Breaking Band: Tri-band LTE / eCSFB issues thread

[WiWavelength]

Yes it matters. They should acknowledge that they have a problem and be able to have a front line employee and have them explain it to me as a customer so I could make a educated choice.  Install front line are telling ppl to take their phone bad thinking something is wrong with it, when in reality nothing is wrong with the phone. If Sprint just ignores their front line employees that here what their customer wants, then they will stay at number 3 or even go out of business. Sprint is nothing without their customers. 

 

This is I believe the third time that I have posted this question.  Uh, did you not see the internal Sprint memo posted in this thread?  Sprint is doing all that it can.  What more do you want?  Electrical engineers manning customer service?

 

Regardless, it is impossible to train thousands of minimally educated frontline employees adequately on technical issues.  Subscribers are generally no more intelligent.  So, almost any deep seated technical issue that frontline employees try to describe to subscribers gets lost on one side or the other.  It is pointless.

 

I will add that the low level employee disconnect affects all wireless providers.  Your pot shots at Sprint are unnecessary -- and a borderline S4GRU rule violation.  The difference is that Sprint is completely overhauling its network, running a hybrid 3GPP/3GPP2 network, and deploying tri band FDD/TDD LTE.  That leads to more technical difficulties than the other providers face.

 

AJ

[aerxx]

You guys do realize you don't get the best signal standing directly under a tower.....

[lilg740]

You guys do realize you don't get the best signal standing directly under a tower.....

Not best. But depending on the height of the tower/site if it is relatively low then you should get atleast -80dbm.

[aerxx]

Not best. But depending on the height of the tower/site if it is relatively low then you should get atleast -80dbm.

 

I'm biased, lots of large mono-poles in my neck of the woods.

[The Dave]

I am not trying to say anything against Sprint. I was trying to troubleshoot if I had a phone issue or network issue. At first, it was hard to since the answers I got were that there are no issues with the phone or the network. I convinced the right person that my SIM card was bad. So that said, I am here to contribute my experiences. According to many,  a yellow 3G/4G pin should be fine for a tri-band phone. I have real world experience with two G2s that show this isn't always the case. I also have real world experience with handoffs between towers resulting in lost of service or inability to switch from 1x back to eHRPD or LTE without manual intervention. If y'all want to write off two separate phones as defective and ignore the data, that's up to y'all since this is your thread , not mine. Just thought my experiences would help you guys figure out the issues involved.

[weknsmith]

This is I believe the third time that I have posted this question. Uh, did you not see the internal Sprint memo posted in this thread? Sprint is doing all that it can. What more do you want? Electrical engineers manning customer service?

 

Regardless, it is impossible to train thousands of minimally educated frontline employees adequately on technical issues. Subscribers are generally no more intelligent. So, almost any deep seated technical issue that frontline employees try to describe to subscribers gets lost on one side or the other. It is pointless.

 

I will add that the low level employee disconnect affects all wireless providers. Your pot shots at Sprint are unnecessary -- and a borderline S4GRU rule violation. The difference is that Sprint is completely overhauling its network, running a hybrid 3GPP/3GPP2 network, and deploying tri band FDD/TDD LTE. That leads to more technical difficulties than the other providers face.

 

AJ

I would like to see Sprint support put together some internal documentation for those frontline staff members. It is perfectly reasonable for customers to expect the support personnel to not give them blatantly incorrect information. Obviously, the support staff is doing their best to resolve issues based on the information at their fingertips. The problem is that they may be instructing customers to take phones in to be checked for issues when the problem is network based. This could result in wasted time traveling to the repair center, wasted gas money, etc.

 

As a long term customer of Sprint, I am excited about the potential of the Network Vision improvements. I just hope that Sprint will do everything they can to reduce the bumps in the road that the customers and support staff will face during these times of transition.

[WiWavelength]

I would like to see Sprint support put together some internal documentation for those frontline staff members.

 

Do I need to say it again?  Read the internal memo in this thread.  The thread is only seven pages long at this point.  If you have not read the whole thing, then you are not doing your due diligence.

 

AJ

[MacinJosh]

Do I need to say it again? Read the internal memo in this thread. The thread is only seven pages long at this point. If you have not read the whole thing, then you are not doing your due diligence.

 

AJ

I read the whole thread. And I am glad I did.

 

 

Sent from Josh's iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2

[Fuber]

This is I believe the third time that I have posted this question.  Uh, did you not see the internal Sprint memo posted in this thread?  Sprint is doing all that it can.  What more do you want?  Electrical engineers manning customer service?

 

Regardless, it is impossible to train thousands of minimally educated frontline employees adequately on technical issues.  Subscribers are generally no more intelligent.  So, almost any deep seated technical issue that frontline employees try to describe to subscribers gets lost on one side or the other.  It is pointless.

 

I will add that the low level employee disconnect affects all wireless providers.  Your pot shots at Sprint are unnecessary -- and a borderline S4GRU rule violation.  The difference is that Sprint is completely overhauling its network, running a hybrid 3GPP/3GPP2 network, and deploying tri band FDD/TDD LTE.  That leads to more technical difficulties than the other providers face.

 

AJ

 

it was not a pot shot at Sprint, but more of a example that the front line employees need not to know. My opinion would have been the same no matter what company it was based on the comment that was made. I believe Sprint has something good going on. I want in on it at the beginning. The reason I want it is because of how things are explained to me from this site. The last sentence you have posted from above is something that probably describes the situation perfectly. I think the average person who knows nothing of this would be more understanding if that was some type of small campaign.  And until the dust settles, we are going to have some problems.

[weknsmith]

Do I need to say it again? Read the internal memo in this thread. The thread is only seven pages long at this point. If you have not read the whole thing, then you are not doing your due diligence.

 

AJ

Of course I read that memo. I actually first saw it in the Nexus 5 thread, and probably read about the same time as anyone else that saw it posted in live time. The question is whether or not the frontline staff is aware of that memo. If they are, why would they tell customers to take their phone in to be looked at for issues when the problem is related to the network.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm rooting for Sprint and want to see them succeed. They just need to figure out how to get the information in the hands of the people that need it and make sure that they don't waste their customers time by handing out bad information.

 

I'd suggest we leave it at that and let this thread continue with its original purpose.

[shifted]

Nexus 5

 

Traveled to Mankato, MN. All sites yellow or green except one. LTE works like a champ.

 

Back to Minneapolis this afternoon and no LTE. All purple sites.

 

[peabody1211]

I went to a Sprint store in Roseville, MN tonight to ask about my N5 LTE issues.

 

While I was waiting, I noticed that their display models of the Nexus 5 and LG G2 were activated and could not connect to LTE.  On the other hand, their display models of the Galaxy S4, Note 3, iPhone 5S all showed LTE connections.  Sensorly confirmed LTE coverage at the store location.

 

I talked to the sales rep and told him about the eCSFB issue.  I also showed him the talking points that were posted in this forum.  He was able to find those talking points on his store computer and go through them with me.  He said MN is definitely a non-incumbent market and that the 3G upgrades were at least 3-6 months away at the towers nearest my house in Minneapolis.

 

He thanked me for bringing this to his attention and told me that he'd notify the sales and tech reps.  He also told me that Sprint has no business selling these phones with this coverage problem.

 

I'm so glad that I was able to get through to someone without any BS -- hopefully they will be to show customers the lay of the land before they make a decision about what phones to buy.

 

As for me, I may be SOL.  3-6 months in Sprint time could be pushing a year.  I might as well revert to my Optimus G, get my LTE, and wait for the 2014 Nexus.

[Jackietreehorn]

Handset:  Nexus 5

LTE Connectivity:  None (works when forced)

Location:  Saint Paul, MN  55119

 

As a few other MNers have noted, a lot of purple around me, and it doesn't seem to be improving.  I'm not sure I believe the Roseville store rep and his story of 3-6 months and things will just be fine, but I guess his guess is as good as any for this market.

[though]

LG g2, nexus 5. Lincoln, NE. 68504. No lte. (Connects for 1-2 seconds then falls back to 3g)

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

 

I can confirm the same for me.  Both Omaha, NE and Lincoln, NE for the Nexus 5.

[ccool327]

Im having the issue where my g2 wont hold the lte connection it connects sometimes or when i switch between network modes, but it never holds longer than one minute max. Im in bend oregon where my note 2 and s4 worked great on lte.

[peabody1211]

Handset:  Nexus 5

LTE Connectivity:  None (works when forced)

Location:  Saint Paul, MN  55119

 

As a few other MNers have noted, a lot of purple around me, and it doesn't seem to be improving.  I'm not sure I believe the Roseville store rep and his story of 3-6 months and things will just be fine, but I guess his guess is as good as any for this market.

 

I wouldn't say that he promised full functionality in 3-6 months, it was just that the towers nearest my house near downtown MPLS were listed as slated for upgrades in 3-6 months.  So I would consider that more of a lower bound, unless I'm misunderstanding things.

[transitwatch889]

There has been tower shut downs in my area that's not allowed me to connect to a base station. My phone has been cycling through 1x to ev-do to ehrpd back to LTE in a mater of a min or two as well... Anyway else in the NYC area experience this with the g2/nexus or other triband device?

[shifted]

I wouldn't say that he promised full functionality in 3-6 months, it was just that the towers nearest my house near downtown MPLS were listed as slated for upgrades in 3-6 months. So I would consider that more of a lower bound, unless I'm misunderstanding things.

I could see an issue like this changing the timeline as well. If they are willing to do the work in the winter. 3-6 months would put the work back in the spring at the 4 month point. That's the only reason I could see them waiting.

[nexgencpu]

There has been tower shut downs in my area that's not allowed me to connect to a base station. My phone has been cycling through 1x to ev-do to ehrpd back to LTE in a mater of a min or two as well... Anyway else in the NYC area experience this with the g2/nexus or other triband device?

I have been fine where I am. Mine just takes a while to scan for LTE after its on 3G, but eventually does switch.

Only one place I did experience something odd, I could not stay connected to a site on the grand concourse and 183rd street.l. I had full bars and it refused to connect to LTE, luckily once I got near my home it switched back to LTE.

[Juned]

I was in the bay area this weekend and was not able to pick up any lte. It would come on for a few seconds and go back to 3G or 1X. My wife got Lte with her S4.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[Jackietreehorn]

I wouldn't say that he promised full functionality in 3-6 months, it was just that the towers nearest my house near downtown MPLS were listed as slated for upgrades in 3-6 months.  So I would consider that more of a lower bound, unless I'm misunderstanding things.

 

Hoho, reading comprehension fail on my part.  At least you have a timeline, the Sprint store in Maplewood doesn't seem to have a clue regarding when or if upgrades are happening...though I guess that's not particularly surprising.  They're there to sell phones, not be technical support.

[n8tab]

I'm trying to sift through all the pages of this thread to find an answer, but haven't been successful just yet. I have a Nexus 5. LTE is not yet officially live in my area (Fargo, ND) but some towers are up and running. I have the same handoff issues and no LTE unless forced as most others. The sponsor map shows they already completed 3G upgrades in this area (red pins) but most towers also broadcast 800SMR. I believe we have legacy Ericsson and NV Samsung here.

 

Is this information sufficient enough to determine the fate of my N5 LTE experience at this point, or do I need to wait it out longer to see? Can I write this off as potential LTE launch and issues or is it likely something more long term? Too soon to tell?

 

I'd like to know if I should sell my GS4 o hold on to it so I can taste the delicious forthcoming LTE.

 

 

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[lil_jimmy_norton]

LG G2, Louisville and Shepherdsville, Kentucky, works as good as my S3. Had issues at first but changed from global to cdma/lte and started working normal. I even have b26 enabled and set to higher priority. No problems with calling or texting while on lte. Seems to be good. Very few 3g acceptances here so legacy Ericsson must be compatible with NV Ericsson.

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

 

Oppisite side of the state isn't so lucky.

 

So my market is supposedly incumbent (Eastern Kentucky, specifically Lexington), yet is seems that the only sites I can connect to LTE on are both 3G and 4G accepted.  If the site is only 4G accepted it does not connect.  

 

Anyone else in a similar boat?

[dParis]

LG G2 (set to LTE/CDMA - everything else untouched)

 

Many areas of solid LTE. Some switching between 3G and 4G in other areas, like my house.

 

West suburban Chicago: 60137/60187

 

Driving along I-294 from I-88 to Cicero Ave/127th st. also had LTE but once I was off the highway, it would switch between 4G(60%) and 3G(40%).

 

------------------

 

I'm still a little confused about several aspects of the issue including the types of tower sites we are discussing. My understanding is that there are:

 

4G only towers (no 3g capability? Voice and data over 4g? New areas where there was no Sprint coverage? Bad for tri-band.)

 

4G/3G towers (existing Sprint coverage with 4g hardware added? 4G/3G vendors the same=good for tri-band, 4G/3G vendors different=bad for tri-band.

 

4G/3G upgarded towers (existing Sprint coverage (upgraded) with 4G hardware added? Good for tri-band even if vendors are different)

 

Warning: Providing answers will probably leave me asking more questions.

Edited November 11, 2013 by dParis

[squigey]

Device: LG G2
Market: North LA
City: Camarillo, CA
Zip code: 93010/93012

 

I was able to connect to both of the LTE sites with no issues, after cycling airplane mode. The NV vendor is Alcatel Lucent, so both sites are 3G/4G.

 

Later today I'll test a couple of other sites, but I expect that I'll be able to connect without issue.