Jump to content

How to Spot Sprint Antennas and RRUs (Samsung)

lilotimz

By lilotimz
in Equipment Spotting

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 153
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

lilotimz
lilotimz

Samsung Network Vision equipment are highly distinct and fairly easy to spot compared to the equipment that other vendors are deploying. Sprint is Samsung's first extremely massive American contract (

digiblur
digiblur

The first rule is to stop calling them panels.  They are antennas.  A panel is what you find a breaker or other junctions in.

S4GRU
S4GRU

Now if someone would just make an AlcaLu thread!  *wink, wink*   Robert

Posted Images

mozamcrew Member Level: eHRPD

mozamcrew

Posted
Posted

Question regarding Samsung RRUs, are they mixed mode, as in a single RRU can do both PCS and SMR or are separate RRUs needed for the separate bands?

By mixed/dual mode they mean the RRU can do both CDMA and LTE (or WiMax and LTE in the case of 2.6 Ghz RRUs). So in Sprint's case, you have RRUs for PCS, 800SMR, and eventually BRS/EBS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jefbal99 Member Level: LTE Advanced

jefbal99

Posted
Posted

By mixed/dual mode they mean the RRU can do both CDMA and LTE (or WiMax and LTE in the case of 2.6 Ghz RRUs). So in Sprint's case, you have RRUs for PCS, 800SMR, and eventually BRS/EBS.

I'd say PCS/SMR and CDMA/LTE at the same time.  I.E. CDMA/LTE on PCS and CDMA/LTE on SMR on a single RRU.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mozamcrew Member Level: eHRPD

mozamcrew

Posted
Posted

I'd say PCS/SMR and CDMA/LTE at the same time.  I.E. CDMA/LTE on PCS and CDMA/LTE on SMR on a single RRU.

On Samsung sites with both SMR and PCS, you usally see 2 RRU's per antenna, one for PCS and one for SMR. In the IBEZ you won't have any SMR RRUs of course, so on those sites you won't see a 2nd RRU. You also see SMR skipped on some sites in dense urban areas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jefbal99 Member Level: LTE Advanced

jefbal99

Posted
Posted

On Samsung sites with both SMR and PCS, you usally see 2 RRU's per antenna, one for PCS and one for SMR. In the IBEZ you won't have any SMR RRUs of course, so on those sites you won't see a 2nd RRU. You also see SMR skipped on some sites in dense urban areas.

I need to make a closer visit to my new local site, when I drive by on the freeway I swear there is only 1 RRU. With the site spacing in West Michigan, they need SMR on basically every tower.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jefbal99 Member Level: LTE Advanced

jefbal99

Posted
Posted

I need to make a closer visit to my new local site, when I drive by on the freeway I swear there is only 1 RRU. With the site spacing in West Michigan, they need SMR on basically every tower.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

Confirmed only a single RRU, next visit I'll have my SLR and take pics to find out what is going on with this site.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
mmark27 Member Level: 4G WiMax

mmark27

Posted
Posted

Do you guys know what these are (marked by Red arrows)? There were guys working on my tower, then they left 3 days ago. This is what they added (3 total of them). I haven't seen this in other threads. I'm 99% sure that's where Sprint's equipment is located. This is in Madison, WI so a Samsung market.

 

Posted Image

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lilotimz Member Level: LTE Advanced

lilotimz

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Do you guys know what these are (marked by Red arrows)? There were guys working on my tower, then they left 3 days ago. This is what they added (3 total of them). I haven't seen this in other threads. I'm 99% sure that's where Sprint's equipment is located. This is in Madison, WI so a Samsung market.

 

 

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 4

 

Ericsson RRUS11. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
mmark27 Member Level: 4G WiMax

mmark27

Posted
Posted

Ericsson RRUS11.

Huh. How about that. There are 5 of them actually, it looks like. I'll go over to that thread to do some learnin.

 

Edit: are there other markets like this? Is this really an ATT rack? Strange. I'll get some closer pics tomorrow when the light is better and I have my DSLR. I want to see the bottoms of the antennas and the plugs.

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 4

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lilotimz Member Level: LTE Advanced

lilotimz

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Huh. How about that. There are 5 of them actually, it looks like. I'll go over to that thread to do some learnin. Edit: are there other markets like this? Is this really an ATT rack? Strange. I'll get some closer pics tomorrow when the light is better and I have my DSLR. I want to see the bottoms of the antennas and the plugs. Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 4

 

That's a verizon setup. 

 

ATT's typical setups look like this

yGC2vD4h.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mmark27 Member Level: 4G WiMax

mmark27

Posted
Posted

That's a verizon setup.

 

ATT's typical setups look like this

Posted Image

Is that second rack VZW? Third down is ATT? (pic from when they were working. Their truck had a Samsung rru antenna setup sitting in the back. That's why I thought it was Sprint for sure.)

 

There's a 4th rack that has like 2 pencil thin antennas on it that don't match anything I've seen.

 

Posted Image

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mmark27 Member Level: 4G WiMax

mmark27

Posted
Posted

Alright. I think I've clarified things today with better pictures.

Here's that Top Rack - not Sprint, look at antenna wire arrangement

Posted Image

Here's the whole tower

Posted Image

Here's where I believe NV will appear when they're ready (bottom rack), right there in the middle of the skinny ones. As I got real close to the tower, it's clear this is what's going on based on other towers I've stalked.

Posted Image

 

For the whole tower, top to bottom, I'd guess AT&T, VZW or USCC, T Mobile, then Sprint?

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
apphysics Member Level: iDEN *chirp*

apphysics

Posted
Posted

Ok, so let me get this straight... Both Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent use 3 RRUs, and the Samsung setups only use two RRUs, correct? Also, what does RRU stand for? For some reason I feel like radio responder unit is the correct answer there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lilotimz Member Level: LTE Advanced

lilotimz

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Ok, so let me get this straight... Both Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent use 3 RRUs, and the Samsung setups only use two RRUs, correct? Also, what does RRU stand for? For some reason I feel like radio responder unit is the correct answer there.

 

Remote Radio Heads / Remote Radio Units

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
lilotimz Member Level: LTE Advanced

lilotimz

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks! And as for the # of RRUs, Samsung has 2 while both Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson have 3, right?

 

ALU has 2 RRUs with their new PCS model. Ericsson has 3 or 4 depending on if it's a high capacity site or not. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
apphysics Member Level: iDEN *chirp*

apphysics

Posted
Posted

ALU has 2 RRUs with their new PCS model. Ericsson has 3 or 4 depending on if it's a high capacity site or not. 

 

Ok thanks! I couldn't quite tell if the one ALU is 2 RRUs back to back, or 1 large one. Thanks for your help!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
bosox801 Member Level: 4G WiMax

bosox801

Posted
Posted

lilotimz

I was out getting some pics of this new site in SLC SL25XC135 which I believe is replacing another site due to construction. Anyways there is a antenna on it as well that is cone shaped would that be microwave? I thought NV is getting away from microwave? Its on the right?

kelpjsZ.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
digiblur Member Level: LTE Advanced

digiblur

Posted
Posted

lilotimz

I was out getting some pics of this new site in SLC SL25XC135 which I believe is replacing another site due to construction. Anyways there is a antenna on it as well that is cone shaped would that be microwave? I thought NV is getting away from microwave? Its on the right?

Posted Image

Microwaves are usually rectangular and have a lot of buttons on the front. ;)

 

Yes that looks like microwave backhaul. WiMax markets have a lot of that on the WiMax gear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bosox801 Member Level: 4G WiMax

bosox801

Posted
Posted

Microwaves are usually rectangular and have a lot of buttons on the front. ;)

 

Yes that looks like microwave backhaul. WiMax markets have a lot of that on the WiMax gear.

very clever digi!! I thought it might be but as this site is a new site not a remodeled site I didn't think it would have microwave? So does that mean they will use microwave on some NV sites?

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lilotimz Member Level: LTE Advanced

lilotimz

Posted
  • Author
Posted

very clever digi!! I thought it might be but as this site is a new site not a remodeled site I didn't think it would have microwave? So does that mean they will use microwave on some NV sites?

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

Approximately 10% of Network Vision sites will utilize microwave backhaul. If they can easily and cheaply get fiber to the site then they will but if not then microwave will work just fine. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bosox801 Member Level: 4G WiMax

bosox801

Posted
Posted

Approximately 10% of Network Vision sites will utilize microwave backhaul. If they can easily and cheaply get fiber to the site then they will but if not then microwave will work just fine.

huh interesting as fiber is all through downtown where this site is.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • large.unreadcontent.png.6ef00db54e758d06

  • gallery_1_23_9202.png

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • T-MoblieUser207
      Network Vision/LTE - New York City Market

      By T-MoblieUser207 · Posted

      The DAS at LGA Terminal B actually has n41 at 100+20, but if you are deprioritized, good luck on the busy days, as all the bands are congested, even B41 and n41, with data being worse than 128kbps international roaming. It has SA active for n41 as well. The L train tunnel is actually 80+20 for n41, with SA n41 active. Speeds aren't anything compared to Philadelphia's DAS system that has n41 though. The gig+ upgrades are expanding, as eNBs 894588 (Sprint convert site) and 55987 can both pass 1 Gbps now. Clocked nearly 1.3Gbps on eNB 55987 today.
    • Rickie546
      Official Tmobile-Sprint merger discussion thread

      By Rickie546 · Posted

      Hopefully this goes thru!  https://www.reddit.com/r/tmobile/comments/1211mh7/tmobile_files_another_sta_application_to/
    • Paynefanbro
      Network Vision/LTE - New York City Market

      By Paynefanbro · Posted

      Yup 80MHz C-band + 40MHz DoD for a total of 120MHz. They should be pretty well setup post-clearance. — — — — — Famous Verizon site on Atlantic referenced in this reddit post got moved to the top of the building next door. — — — — — Also looks like I mapped a T-Mobile oDAS node eNB 347812 in Brooklyn Heights. Streetview shows it as one of the CC nodes with no antenna on top as of May 2022 but this specific eNB was first mapped this month. I didn't notice that I mapped it until I got home but the range on it is significantly greater than the normal "antenna-less" nodes T-Mobile deploys. I'm wondering if it got upgraded to the new 5G oDAS design but I won't be able to check it out until next weekend.  
    • transitwatch889
      Network Vision/LTE - New York City Market

      By transitwatch889 · Posted

      I didn't know they had access to 80 MHz of c-band that does change some things then once that's online
    • Trip
      SignalCheck Beta Crew Forum

      By Trip · Posted

      While I've been loath to update my Samsung devices past the May 2022 update to keep the Band Selection tool, I note that it looks like Android 14 is going to add Timing Advance for NR to the API.  (Was looking today as I have another Verizon A42 5G now that I'm going to unlock for T-Mobile, and wanted to figure out if I should let it update or not.)  Since I can technically make band changes from *#73#, on the A42 5Gs, I can probably live without the Band Selection tool if a later Android version adds something useful like TA values. I assume SCP will be updated to support that once it becomes publicly available.  The real question is whether or not the phones will support it.  My S21FE and A42 5G devices do on LTE, but I know the S22 and the A32 5G do not support it even on LTE, providing just zero in that field. - Trip

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...