Network Vision/LTE - Upper Central Valley Market (Sacramento, Stockton, Redding, Eureka & Reno/Lake Tahoe)

[BD786]

It means that Sprint and Samsung is inching closer to finally converting every single site in the Sacramento cluster of about 40-50 cell towers/sites. Once all are converted they fire them all up at the same time (cluster launching) for 3G and 4G will go live too on any site with high speed backhaul (high speed internet connection) delivered by contracted companies. If that site has backhaul delivered then LTE will be fired up on that site when they do the final cluster launch of our market.

 

Can't be more than a few weeks now.

You mean there is light at the end of the tunnel, Sacramento should be cluster launched in a few weeks?!?

[agsaguy]

You mean there is light at the end of the tunnel, Sacramento should be cluster launched in a few weeks?!?

Correction: few years

[sharward]

I assume that "few years" remark is sarcasm. Be mindful that there's been a lot of confusion in this tread and someone may very well think that is literally true.

[lilotimz]

Correction: few years

 

Sure feels like a few years but yes all remaining Samsung clusters are being worked on now and will be done in the next 4-8 weeks. 

 

It's mentioned in this post by Robert to S4GRu sponsors. 

[sharward]

If that estimate is accurate (and you have been very understandably hesitant to quote timeframes before), that should coincide with what I am HOPING is the release and availability of a tri-band Samsung Note 4. :-)

[techiegirl]

If that estimate is accurate (and you have been very understandably hesitant to quote timeframes before), that should coincide with what I am HOPING is the release and availability of a tri-band Samsung Note 4. :-)

A reliable source of the S4GRU webmaster is pretty encouraging.

[techiegirl]

Got some Sensorly mapping done in and around Mather and on my way into work to catch some of the new LTE signals that went live in Rancho. It's a lot more dependable since they first went live. Good times.  

[jwigley]

I'm interested in knowing how good coverage will be while traveling (driving) long-ish distances.

 

For example, if I'm driving up I-5 or 99, I wonder how spotty the coverage will be as all the remaining Sprint covered areas get updated to 4G LTE.

 

As of right now, my current service, verizon, has me connected darn near everywhere I go. I'm trying to decide if the trade off for unlimited data is worth it for the loss in coverage.

 

Thoughts?

[techiegirl]

That's your call. I haven't had much of a problem when traveling unless I'm in a known spotty area (between Woodland and Red Bluff is off and on, but last time I drove through, it was consistent). Traveling south along 99 between Sacramento and San Diego last month was awesome coverage with the exception of the grapevine between Grapevine and Gorman. Other than that, it was great. 

[steveholtam]

In Folsom this weekend and had some 4G.  On Sutter St. it was about 15 megs down.  At the Palladio Mall it was only about 3 megs.

[legendary]

So does the Samsung cluster influence Davis at all?

[OctoInk]

The Arden area keeps getting short, intermittent signal losses. I lost all data for about 20-30 seconds at a time today, but several minutes on Friday. Are they doing work on the towers here and in Downtown?  

[jwigley]

That's your call. I haven't had much of a problem when traveling unless I'm in a known spotty area (between Woodland and Red Bluff is off and on, but last time I drove through, it was consistent). Traveling south along 99 between Sacramento and San Diego last month was awesome coverage with the exception of the grapevine between Grapevine and Gorman. Other than that, it was great. 

 

Earlier this year when I still had sprint, I drove up to Eureka and passed through a couple sections with no service. I am guessing that I experienced no data service for about a total of 1 1/2 hours out of the 5(ish) hour drive. Was bummed out but there are a lot of hills and trees around that probably don't help much. Not sure about the south bound drive, never tried to stream music or used a service that required constant data usage while driving south. I would assume that it would be better since the land is pretty flat.

 

I'll probably end up switching back anyway. As long as I can listen to spotify on my normal morning commute with no interruptions.

[coolguy27]

Earlier this year when I still had sprint, I drove up to Eureka and passed through a couple sections with no service. I am guessing that I experienced no data service for about a total of 1 1/2 hours out of the 5(ish) hour drive. Was bummed out but there are a lot of hills and trees around that probably don't help much. Not sure about the south bound drive, never tried to stream music or used a service that required constant data usage while driving south. I would assume that it would be better since the land is pretty flat.

 

I'll probably end up switching back anyway. As long as I can listen to spotify on my normal morning commute with no interruptions.

I was in bodega bay recently and I had completely no service. It wouldn't even go into roam even though other people had service.

[techiegirl]

The North Coast is awful with reception. I usually don't even have my phone on when I go that way. But, in the flat valley interior, it's pretty good overall except for some spotty areas around Mt. Shasta. The hilly environment isn't very conducive to a clear signal. I use Spotify and Pandora very often on my drives in the car and I haven't had any issues driving north on I-5 or south on Hwy 99. Yes, I assume it's probably because it's relatively flat. And the markets that direction are pretty built out at this point. 

[agsaguy]

I assume that "few years" remark is sarcasm. Be mindful that there's been a lot of confusion in this tread and someone may very well think that is literally true.

Sure the Sac cluster will be launched soon, but it will take months, maybe years till we see PCS/SMR LTE and not drop down to 3G because random cell sites don't have backhaul. Forget about TD-LTE.

 

Anybody see those new Family Plans sprint unveiled today? BS! I don't think a phone left to download 24/7 can even download 20GB in a month given how slow their network is. Verizon new $60/2GB talk/text + device subsidy sounds enticing.

[lilotimz]

Sure the Sac cluster will be launched soon, but it will take months, maybe years till we see PCS/SMR LTE and not drop down to 3G because random cell sites don't have backhaul. Forget about TD-LTE.

 

Anybody see those new Family Plans sprint unveiled today? BS! I don't think a phone left to download 24/7 can even download 20GB in a month given how slow their network is. Verizon new $60/2GB talk/text + device subsidy sounds enticing.

 

Feel free to go to Verizon.

 

There may be others that may have what you want. Don't limit yourself just because. All we can do here is make sure you and others are informed and make the right decisions for yourselves.

[sharward]

Sure the Sac cluster will be launched soon, but it will take months, maybe years till we see PCS/SMR LTE and not drop down to 3G because random cell sites don't have backhaul. Forget about TD-LTE.

 

Your sarcastic "Correction: few years" comment was in response to someone asking about when the cluster launch was expected in the City of Sacramento. Those of us who have been following this thread closely for the past year understand that a cluster launch is not the end game but it is a significant milestone -- significant enough for me to plan on becoming a Sprint customer when that happens (and not a moment sooner), and significant enough for existing Sprint customers here to consider hanging on with Sprint with that milestone being within view. Will it be perfect and as good as Verizon on Day One of cluster launch? Of course not. I don't think most of us expect that. But with my clunker 3G Android 2.3.4 phone with insufficient memory to handle even basic use, I'm looking forward to getting a cutting edge device with WiFi calling on a decent network that will only get better with an unlimited data plan.

 

Hopefully the rest of the commentary in this thread is on point.

[legendary]

Prl upgrade from 2019 to 2025. This affect the UCV anyway?

[IM0001]

After getting a G3, I now can get LTE pretty easy at my house, work, and even the GYM. All speeds 3Mbit+ so I am happy.

[da_kiem]

So does the Samsung cluster influence Davis at all?

What do you mean?  What samsung cluster?  Davis has been cluster launched already.  All that's left is upgrading the last 4 towers with new backhaul.

[techiegirl]

So, driving home yesterday, I picked up LTE on the eastbound 50 between Watt and Bradshaw exits. I think it was from the tower that you see from the freeway further up. I lost it after I passed Bradshaw, then picked it up again near Mather Field exit. I also had some solid LTE while near Sunrise Mall yesterday afternoon. I did a bit of mapping and some speed tests on Sensorly when I wasn't driving.

 

Good times.

[BD786]

So my contract is coming up for renewal in a few weeks. Before I go out and get a new phone (currently on iphone 5) I was hoping the Community could answer the following:

 

Are there sites transmitting LTE over band 26 and/or band 41 yet in the UCV Market?

 

Also, how soon "should" the UCV be SPARK ready?

 

Thanks in advance ????

[Jeff1234]

I'm assuming they must still be testing and tweaking.  I noticed that the towers that I've been getting LTE from for the past couple of weeks are today only connecting 3G eHRPD.   The coloma tower is showing 3g, but speed tests were better than I've ever seen them on 3G.   I also had LTE for a brief moment on Monday morning on one of the rural sites north of auburn, but since then I've gotten 3G only.

[techiegirl]

I'm assuming they must still be testing and tweaking.  I noticed that the towers that I've been getting LTE from for the past couple of weeks are today only connecting 3G eHRPD.   The coloma tower is showing 3g, but speed tests were better than I've ever seen them on 3G.   I also had LTE for a brief moment on Monday morning on one of the rural sites north of auburn, but since then I've gotten 3G only.

That's my guess, too. It's in fits and starts, but it is still out there more often than not in certain parts of Rancho.