Questions about returning to Sprint

[maximus1987/lou99]

I live and go to school in Alameda so that's where I am most of the time. Coverage at school is CRUCIAL to me I don't care if it's only voice because we have wifi around campus. Personally I don't want to switch but paying 2 phone bills(AT&T 1 line and Sprint 2 lines) is a bit much for a family.

 

The only reason their considering switching me is just price because paying 2 phone bills isn't ideal.

 

Only 'motive' is price essentially.

 

To be fair about the speed test I was sitting about 200ft from the tower when I did that test but I was still shocked at the speed because I have never attempted to speed test mainly to stay under 3GB which isn't that hard. I only posted asked because Sprint has a deal that if you buy an S4 or S3 you get another one free and my parents want me to switch because of price but as you can see AT&T and my S3 have spoiled me from day 1. Also I had no idea AT&T LTE could reach those speeds in this area. Now I want to stay up until 3am and try to reach it!

Oh wait one question: Do/all Sprint LTE phones minus the iPhone 5 do voLTE? Because my S3 only does "4G" (HSPA+ or UMTS) and voice.

VoLTE != voice on 800.

 

There will be LTE on 800 but that's only for data. Sprint had that HD voice on 1xA some time ago but it ???seems to only work if both Sprint subscribers are making calls connected to same vendors equipment??? so they stopped advertising if.

 

Voice on 800 means 1xRTT on CDMA band 10.

[sbolen]

Is that a genuine Apple battery?

I've found third party kits on Amazon - with battery, cables, spudger and screwdrivers - for under $20. I have a non-OEM battery in my daughter's iPod Touch from one of these kits and it works great.

 

(Conversely, I've also put in a third party battery in my old MacBook Pro and it's held up great for 1/3rd the price of an Apple battery)

[Rocket87]

The battery on internal phones are covered under tep. If a battery goes bad in iPhone, evo, one, etc we just order a while new phone in store.

 

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 4

 

 

[koiulpoi]

The battery on internal phones are covered under tep. If a battery goes bad in iPhone, evo, one, etc we just order a while new phone in store.

 

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 4

Precisely. Which, in my opinion, is somewhat ridiculous of a policy. Devices with removable batteries do not have their batteries covered after 1 year, as they are "accessories". Phones without removable batteries, the battery is considered an essential component, and you can exchange for it. Because, you know, so many people consider their battery to be non-essential to running the phone.

[Rocket87]

I agree it's ridiculous, but as you know the policy is what is and you have to follow it.

 

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 4

 

 

[maximus1987/lou99]

From what everyone is saying the future of Sprint is shining as bright as the sun. However I just have a 'dumb' question: Will all of this change expand their current network coverage or will it just strengthen their current coverage? I only ask because the biggest advantage of having AT&T over Sprint is just signal in more places, not data or voice just signal. I know AT&T's network mostly runs on 850 vs Sprint's 1900, their network has more layers to it (GSM -> EDGE->3G->HSPA+ -> LTE) vs (1X->EVDO->WiMAX->LTE), and has a larger footprint. When I had Sprint and traveled places I somehow found myself either on the edge of Sprint's network or Verizon roaming with the phone fighting for Sprint's network draining the battery very quickly. Would this also be by all of the improvements.

NV itself produces marginal coverage improvements cause of the tower mounted antennas. If you're nowhere near sprint coverage, no amount of NV ON CURRENT TOWERS ONLY will help that.

 

However, it will help you as you're describing yourself as "on the edge of sprint's network"

[maximus1987/lou99]

That is the strategy of just about every carrier in the US currently. Nothing about that information is specific to any carrier. The main difference with Sprint's plan however is which spectrum is being used for what.

 

LTE is going to be deployed on all three of Sprint's spectrum bands. As far as I know every other carrier is sticking to only a single spectrum band. This allows for more flexibility in the network and, combined with carrier aggregation, should provide more stable connections at higher speeds. The intention is for every tower to be upgraded to send out all three LTE signals. The closer you are to a tower, the higher spectrum frequency you will use. Using Clearwire's 2600MHz spectrum allows for high speeds at short range (upwards of 90Mbps), 1900MHz goes further out from the tower and will allow speeds up to 37Mbps, and 800MHz will go further still to allow the same 37Mbps speeds. Again, with LTE speed is very signal dependent, so the edge of coverage will always have lower speeds on all carriers (this is why they all advertise average speeds around 4-8Mbps, that is the sweet spot in the middle to outer ranges).

 

3G is staying on 1900MHz only like it has been (with LTE being deployed on three separate frequencies and being added to all towers, 3G failover rates will be extremely low). 1xRTT voice will be on both 1900MHz like currently, and will also be deployed on 800MHz to extend coverage and fill in gaps. As far as I know, Sprint is the only carrier taking a systematic and comprehensive approach to maximize their entire spectrum portfolio nationwide.

 

In addition, you have to not take into account Sprint's ownership by SoftBank. Most of Sprint's failures since the Nextel merger in 2005 have been due to a network CAPEX spending stop, operating two entirely separate and incompatible networks, and a complete lack of profitability primarily caused by massive debt from that merger. Network Vision fixes the network issues, standardizes the network nationwide as far as equipment and setup is concerned (as opposed to the hodge-podge created through mergers), and future-proofs it to allow for easy upgrades going forward. SoftBank already has experience with both FDD and TDD LTE in Japan, as well as a Tri-Band network infrastructure plan (900/1700/2600 in Japan). In addition, SoftBank has the capital to pump into Sprint's network to get it up to the standard they want. There is a reason SoftBank Mobile is the number three carrier and is continually providing larger profits and improvements in Japan while stealing customers from their competitors, and they plan to do the same here.

Not true regarding "every other carrier on one band"

ATT - 700, aws, pcs, WCS

VZW - 700, AWS, pcs

TMO - AWS, pcs

[thatrandomguy]

NV itself produces marginal coverage improvements cause of the tower mounted antennas. If you're nowhere near sprint coverage, no amount of NV ON CURRENT TOWERS ONLY will help that.

 

However, it will help you as you're describing yourself as "on the edge of sprint's network"

That's really great that when NV is done the coverage will improve because the biggest thing that made me leave sprint minus them kicking me off for roaming constantly was almost zero coverage anywhere I went and turning my iphone into an expensive white paper weight/ruler/hammer. Just kidding about the hammer but you get my point useless as a phone.

[halcyoncmdr]

Not true regarding "every other carrier on one band"

ATT - 700, aws, pcs, WCS

VZW - 700, AWS, pcs

TMO - AWS, pcs

 

Have they announced LTE utilizing all of those bands however? As far as I remember, I've just seen LTE on only a single frequency for every carrier except Sprint.

[MacinJosh]

But SoftBank is not stopping there. The are requiring TD-LTE to be added to every single Sprint Network Vision site too. Every one. And then on top of that, they are committing to add lots more TD-LTE sites, in filling between sites in urban areas that have no 2600 signal, or would benefit from a stronger one.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

 

Fill in between sites? Could it be? Is it really possible? Expansion of coverage could be possible in the Pahrump desert? I have a cell tower like 2 miles from my house with almost perfect line of site. I could have TD-LTE and LTE on PCS & SMR? I'll be the happiest person on earth! :azn:

[MacinJosh]

Man I don't know if your Wimax phone was screwed up but your assertions about Wimax are inaccurate.  I have and still currently using a Wimax device and yes while I agree the propagation characteristics suck indoors, it works perfectly fine outside AND in the car assuming you are within Wimax range.

 

I can't wait to test out LTE 2600 vs. Wimax 2600 since I know of areas where I drop Wimax signal all the time so I am curious how much further it can take me.  From what Robert is saying, LTE in general would give you about an extra -13 dBm RSSI vs. a Wimax signal and that sounds like its going to do wonders in terms of coverage over Wimax.  Also the HTC Evo 4G LTE is notorious for its LTE radio and I am not sure how much effort there was to fix it.  I hear that the HTC One LTE radio is much improved over the HTC Evo 4G LTE.  Also if you are at home, you should be using a wifi signal if you need to browse online.

 

WiMax while driving on the freeway in Vegas sucked, and in Visalia too. TD-LTE will be great to fix that signal propagtion issue. (That was with my iSpot, btw.)

[IamMrFamous07]

The LG G2 should be out before the end of September. The Note 3 and the Galaxy S4 Refresh should be out in October/November. It is unknown if the new iPhone 5S will include Triband LTE.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

Did sprint and Samsung confirm there will be a Triband s4?

[maximus1987/lou99]

That's really great that when NV is done the coverage will improve because the biggest thing that made me leave sprint minus them kicking me off for roaming constantly was almost zero coverage anywhere I went and turning my iphone into an expensive white paper weight/ruler/hammer. Just kidding about the hammer but you get my point useless as a phone.

Coverage will improve internal to their existing coverage maps. I haven't read that they're adding a crazy number of towers.

[maximus1987/lou99]

Have they announced LTE utilizing all of those bands however? As far as I remember, I've just seen LTE on only a single frequency for every carrier except Sprint.

Verizon to start refarming PCS spectrum for LTE in 2015

 

Operator says its LTE network is complete and covers more than 99% of 3G network footprint

 

 

Read more: Verizon to start refarming PCS spectrum for LTE in 2015 - FierceWireless http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/verizon-start-refarming-pcs-spectrum-lte-2015/2013-06-27#ixzz2bzNv8ln2

Subscribe at FierceWireless

 

Verizon is also close to deploying AWS. It bought a bunch in 2006 and again recently.

[maximus1987/lou99]

First, the HTC One and GS4 were not surprising to me at all that they did not include LTE 800. They couldn't have. No one has ever used Band 26 for LTE. It only was FCC approved that wideband operations could be done in the SMR band in 3rd Quarter 2012. Then Sprint had to put together the very first lab and FIT for LTE 800. It took months of planning/testing. And then in March 2013 they were able to get the info to the OEM's about the band for inclusion in devices. The HTC One was complete and in production at that time. So the earliest devices can be out is about now. First USB/hotspot devices, then smart phones a few months later.

 

Second, Minnesota is not struggling. Compared to other markets, it is going quite well. Additionally, to add LTE 800 is not anything like what has gone on to date. All the equipment for LTE 800 was installed at each site when it received a Network Vision equipment upgrade. Someone just has to go back, install a carrier card and fire the thing up and test it. Some of the newer sites may even already have the carrier cards.

 

Also, you probably have not had the end of the year deadline explained. When they say done by the end of the year, they mean all the sites that have received their LTE 1900 upgrades will also have their LTE 800 turned on too. Then after that, every site from there forward will get LTE 1900 and 800 turned on at the same time.

 

As far as TD-LTE, it is much more than bragging rights. It does provide much faster speeds. But more importantly, it adds a lot more capacity. Each TD-LTE carrier has roughly three times the capacity of each LTE 1900 carrier. It will free up those LTE 1900 and LTE 800 carriers to only the people who need them because the 2600 won't reach them. And it will keep those 1900/800 carrier speeds much higher as a result of most of the traffic being carried on 2600.

 

Also, LTE on 2600 is much better than WiMax in signal propagation. WiMax petered out around -82dBm RSSI, but LTE goes out to about -95dBm RSSI. And on a hotspot, I can get it to stick around -100 to -103dBm. This is a significant coverage boost that will be seen between LTE and WiMax. I was able to use TD-LTE on my hotspot in Denver in many more places than WiMax.

 

SoftBank is putting TD-LTE 2600 on every single Clearwire WiMax site. They are now on 5,000 or so. They are trying to push up the deadline and may be able to get this done 1st quarter 2014. This will give Sprint the ability to close up entire coverage in most Top 100 markets pretty quickly. Because this is an overlay type of install, more like what Tmo has done. It will go much quicker than Sprint Network Vision, which involved so much planning, permitting and a complete rebuild at every site.

 

But SoftBank is not stopping there. The are requiring TD-LTE to be added to every single Sprint Network Vision site too. Every one. And then on top of that, they are committing to add lots more TD-LTE sites, in filling between sites in urban areas that have no 2600 signal, or would benefit from a stronger one.

 

And these are not just dreams of Sprint executives. These are concrete plans by our Japanese Overlords, who not only have the money to do it all, but have done exactly the same thing in Japan. I understand everyone's frustrations with the past. But this is not even the same company anymore, except in name.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

For the 2600 filling in, will that be using small cells or macro?

 

Someone should start a small cells thread and explain how it's gonna be different compared to a macro site. Pictures would be nice.

 

[mozamcrew]

Not true regarding "every other carrier on one band"

ATT - 700, aws, pcs, WCS

VZW - 700, AWS, pcs

TMO - AWS, pcs

I'd say TMO is stuck on AWS for the time being, VZW is stuck on 700 with AWS in some markets, and ATT is a mess with it's 700 and AWS holdings and WCS is at least a year from beginning deployments. ATT and VZW don't have enough 800 and PCS in their larger markets at their current site density, to begin converting that to LTE in most markets. Until they can get some voice/data off of their 800/PCS legacy networks, they will be in a crunch for a couple years, though ATT at least has WCS nearly everywhere.

[maximus1987/lou99]

I'd say TMO is stuck on AWS for the time being, VZW is stuck on 700 with AWS in some markets, and ATT is a mess with it's 700 and AWS holdings and WCS is at least a year from beginning deployments. ATT and VZW don't have enough 800 and PCS in their larger markets at their current site density, to begin converting that to LTE in most markets. Until they can get some voice/data off of their 800/PCS legacy networks, they will be in a crunch for a couple years, though ATT at least has WCS nearly everywhere.

VZW AWS in SOME markets? It has AWS everywhere. They also bought spectrumco licenses.

 

http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=99&p=1495

 

What I don't get is why VZW doesn't densify like ATT.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Hugtyft15763

[mozamcrew]

VZW AWS in SOME markets? It has AWS everywhere. They also bought spectrumco licenses.

 

http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=99&p=1495

 

What I don't get is why VZW doesn't densify like ATT.

I has it in MOST markets now with that purchase.

You will see a giant hole in West Texas and also in the WY,MT, ND, SD area as well, though admittedly those areas probably don't have many areas where VZW is spectrum constrained to begin with. They could probably use Cell and PCS in those areas for LTE offload. I was trying to point out that the other carriers don't have 3 and 4 bands they can put LTE on yet. They have 1 (TMO) or two (ATT and VZW in most markets).

[maximus1987/lou99]

I has it in MOST markets now with that purchase.

You will see a giant hole in West Texas and also in the WY,MT, ND, SD area as well, though admittedly those areas probably don't have many areas where VZW is spectrum constrained to begin with. They could probably use Cell and PCS in those areas for LTE offload. I was trying to point out that the other carriers don't have 3 and 4 bands they can put LTE on yet. They have 1 (TMO) or two (ATT and VZW in most markets).

They don't NEED 3 bands. Look how ATT is densifying its 700 MHz to makeup for its lack of nationwide AWS. Someone here said that ATT is on every tower in their area but sprint is only on every other tower. Also, ATT is deploying 40,000 small cells to take care of capacity problems.

 

ATT ???probably??? wont even deploy WCS everywhere, not even as widely as VZW is deploying AWS.

 

[mozamcrew]

ATT ???probably??? wont even deploy WCS everywhere, not even as widely as VZW is deploying AWS.

 

I wonder what the buildout requirements for WCS are?

[S4GRU]

I wonder what the buildout requirements for WCS are?

I'm not sure there are any. People have been sitting on WCS assets for a long time with no imminence to building them out, except possibly AT&T now.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Nickel]

I'm not sure there are any. People have been sitting on WCS assets for a long time with no imminence to building them out, except possibly AT&T now.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

I thought they couldn't deploy it until they worked out the problems with satellite radio? 

[ericdabbs]

I thought they couldn't deploy it until they worked out the problems with satellite radio?

I believe att has already resolved that issue with siri xm

 

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[Guest tuwsy]

I believe att has already resolved that issue with siri xm

 

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G using Tapatalk 2

ATT gave up 10 MHz as guard bands around the satellite freqs.

[Nickel]

I believe att has already resolved that issue with siri xm

 

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G using Tapatalk 2

Yeah, they resolved it. I was just saying that's why they haven't done anything with it yet.