Has Sprint adjusted LTE speeds?

[Rukin1]

Months ago, I got up to 32 down.. In that same area, I get max 12. ANd every else, it's between 3-15. It's nothing crazy like it used to be. Idk if more people in my area are switching to Sprint or they're just capping the speeds.

[cletus]

It isn't just you. Two of my friends in the Austin market said the same thing earlier this week but reported less than 10 down where it used to be much higher. It would be a real shame if after network vision we are left with barely acceptable 3g speeds and slow 4g speeds.

 

I understand the target for Sprint was something like 6-8 down average though which is arguably slower than many Wimax spots here.

[WiWavelength]

Months ago, I got up to 32 down.. In that same area, I get max 12. ANd every else, it's between 3-15. It's nothing crazy like it used to be. Idk if more people in my area are switching to Sprint or they're just capping the speeds.

 

Under the best of signal conditions, the max possible downlink throughput on a 5 MHz FDD LTE carrier is 37 Mbps. So, 32 Mbps is near the max and is not sustainable -- unless Sprint is building out an LTE overlay just for you. As more and more new and existing Sprint subs adopt LTE handsets, average downlink speeds will likely settle in to the 7 Mbps range, and since that is an average, sometimes speeds will be even lower.

 

AJ

[Rukin1]

It isn't just you. Two of my friends in the Austin market said the same thing earlier this week but reported less than 10 down where it used to be much higher. It would be a real shame if after network vision we are left with barely acceptable 3g speeds and slow 4g speeds.

 

I understand the target for Sprint was something like 6-8 down average though which is arguably slower than many Wimax spots here.

I hope that Sprint is capping 4G speeds, I know a crap ton of people left Sprint because service was so horrible.

[Rukin1]

Under the best of signal conditions, the max possible downlink throughput on a 5 MHz FDD LTE carrier is 37 Mbps. So, 32 Mbps is near the max and is not sustainable -- unless Sprint is building out an LTE overlay just for you. As more and more new and existing Sprint subs adopt LTE handsets, average downlink speeds will likely settle in to the 7 Mbps range, and since that is an average, sometimes speeds will be even lower.

 

AJ

I'm not asking for those speeds. At all lol. It'd be nice to see 20 because I know Verizon has 20 around me

[WiWavelength]

Oh, and I am going to "adjust" the title of this thread because Sprint has not "adjusted" LTE speeds. You are just experiencing the variable nature of a signal strength dependent, multiple user airlink.

 

AJ

[Rukin1]

Oh, and I am going to "adjust" the title of this thread because Sprint has not "adjusted" LTE speeds. You are just experiencing the variable nature of a signal strength dependent, multiple user airlink.

 

AJ

Thank you. I meant to add a question mark.

[WiWavelength]

I'm not asking for those speeds. At all lol. It'd be nice to see 20 because I know Verizon has 20 around me

 

That is not likely. VZW has deployed twice the bandwidth, 10 MHz FDD. Not to mention, VZW has 700 MHz reception characteristics. If you want that, you need to go to VZW or AT&T. Sprint is not deploying Network Vision to satisfy your ego.

 

AJ

[WiWavelength]

Thank you. I meant to add a question mark.

 

Fair enough. Question mark added.

 

AJ

[irev210]

I think the other part of the problem is the network just isn't that dense yet.

 

When LTE first launched in Boston, I had no problems getting into the 20's. Now, similar to Verizon or AT&T, the LTE speeds are becoming inverted with the download speeds slower than the upload speeds.

 

The nature of the beast. Overall, the service remains usable (arguably more so than verizon in many parts) where Sprint has 4G LTE - MUCH needed over their legacy 3G service that is an impressive 5-10kbps.

[S4GRU]

Sprint plans to maintain the network for 6-8Mbps downlink speeds in good signal areas. When you get greater than 8Mbps then you are getting above advertised speeds. Also, Verizon is advertising their speeds at 5-12Mbps. They will not even try to maintain their network to maintain 25-30Mbps either.

 

Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

 

 

[supert0nes]

I think the other part of the problem is the network just isn't that dense yet.

 

When LTE first launched in Boston, I had no problems getting into the 20's. Now, similar to Verizon or AT&T, the LTE speeds are becoming inverted with the download speeds slower than the upload speeds.

 

This is the nature of FD-LTE where the same amount of bandwidth is allocated to uplink and downlink.

 

Oh, and I am going to "adjust" the title of this thread because Sprint has not "adjusted" LTE speeds. You are just experiencing the variable nature of a signal strength dependent, multiple user airlink.

 

AJ

 

The complexities of a macro wireless network are often ignored when it comes to personal service.

[irev210]

This is the nature of FD-LTE where the same amount of bandwidth is allocated to uplink and downlink.

 

Not same bandwidth. ODFMA vs. SC-FDMA. Same amount of spectrum, different amount of bandwidth.

[WiWavelength]

Not same bandwidth. ODFMA vs. SC-FDMA. Same amount of spectrum, different amount of bandwidth.

 

Eh, "bandwidth" and "spectrum," in this case, are interchangeable. "Capacity" or "throughput" is different.

 

AJ

[Rukin1]

Sprint plans to maintain the network for 6-8Mbps downlink speeds in good signal areas. When you get greater than 8Mbps then you are getting above advertised speeds. Also, Verizon is advertising their speeds at 5-12Mbps. They will not even try to maintain their network to maintain 25-30Mbps either.

 

Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Lol No they won't. I'm not complaining, I just hope this is good news.

[S4GRU]

Lol No they won't. I'm not complaining, I just hope this is good news.

 

No they won't what?

 

Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

 

 

[Rukin1]

No they won't what?

 

Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

"They will not even try to maintain their network to maintain 25-30Mbps either."

[Fraydog]

Verizon also has a much more sparse 700 MHz cell layout, and twice as many customers as Sprint. Sprint can do just fine against VZW in the speed test game. They just need to keep doing what they're doing with Network Vision.

[JustinRP37]

I don't get it. Isn't Viagra available for cellular networks yet? Here is the deal, if you can check email, watch the occasional video, and listen to music, then why complain about not having 20Mbps down? What are you using your phone for? What Sprint is saying for their their LTE network is enough for what you should possibly need to do on a cell phone.

[Fraydog]

If it's e-penis you want, here's a reminder... Sprint is going to fully own a megaton of spectrum in the 2600 MHz band post-SoftBank transaction. Pay no attention to Sprint saying "we're only going to use this for capacity hotspots". I sense the 2600 is going to be deployed aggressively in a lot of places by SoftBank/Sprint. While they're wise to hide their true ambition, I would wager Sprint has a more aggressive plan than they may be externally letting on.

 

This is good, because even with LTE on every site, there's only so much you can do with 5x5 carriers. At some point the capacity well will run dry.

 

If e-penis is a game you wish to engage in, my advice is to hold off for a TD-LTE device.

[WiWavelength]

If e-penis is a game you wish to engage in, my advice is to hold off for a TD-LTE device.

 

So, wait, are you saying that I should hold out for a TD-LTE device or a TDe-penis device? I am confused.

 

AJ

[leerage]

I can't wait til they start deploying 800 and 2600 for LTE. My site hunting has come almost to a stop since all sites (yes, all four of them) have been upgraded.

[Fraydog]

 

So, wait, are you saying that I should hold out for a TD-LTE device or a TDe-penis device? I am confused.

 

AJ

 

AJ, they're one and the same.

[Josh]

AJ, they're one and the same.

 

They can still be treated with penicillin, right? lol

[GoWireless]

 

 

So, wait, are you saying that I should hold out for a TD-LTE device or a TDe-penis device? I am confused.

 

AJ

 

Careful, if you keep changing your devices too often because the newer models always look sexier, you may get an STD-LTE.

Edited May 2, 2013 by GoWireless