Network Vision/LTE - Dakotas Market (including Fargo, Grand Forks, Alexandria MN)

[Watch This]

We have had a lot of issues up in Grand Forks since the crews were up here working on towers a few weeks ago. Just wondering if this is normal. Most calls are very choppy and echo(y). Texts come late, or not at all.

I'm not sure if they are still working here or not. (haven't seen any for a couple weeks). Haven't seen any 1x800 yet.

Anyway, is this normal for the work being done? Thanks

[njjdnt]

We have had a lot of issues up in Grand Forks since the crews were up here working on towers a few weeks ago. Just wondering if this is normal. Most calls are very choppy and echo(y). Texts come late, or not at all.

I'm not sure if they are still working here or not. (haven't seen any for a couple weeks). Haven't seen any 1x800 yet.

Anyway, is this normal for the work being done? Thanks

Yes

[frecklenutz]

We are getting glimpses of LTE around the Alexandria area now. Also I am seeing a lot more towers that I am connecting to with 800. 

[Sgavett]

I hope that they push their way into Grand Forks before winter really sets in.

[mozamcrew]

I hope that they push their way into Grand Forks before winter really sets in.

I think Grand Forks is 3G upgraded. So all the antennas and RRUs are up already. They just need to get backhaul connected so they can turn on LTE.

[Sgavett]

I think Grand Forks is 3G upgraded. So all the antennas and RRUs are up already. They just need to get backhaul connected so they can turn on LTE.

What does the backhaul entail? And how long do you think that would take? Where does sprints backhaul come from?

 

Thanks in advance, just new to the ideas of sprints system

[lilotimz]

What does the backhaul entail? And how long do you think that would take? Where does sprints backhaul come from?

 

Thanks in advance, just new to the ideas of sprints system

 

1) Backhaul = connection to the internet backbone

2) weeks to months to year(s) depending on how "fast" the provider decides to go

3) whoever has the closest fiber or AAV connection point to a sprint site 

[Watch This]

I see Fargo made the list of new LTE announcements today. That is great. Hopefully Grand Forks isn't too far behind!

[n8tab]

I see Fargo made the list of new LTE announcements today. That is great. Hopefully Grand Forks isn't too far behind!

They still have over 50% of the towers in the FM area to go. The announcement was a little premature IMHO.

[Mr.Nuke]

They still have over 50% of the towers in the FM area to go. The announcement was a little premature IMHO.

It is more of a marketing thing than a statement on the completion of NV. They'll "launch" a city when 40% of the population is covered.

[S4GRU]

It is more of a marketing thing than a statement on the completion of NV. They'll "launch" a city when 40% of the population is covered.

And now with the additional caveat, "and CSFB upgrades are in place." That's the reason why Detroit hasn't been launched yet. It would have been in this last round, but they have A LOT of LTE only sites, and their legacy network cannot run CSFB.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

[n8tab]

It is more of a marketing thing than a statement on the completion of NV. They'll "launch" a city when 40% of the population is covered.

Gotta love the marketing folks and their crazy logic.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[n8tab]

And now with the additional caveat, "and CSFB upgrades are in place." That's the reason why Detroit hasn't been launched yet. It would have been in this last round, but they have A LOT of LTE only sites, and their legacy network cannot run CSFB.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

It's good to know that CSFB is in place here in Fargo. I was nervous when they first started upgrading and my Nexus couldn't get LTE.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Watch This]

It's good to know that CSFB is in place here in Fargo. I was nervous when they first started upgrading and my Nexus couldn't get LTE.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Another newbie question. How do you know if CSFB is in place? Is there a way I can check here in GF?

[mozamcrew]

Another newbie question. How do you know if CSFB is in place? Is there a way I can check here in GF?

My understanding is all 3G completed sites should have working CSFB. Pretty much all of the Dakotas market is 3G complete now. There just aren't any LTE Sprint sites in GF yet ... to my knowledge.

[mozamcrew]

Starting to see 1x800 on sites when I was in Fargo today!! 

[Watch This]

Wow. Did everyone from this thread jump to T Mobile?

Just curious on anything happening around Fargo lately, cuz ain't nothing happening yet in GF.

[S4GRU]

[ase500]

Nothing going on in the bemidji area either. I am sure that it has to do with backhauls and the weather. At -55 windchills I am sure the backhaul providers are not out doing much of anything.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

 

[mozamcrew]

AFAIK, almost everything in the market that doesn't have LTE is waiting on backhaul. All the equipment is in because they are all 3G accepted, lots of places have 800Mhz too. I think GF is just far enough south that they should get 800?? It's close.

[tyvarga]

Anything on when lte is coming to the fergus falls/alexandria area?

[S4GRU]

Anything on when lte is coming to the fergus falls/alexandria area?

All the sites in this market, including Fergie and Alexandria, have already had all their LTE equipment installed. They are just waiting on upgraded backhaul to be installed. They will go live one by one as backhaul arrives at each one and is ready over the next 6 month period or so.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

 

 

[n8tab]

Wow. Did everyone from this thread jump to T Mobile?

Just curious on anything happening around Fargo lately, cuz ain't nothing happening yet in GF.

I sure hope not...their 2G service in the FM area is about as slow as it gets.

 

I can get decent LTE signal strength and speed everywhere I go in Fargo...except for at work or at home.  Go figure. 

[mozamcrew]

I sure hope not...their 2G service in the FM area is about as slow as it gets.

 

I can get decent LTE signal strength and speed everywhere I go in Fargo...except for at work or at home.  Go figure. 

 

There are still sites in Fargo that don't have new backhaul, and thus don't have LTE yet either. Most of them do, but there are still a bunch of them that don't have it yet.

[JL421]

Has HD voice been turned on in Fargo? The last couple of days, Sprint to Sprint calls have sounded different. I'm not sure if it's better or worse. I hear much more than normal, but everything has a high pitch reverb now. Almost like it's too crisp. I've also heard from others that they think the call quality has degraded. A coworker with a Note 2 said everything sounds like it's coming through a piezoelectric speaker.