T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion

[maximus1987/lou99]

Given that Sprint is adding LTE to more than 38k sites, it's not a stretch to assume that tmobile will add AT LEAST HSPA+ to all 37k sites, right?

 

https://t-mobile.jive-mobile.com/#jive-document?content=%2Fapi%2Fcore%2Fv2%2Fdocuments%2F5736

 

 

"T-Mobile will be improving approximately 37,000 cell sites over the next 18 months. These upgrades include:

 

Replacing copper lines with fiber optic lines

Adding new radios

Moving ground equipment to the top of towers

Adding new antennas

 

These changes will provide improved voice and data coverage and a 20 percent improvement to indoor coverage."

 

How much more expensive is it to upgrade a site to include AWS LTE instead of just PCS HSPA+?

[Fraydog]

http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1800371

 

Antenna FUD muffin he is, that's pretty audacious on his part.

[compuwizz]

Come out West. We have 2000 foot masts, 10,000 foot mountain peak transmitters, and huge service contours.

 

From experience, I have used rabbit ears through adobe in Santa Fe to pick up Albuquerque stations off the top of Sandia Peak, which is 40 miles distant. And I bet that Robert can corroborate (or cor-robert-ate) that experience.

 

AJ

 

However each cellular base station won't be transmitting at 100k Watts or more like TV stations do.

[WiWavelength]

However each cellular base station won't be transmitting at 100k Watts or more like TV stations do.

 

That is irrelevant.  The issue is not fixed base stations but mobile devices.

 

AJ

[Rawvega]

Antenna FUD muffin he is, that's pretty audacious on his part.

 

FUD muffin, lol! That's putting it mildly. I won't mention the terms that I'd use for him and some of his fellow t-mo fanbois since they aren't around to defend themselves (AFAIK anyway), but some of them are real pieces of work.

[Fraydog]

 

 

Antenna FUD muffin he is, that's pretty audacious on his part.

 

 

FUD muffin, lol! That's putting it mildly. I won't mention the terms that I'd use for him and some of his fellow t-mo fanbois since they aren't around to defend themselves (AFAIK anyway), but some of them are real pieces of work.

He wouldn't come on here and do that.

 

We have T-Mobile fans on here but they're respectful toward the community. Antenna? Not so much.

[S4GRU]

Given that Sprint is adding LTE to more than 38k sites, it's not a stretch to assume that tmobile will add AT LEAST HSPA+ to all 37k sites, right?

 

https://t-mobile.jive-mobile.com/#jive-document?content=%2Fapi%2Fcore%2Fv2%2Fdocuments%2F5736

 

 

"T-Mobile will be improving approximately 37,000 cell sites over the next 18 months. These upgrades include:

 

Replacing copper lines with fiber optic lines

Adding new radios

Moving ground equipment to the top of towers

Adding new antennas

 

These changes will provide improved voice and data coverage and a 20 percent improvement to indoor coverage."

 

How much more expensive is it to upgrade a site to include AWS LTE instead of just PCS HSPA+?

 

Yes, eventually.  However, Sprint will have their network complete on all 37k sites before Tmo will.  Heck, Sprint will have 800MHz CDMA and LTE fully deployed long before Tmo gets their network upgraded.  I live next to a Tmo site with EDGE only service.  The day they show up and upgrade that to even HSPA+ with appropriate backhaul, then I will be a believer.  Until then, I consider it just talk that they are going to all their native sites with broadband wireless.

 

Robert

[maximus1987/lou99]

 

 

Given that Sprint is adding LTE to more than 38k sites, it's not a stretch to assume that tmobile will add AT LEAST HSPA+ to all 37k sites, right?

 

 

https://t-mobile.jive-mobile.com/#jive-document?content=%2Fapi%2Fcore%2Fv2%2Fdocuments%2F5736

 

 

 

"T-Mobile will be improving approximately 37,000 cell sites over the next 18 months. These upgrades include:

 

 

Replacing copper lines with fiber optic lines

 

Adding new radios

 

Moving ground equipment to the top of towers

 

Adding new antennas

 

 

These changes will provide improved voice and data coverage and a 20 percent improvement to indoor coverage."

 

 

How much more expensive is it to upgrade a site to include AWS LTE instead of just PCS HSPA+?

 

 

I live next to a Tmo site with EDGE only service.

 

Robert

Is there a map somewhere of all 37k TMO sites?

[WiWavelength]

Is there a map somewhere of all 37k TMO sites?

 

Use TmoMaps.com.

 

AJ

[S4GRU]

 

Use TmoMaps.com.

 

AJ

I was feeling a little constipated, but nothing like a little Rick Ashtley to scare the crap right out of you. Feeling much better now. Thanks for helping me out ol' friend.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

 

[Mobilesolutions]

The folks on the Howard forum are ludicrous, Sprint will be the king of national cellular providers one day. They have me on their side.

[maximus1987/lou99]

 

 

Is there a map somewhere of all 37k TMO sites?

 

 

Use TmoMaps.com.

 

AJ

I don't get it. Seriously.

[WiWavelength]

I don't get it. Seriously.

 

You just got "Rickrolled"!

 

 

AJ

[maximus1987/lou99]

 

 

I don't get it. Seriously.

 

 

You just got "Rickrolled"!

 

 

AJ

So there's no map?

[WiWavelength]

So there's no map?

 

No.  The level of detail here at S4GRU is not found anywhere else among the other big three operators.

 

AJ

[Bob Newhart]

There is an Android app that lists the TMO towers.

[ericdabbs]

There is an Android app that lists the TMO towers.

 

 

What is the app called?

[WiWavelength]

What is the app called?

 

From the Google Play Store, it is T-Mobile Tower Spotter.

 

AJ

[ericdabbs]

From the Google Play Store, it is T-Mobile Tower Spotter.

 

AJ

 

thanks for the link.  The app works great!!!

[WiWavelength]

How much more expensive is it to upgrade a site to include AWS LTE instead of just PCS HSPA+?

 

T-Mobile's problem is establishing sufficient backhaul to all of those rural sites.  Commend Sprint for not taking the easy way out, for going the extra mile and extending next generation backhaul to its rural sites alongside all others in one Network Vision fell swoop.

 

AJ

[lynyrd65]

 

 

How much more expensive is it to upgrade a site to include AWS LTE instead of just PCS HSPA+?

 

 

T-Mobile's problem is establishing sufficient backhaul to all of those rural sites. Commend Sprint for not taking the easy way out, for going the extra mile and extending next generation backhaul to its rural sites alongside all others in one Network Vision fell swoop.

 

AJ

Its could also be AWS. I hear that due to lower allowed transmission power it has a reduced coverage radius compared to PCS. AWS HSPA+ or LTE on their current rural sites with their PCS spacing would produce small coverage islands of AWS with customers constantly moving in and out of service on the highway.

 

PCS HSPA+, however should be pretty close to their current EDGE network coverage with the same number of sites.

 

I'm starting to think AWS UMTS was what was holding T-Mobile back from adding new high speed coverage along highways and in rural areas. I think with the PCS refarm we may see a widescale deployment in rural areas.

 

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[JohnHovah]

My ROM is not completely stripped down. I could kick it down much more but would remove some functionality like the pen.

a custom limited edition s4gru rom with some weird mutation of sensorly and rootmetrics baked in at the lowest level?

[maximus1987/lou99]

 

 

 

 

How much more expensive is it to upgrade a site to include AWS LTE instead of just PCS HSPA+?

 

 

 

 

T-Mobile's problem is establishing sufficient backhaul to all of those rural sites. Commend Sprint for not taking the easy way out, for going the extra mile and extending next generation backhaul to its rural sites alongside all others in one Network Vision fell swoop.

 

 

 

AJ

 

Its could also be AWS. I hear that due to lower allowed transmission power it has a reduced coverage radius compared to PCS. AWS HSPA+ or LTE on their current rural sites with their PCS spacing would produce small coverage islands of AWS with customers constantly moving in and out of service on the highway.

 

 

 

PCS HSPA+, however should be pretty close to their current EDGE network coverage with the same number of sites.

 

 

 

I'm starting to think AWS UMTS was what was holding T-Mobile back from adding new high speed coverage along highways and in rural areas. I think with the PCS refarm we may see a widescale deployment in rural areas.

 

 

 

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

 

 

Any articles to back up your statements?

[kg4icg]

Does anyone have any idea what happens when you take frequencies like and just being general from 1600 to 2200 Mhz and pump 100k watts out onto the airwaves into all directions. Just think microwave ovens. Because that is basically what happens with that much power. Things tend to be cooked in the area which means a lot of roasted people. Effective erp of a cell site is 50 watts. The lower the frequencies the more power you can generate and not cause any biological effects, for example: A 2 way radio operating on 147 Mhz pumping out 7 watts has less effects on the human body than a cellphone operating on pcs 1900 cranking out 7 watts which will leave some burns to the skin at that power level. So imagine what a cell site cranking out 100k watts do to a surrounding area. It isn't pretty. Which is why a cellphone power output is in milliwatts. Why antennas play a big part in there gain potential also.

[maximus1987/lou99]

Does anyone have any idea what happens when you take frequencies like and just being general from 1600 to 2200 Mhz and pump 100k watts out onto the airwaves into all directions. Just think microwave ovens. Because that is basically what happens with that much power. Things tend to be cooked in the area which means a lot of roasted people. Effective erp of a cell site is 50 watts. The lower the frequencies the more power you can generate and not cause any biological effects, for example: A 2 way radio operating on 147 Mhz pumping out 7 watts has less effects on the human body than a cellphone operating on pcs 1900 cranking out 7 watts which will leave some burns to the skin at that power level. So imagine what a cell site cranking out 100k watts do to a surrounding area. It isn't pretty. Which is why a cellphone power output is in milliwatts. Why antennas play a big part in there gain potential also.

Thank you mr RF engineer. Please move this to another thread as it is irrelevant to this topic.