Network Visions - non-metro areas

[bobbi]

I've a bunch of Network Vision articles here and elsewhere, but I still don't understand the full scope of Network Vision. I understand the metro roll outs. It makes sense to cover high density population areas over those less dense. But I don't understand their plans for the the outskirts of the metro areas and the rural areas.

 

Is it Sprint's intention as part of Network Vision to upgrade all its towers that it doesn't decommission? Will there still be some towers without upgrades when Network Vision is officially wrapped up?

[S4GRU]

I've a bunch of Network Vision articles here and elsewhere, but I still don't understand the full scope of Network Vision. I understand the metro roll outs. It makes sense to cover high density population areas over those less dense. But I don't understand their plans for the the outskirts of the metro areas and the rural areas.

 

Is it Sprint's intention as part of Network Vision to upgrade all its towers that it doesn't decommission? Will there still be some towers without upgrades when Network Vision is officially wrapped up?

 

Sprint will be upgrading all of their remaining 38,000 sites to Network Vision, including rural sites. For the most part, Sprint is not decommissioning any CDMA sites in Network Vision. Only a small handful. Like around 100 out of 38,000. They are actually adding more CDMA than they are removing. Almost all of the sites being removed are iDEN sites (Nextel).

 

The Chicago article covers a lot of information of how they are deploying in rural areas within a macro market. In the S4GRU.com Chicago case study, the Network Vision OEM Samsung is starting with rural clusters of NV sites and working their way into the denser Central part of the market. If Sprint can stay on schedule, they will have started work in all markets by December 2013.

 

- Robert

[bobbi]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Follow up question... In the Chicago case study it states "What was referred to as the Kankakee FIT was really a 3G-only Network Vision FIT. Many news outlets reported these as including 4G LTE because it was assumed all Network Vision towers had LTE."

 

So not all towers are going to be upgraded to include LTE with the Network Vision upgrades?

[Sgt. Slaughter]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Follow up question... In the Chicago case study it states "What was referred to as the Kankakee FIT was really a 3G-only Network Vision FIT. Many news outlets reported these as including 4G LTE because it was assumed all Network Vision towers had LTE."

 

So not all towers are going to be upgraded to include LTE with the Network Vision upgrades?

 

I think he commented somewhere saying he didn't know why they didn't have LTE on them and assumed it was for testing purposes but also assumed that LTE would be added to the towers later after testing.....

 

I could be wrong there and if so I'm sorry Robert.

 

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

[S4GRU]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Follow up question... In the Chicago case study it states "What was referred to as the Kankakee FIT was really a 3G-only Network Vision FIT. Many news outlets reported these as including 4G LTE because it was assumed all Network Vision towers had LTE."

 

So not all towers are going to be upgraded to include LTE with the Network Vision upgrades?

I think he commented somewhere saying he didn't know why they didn't have LTE on them and assumed it was for testing purposes but also assumed that LTE would be added to the towers later after testing.....

 

I could be wrong there and if so I'm sorry Robert.

 

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

 

Sarge...thanks for responding. That is basically what I'm saying.

 

All Network Vision upgrades include LTE installations. However, in the case of the Kankakee FIT, it was only installed to conduct 3G field testing of a cluster of Network Vision sites, working together. To check RF designs for accuracy, make sure everything on the 3G EVDO network was performing as expected, including handoffs between towers.

 

The Hammond 4G FIT cluster did the same thing, but only the LTE portion though. Why they didn't do both in the same cluster? Because they both needed to use PCS G-block for testing. Sprint has mandated that all Network Vision testing be done in PCS G-Block spectrum so as to not interfere with existing customers.

 

By doing two different clusters for 3G and 4G LTE, it allowed them to perform FIT testing for both at the same time. What I don't know is if the Hammond 4G FIT and the Kankakee 3G FIT also received full 3G and 4G gear when their FIT's were outfitted in December 2011. I'd guess yes, however, it probably is not all active until after testing completes. They will be using the same antenna panels and RRU's for CDMA and LTE, as well as 800MHz and 1900MHz. They also are in the same base cabinets. Since they share 75% of their hardware/systems at each site, it makes sense to install each of the FIT clusters with all the equipment, 1xA, EVDO and LTE.

 

However, the 4G will not likely go live in the Kankakee cluster while FIT testing is still going on in the PCS G-Block spectrum. And vice versa with the Hammond cluster. And I have no idea when they will complete the testing in these clusters. They may even be done already, for all I know. All I know is what I'm told by my sources. I don't work for Sprint or their subcontractors myself.

 

Robert

[bobbi]

Thanks for the info.

[runagun]

Robert, Makes sense cause the Marengo tower didnt have LTE installed. It was only Cdma 800. The Subcontractor didn't know when it was suppose to be installed. But he did say there where a bad batch of RRU installed and its taking time to find and replace them.

 

Another interesting tidbit That he said related to Tmobile and their plans on moving up the RRU. He told me that Tmobile has already started moving up the RRU's in the STL market since last year.

[S4GRU]

Robert, Makes sense cause the Marengo tower didnt have LTE installed. It was only Cdma 800. The Subcontractor didn't know when it was suppose to be installed. But he did say there where a bad batch of RRU installed and its taking time to find and replace them.

 

Another interesting tidbit That he said related to Tmobile and their plans on moving up the RRU. He told me that Tmobile has already started moving up the RRU's in the STL market since last year.

 

Thanks for the info. Additionally, AT&T is deploying remote RRU's too up top. Verizon is the only one without any publicized plans to do so at this time.

[CuriousTim]

I'm in a small town that is likely not going see Sprint 4g LtE until 2014. I'm hoping that when the town ~15miles east of here is upgraded and their towers provide expanded coverage that people who are on the fence about which tower to make a connection actually goes to the upgraded towers taking at least a few users off the congested tower in my small town -- wish it'd be the data heavy users. I also predict Verizon will have 4g here way before Sprint and that will remove some of the congestion.

 

Any info on network vision being done in Minnesota?

[S4GRU]

I'm in a small town that is likely not going see Sprint 4g LtE until 2014. I'm hoping that when the town ~15miles east of here is upgraded and their towers provide expanded coverage that people who are on the fence about which tower to make a connection actually goes to the upgraded towers taking at least a few users off the congested tower in my small town -- wish it'd be the data heavy users. I also predict Verizon will have 4g here way before Sprint and that will remove some of the congestion.

 

Any info on network vision being done in Minnesota?

 

Tim, Network Vision deployments are being done market wide. When Samsung starts work in Sprint's Minnesota market, they will not leave until the entire market is complete. You shouldn't have an issue where the part you live has legacy service for a long time, living on the edge of Network Vision service.

 

As for when MN deployment will begin. We are not ready to announce MN yet. Stay tuned!

 

- Robert

 

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[WiWavelength]

Another interesting tidbit That he said related to Tmobile and their plans on moving up the RRU. He told me that Tmobile has already started moving up the RRU's in the STL market since last year.

 

St. Louis is one of the markets in which T-Mobile has started PCS 1900 MHz spectrum refarming and deploying W-CDMA 1900. So, it makes sense that T-Mobile would be installing RRUs at the same time.

 

AJ

[MacinJosh]

St. Louis is one of the markets in which T-Mobile has started PCS 1900 MHz spectrum refarming and deploying W-CDMA 1900. So, it makes sense that T-Mobile would be installing RRUs at the same time.

 

AJ

 

OK. What does RRU stand for?

[ericdabbs]

OK. What does RRU stand for?

 

RRU = Remote Radio Unit.

[MacinJosh]

RRU = Remote Radio Unit.

 

Thanks Eric. I've lost count the number of times I have seen RRU and kept forgetting to ask.