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

[mhammett]

Not many routers can do 180 gig.

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

 

 

[mhammett]

Does anyone know if you have two phones capable of only a single 2.5 ghz channel and are in an area with multiple channels, will your phones use different channels for load balancing purposes or will all single channel devices sit on one channel?

 

 

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[CaptainSlow]

I don't see why different phones could not idle on different channels based on a random hashing algorithm. It works that way on 3G Voice and EvDO, so should be doable on 2.5 GHz as well.

One thing to note, however, is that even if there are multiple 2.5 GHz channels in an area, towers at the border i.e. transition zone between multiple-channel coverage and single channel coverage (e.g. near city outskirts where you no longer need multiple channels) may be configured to only let phones idle on the single/common channel so that they don't have to be handed down to the common channel as they move out of the area. Meaning that, in the transition zone, the upper channels would only be used to move active data sessions to balance loading, but not when idling.

 

Hope I didn't over-complicate.

[mhammett]

I got it, we'll see if others do.

 

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[S4GRU]

On an LTE network, load balancing is handled by the network. It is totally possible for similarly equipped devices side by side to be on different channels, sectors or sites.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

 

 

[paulstejskal]

Here are some band 26 pics I got locally here.

Edited March 29, 2014 by paulstejskal

[paulstejskal]

Here are some band 26 pics I got locally here.Screenshot_2014-03-28-19-30-06.png

Weird I can only do one image at a time.

[Paynefanbro]

Weird I can only do one image at a time.

You should try using imgur. It'll allow you to upload photos without using your photo space and you can resize the photos. In the General Topics section, there is a short guide to uploading photos.

[mhammett]

On an LTE network, load balancing is handled by the network. It is totally possible for similarly equipped devices side by side to be on different channels, sectors or sites.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

That's where the real beauty of multiple 2.5 GHz channels comes in. Once you have a 2.5 GHz phone, you're set for non-peak speeds for a few years.

 

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[paulstejskal]

You should try using imgur. It'll allow you to upload photos without using your photo space and you can resize the photos. In the General Topics section, there is a short guide to uploading photos.

Thanks. Ill try in the future. Still not bad for just band 26. :-D

[mideastbeast]

Video says no voice and data at the same time on Spark devices but that you can do that with older Sprint LTE phones:

 

Consumer Reports Video

 

Is this completely accurate or are they missing some points? Seems like they don't have the whole story but I'm not sure.

[MacinJosh]

Some Sprint LTE phones can do SVDO and/or SVLTE. They were single band LTE devices, and only a few of them can. Most phones released last year cannot.

 

 

Sent from Josh's iPhone 5S using Tapatalk 2

[lilg740]

Video says no voice and data at the same time on Spark devices but that you can do that with older Sprint LTE phones:

 

Consumer Reports Video

 

Is this completely accurate or are they missing some points? Seems like they don't have the whole story but I'm not sure.

We've known this for quite a while.

[jefbal99]

Article is very correct, older devices like my Note 2 can do SvLTE

[S4GRU]

Video says no voice and data at the same time on Spark devices but that you can do that with older Sprint LTE phones:

 

Consumer Reports Video

 

Is this completely accurate or are they missing some points? Seems like they don't have the whole story but I'm not sure.

 

Sprint Triband LTE and Sprint iPhones cannot do simultaneous voice and data.  That has been discussed throughout our forums ad nauseum since last summer.  Old news, but very true.

 

Robert

[linhpham2]

Sprint should've kept simultaneous voice and data like it is on the Note 2 for the new Tri-band phones. eCSFB seems like a another headache for Sprint (in addition to the slow network upgrades). If not SV and D, then maybe a solution like on the iphone - intermittently turning off the radio and checking to see if there's any incoming calls. 

[S4GRU]

Sprint should've kept simultaneous voice and data like it is on the Note 2 for the new Tri-band phones. eCSFB seems like a another headache for Sprint (in addition to the slow network upgrades). If not SV and D, then maybe a solution like on the iphone - intermittently turning off the radio and checking to see if there's any incoming calls.

Shoulda but didn'ta. That ship sailed a long time ago.

 

Robert via Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[travismheim]

SVLTE isn't as great as it sounds if it has to work how Verizon has it implemented on my G2. Any time I'm on fringe LTE coverage and it loses connection it also drops 1X and rescans. I don't know if its like that on all of their devices but its very annoying trying to make a call having 1X drop randomly. I'll take my single radio path Nexus 5 over that any day.

 

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[KD8JBF]

SVLTE isn't as great as it sounds if it has to work how Verizon has it implemented on my G2. Any time I'm on fringe LTE coverage and it loses connection it also drops 1X and rescans. I don't know if its like that on all of their devices but its very annoying trying to make a call having 1X drop randomly. I'll take my single radio path Nexus 5 over that any day.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[halcyoncmdr]

Sprint should've kept simultaneous voice and data like it is on the Note 2 for the new Tri-band phones. eCSFB seems like a another headache for Sprint (in addition to the slow network upgrades). If not SV and D, then maybe a solution like on the iphone - intermittently turning off the radio and checking to see if there's any incoming calls. 

 

The decision for Tri-Band devices was not predicated around SVLTE. It was decided on other, in my opinion, more important factors.

 

1. The main reason was for single radios. SVLTE devices have to maintain two separate connections, and thus two separate powered radios. The Tri-band devices have a single radio for all mobile network pathways and thus can operate with less power, meaning lower power use and leading to longer battery life.

 

2. Voice usage is dramatically lower now than it was even a few years ago, this means the need for most consumers to have both voice and data simultaneously is less. In addition, with the increasing use of Video Calling (which go over data only) that also reduces standard voice call usage.

 

3. Many companies are going this route, thus meaning similar devices for multiple carriers, and thus reduced costs for phones due to the scale of production. Having a separately built device to be unique in this regard, means the phones cost more for Sprint to purchase, and thus cost more to the end-user as well. Just look at the new CCA stuff where the fact the same identical device can be used across all of these small carriers in turn mean lower costs to all of them. The Youtube

is more informative and has Masayoshi Son, but he is a bit difficult to understand at some points (not used to Japanese accent personally). Production scale has a lot to do with it though.

 

4. CDMA customers aren't used to SVLTE in general, and the average person probably doesn't know their phone is even capable of it in some circumstances on various carriers.

 

5. SVLTE (Like SVDO on a couple devices) was never a designed feature of these phones, it was a side effect of the way the radios and transmit/receive pathways needed to be designed for the Sprint models of the phones. It was never an advertised ability.

[linhpham2]

The decision for Tri-Band devices was not predicated around SVLTE. It was decided on other, in my opinion, more important factors.

 

1. The main reason was for single radios. SVLTE devices have to maintain two separate connections, and thus two separate powered radios. The Tri-band devices have a single radio for all mobile network pathways and thus can operate with less power, meaning lower power use and leading to longer battery life.

 

2. Voice usage is dramatically lower now than it was even a few years ago, this means the need for most consumers to have both voice and data simultaneously is less. In addition, with the increasing use of Video Calling (which go over data only) that also reduces standard voice call usage.

 

3. Many companies are going this route, thus meaning similar devices for multiple carriers, and thus reduced costs for phones due to the scale of production. Having a separately built device to be unique in this regard, means the phones cost more for Sprint to purchase, and thus cost more to the end-user as well. Just look at the new CCA stuff where the fact the same identical device can be used across all of these small carriers in turn mean lower costs to all of them. The Youtube

is more informative and has Masayoshi Son, but he is a bit difficult to understand at some points (not used to Japanese accent personally). Production scale has a lot to do with it though.

 

4. CDMA customers aren't used to SVLTE in general, and the average person probably doesn't know their phone is even capable of it in some circumstances on various carriers.

 

5. SVLTE (Like SVDO on a couple devices) was never a designed feature of these phones, it was a side effect of the way the radios and transmit/receive pathways needed to be designed for the Sprint models of the phones. It was never an advertised ability.

As a consumer, I don't really care about Sprint's needs, only mine.

 

Perhaps I'm confusing SVLTE and eCSFB. But they seem interconnected.

 

Bottom line is: if I can't use my phone's LTE connection, then Sprint's "unlimited data" appeal is essentially worthless since their 3g data is even more crippled and hobbled than LTE. Sprint risks losing me as a customer. If it costs Sprint extra $$, let them eat the cost. They probably will anyhow to be competitive and prevent hemorrhaging customers.

[JaywalkerOperating]

As a consumer, I don't really care about Sprint's needs, only mine.

 

Perhaps I'm confusing SVLTE and eCSFB. But they seem interconnected.

 

Bottom line is: if I can't use my phone's LTE connection, then Sprint's "unlimited data" appeal is essentially worthless since their 3g data is even more crippled and hobbled than LTE. Sprint risks losing me as a customer. If it costs Sprint extra $$, let them eat the cost. They probably will anyhow to be competitive and prevent hemorrhaging customers.

The only time you can not use unlimited data / LTE is during a call. This is because SVLTE/SVDO (simultaneous voice and lte/evdo) is not supported on triband phones. However, using data in no way impacts your ability to receive a call. eCSFB (enhanced circuit switched fallback) is there to ensure you're switched to 1x when that happens. Hope that makes sense.

[linhpham2]

The only time you can not use unlimited data / LTE is during a call. This is because SVLTE/SVDO (simultaneous voice and lte/evdo) is not supported on triband phones. However, using data in no way impacts your ability to receive a call. eCSFB (enhanced circuit switched fallback) is there to ensure you're switched to 1x when that happens. Hope that makes sense.

That's the theory. But there's an entire eCSFB thread about Triband phones not being able to maintain an LTE connection.

[JaywalkerOperating]

That's the theory. But there's an entire eCSFB thread about Triband phones not being able to maintain an LTE connection.

True, but that's not really the phone's problem. That's a problem with whoever is installing the network equipment and should be solved sooner rather than later. The benefits of a triband phone outweighs the negatives, provided the network is working as intended.

[BenChase7]

That's the theory. But there's an entire eCSFB thread about Triband phones not being able to maintain an LTE connection.

Most here are well aware of the thread, S4GRU article, and the issue. No need for you to point it out.  It's not that the phone's cannot maintain LTE connection, its a network upgrade issue (growing pain, if you will) that is being corrected at a relatively fast rate.  When the problem was first discovered, it was quite evident that Sprint was well aware, as the necessary upgrade rate increased in those markets at what appeared to be an exponential rate, and that continues in most cases.