Questions regarding a tower near me

Mechachu · March 17, 2013

Hello!!!

Ok so... A few miles away there is a tower. I know Clear runs off of it as well as Sprint. Being near it is automatic full signal.

I for a few days about a week ago I saw people working over there. They pulled the actual panel things off of the tower. Not sure if they replaced them or what. Also saw them doing some stuff to the shed lookin things and stuff. Didn't get a chance to stop and ask when I saw them. I don't know if any other companies run off of the same tower or not. Should I be hopeful that this has to do with NV? This tower doesn't even show up on the "network enhancements" map.

Area code is 95227. It's between Lockeford (N. Tully Road) and Clements Road, closer to Lockeford.

Another question I have... with NV/LTE will there be an increase in signal? I get WiMAX next to our living room wall (3 bars with Clears mobile hotspot) and signal ranges from 0-2 bars for my phones 3g.

Thank you!

Ascertion · March 17, 2013

Hello!!!

Ok so... A few miles away there is a tower. I know Clear runs off of it as well as Sprint. Being near it is automatic full signal.

I for a few days about a week ago I saw people working over there. They pulled the actual panel things off of the tower. Not sure if they replaced them or what. Also saw them doing some stuff to the shed lookin things and stuff. Didn't get a chance to stop and ask when I saw them. I don't know if any other companies run off of the same tower or not. Should I be hopeful that this has to do with NV? This tower doesn't even show up on the "network enhancements" map.

Area code is 95227. It's between Lockeford (N. Tully Road) and Clements Road, closer to Lockeford.

Another question I have... with NV/LTE will there be an increase in signal? I get WiMAX next to our living room wall (3 bars with Clears mobile hotspot) and signal ranges from 0-2 bars for my phones 3g.

Thank you!

Might've been IDEN panels (Nextel) that was deinstalled. The panels for Sprint aren't deinstalled until after the site has been live with NV panels for awhile now. The NV panels on average give about 6-7 dBm increase in performance over the Legacy ones, I think it's due to the RRUs mounted on the back of the panel. This means you should get better signal on average from the NV panels. Bear in mind that certain types of wall will still absorb many RF signals, so if your house is made of something that blocks RF, it's unlikely you'll see much of a difference.

Mechachu · March 17, 2013

Might've been IDEN panels (Nextel) that was deinstalled. The panels for Sprint aren't deinstalled until after the site has been live with NV panels for awhile now. The NV panels on average give about 6-7 dBm increase in performance over the Legacy ones, I think it's due to the RRUs mounted on the back of the panel. This means you should get better signal on average from the NV panels. Bear in mind that certain types of wall will still absorb many RF signals, so if your house is made of something that blocks RF, it's unlikely you'll see much of a difference.

Hmm... I don't know that this tower had IDEN. My step dad had a Nextel and didn't get that great of signal when driving near that tower.

The thing that blocks most of our signal I think is the orchards >.<

Ascertion · March 17, 2013

Hmm... I don't know that this tower had IDEN. My step dad had a Nextel and didn't get that great of signal when driving near that tower.

The thing that blocks most of our signal I think is the orchards >.<

Ha! It could be another carrier removing their panels, then. I believe AT&T has been buying a lot of smaller carriers to "expand" their rural coverage. It's possible that this site is just one that AT&T did not need anymore. We can help identify the panels if you grab a screenshot of it (if the panels are still there.) We can definitely tell you if Sprint panels still remain on that site with a decent picture.

lilotimz · March 17, 2013

Where exactly is the tower at? The area between Clements Road and N. Tully is quite large...

I'll attach a google maps image with the area you pointed out (closer to Lockeford) and multiple circles...

There is exactly ONE Sprint tower in the area on a boomer...

Details!

Side Note to Ascertion -- Nextel decommissioning hit the region pretty hard last fall / winter. A lot of Nextel panels and other equipment have been removed long ago.

P.S. Take some photos of it if you can. Multiple photos of the Panels itself and make sure you have the connecting wires on the bottom visible and any RRU (box like thing near the panel) in view.

Mechachu · March 17, 2013

Where exactly is the tower at? The area between Clements Road and N. Tully is quite large...

I'll attach a google maps image with the area you pointed out (closer to Lockeford) and multiple circles...

There is exactly ONE Sprint tower in the area on a boomer...

Details!

Side Note to Ascertion -- Nextel decommissioning hit the region pretty hard last fall / winter. A lot of Nextel panels and other equipment have been removed long ago.

P.S. Take some photos of it if you can. Multiple photos of the Panels itself and make sure you have the connecting wires on the bottom visible and any RRU (box like thing near the panel) in view.

I believe it's in the blue area.The white spec lol

Mechachu · March 17, 2013

Ha! It could be another carrier removing their panels, then. I believe AT&T has been buying a lot of smaller carriers to "expand" their rural coverage. It's possible that this site is just one that AT&T did not need anymore. We can help identify the panels if you grab a screenshot of it (if the panels are still there.) We can definitely tell you if Sprint panels still remain on that site with a decent picture.

I'm almost positive the panels were either put back up or new ones were put up. I saw a section of them on the ground at one point, but this was on my way to work and I didn't have time to stop. I'll stop by tomorrow afternoon on my way home and grab a few pics.

lilotimz · March 17, 2013

Is it on a Boomer? Aka giant metal frame many many feet tall (over 30').

Mechachu · March 17, 2013

Is it on a Boomer? Aka giant metal frame many many feet tall (over 30').

Yes

lilotimz · March 17, 2013

1)Is it directly across from a house?

2) Is it situated on the side of the road where it's nothing but fields in all directions.

If so. You may have found one of the first Samsung full builds in the upper central valley market.

That is unless Verizon and ATT is doing something in the area... T-mobile is a non factor as they have no plans on upgrading rural sites.

Pics of the panel & the ground equipment would be best though.

Mechachu · March 17, 2013

1)Is it directly across from a house?

2) Is it situated on the side of the road where it's nothing but fields in all directions.

If so. You may have found one of the first Samsung full builds in the upper central valley market.

That is unless Verizon and ATT is doing something in the area... T-mobile is a non factor as they have no plans on upgrading rural sites.

Pics of the panel & the ground equipment would be best though.

Heading from the red into the blue, it's on the right side. Across the street from a house. Fields all around it.

What do you mean by a "one of the first Samsung full builds"?

And ya I'll grab some pics on my way home tomorrow.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Mechachu

lilotimz · March 17, 2013

That's the boomer with sprint and others on it alright.

Upper Central Valley market is serviced by Samsung as the market OEM for network vision. A full build is basically replacing all legacy equipment and replacing it with new gear and backhaul (aka connection to the internet). The other type of NV upgrade is a GMO which is basically a site where they do the minimum work because it is low priority or high cost for minimal gain as described here http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-340-sprint-deploys-special-ground-mount-option-network-vision-sites-in-some-low-capacity-and-high-engineering-locations/ but I don't believe yours is.

Anyways, take some good pictures!

Mechachu · March 17, 2013

That's the boomer with sprint and others on it alright.

Upper Central Valley market is serviced by Samsung as the market OEM for network vision. A full build is basically replacing all legacy equipment and replacing it with new gear and backhaul (aka connection to the internet). The other type of NV upgrade is a GMO which is basically a site where they do the minimum work because it is low priority or high cost for minimal gain as described here http://s4gru.com/ind...ring-locations/ but I don't believe yours is.

Anyways, take some good pictures!

Cool thank you for the information! Hopefully they'll do something with it soon. I'd love at least a little bit of a signal boost, just for calls. I got Spring knowing I had crap signal at home. I mostly just wanted it while I'm working, but it'd be nice to see a little more at home as well!

I will update with pictures tomorrow..

Mechachu · March 17, 2013

Ok so I DO see some AT&T and Nextel stuff. But like I said, Nextel doesn't get that great of signal by that tower. And sorry if it's against the rules to link dropbox. I'll edit it out if needed.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lb6nrk1j4qz8kn0/20130317_143958.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/oinsx6hk43e5noe/20130317_144008.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/g315sjqc9kz57hu/20130317_144011.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5gmzi5atw2afgon/20130317_144027.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/w1iotodhfy8mu17/20130317_144033.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j3b0ij6kd64fm1v/20130317_144051.jpg