Sprint LTE Coverage Maps via Sensorly

[Hikyuuri]

Thank you for clarifying! That makes sense.

 

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

 

[SWMich4G]

I was bored and like comparing how Sprint is catching up to AT&T on the sensorly map so I made a map of all the spots Sprint has LTE where AT&T doesn't and vice-verse.  This ignores signal quality since I colored if there was ANY purple and is very zoomed out so it's hard to tell how spotty coverage is within an area, but I find it interesting nonetheless.  I realize more people map for Sprint than AT&T, but I think it's impressive how far Sprint has come in the last year. 

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

And where both have LTE mapped:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[IamMrFamous07]

Checking the LTE coverage map, I notice their some spots that has gray. Does that mean they plan to add LTE in that area?

[gr8nuguy]

No

 

Sent from my HTC ONE from Tapatalk 2

 

 

[IamMrFamous07]

 

No

 

Sent from my HTC ONE from Tapatalk 2[/quote

 

What does it mean then?

[SWMich4G]

 

No

 

Sent from my HTC ONE from Tapatalk 2[/quote

 

What does it mean then?

Gray is no coverage.  When you map in "LTE only" mode, it maps gray when you aren't finding LTE.  Normal mapping doesn't do this because your phone just switches to 3G and starts mapping on the 2G/3G map.  I really wish people wouldn't map in LTE-only. 

[SWMich4G]

I just remembered a question I've been meaning to ask.  Sometimes when I hit "start" under the map trip screen, the data count immediately jumps as if it's already collected a bunch of points (e.g. one second after I hit start it says 47 points).  Is this a bug or a feature?  I don't like to map areas that have already been mapped since 800 LTE will eventually strengthen the signal, but I like to have sensorly ready to start once I drive into an unmapped area.  The way the number of points jumps makes me think it's been collecting points from the second I opened the app, which is not what I want.  Now I have to resort to not even launching the app until I'm out of a previously mapped area. 

 

I'm not certain it does that 100% of the time, but after noticing it several times I was really wondering whether it's supposed to do that and if not, can it be fixed?

[digiblur]

I just remembered a question I've been meaning to ask.  Sometimes when I hit "start" under the map trip screen, the data count immediately jumps as if it's already collected a bunch of points (e.g. one second after I hit start it says 47 points).  Is this a bug or a feature?  I don't like to map areas that have already been mapped since 800 LTE will eventually strengthen the signal, but I like to have sensorly ready to start once I drive into an unmapped area.  The way the number of points jumps makes me think it's been collecting points from the second I opened the app, which is not what I want.  Now I have to resort to not even launching the app until I'm out of a previously mapped area. 

 

I'm not certain it does that 100% of the time, but after noticing it several times I was really wondering whether it's supposed to do that and if not, can it be fixed?

 

It is supposed to collect information as soon as you open the app.  Start Trip just prevents the app from stopping the collection of data due to you using other apps.  If you don't want it to collect any data then go into the settings and turn it off.

[tprevett]

Gray is no coverage.  When you map in "LTE only" mode, it maps gray when you aren't finding LTE.  Normal mapping doesn't do this because your phone just switches to 3G and starts mapping on the 2G/3G map.  I really wish people wouldn't map in LTE-only. 

 

Gray is no coverage.  When you map in "LTE only" mode, it maps gray when you aren't finding LTE.  Normal mapping doesn't do this because your phone just switches to 3G and starts mapping on the 2G/3G map.  I really wish people wouldn't map in LTE-only. 

Hmm.. did a bunch of mapping in LTE only mode this week, and it did not leave a grey trail when I didn't have an LTE signal..

[asaini007]

Gray is no coverage.  When you map in "LTE only" mode, it maps gray when you aren't finding LTE.  Normal mapping doesn't do this because your phone just switches to 3G and starts mapping on the 2G/3G map.  I really wish people wouldn't map in LTE-only. 

Hmm.. did a bunch of mapping in LTE only mode this week, and it did not leave a grey trail when I didn't have an LTE signal..

 

I have a Galaxy Note II... from what I understand I don't have the option of mapping in LTE-only mode? And what's wrong with LTE-only mapping? It seems more useful to me: if everyone mapped with CDMA/LTE, then areas with no LTE would show up on the map simply as "No data," which is ambiguous and less informative than a definitive "no LTE." Am I wrong?

[Dkoellerwx]

Hmm.. did a bunch of mapping in LTE only mode this week, and it did not leave a grey trail when I didn't have an LTE signal..

 

It's not every phone that does it. I'm not sure which ones do. I know that HTC phones do not.

 

I have a Galaxy Note II... from what I understand I don't have the option of mapping in LTE-only mode? And what's wrong with LTE-only mapping? It seems more useful to me: if everyone mapped with CDMA/LTE, then areas with no LTE would show up on the map simply as "No data," which is ambiguous and less informative than a definitive "no LTE." Am I wrong?

 

You can set it to LTE Only, I don't remember how.

 

In CDMA/LTE mode, it switches to mapping CDMA (3G) instead of LTE and does not record "no data" or "no LTE."

[digiblur]

You can for the LTE only mode in the ##DATA# - Edit menu.  I don't even use it in all my LTE hunting and mapping.  LTE Discovery app on "Cycle while not connected to LTE" and Sensorly set on map trip while watching the LTE engineering screen is my weapon of choice.

[tprevett]

It's not every phone that does it. I'm not sure which ones do. I know that HTC phones do not.

 

 

You can set it to LTE Only, I don't remember how.

 

In CDMA/LTE mode, it switches to mapping CDMA (3G) instead of LTE and does not record "no data" or "no LTE."

When I am in LTE only mode, on my HTC one, even though CDMA and EVDO is turned off, sensorly still records the 2g/3g data points.. but the phone does not try to connect to 3g... I have found that sprint's LTE does not appear to be the priority over 3g..  I saw this time and time again on a recent trip from Ohio to Florida.. driving through Georga was the most noticeable, where 4g was great according to sensorly, but it still dropped down to 3g. 

 

Isn't LTE,CDMA either LTE or 1x  I thought EVDO was 3g..

 

It also appears that the signal strenth meter on the phone is for CDMA and EVDO, and has no read on LTE whatsoever..

 

Signal check pro made me realize that.

 

boy i'm all over the place...

[mikejeep]

When I am in LTE only mode, on my HTC one, even though CDMA and EVDO is turned off, sensorly still records the 2g/3g data points.. but the phone does not try to connect to 3g... I have found that sprint's LTE does not appear to be the priority over 3g..  I saw this time and time again on a recent trip from Ohio to Florida.. driving through Georga was the most noticeable, where 4g was great according to sensorly, but it still dropped down to 3g. 

 

Isn't LTE,CDMA either LTE or 1x  I thought EVDO was 3g..

 

It also appears that the signal strenth meter on the phone is for CDMA and EVDO, and has no read on LTE whatsoever..

 

Signal check pro made me realize that.

 

boy i'm all over the place...

 

FYI -- there is a bug with the HTC One and SignalCheck; if you lose LTE, it might still show your last signal reading in the app.  If you are seeing LTE in the app 24/7 but your phone never seems to connect, see if the LTE data ever changes.. I'm working on a fix, but for now, keep that in mind.  This only affects the HTC One; I'm working on it with HTC directly which is kind of cool.

 

-Mike

[Dkoellerwx]

When I am in LTE only mode, on my HTC one, even though CDMA and EVDO is turned off, sensorly still records the 2g/3g data points.. but the phone does not try to connect to 3g... I have found that sprint's LTE does not appear to be the priority over 3g..  I saw this time and time again on a recent trip from Ohio to Florida.. driving through Georga was the most noticeable, where 4g was great according to sensorly, but it still dropped down to 3g. 

 

Isn't LTE,CDMA either LTE or 1x  I thought EVDO was 3g..

 

It also appears that the signal strenth meter on the phone is for CDMA and EVDO, and has no read on LTE whatsoever..

 

 

1x is 3G as well. EVDO and 1xRTT are both 3G technologies. 

 

When you say signal strength meter, do you mean the bars? If so, yes, it is well documented that bars are only showing 1x strength, not EVDO or LTE (with the exception of the iPhone).

 

See the thread: Bars Lie for LTE Signal Strength http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/2040-bars-lie-for-lte-signal-strength-how-to-determine-your-actual-lte-signal-strength/

[tprevett]

FYI -- there is a bug with the HTC One and SignalCheck; if you lose LTE, it might still show your last signal reading in the app.  If you are seeing LTE in the app 24/7 but your phone never seems to connect, see if the LTE data ever changes.. I'm working on a fix, but for now, keep that in mind.  This only affects the HTC One; I'm working on it with HTC directly which is kind of cool.

 

-Mike

I noticed that.. luckly though, Sensorly doesn't see an active 4g connection...  Signalcheck is cool... I bought it yesterday.  I like that I can access the radio settings screen without having to type in *#*#4636#*#*.  I especially like that I can see the physical address of the CDMA tower I'm connected to.. Great job on the app...  Definitely worth the buck99.  Am i correct in thinking that CDMA can be from one tower while LTE is from a different tower?  If so, is there any way to show the physical address of the LTE tower?

[Dkoellerwx]

 I especially like that I can see the physical address of the CDMA tower I'm connected to.. Great job on the app...  Definitely worth the buck99.  Am i correct in thinking that CDMA can be from one tower while LTE is from a different tower?  If so, is there any way to show the physical address of the LTE tower?

 

Note that most of Sprints towers broadcast a location that is actually offset from the actual site. Usually three different points, one for each sector, forming a triangle around the site.

 

The only way to know the location of the LTE site is to look at the Hex ID (which, with an HTC device, you have access to) and figure out which site it belongs to. Lilg in the MO Market, and Digi in the NOLA market have figured out which Hex ID belongs to which site and have it all mapped out. 

[mikejeep]

I noticed that.. luckly though, Sensorly doesn't see an active 4g connection...  Signalcheck is cool... I bought it yesterday.  I like that I can access the radio settings screen without having to type in *#*#4636#*#*.  I especially like that I can see the physical address of the CDMA tower I'm connected to.. Great job on the app...  Definitely worth the buck99.  Am i correct in thinking that CDMA can be from one tower while LTE is from a different tower?  If so, is there any way to show the physical address of the LTE tower?

 

Sensorly and SignalCheck know you're not connected to LTE (like you said, it's very good that Sensorly doesn't), but the One is continuously reporting its stale LTE data, so my app shows it to you.

 

Yes, you can be connected to a different site for each technology you are on.  You could even be on a totally different provider's network, i.e. Verizon 1X from one site, and Sprint LTE from a completely different site, or Sprint 1X and Verizon EVDO.

 

Thanks for the compliments.  David already provided a great answer; there is no way to automatically show the location of the LTE site.  Unfortunately, the only sites that broadcast a location accessible to Android are CDMA 1X sites.  GSM/EVDO/eHRPD/LTE either do not include any location information in their transmissions, or it's just not available to Android.

 

Jump over here if you have more questions about the app, I don't want to hijack this Sensorly thread: http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/3060-signalcheck-android-app-to-monitor-your-2g3g4g-lte-signal-strengths

 

-Mike

[jdubb23]

I've been mapping Springfield Illinois a lot I'm a plumber that does service calls so I should have Springfield mapped out in no time I was wondering why my phone screen never shuts off while I'm mapping I have the EVO 4g LTE

[njjdnt]

 I was wondering why my phone screen never shuts off while I'm mapping I have the EVO 4g LTE

In the setting it says the screen must be on to map mobile networks due to an Android limitation. 

[Bob Newhart]

In the setting it says the screen must be on to map mobile networks due to an Android limitation. 

 

Yep, it will tell you this when it wakes up the screen.

 

Funny thing is though that 'My Tracks', doesn't require the screen on, maybe as that is a google app.

[ericdabbs]

What is the "report to server" setting that I should have enabled to ensure the data I captured during the trip is uploaded to the Sensorly servers?  I want to be able to upload the data while I am out and about as soon as I am done with my trip.

 

I only see the following options:

- Only when charging

- Only over Wifi

- Wake to report to server

[mikejeep]

What is the "report to server" setting that I should have enabled to ensure the data I captured during the trip is uploaded to the Sensorly servers?  I want to be able to upload the data while I am out and about as soon as I am done with my trip.

 

I only see the following options:

- Only when charging

- Only over Wifi

- Wake to report to server

 

You can leave the first two items unchecked and it will upload your data as you go.  If you check either of them, it still collects the same data, but limits when it actually uploads it to Sensorly's servers.

 

My interpretation of the 'wake to report to server' option is that it will wake up your device to send pending data if you had no Internet connection but it has reconnected.

 

-Mike

[Smashed Ixnay]

LTE is popping up like crazy around my house now!     I mapped a huge location around a lake called Lake Ariana, near my house, and a couple of roads away from it.   I even was able to map the road out in front of my house.      Yesterday I mapped a good bit of Reckor Highway from 92 all the way to a taco stand called Tacos My Friend, lol.    I'm really happy now and hopefully will have LTE inside my house soon.     A few months back I was able to get it for like a split second, but it has never popped up since then.     I'm going to have to keep and eye on it now that LTE popping up everywhere near my house.

 

 

EDIT:   I'm getting 8mb + in the backyard.   It kind of goes away inside the house. ;(

[vtimmy13]

Im just wondering why it's showing 3g coverage in mexico city and some other latin american countries!?