-channel/CA has reached the area. 

[jefbal99]

Good B41 at Van Andel arena last night, among an almost sold out hockey game.

[jefbal99]

B41 is active on the LugNut downtown lansing

 

Edit in: They must be testing it, currently back on B25 LTE

 

Edit in2: Wow, just realized, less than two full weeks from B41 antenna installation and wiring to live service

 

Edit in 3:Back on B41 and its still great, phone is actually usable. Co-worker on B25 device asked me if something changed because his performance was better. Explained offloading to him.

[sleet]

These probably aren't new installs (as I just got SignalCheck Pro today) but just thought I'd share what I had locally.

 

On the west side of Kalamazoo I picked up:

 

B41

GCI:0B364802

 

B26

GCI:0B21F810

 

Could these both be from the same Tower? like each frequency on a tower can have their own GCI?

 

If there's anything else I should look up and share/post let me know.

Edited February 28, 2015 by sleet

[danny1st]

44th and Clyde finally went live. For some reason I still cannot post screenshots from my GS5, but for what it's worth, pulling 45 mbps down while sitting in my living room! Sucks went it falls back to B26 I'm only pulling on average 3-4 down.

[Hatstrow]

I was able to reach 70 Mbps download south of Battle Creek on Beckley Road. About a month ago or so band 41 was added there and it was slow at first and eventually reached 50 Mbps download max and now its reaching up to this. 

[Shima]

This morning at the Great Clips in front of Metro Hospital near Byron Center Ave and M6, band 41 is turned up and working nicely. 56MB down and 13MB up. Sprint it getting better all the time.

[azoclark]

Man do I now know the pain that our friends in the IBEZ are feeling.  I was at Kinawa Middle School (Okemos) earlier today for a volleyball tournament.  In the greater Kalamazoo area, with 800 CDMA and 800 LTE I don't have to worry about my phone burning battery searching for signal, but I was in the gym for a few hours (8:30-1:30) and it burned down from 100% to 20-something-ish and keep getting data roaming warnings.  I didn't have time to pay much attention to SCP to see what kind of signal I was getting and from where, but I am sure some 800 lovin' would have helped.