LTE Plus / Enhanced LTE (was "Sprint Spark" - Official Name for the Tri-Band Network)

[HTCandroid]

I can tell you for a fact that is nowhere near true.

 

Sent from my LG G2 LS980 using Tapatalk

 

I am right there with ya...minus not having a tri-band device yet.

[ericdabbs]

Is the spark ota update just have the new spark icon? What are the default LTE band settings in ##DATA#? Is there a bloatware app installed for sprint spark? Does the icon appear all the time u are connected to LTE?

Sent from my LG G2 LS980 using Tapatalk
 

Edited November 15, 2013 by ericdabbs

[HTCandroid]

Maybe I missed it. Does Spark mean it is using B41? Or B41 and B25? Or just any combination of the two? Or two carriers of B41? 

[Paynefanbro]

Band 41 is yellow... So what is "turbo" then? It's not even yellow on the map (even though it's listed as a part of Sprint spark)

Sprint's explanation of "turbo": Enhanced LTE with super high speed capability

 

It basically means, "This area is served by a TD-LTE site with fiber instead of microwave backhaul. You're welcome."

 

As I said before, NYC basically had fiber on every site as microwave backhaul isn't very suitable for a place with tons of buildings. As a result, nearly the whole city is "Turbo".

[S4GRU]

To clarify, Sprint is still planning to take Band 41 to all its sites nationwide.  However, there is no timeline being released for the entire Band 41 rollout.  They do want to have all of the Top 100 markets fully blanketed with Band 41 LTE (Spark) by the end of 2016.  It really doesn't matter when they get Band 41 to small markets that would already be covered with two LTE carriers.

 

Also, the turbo sites are Spark sites that have had their backhaul fully upgraded to support the new throughput speeds.  Whereas Non-Turbo Spark sites have the legacy Clearwire WiMax backhaul (often microwave) still in place.  Non-Turbo sites will become Turbo sites when they get their backhaul upgraded to the newest level needed to sustain 9 carriers of 20MHz of TDD-LTE.

 

Robert

[digiblur]

I took it differently in their call. Maybe eventually I guess.. 5+ years. So i guess it would be correct.

[utiz4321]

I took it differently in their call. Maybe eventually I guess.. 5+ years. So i guess it would be correct.

On the earns call they where a bit obtuse about their plans and seemed to go back and fourth a bit. I think the delays in the NV rollout have made then a bit less likely to give an aggressive rollout plan to the press.

[Deval]

Got the update for my Mini! Going to test out Spark coverage now.

 

Here is the icon on the Galaxy S4 Mini:

 

[Deval]

So I'm connected to BC25 at the moment, have to drive around to find a site broadcasting B41.

[transitwatch889]

Got the update for my Mini! Going to test out Spark coverage now.

 

Here is the icon on the Galaxy S4 Mini:

 

Mmmm speed test in your next post! 

[Deval]

 

Got the update for my Mini! Going to test out Spark coverage now.

 

Here is the icon on the Galaxy S4 Mini:

 

Mmmm speed test in your next post!

 

Have to find a B41 site first. I'll do some driving tomorrow, too lazy tonight

[asaini007]

To your first question..yes all 38,000 sites will eventually get B41 LTE but not sure if robert will get that info.

 

To your second question..yes the clearwire sites are separate from sprint. There are about 15,000 clearwire sites nationwide so you have to add those to the total site count. Right now clearwire is focusing on upgrading all of its own clearwire sites first with B41 LTE first before beginning to upgrade sprint sites with B41 LTE.

 

Sent from my LG G2 LS980 using Tapatalk

Thanks! This makes sense. One last question: will the 15,000 clearwire sites only broadcast band 41 LTE, or will they also broadcast bands 25 and 26 (and, for that matter, 3G and 1xRTT)?

 

Thanks again

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[transitwatch889]

Have to find a B41 site first. I'll do some driving tomorrow, too lazy tonight

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.... I understand LOL

[Deval]

It basically means, "This area is served by a TD-LTE site with fiber instead of microwave backhaul. You're welcome."

 

As I said before, NYC basically had fiber on every site as microwave backhaul isn't very suitable for a place with tons of buildings. As a result, nearly the whole city is "Turbo".

 

Legacy Sprint sites may be fiber, but I can show you dozens of CLWR sites on microwave.

[WiWavelength]

Got the update for my Mini! Going to test out Spark coverage now.

 

Here is the icon on the Galaxy S4 Mini:

 

If the weather is cloudy, why is there a sun shining in your status bar?  Ooh, snap.  Or, should I say, spark.

 

 

AJ

[ericdabbs]

Thanks! This makes sense. One last question: will the 15,000 clearwire sites only broadcast band 41 LTE, or will they also broadcast bands 25 and 26 (and, for that matter, 3G and 1xRTT)?

 

Thanks again

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

Most likely just B41 LTE.  Keep in mind that 40% of these ~15,000 sites are colocated towers with Sprint so if they are colocated with Sprint then Sprint will want to push all the Clearwire gear into the Network Vision cabinets are just use Sprint backhaul to power the 800/1900/2500 MHz LTE.  That way they can eliminate the Clearwire cabinets.

 

In Clearwire non-colocated Sprint sites, Clearwire will most likely just deploy B41 LTE on it at this point.  I am sure if it ever came down to the point where Sprint needed to use Clearwire towers to expand even more LTE 800/1900 for voice and data, they could probably submit requests for tower work to be done on Clearwire sites since they have the tower leases but my guess is that is not in the cards right now.

[HTCandroid]

Got the update for my Mini! Going to test out Spark coverage now.

 

Here is the icon on the Galaxy S4 Mini:

 

 

So your device shows the Spark sign even though you are connected to B25 only?

[Deval]

If the weather is cloudy, why is there a sun shining in your status bar?  Ooh, snap.  Or, should I say, spark.

 

 

AJ

 

Because I'm a ray of sunshine my friend

[Deval]

So your device shows the Spark sign even though you are connected to B25 only?

 

Yes sir, I'm connected to the site that I can see when I look out my window.

[Paynefanbro]

Legacy Sprint sites may be fiber, but I can show you dozens of CLWR sites on microwave.

I know a few too, but they are in residential neighborhoods.

[HTCandroid]

Yes sir, I'm connected to the site that I can see when I look out my window.

 

Dang that Spark star is here to stay. I thought it would be default and change to the Spark star when connected to B41. I wonder what changes if any there will be to indicate that you are connected to B41.

[gnoj]

Also, the turbo sites are Spark sites that have had their backhaul fully upgraded to support the new throughput speeds.  Whereas Non-Turbo Spark sites have the legacy Clearwire WiMax backhaul (often microwave) still in place.  Non-Turbo sites will become Turbo sites when they get their backhaul upgraded to the newest level needed to sustain 9 carriers of 20MHz of TDD-LTE.

 

So basically, "Turbo" = gigabit fiber backhaul, since I doubt there's a reliable microwave solution available yet for such speeds.

 

Since the NV backhaul contracts & gear call for scalability up to 1Gbps, are you saying that Sprint will be taking full advantage of those and jumping straight from the standard 100 Mbps to 1Gbps for their backhaul, even though the initial TDD deployment only calls for one 20MHz carrier per sector (or 3 total carriers per site, rather than 9)? If so, that is wise forethought- it would allow the deployment of additional LTE carriers on 2600 or even PCS to occur much more quickly.

 

Dang that Spark star is here to stay. I thought it would be default and change to the Spark star when connected to B41. I wonder what changes if any there will be to indicate that you are connected to B41.

 

Maybe that's when it sparkles?

[Deval]

I know a few too, but they are in residential neighborhoods.

 

Even in the city too, easier to get microwave over fiber.

[Deval]

Dang that Spark star is here to stay. I thought it would be default and change to the Spark star when connected to B41. I wonder what changes if any there will be to indicate that you are connected to B41.

 

I'll find out tomorrow.

[ericdabbs]

Got the update for my Mini! Going to test out Spark coverage now.

 

Here is the icon on the Galaxy S4 Mini:

 

Does the Spark update include anything besides flipping the switches in the ##DATA# menu?  What are the default LTE band priorities set to ##DATA#?  Also is there any added bloatware app on your phone that says Sprint Spark?  Is the B41 LTE stable now? Sorry for the 21 questions.  Thanks in advance.