Network Vision/LTE - Rochester Market (Rochester, New York)

[bigdaveyl]

I didn't think about that, I assumed that since lake ontario was between Rochester and Canada that we would not be in any kind of trouble regarding that. I could be wrong though, I just assumed it applied more to places that had a land border with Canada, I can't imagine any kind of cellular interference making its way across the lake and causing problems with Canadian radio. I could be wrong though, it's for the FCC and Canada to decide, not me haha.

 

As an aside, my father plays handy man for an older lady in his neighborhood.  

 

She doesn't watch much TV and had rabbit ears, for obvious reasons.  When they cut over to digital, she could get all channels but 8 (WROC).

 

There were many complaints by those north of 104.  I guess they sent less power to the north because there is/was a Canadian station on the same channel.  And of course WROC won't do anything about it - FCC regulations say people have to have access to 2 TV stations, and everyone in the area gets PBS/FOX/WHAM13/WHEC.

 

So coming back around it may be a bit before we see any progress in the LTE 800 front and even then, the signal may be weak for some and directed to the south. 

[ryman101]

I work in Victor, NY. no LTE out here yet, but i have a question. The signal strength on Sprint at my place of work has always been poor. Data connection drops out all the time and cell calls are very choppy. I talked with a sprint rep online and I was assured that with the Network Vision being done in the area that I should expect to see stronger signals, and less Dropped calls. That was almost 4 months ago. Nothing has changed as of now. a few co workers on competitors networks have good strong signals in the same building. I was wondering if any of you would know if the towers in my area have even been worked on yet? it would seem if they have I should be seeing improvements by now? or maybe it is already as good as it will be? i have been a loyal Spring customer since 2007.

If you donate and become a sponsor of this site, you can access the maps section that shows in detail which Sprint sites have network vision completed in which areas. Nobody here that is a sponsor is allowed according to the rules to share any sponsor specific information with you, but I can tell you that work is now going on all over the Rochester market after it originally was later than planned, and your experience will almost assuredly improve given a bit more time.

 

They are working on it now, good sir! :-)

 

Also, the network vision upgrades may not necessarily improve your service in places you have no signal until we see CDMA 800 development here in Rochester, the current network vision upgrades going on at the moment simply improve your experience in places you already HAVE signal. This is in the form of faster data speeds and elimination of calls that drop because of overloaded towers. I'm not sure whether or not your low signal issue will be solved any time soon, but I wish you the best of luck!

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

[S4GRU]

I have just now caught up on the Rochester thread. I hadn't been able to read this thread since August. Some notes:

 

1. I am not behind on Rochester NV Site update maps and never have been. I don't ever just do some markets and not others. In each update, I either do them all, or I wait until I have time to do them all. If you don't see Rochester in an update, that's because no sites were formally accepted in the Rochester market since the last update.

 

2. Acceptance means that the noted technology has been inspected and accepted as complete. In the case of LTE, you may receive signals intermittently prior to acceptance. Sometimes they may even leave a testing site online over night or a few days. Just because you are able to connect to a site not accepted does not mean there is an error in reporting acceptances. We report when a site is accepted typically the next day in the NV Sites Complete map in the Sponsor section. Over the weekends and in some instances there can be a day or two delay.

 

3. A 3G acceptance can mean absolutely nothing in performance improvement in and of itself. A 3G acceptance just means that the hardware has been fully installed, tested and functioning. It does not always mean that the legacy 3G is turned off. And even if the legacy is turned off and the 3G is running on the NV equipment, if LTE is not running at the same site, it probably means that new backhaul is not ready at that site. Since Rochester is a Samsung market, Samsung almost always fires up LTE if new backhaul is present. So if you're looking for a better 3G experience, it may not come until LTE is brought online at the site.

 

4. Samsung has blown through the Rochester market and has already installed NV equipment on every single site it could get permits and access to. It is finishing up now. 3G acceptances will reflect this as each site is inspected and approved. LTE will go live on each site as the backhaul is completed. One by one by one over the next 6 months or so. One here, two there. Until they all are done.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

[Wilsonator]

...

A 3G acceptance just means that the hardware has been fully installed, tested and functioning. It does not always mean that the legacy 3G is turned off.

...

First off, as always, great informative post. I'm curious about the statement above. Why would the legacy equipment not be turned off? What is the usual time frame when the new equipment is on, but the legacy equipment is still being used?

[S4GRU]

First off, as always, great informative post. I'm curious about the statement above. Why would the legacy equipment not be turned off? What is the usual time frame when the new equipment is on, but the legacy equipment is still being used?

 

There is no usual time.  Sometimes it is days, sometimes it is months.  In a few noted and uncommon instances, it is a year.  In many instances, Network Vision 3G cannot just be turned on as is.  Network Vision gear often does not play well with legacy gear (especially when the adjacent legacy sites are from a different OEM.  Also, Network Vision sites reach further (up to 20%).  Just turning it on can cause interference problems, which can lead to even slower data speeds and dropped calls out the wazoo.  And in severe instances no data or voice at all.

 

This complicates just turning them on.  Typically, NV 3G has to be brought online in clusters.  So in many cases, when a site is 3G accepted, it may still run on legacy 3G until the whole cluster is ready.  You will know for sure if a site is on NV 3G if they deinstall the legacy PCS panels and there is just one NV panel per sector remaining.

 

Also, as mentioned above, NV 3G may not perform better at all if it is connected to legacy backhaul.  Typically when they complete the hardware installs at a Samsung site and pass inspection, they will accept both 3G and 4G LTE if there is upgraded backhaul at the site.  If they are still on legacy backhaul, they will accept only the 3G side.

 

And even if you see 3G and 4G LTE accepted at a site, it is not for sure that 3G is hooked up to the new backhaul yet.  It is possible that the LTE is on the new backhaul, but the 3G will not be on the new backhaul because it is staying on legacy until the whole cluster can be switched.  You still only know that 3G is moved over to NV when the legacy panels are removed from the site.

 

Hopefully this helps clarify the situation a little bit for you.

 

Robert

[Wilsonator]

Thanks Robert! Very clear and informative. I'm a tech geek so this is all very interesting to me.

[joshnys8913]

There is no usual time.  Sometimes it is days, sometimes it is months.  In a few noted and uncommon instances, it is a year.  In many instances, Network Vision 3G cannot just be turned on as is.  Network Vision gear often does not play well with legacy gear (especially when the adjacent legacy sites are from a different OEM.  Also, Network Vision sites reach further (up to 20%).  Just turning it on can cause interference problems, which can lead to even slower data speeds and dropped calls out the wazoo.  And in severe instances no data or voice at all.

 

This complicates just turning them on.  Typically, NV 3G has to be brought online in clusters.  So in many cases, when a site is 3G accepted, it may still run on legacy 3G until the whole cluster is ready.  You will know for sure if a site is on NV 3G if they deinstall the legacy PCS panels and there is just one NV panel per sector remaining.

 

Also, as mentioned above, NV 3G may not perform better at all if it is connected to legacy backhaul.  Typically when they complete the hardware installs at a Samsung site and pass inspection, they will accept both 3G and 4G LTE if there is upgraded backhaul at the site.  If they are still on legacy backhaul, they will accept only the 3G side.

 

And even if you see 3G and 4G LTE accepted at a site, it is not for sure that 3G is hooked up to the new backhaul yet.  It is possible that the LTE is on the new backhaul, but the 3G will not be on the new backhaul because it is staying on legacy until the whole cluster can be switched.  You still only know that 3G is moved over to NV when the legacy panels are removed from the site.

 

Hopefully this helps clarify the situation a little bit for you.

 

Robert

 

Nice info Robert!!! Thank You!!! This MAY of answered somewhat of my question I emailed you about.

 

Here in Canandiagua they got the tower downtown on NV/LTE but not the one uptown (just NV 3G) (the one up by where I live has a much bigger footprint then the one downtown tower).   

[ryman101]

I have just now caught up on the Rochester thread. I hadn't been able to read this thread since August. Some notes:

 

1. I am not behind on Rochester NV Site update maps and never have been. I don't ever just do some markets and not others. In each update, I either do them all, or I wait until I have time to do them all. If you don't see Rochester in an update, that's because no sites were formally accepted in the Rochester market since the last update.

 

2. Acceptance means that the noted technology has been inspected and accepted as complete. In the case of LTE, you may receive signals intermittently prior to acceptance. Sometimes they may even leave a testing site online over night or a few days. Just because you are able to connect to a site not accepted does not mean there is an error in reporting acceptances. We report when a site is accepted typically the next day in the NV Sites Complete map in the Sponsor section. Over the weekends and in some instances there can be a day or two delay.

 

3. A 3G acceptance can mean absolutely nothing in performance improvement in and of itself. A 3G acceptance just means that the hardware has been fully installed, tested and functioning. It does not always mean that the legacy 3G is turned off. And even if the legacy is turned off and the 3G is running on the NV equipment, if LTE is not running at the same site, it probably means that new backhaul is not ready at that site. Since Rochester is a Samsung market, Samsung almost always fires up LTE if new backhaul is present. So if you're looking for a better 3G experience, it may not come until LTE is brought online at the site.

 

4. Samsung has blown through the Rochester market and has already installed NV equipment on every single site it could get permits and access to. It is finishing up now. 3G acceptances will reflect this as each site is inspected and approved. LTE will go live on each site as the backhaul is completed. One by one by one over the next 6 months or so. One here, two there. Until they all are done.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

Thank you so much for all the info Robert! It is good to know that the market is coming along in good shape, I hadn't previously been aware that the 3G accepted sites meant all the equipment was installed. I am curious as to whether or not a 3G acceptance means that all the equipment has been mounted on the towers or if perhaps GMO sites can also qualify as accepted 3G if the equipment is running but on the ground. The only reason I ask is because I am pretty sure I have seen a few 3G accepted sites that appear as if they haven't got anything different on the tower!

 

I am not a super experienced spotter though and while I know the information for that is on the site, I haven't been super close up to any sites to have a good look for myself.

 

Thanks again for all your hard work!

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

[brittonx]

Thank you so much for all the info Robert! It is good to know that the market is coming along in good shape, I hadn't previously been aware that the 3G accepted sites meant all the equipment was installed. I am curious as to whether or not a 3G acceptance means that all the equipment has been mounted on the towers or if perhaps GMO sites can also qualify as accepted 3G if the equipment is running but on the ground. The only reason I ask is because I am pretty sure I have seen a few 3G accepted sites that appear as if they haven't got anything different on the tower!

 

I am not a super experienced spotter though and while I know the information for that is on the site, I haven't been super close up to any sites to have a good look for myself.

 

Thanks again for all your hard work!

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

I'm not sure 3G Accepted guarantees all the equipment is installed.  In GMO sites, I think they can be 3G accepted but they do not have the new antennas installed.  For example, the site nearest my house is showing 3G accepted but it is still using the old antenna panels. No new antenna panels have been installed.  I'm guessing any signal improvements will require the new panels.

[brittonx]

I'm not sure 3G Accepted guarantees all the equipment is installed.  In GMO sites, I think they can be 3G accepted but they do not have the new antennas installed.  For example, the site nearest my house is showing 3G accepted but it is still using the old antenna panels. No new antenna panels have been installed.  I'm guessing any signal improvements will require the new panels.

... and we had a lot of GMO sites in the Rochester area.

[ryman101]

... and we had a lot of GMO sites in the Rochester area.

 

 

That is my curiosity I suppose... what exactly is improved at the sites if they are GMO, meaning the new antennas are not installed on the tower, and the legacy 3G is still being used?

[Dpreiner]

At the YMCA in Gates this morning with 4-5 bars LTE.

[psu2fan]

I really hope signal improves for my brother who lives in north gates. I've got him on an airave now because his neighborhood is essentially a dead zone. When he moved there last spring we had wimax phones and the coverage was actually pretty good. After upgrading I was surprised that 3g was almost non-existent and phone calls would drop. I'll be over there tonight so I'll fire up sensorly and signal check to hopefully see some improvement.

 

At the YMCA in Gates this morning with 4-5 bars LTE.

[joshnys8913]

I really hope signal improves for my brother who lives in north gates. I've got him on an airave now because his neighborhood is essentially a dead zone. When he moved there last spring we had wimax phones and the coverage was actually pretty good. After upgrading I was surprised that 3g was almost non-existent and phone calls would drop. I'll be over there tonight so I'll fire up sensorly and signal check to hopefully see some improvement.

 

 

WiMAX antennas are not all located on the same towers as Sprint thats why.

[Matt.NY.Tech]

Christmas shopping at the mall sucks but the LTE at Greece Ridge makes up for it.

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

[cybergreen]

Solid LTE in North Greece last night!

[twoodward001]

LTE for a good chunk of West Ridge, got 7M/1M on a speedtest. Looks like it may extend up to the North Greece/Hilton area!

[wess580]

To bad no love for the irodiquout area im getting .58 mbps the same when I switch back to 3g

 

sent from my GS3

 

 

[turtleparadise]

I have been enjoying LTE all day at work here is Gates! I'm getting between 10-15 down.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[mosey1987]

Greece ridge lte real nice

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk now Free

 

 

[wess580]

My lte speed for about 3weeks seems to be steady

 

sent from my GS3

 

[bucdenny]

My lte speed for about 3weeks seems to be steady

 

sent from my GS3

 

get signalcheck to check your signal level.  it is possible you have a weak signal?

[timdthomas]

Has anybody seen LTE on the East side (Webster/Penfield/Fairport) yet? 

[brittonx]

Has anybody seen LTE on the East side (Webster/Penfield/Fairport) yet? 

Only in Newark. Other than that, nothing.

[Matt.NY.Tech]

Has anybody seen LTE on the East side (Webster/Penfield/Fairport) yet?

Sensorly shows some LTE around Plank road but I'm not sure where that would come from.

 

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