Network Vision/LTE - Central Illinois Market (Peoria, Springfield, Quincy, Bloomington/Normal, Terre Haute)

[Dkoellerwx]

I've talked to multiple sprint reps in different departments. They have no new tower builds in our area of champaign. These towers don't show on any sprint maps. And on the signs there is no sprint information 20140622_175710.jpg

Rarely do Sprint sites have sprint information on the gate. Shoot pictures of the equipment. That's the only way yo tell. If we're still talking about the same tower, the pictures I was shown were of Sprint equipment.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[Fraydog]

I'd also check to see if -DBm is maxed out (like golf, lower values are better) under the tower.

[wesman]

Check to see if any permits for "2.5 equipment deployment" are out there at the local level.

That's a good starting point.

How do I do that?

[WiWavelength]

I'd also check to see if -DBm is maxed out (like golf, lower values are better) under the tower.

 

No, let us be careful.  We do not want to perpetuate that mathematical myth.  In signal strength, higher is better, as in -80 > -100.

 

AJ

[blc95]

Looks like crews are working on the tower on Cunningham Ave, right by MTD!  -  They were up in the top part of the towers with the antennas  

[CoreyTrevor]

Seen that the fiber has been partially done for the campus tower at fourth and Chalmers

[blc95]

Crews have been working on the tower off of Lincoln ave - there is a trailer parked inside the fence, as well as the ropes for safety harnesses hanging from the tower.........

 

 

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[mhammett]

The ropes are for the equipment, though there are man rated winches, ropes, blocks, descenders, etc. There is likely a cable ran down one of the legs or faces for a safety climb device. They also attach their lanyards to anything sturdy.

[blc95]

 

Lincoln Ave Tower

 

 

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[Phil]

I drove by that tower around 4pm and the crane was gone.   If they could just hook up the fiber.... 

[TromboneKenny]

Really bad data coverage on campus this week. Like 0 data coverage (no eHRPD, EV-DO or LTE), voice dropped out of 800 back to 1xRTT, roaming to Verizon at times, etc. Just lots of dead connectivity, or times when there is eHRPD signal but it never handshakes to data. I hope that means they're turning something on and things get better again real quick. :/

 

Of course, we said that when this happened back in the fall (October?).

[blc95]

Really bad data coverage on campus this week. Like 0 data coverage (no eHRPD, EV-DO or LTE), voice dropped out of 800 back to 1xRTT, roaming to Verizon at times, etc. Just lots of dead connectivity, or times when there is eHRPD signal but it never handshakes to data. I hope that means they're turning something on and things get better again real quick. :/

 

Of course, we said that when this happened back in the fall (October?).

I agree - coverage has sucked on campus this week (and a lot in Urbana too) - Has anyone seen any crews at the towers?!?

[Phil]

Bad in Champaign also (except far north west - 4g is on there).  For a while I was getting 2Mbps on 3g and that seemed like magic but,  it is gone.  I have seen no work on towers they are still waiting for fiber to be connected.   Why is that so hard?   

[Phil]

FYI....  The tower by I-74 in Danville now has 4g.  It covers 74 to the state line,  Tilton and the southern half of Danville. 

[runagun]

Sometimes with Sprint, I feel like I'm waiting for the Cable guy.

 

  I have seen no work on towers they are still waiting for fiber to be connected.   Why is that so hard?   

[CoreyTrevor]

Called sprint 2 days ago they said there are 2 towers down. Probable take a week to fix

[CoreyTrevor]

FYI.... The tower by I-74 in Danville now has 4g. It covers 74 to the state line, Tilton and the southern half of Danville.

Yep been mapping with sensorly. Kickapoo park is hit and miss still

[CoreyTrevor]

Called sprint again today the 800 spectrum now has a date to be completed by the end of the year

[Dkoellerwx]

Sometimes with Sprint, I feel like I'm waiting for the Cable guy.

You are quite literally waiting for the cable guy. Or the fiber guy. Whichever is going in at the site.

 

(Runagun, this isn't directed at you, as I'm sure you've seen the sponsor maps).

 

 

Central Illinois is 100% complete with the physical upgrades. That means all the equipment is in place for LTE. The only problem is the lack of a high speed internet connection. The internet provider (in this case, likely CenturyLink) seems to have a problem completing jobs on time, thus Sprint towers wallow away waiting for that cable guy to show up. Until he does, no LTE.

[CoreyTrevor]

You are quite literally waiting for the cable guy. Or the fiber guy. Whichever is going in at the site.

 

(Runagun, this isn't directed at you, as I'm sure you've seen the sponsor maps).

 

 

Central Illinois is 100% complete with the physical upgrades. That means all the equipment is in place for LTE. The only problem is the lack of a high speed internet connection. The internet provider (in this case, likely CenturyLink) seems to have a problem completing jobs on time, thus Sprint towers wallow away waiting for that cable guy to show up. Until he does, no LTE.

It's at&t here in champaign area. And when I had uverse they were always having problems and messing it up. Can't wait for the spark to get here and cancel over priced Internet!

[Paynefanbro]

Can't wait for the spark to get here and cancel over priced Internet!

 

Eh...

[mhammett]

Eh...

Few people realize how much it actually costs to deliver Internet.

[Dkoellerwx]

It's at&t here in champaign area. And when I had uverse they were always having problems and messing it up. Can't wait for the spark to get here and cancel over priced Internet!

Spark is not a replacement for wireline internet. You cannot meet the internet needs of a household without paying out the nose for mobile data.

 

However overpriced your wired internet may seem, it's cheaper than using mobile data full time. Not to mention the macro network is not built to support home use.

[Phil]

mhammett, on 28 Jul 2014 - 6:04 PM, said:

Few people realize how much it actually costs to deliver Internet.

 

That may be true but it appears that Sprint does not realize how frustrating it is to pay for "high" speed data and not get it.   I have been paying an extra $10 per line per month ($480 per year)  for almost 7 years and I still get only 0.20 Mbps (or less) in Champaign Illinois.  Connection is so bad  some Web sites think I am performing a ddos attack and block me.   I now pay an extra $30 per month to hook up a mi-fi device via T-Mobile just to get their 3g (FYI... Their 3g is 3-6 Mbps)  so I can use my phone on wi-fi.

[mhammett]

mhammett, on 28 Jul 2014 - 6:04 PM, said:

Few people realize how much it actually costs to deliver Internet.

 

That may be true but it appears that Sprint does not realize how frustrating it is to pay for "high" speed data and not get it. I have been paying an extra $10 per line per month ($480 per year) for almost 7 years and I still get only 0.20 Mbps (or less) in Champaign Illinois. Connection is so bad some Web sites think I am performing a ddos attack and block me. I now pay an extra $30 per month to hook up a mi-fi device via T-Mobile just to get their 3g (FYI... Their 3g is 3-6 Mbps) so I can use my phone on wi-fi.

I'm in DeKalb, so I feel your non-WiMax college town blues. We're barely ahead of you in getting LTE.