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

[linhpham2]

I am well aware of this. However, your primary concern seemed to be regarding triband devices and LTE connectivity, which requires eCSFB. Since the areas you mentioned already have the NV 3G side of things accepted, I expect eCSFB to be launched when those sites are LTE accepted, if not before. If your primary concern is that our market is not yet 100% covered by LTE, then this is the wrong thread for such concern.

 

To keep us somewhat on topic, once B41 begins to go live, I do not foresee any connectivity issues, as our market is well covered by NV 3G. The only connectivity issue will be with our poor, outdated Note II's.

Hopefully, most of the eCSFB issues will be ironed out by the time I'm upgrade eligible in October. If not, I'll still have my Note 2 as a backup. Q3 is "supposed" to be the start date for Band 26 installation for the Portland metro area. I don't think that there's even a planned date yet for Band 41 for Portland. I'm crossing my fingers.

[Deval]

Yeah, as a fellow tri-band user in DC (Logan Circle) - I can attest that the network in DC isn't fully ready yet. I tend to get stuck on a weak band 25 signal until I reset my wireless connection. I'm sure it will work itself out soon.

 

I just feel lucky that Clear was able to steamroll B41 through my area.

 

Yep, because the vast majority of the initial sites were easy upgrades. In some cases just fiber and an LTE card.

[j'vai]

anyone in the dc area, i picked this up ealier this week in capitol hill on a stock nexus 5, might want to check it out -

 

https://plus.google.com/100566062990321750433/posts/RXNFtYes33u

 

 

https://plus.google.com/100566062990321750433/posts/AzsWLhF7JJ2

 

 

the fastest i've picked up in town..

Edited April 9, 2014 by j'vai

[j'vai]

anyone in the dc area, i picked this up ealier this week in capitol hill on a stock nexus 5, might want to check it out -

 

https://plus.google.com/100566062990321750433/posts/RXNFtYes33u

 

 

https://plus.google.com/100566062990321750433/posts/AzsWLhF7JJ2

 

 

the fastest i've picked up in town..

if you notice, the internal ip addy 29.107.28.227,

 

is DoD..

 

 

sprint has lots of them..

Edited April 9, 2014 by j'vai

[dbsynergy]

WTF, you're right! That's a weird way to setup internal IP's.

[j'vai]

WTF, you're right! That's a weird way to setup internal IP's.

sprint had them for years, scattered over cell sites, throughout the network..

 

you really pick up on them when tethering (esp. back in the day) in tcpdump & wireshark..

 

those dept of defense IPs get all in the raw packet dump..

Edited April 10, 2014 by j'vai

[twospirits]

I looked through the thread and didn't see this video posted and although it's an old video, that is the point for me posting it. Spark was announced back in Oct 2013 yet if you look at the video it was uploaded to youtube back in April 2012. More than a year earlier. This Spark icon is clearly shown in the presentation. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyvil4sTiK4

 

TS

[nexgencpu]

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Unauthorized tethering is a big no no here at S4GRU. 

[kct1975]

I looked through the thread and didn't see this video posted and although it's an old video, that is the point for me posting it. Spark was announced back in Oct 2013 yet if you look at the video it was uploaded to youtube back in April 2012. More than a year earlier. This Spark icon is clearly shown in the presentation.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyvil4sTiK4

 

TS

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[drhenning]

I got my Spark Galaxy S5 a little over a week ago in my home in Jacksonville, FL... a Spark market...  The problems I see are the following...

 

1.    My S5 will not flip into LTE if it is operating in 3G... if I use LTE Discovery or turn airplane mode on and off, it finds the LTEnetwork and seems to hold it well...   My S3 would find the LTE without being forced to or needing a restart...

 

2.   My S3 found some LTE previously that the S5 is not connecting to now even when forced...

 

3.   I drove back to my other home in Charlotte NC and found that the LTE worked as previously on my S3 though again it sometimes needed to be pushed...  The speed was better...  Charlotte is not Spark enabled yet...  But LTE has been getting better and better...

[Deval]

I got my Spark Galaxy S5 a little over a week ago in my home in Jacksonville, FL... a Spark market...  The problems I see are the following...

 

1.    My S5 will not flip into LTE if it is operating in 3G... if I use LTE Discovery or turn airplane mode on and off, it finds the LTEnetwork and seems to hold it well...   My S3 would find the LTE without being forced to or needing a restart...

 

2.   My S3 found some LTE previously that the S5 is not connecting to now even when forced...

 

3.   I drove back to my other home in Charlotte NC and found that the LTE worked as previously on my S3 though again it sometimes needed to be pushed...  The speed was better...  Charlotte is not Spark enabled yet...  But LTE has been getting better and better...

 

With triband devices (Spark), you have to give it a little bit of time before it connects to LTE, when it's on 3G. There is a timer on it.

[drhenning]

With triband devices (Spark), you have to give it a little bit of time before it connects to LTE, when it's on 3G. There is a timer on it.

What do you consider time????     Is this only true in Spark markets???    Last night when driving into Charlotte, it switched on its own to LTE without any effort..  In LTE Discovery App signal page, it also shows GSM now when in LTE mode on my GS5 on the voice side...  On my GS3, it showed LTE and 1XRTT ...  Is that because of the single antenna???

[Joeynach]

What do you consider time????     Is this only true in Spark markets???    Last night when driving into Charlotte, it switched on its own to LTE without any effort..  In LTE Discovery App signal page, it also shows GSM now when in LTE mode on my GS5 on the voice side...  On my GS3, it showed LTE and 1XRTT ...  Is that because of the single antenna???

If so thats huge, I have been clamoring for the day my Sprint (CDMA) device can roam on GSM networks instead of turn into a brick when I travel to GSM network based countries....like most of the world.

[ingenium]

If so thats huge, I have been clamoring for the day my Sprint (CDMA) device can roam on GSM networks instead of turn into a brick when I travel to GSM network based countries....like most of the world.

They probably do have roaming agreements with GSM carriers in other countries. But you're better off just getting a local SIM and popping that in.

 

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[Joeynach]

They probably do have roaming agreements with GSM carriers in other countries. But you're better off just getting a local SIM and popping that in.

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

Oh yeah for sure, thats what I was planning on doing.  Just excited I don't have to take a 2nd GSM phone (unlocked) with me like I did last time when I travel and want to purchase a local prepaid plan.

[Vince]

Oh yeah for sure, thats what I was planning on doing. Just excited I don't have to take a 2nd GSM phone (unlocked) with me like I did last time when I travel and want to purchase a local prepaid plan.

Or just use Google voice or some other Wi-Fi calling app and save the hassle of asking for an international unlock and finding a Sim. Unless you want a phone while out and about.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[halcyoncmdr]

If so thats huge, I have been clamoring for the day my Sprint (CDMA) device can roam on GSM networks instead of turn into a brick when I travel to GSM network based countries....like most of the world.

 

There are several LTE devices (most) that support international GSM. The Galaxy S4, S5, Note 2, Note 3, LG G2, G Flex, Moto X, Moto Photon 4G, Nexus 5, HTC One , One Max, and One M8.

 

Pretty much every mid-range to high-end LTE device released in the last year, and a few older than that.

[Joeynach]

There are several LTE devices (most) that support international GSM. The Galaxy S4, S5, Note 2, Note 3, LG G2, G Flex, Moto X, Moto Photon 4G, Nexus 5, HTC One , One Max, and One M8.

 

Pretty much every mid-range to high-end LTE device released in the last year, and a few older than that.

I think the N5 takes it even further right.  Because it supports international LTE, not just the old GSM present in many countries.

[Dkoellerwx]

What do you consider time????     Is this only true in Spark markets???    Last night when driving into Charlotte, it switched on its own to LTE without any effort..  In LTE Discovery App signal page, it also shows GSM now when in LTE mode on my GS5 on the voice side...  On my GS3, it showed LTE and 1XRTT ...  Is that because of the single antenna???

Your device has set scan intervals for when it looks for LTE.

 

If your scan happened just before you entered LTE coverage, it can take as much as 10-20 minutes for it to recognize the LTE signal. If the scan happens just as you enter LTE coverage, it will seem like it picked it up right away. Just coincidence.

 

LTE discovery seems to have a bug when you have an LTE connection, showing GSM rather than no connection, like it should. I would try out Signal Check Pro if you get the chance. Both programs are written by members of this site, so if you poke around you should be able to find support for both apps.

[SpenceSouth]

Your device has set scan intervals for when it looks for LTE.

 

If your scan happened just before you entered LTE coverage, it can take as much as 10-20 minutes for it to recognize the LTE signal. If the scan happens just as you enter LTE coverage, it will seem like it picked it up right away. Just coincidence.

 

LTE discovery seems to have a bug when you have an LTE connection, showing GSM rather than no connection, like it should. I would try out Signal Check Pro if you get the chance. Both programs are written by members of this site, so if you poke around you should be able to find support for both apps.

GSM is just listed as the default voice connection when the phone is not reporting either a CDMA or GSM voice connection on tri-band phones. We will remove the inactive voice connection box in a future update.

 

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[Dkoellerwx]

GSM is just listed as the default voice connection when the phone is not reporting either a CDMA or GSM voice connection on tri-band phones. We will remove the inactive voice connection box in a future update.

 

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There he is. Ok, so that explains it. I've seen it crop up in a number of places, wasn't sure what to tell people.

[SpenceSouth]

There he is. Ok, so that explains it. I've seen it crop up in a number of places, wasn't sure what to tell people.

 

Thanks Dkoellerwx.  I responded directly to drhenning, but I haven't seen others asking about this before now.  It's on the to do list, but is a low priority at the moment. 

[Dkoellerwx]

Thanks Dkoellerwx.  I responded directly to drhenning, but I haven't seen others asking about this before now.  It's on the to do list, but is a low priority at the moment.

The guys in the Colorado market kept getting very confused why they were connected to GSM haha.

[SpenceSouth]

The guys in the Colorado market kept getting very confused why they were connected to GSM haha.

Well that's not good lol. We'll get it fixed to alleviate any confusion.

 

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[mhammett]

With triband devices (Spark), you have to give it a little bit of time before it connects to LTE, when it's on 3G. There is a timer on it.

I've also noticed that it might not upgrade protocols if you're using data.

 

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