Has anyone noticed this trend with LTE ?

[glenavo34]

I've now driven by at least 5 Sprint stores and each time I'm in that vicinity I get LTE. I noticed at some locations, I'll lose LTE one or two blocks away from the store but when I'm in front of it I definitely get a signal.

 

I'd be curious to know if anyone else noticed this trend. It'd certainly make sense since Sprint reps could tell prospective customers about LTE and show them in store how fast it can be.

 

Is there any chance they are using a signal booster (like the kind they sell on Amazon) for LTE? And is it even possible to buy a signal repeater/booster for LTE because I would love to purchase one since I lose LTE once I get in my garage.

[Nickel]

I've now driven by at least 5 Sprint stores and each time I'm in that vicinity I get LTE. I noticed at some locations, I'll lose LTE one or two blocks away from the store but when I'm in front of it I definitely get a signal.

 

I'd be curious to know if anyone else noticed this trend. It'd certainly make sense since Sprint reps could tell prospective customers about LTE and show them in store how fast it can be.

 

Is there any chance they are using a signal booster (like the kind they sell on Amazon) for LTE? And is it even possible to buy a signal repeater/booster for LTE because I would love to purchase one since I lose LTE once I get in my garage.

It's possible they're using a small cells, but I avoid going to the store whenever possible.

[Destroyallcubes]

I've now driven by at least 5 Sprint stores and each time I'm in that vicinity I get LTE. I noticed at some locations, I'll lose LTE one or two blocks away from the store but when I'm in front of it I definitely get a signal.

 

I'd be curious to know if anyone else noticed this trend. It'd certainly make sense since Sprint reps could tell prospective customers about LTE and show them in store how fast it can be.

 

Is there any chance they are using a signal booster (like the kind they sell on Amazon) for LTE? And is it even possible to buy a signal repeater/booster for LTE because I would love to purchase one since I lose LTE once I get in my garage.

I was told they are using some form of a repeater at stores that have low signal. My sprint store in Tyler has low signal LTE and they were in the process of getting a Repeater so they can get LTE usable inside

[MrZorbatron]

Lots of shopping centers with cellular stores tend to also have cell towers in their parking lots.

[koiulpoi]

This may be true for company owned retail (also known as "corporate stores"), but it definitely is not true for most preferred retailers in the West Michigan Market.

 

That being said, installing repeaters in stores where in-building coverage is an issue is definitely something that happens. One got installed in a store that's less than 500 feet from a site and has no coverage issues, so take that as you will.

[schale01]

I've now driven by at least 5 Sprint stores and each time I'm in that vicinity I get LTE. I noticed at some locations, I'll lose LTE one or two blocks away from the store but when I'm in front of it I definitely get a signal.

 

I'd be curious to know if anyone else noticed this trend. It'd certainly make sense since Sprint reps could tell prospective customers about LTE and show them in store how fast it can be.

 

 

 

hehe, No.  Every single one of our stores that I've been to has the worst service I've seen.  It's embarasing really and Network vision can't move fast enough for me.

[IcJc]

All the none corporate stores I have been to have LTE towers close by and you can do a speed test which I have done and have gotten great results. The corporate owned stores however are in cities that have yet to get LTE and they use WIFI to demendtrate features on the phones.

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[Richmc]

My local corporate store is right at the edge of LTE. Once the two towers thay are closedt to it are upgraded it won't be an issue but for now while in store you hsve 3G or 4G depending on which side of the store you are in.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[RichardXy]

Last time I was in my local Sprint corporate store, they didn't have LTE and the WiFi supplied by Sprint was so bad that they were walking outside to activate phones on the free wifi from Starbucks down the block.

[glenavo34]

If they are using some sort of repeater, is this something that's available for purchase by the public?

 

In Southern CA where I'm at, I'm certain I'm not imagining it. In fact I went out to dinner with a friend last night and actually went to a restaurant in neighboring city that has a sprint store in the same plaza. Lo and behold LTE in the restaurant. 

 

It was only 3 mbps down but still, that's better than .3 down.

[Ascertion]

Last time I was in my local Sprint corporate store, they didn't have LTE and the WiFi supplied by Sprint was so bad that they were walking outside to activate phones on the free wifi from Starbucks down the block.

I would totally hate working at that store. "Here's your new service! Oh yeah, hang on gotta borrow our neighbors wifi to get you onto our network."

[Dkoellerwx]

If they are using some sort of repeater, is this something that's available for purchase by the public?

 

 

No.

 

 

In Southern CA where I'm at, I'm certain I'm not imagining it. In fact I went out to dinner with a friend last night and actually went to a restaurant in neighboring city that has a sprint store in the same plaza. Lo and behold LTE in the restaurant.

It was only 3 mbps down but still, that's better than .3 down.

 

Sprint is not specifically upgrading sites near Sprint stores. The Sprint store that I visit in KC happened to be next to one of the later sites upgraded, so even when the market launched, there was no LTE at the store.

 

Neither of the stores here in Springfield have LTE yet. But the rural hwy 60 does all along it into the middle of the Ozarks, which is basically the middle of no where. 

 

There is no order to which sites are being upgraded. When ever the work permit, equipment, crews and backhaul are all in place, the upgrades are done. That's the only order to the upgrades. Perhaps, the sites near the Sprint stores were easier to upgrade.

[halcyoncmdr]

Last time I was in my local Sprint corporate store, they didn't have LTE and the WiFi supplied by Sprint was so bad that they were walking outside to activate phones on the free wifi from Starbucks down the block.

 

Sprint's in store WiFi isn't meant to be high-speed access. It is limited to 500kb usually, and it is meant to be like that. There are three separate WiFi access points in the store. Two are cradlepoint hotspots running off aircards meant to be used to activate iPhones. For some reason WiFi activation through the aircard is faster than 3G activation regularly (tested by me, and it is true, 2-3x faster actually even though it's the same connection really). The third is a WiFi access point mounted in the ceiling that shares it's connection with the store's backhaul connection, many stores are still running off a T1 line and have not been upgraded to broadband, hence the slow speeds.

 

In addition, all of these are limited to between 5 and 10 concurrent users. So if a rep forgets to have a device "forget" the WiFi network, it can artificially clog the WiFi preventing it from being used properly by everyone else, thus necessitating a requirement for a different WiFi point. Also the cradlepoint routers were to be setup by the store itself, not a separate team sent out like the SSWIFI, as such who knows if the employee that set it up followed the instructions properly, or whether the employees there are using it properly. I say this from experience working in commission-based retail sales for 7 years, if it doesn't directly make them money, sales reps usually don't pay much attention.

 

None of these WiFi access points are meant to be public WiFi. They each have a specific purpose for the reps to utilize them for. It is against Sprint policy to provide the WiFi access information as they are only to be used for their intended purpose.

[digiblur]

I would totally hate working at that store. "Here's your new service! Oh yeah, hang on gotta borrow our neighbors wifi to get you onto our network."

Reminds me of the store in the mall a while back. The guy would go out the back door to make sure the phone worked since only roaming worked in the store. I saw one sale get reversed due to that.

 

Last time I was at our Corp store there wasn't any LTE there. I know their site kinda nearby was decommissioned. There's really no others close by and I haven't seen Sprint adding anything there in the area either. You can get some fringe LTE outside if you are holding the phone right. It's one of the many dead zones in town.

[thewezgrays]

Is there any chance they are using a signal booster (like the kind they sell on Amazon) for LTE? And is it even possible to buy a signal repeater/booster for LTE because I would love to purchase one since I lose LTE once I get in my garage.

Once you get in your garage don't you switch from the weak LTE signal onto your strong and super fast and uncongested WIFI signal?

[Ascertion]

Reminds me of the store in the mall a while back. The guy would go out the back door to make sure the phone worked since only roaming worked in the store. I saw one sale get reversed due to that.

 

Last time I was at our Corp store there wasn't any LTE there. I know their site kinda nearby was decommissioned. There's really no others close by and I haven't seen Sprint adding anything there in the area either. You can get some fringe LTE outside if you are holding the phone right. It's one of the many dead zones in town.

It'd deter me from activating service with Sprint if they didn't even have service at the store.  I think first impressions mean a lot and when I was giving T-Mobile a go awhile back on their $30 plan, I had very strong signal in the store and when I left, I hit like 28mbps down on HSPA+ 42.  I was very happy and excited but as time went on I found a lot of dead zones where I have Sprint signal and I couldn't even send texts on T-Mobile in those areas.  Sprint may not be the fastest but I'd like to have as much voice/texting coverage as possible.  Not to mention my cousins in Starke, FL will have 4G LTE from Sprint while no one else will.

[The Dave]

It'd deter me from activating service with Sprint if they didn't even have service at the store.  I think first impressions mean a lot and when I was giving T-Mobile a go awhile back on their $30 plan, I had very strong signal in the store and when I left, I hit like 28mbps down on HSPA+ 42.  I was very happy and excited but as time went on I found a lot of dead zones where I have Sprint signal and I couldn't even send texts on T-Mobile in those areas.  Sprint may not be the fastest but I'd like to have as much voice/texting coverage as possible.  Not to mention my cousins in Starke, FL will have 4G LTE from Sprint while no one else will.

You mean to tell me that people actually live in Starke, FL?

[Faction]

You mean to tell me that people actually live in Starke, FL?

 

 

 

Yes....have you driven through US 301? It's humble, if you ask me...

[Ascertion]

You mean to tell me that people actually live in Starke, FL?

My dad's side of the family.  They like the country and have a lot of land.  It is in the middle of nowhere, though. 

[Rocket87]

Sprint's in store WiFi isn't meant to be high-speed access. It is limited to 500kb usually, and it is meant to be like that. There are three separate WiFi access points in the store. Two are cradlepoint hotspots running off aircards meant to be used to activate iPhones. For some reason WiFi activation through the aircard is faster than 3G activation regularly (tested by me, and it is true, 2-3x faster actually even though it's the same connection really). The third is a WiFi access point mounted in the ceiling that shares it's connection with the store's backhaul connection, many stores are still running off a T1 line and have not been upgraded to broadband, hence the slow speeds.

 

In addition, all of these are limited to between 5 and 10 concurrent users. So if a rep forgets to have a device "forget" the WiFi network, it can artificially clog the WiFi preventing it from being used properly by everyone else, thus necessitating a requirement for a different WiFi point. Also the cradlepoint routers were to be setup by the store itself, not a separate team sent out like the SSWIFI, as such who knows if the employee that set it up followed the instructions properly, or whether the employees there are using it properly. I say this from experience working in commission-based retail sales for 7 years, if it doesn't directly make them money, sales reps usually don't pay much attention.

 

None of these WiFi access points are meant to be public WiFi. They each have a specific purpose for the reps to utilize them for. It is against Sprint policy to provide the WiFi access information as they are only to be used for their intended purpose.

The store I work at is ran off T1 back haul and we have two cradle points but sprint is starting to upgrade stores. Last month we got 4 dsl lines to use for in store activations and we are suppose to be getting some higher speed backhaul to replace our T1. I wish they would just use lte since our area is almost completely 1900 lte/800 1x completed.

 

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 4

 

 

[glenavo34]

I do switch to wifi. Im also a time warner cable user and my home is a townhouse that is connected to two other units. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it, but at times speeds just completely crawl. I don't know if the 3 of us are all sharing from a line or what but I have to reset my modem multiple times on certain days.

 

on those days itd be nice to have LTE indoors.