4G LTE surrounding sites but voice has degraded?

[bucdenny]

Hi,

 

I am surrounded by multiple completed 4G LTE sites but having voice quality issues.  This started happening recently.  People can hear me just fine but I cannot hear them.  It is not my device because all Sprint phones in my house are also having this issue.

 

Opened ticket with Sprint they responded with this "This ticket is in reference to CTMS ticket #. During my investigation, I noticed that your call records and problem location did not match in our network tools. Your call records reflect that you are servicing on a tower that is approximately 26 miles away. We would need to verify if the problem location is correct on the ticket. If the problem location correct, please update your PRL on the device. To perform this procedure, you need to go to Settings – System Update – Update PRL.   If there are any questions, please respond to this email.  When replying to this email, please reply to all.  You can also call Sprint at 800-268-0796 and the department is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

Thank you for being the best part of Sprint!

 

 

I think it is total BS because we already did PRL updates many times before even reporting this issue. What can cause these voice issues?

 

 

Anyone experiencing these voice quality issues?

[halcyoncmdr]

Updating PRL is a default tier 1 troubleshooting step, it does fix issues with corrupted PRL files, etc. And can quickly and easily fix some issues. Most customers don't know anything about their phone so everything is setup for the lowest common denominator. It is assumed the end user has no idea what they are talking about, 99% of the time they don't when it comes to anything IT.

 

Also, that email reads to me like the ticket was opened by the tech referencing a tower so far away that when the network team reviewed it, nothing matches. They are requesting you to reply to help them clarify where the issue really is.

[The Dave]

If I were you I'd respond by asking why they haven't turn down the gain on that tower. If it is broadcasting a signal from 26 miles away, I imagine there are some three eyed fish and two headed squirrels in the area..

[MacinJosh]

If I were you I'd respond by asking why they haven't turn down the gain on that tower. If it is broadcasting a signal from 26 miles away, I imagine there are some three eyed fish and two headed squirrels in the area..

Two headed squirrels? I prefer 3-headed.

 

[Mondays In Flames]

Two headed squirrels? I prefer 3-headed.

 

Is it a Squirellberus?

 

Also, I've been having some voice issues lately, but I haven't called Sprint yet.

 

 

-Luis

[The Dave]

My phone has been roaming on Verizon a lot the past couple of days in places I always have decent signal. Maybe it's a network upgrade issue they are sorting out.

[mc_gusto]

My sister who I convinced to switch to sprint is experiencing the same thing. She has an lte tower across the street. Her data is fine strong signal. But she cannot make or receive calls without dropping every 2 minutes. Her 1x signal fluctuates wildly. But her lte stays constant the whole time. Sprint said all the sites near her were all working fine. So I don't know what to tell her to do besides updating her PRL.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

[Dkoellerwx]

My sister who I convinced to switch to sprint is experiencing the same thing. She has an lte tower across the street. Her data is fine strong signal. But she cannot make or receive calls without dropping every 2 minutes. Her 1x signal fluctuates wildly. But her lte stays constant the whole time. Sprint said all the sites near her were all working fine. So I don't know what to tell her to do besides updating her PRL.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 4

 

Maybe they are beginning to switch over toe NV 3G gear? I noticed issues like that east of where I live when the switch to NV 3G was being made.

[mc_gusto]

Maybe they are beginning to switch over toe NV 3G gear? I noticed issues like that east of where I live when the switch to NV 3G was being made.

that's what I figured too, but it's been like 6 days now. Her 1x was fine before. She even picked up 1x800 briefly. But who knows where that was coming from. She lives in Manhattan so there's sites every couple of blocks. So I think she keeps jumping from further tower to further tower. I just hope it gets fixed soon. She keeps ragging me about switching to sprint.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

[bucdenny]

Haha these guys are telling me I need an airwave because there is nothing wrong with the sites near me.  Voice services was fine 4 weeks.  

 

Quote:

 

"Good afternoon,

 

Thank you for responding to my email. My investigation was based upon the most attempts made on a tower, and that tower is SDXXXXXX. Being that towers SDXXXXXXX or SDXXXXXXXX are closer, it can be assume that you would be servicing on those towers. In addition, both towers are currently performing within acceptable levels. You are correct in that the 800Mhz are not deployed; however, there are no Voice service outages or service alerts active within problem location. I did notice Tower SDXXXXXX is having issues with high EVDO Blocked Rates and I have dispatch the ticket to our technical engineer for further investigation. However, the ticket states that issue is a Voice Quality. Therefore, I concluded that we need to verify if we have the correct problem location and have customer update their PRL. If issue is related to indoor coverage problem, we can offer you a Free Airave to improve indoor coverage. The requirement is that customer must have Broadband services (DSL or Cable). If you are interested, please respond to this email.  When replying to this email, please reply to all.  You can also call Sprint at 800-268-0796 and the department is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

Again, thank you for being the best part of Sprint! "

 

Why do they keep on telling us to do a PRI update when we have done that over the phone with them numerous times.  And no, cannot be a corrupted PRI because 4 other phones having same issue!

[mc_gusto]

Ok of course today my sister tells me it's all back today! So I guess they were upgrading the 3g side of that tower. Took 7 days. Ymmv. So hopefully you'll be fine in a week.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

[Deval]

that's what I figured too, but it's been like 6 days now. Her 1x was fine before. She even picked up 1x800 briefly. But who knows where that was coming from. She lives in Manhattan so there's sites every couple of blocks. So I think she keeps jumping from further tower to further tower. I just hope it gets fixed soon. She keeps ragging me about switching to sprint.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 4

 

Where in Manhattan? Because of the tower density, you'll see your phone bounce day and night. 

[bucdenny]

Looks like after this ticket was open for more than 24 hours, our voice quality has improved.  It is not near perfect like 4 weeks ago but seems like they are fixing it even though Sprint does not admit they are having problems with the sites we are connecting to. 

[doug526]

I'm in an Ericsson area, surrounded by 3 LTE towers w/legacy CDMA and 1 legacy tower.

 

When people call me, I can hear them fine but they can't hear me.  It has happened on multiple calls, even when I'm outside or driving in a good 1X signal.  This has been going on for a couple weeks now.

[dnicekid]

i have been a sprint customer for a looong time, sprint says my area is done with upgrades and my service is horrible!

I see the phone pop up 4g and sometimes I can get a decent dl but most of the time its 3g and data speeds are no better, building penetration? not happening.... called sprint and they offered a $50 credit... wtf!  when is this network ever gonna get better????

check out the coverage in springfield mass... that coverage map is bs!

sometimes people cant hear me but I can hear them or vice versa....  signal strength ahhh.   is this happening to everyone?

[S4GRU]

i have been a sprint customer for a looong time, sprint says my area is done with upgrades and my service is horrible!

I see the phone pop up 4g and sometimes I can get a decent dl but most of the time its 3g and data speeds are no better, building penetration? not happening.... called sprint and they offered a $50 credit... wtf! when is this network ever gonna get better????

check out the coverage in springfield mass... that coverage map is bs!

sometimes people cant hear me but I can hear them or vice versa.... signal strength ahhh. is this happening to everyone?

The Springfield area is not complete with NV1.0. It's about 70% complete. When it's 100%, 3G speeds will be greatly improved and LTE will be on every site. When LTE is live on every site, you'll likely have LTE everywhere outdoors and indoors if you are within one mile of a site. They starting to deploy 1X 800 now in your area which will improve voice/texting indoors tremendously. It will be near impossible to hide from the signal in an urban area once that deployment completes.

 

NV2.0 is just about to start in your area. That will add two more bands of LTE. Band 26 (800MHz) and Band 41 (2600MHz). Band 26 will allow LTE to penetrate better, just as good as VZW and AT&T (if not better). And Band 41 will add very high speeds. 50Mbps+.

 

NV1.0 should get to 100% in your area in the next 3-5 months. NV2.0 will likely run through 2014 to complete.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

 

 

[dnicekid]

The Springfield area is not complete with NV1.0. It's about 70% complete. When it's 100%, 3G speeds will be greatly improved and LTE will be on every site. When LTE is live on every site, you'll likely have LTE everywhere outdoors and indoors if you are within one mile of a site. They starting to deploy 1X 800 now in your area which will improve voice/texting indoors tremendously. It will be near impossible to hide from the signal in an urban area once that deployment completes.

 

NV2.0 is just about to start in your area. That will add two more bands of LTE. Band 26 (800MHz) and Band 41 (2600MHz). Band 26 will allow LTE to penetrate better, just as good as VZW and AT&T (if not better). And Band 41 will add very high speeds. 50Mbps+.

 

NV1.0 should get to 100% in your area in the next 3-5 months. NV2.0 will likely run through 2014 to complete.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

 

thanks for the update.. you are more helpful than calling sprint!  I am ready to call it quits, I dunno how much longer I can deal with this... I have an evo lte... if I switch to a newer phone would that help my reception issues?  meaning do they have other bands in them?

Edited September 1, 2013 by dnicekid

[S4GRU]

thanks for the update.. you are more helpful than calling sprint! I am ready to call it quits, I dunno how much longer I can deal with this... I have an evo lte... if I switch to a newer phone would that help my reception issues? meaning do they have other bands in them?

Man, the EVO LTE is an RF performance dog. And that is even further compounding your problems. Currently, all Sprint smart phones are single band LTE. Triband LTE devices start going on sale in the Fall. The first confirmed Sprint Triband LTE smartphone is the LG Optimus G2. But there are supposed to be two more in 2013. All smartphones in 2014 are supposed to be Triband.

 

Currently, Sprint has two Triband hotspots for sale. So you could pick up one of those to tie you over. I have the Netgear Zing hotspot and it it is a RF performing beast. It is much stronger on LTE 1900 than the EVO LTE and may even double your coverage. It also works very well on LTE 2600. I haven't tried it on LTE 800 yet, but it tested very well in FCC approvals in that band.

 

Additionally, you could check out sales on used or refurbished units. The GS3, Note 2, Victory and LG Optimus G are pretty solid LTE 1900 performers and will positively increase your LTE coverage around Springfield until Triband devices hit the streets. Or you could just suffer with the EVO until Triband smartphones go on sale in a few months.

 

But better days are ahead. I'm sorry that your first Sprint LTE device suffers so bad on LTE. It's the biggest source of your frustration I'm sure.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

 

 

[thewezgrays]

Man, the EVO LTE is an RF performance dog. And that is even further compounding your problems. Currently, all Sprint smart phones are single band LTE. Triband LTE devices start going on sale in the Fall. The first confirmed Sprint Triband LTE smartphone is the LG Optimus G2. But there are supposed to be two more in 2013. All smartphones in 2014 are supposed to be Triband.

 

Currently, Sprint has two Triband hotspots for sale. So you could pick up one of those to tie you over. I have the Netgear Zing hotspot and it it is a RF performing beast. It is much stronger on LTE 1900 than the EVO LTE and may even double your coverage. It also works very well on LTE 2600. I haven't tried it on LTE 800 yet, but it tested very well in FCC approvals in that band.

 

Additionally, you could check out sales on used or refurbished units. The GS3, Note 2, Victory and LG Optimus G are pretty solid LTE 1900 performers and will positively increase your LTE coverage around Springfield until Triband devices hit the streets. Or you could just suffer with the EVO until Triband smartphones go on sale in a few months.

 

But better days are ahead. I'm sorry that your first Sprint LTE device suffers so bad on LTE. It's the biggest source of your frustration I'm sure.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

 

I vouch for this totally... I mapped (using Sensory) as best I could a 4G site on the south end of Myrtle Beach and couldn't get more than a few miles away and last I looked all of a sudden there is two "spots" several MORE miles away (on Hwy 17) that I am guessing someone in passive mode on Sensorly just randomly picked up (since they are two simple dots on the map).... I still need to get my wife's S4 down that way to double check this, but haven't.

 

If you were asking ME for advice my answer would be the same as it is for me -- just sit tight a bit longer and pick up your favorite tri-band device (I will be getting the Note 3 presuming the rumors come through on target)... you could run for the competition -- but hell, all of them have their own faults (even more limited high speed coverage on T-Mobile, higher prices on the duopoly, etc)...

[dnicekid]

I called about a hotspot... 35 bucks for 2yrs?   will my discount apply to the 35 bucks?

I can now get the vzw plan for 40+60(data) -20 bucks on a company discount..  so the prices are pretty much the same except sprint is ul data.... I am debating if I should jump4 vzw or hold on for this "promise" from sprint?!?!?!?!