Sprint data coverage and no voice coverage

[clbowens]

What happens if you are in an area that has Sprint LTE data coverage but there is no Sprint voice coverage?   What happens if someone tries to call you in an area like that.

 

An example area code is 17265.

[Deval]

What happens if you are in an area that has Sprint LTE data coverage but there is no Sprint voice coverage?   What happens if someone tries to call you in an area like that.

 

An example area code is 17265.

 

It's impossible for you to be an area with data only coverage since LTE and voice are coming from the same towers. Looks like a map error to me.

[Tengen31]

That could be a roaming plus area. That's where another smaller carrier is using sprint LTE spectrum so they have to let sprint customers use it. Areas like that voice is still roaming.

[chamb]

What happens if you are in an area that has Sprint LTE data coverage but there is no Sprint voice coverage?   What happens if someone tries to call you in an area like that.

 

An example area code is 17265.

Your profile on this site indicates you live in Cleveland.  But you are asking about 17265 (Upper Strasburg, Pa.)   If you look at the Sprint maps and enter 17265, it shows some area that is not covered by voice.  That is probably correct especially if you are at the area the pin drops on for 17265.  That is a very very hard area to cover.  The maps do show some data coverage there, but it does not show 3G coverage.  This tells me that there is absolutely no Sprint coverage there.  This is all surprising as Verizon or maybe AT&T is probably the only other carriers that I would suspect as a LTE provider in the area.  I doubt is Sprint is LTE data roaming on either one of those.   I really doubt that the data coverage showing in that area is actually there.  Have you actually had the coverage or are you only looking at the maps??    If you are in the area, show us an engineering screen or a Signal Check screenshot.

Some of the 17265 zip code does have service, but not likely when the pin drops on the map.     The spot of the pin drop is not really where the Upper Strasburg community is actually located.

I think the LTE maps are probably wrong.

[banananuts87]

It's impossible for you to be an area with data only coverage since LTE and voice are coming from the same towers. Looks like a map error to me.

One could fall into a dead zone where 1x 800 voice isn't available and be connected to b41.

[clbowens]

Your profile on this site indicates you live in Cleveland.  But you are asking about 17265 (Upper Strasburg, Pa.)   If you look at the Sprint maps and enter 17265, it shows some area that is not covered by voice.  That is probably correct especially if you are at the area the pin drops on for 17265.  That is a very very hard area to cover.  The maps do show some data coverage there, but it does not show 3G coverage.  This tells me that there is absolutely no Sprint coverage there.  This is all surprising as Verizon or maybe AT&T is probably the only other carriers that I would suspect as a LTE provider in the area.  I doubt is Sprint is LTE data roaming on either one of those.   I really doubt that the data coverage showing in that area is actually there.  Have you actually had the coverage or are you only looking at the maps??    If you are in the area, show us an engineering screen or a Signal Check screenshot.

Some of the 17265 zip code does have service, but not likely when the pin drops on the map.     The spot of the pin drop is not really where the Upper Strasburg community is actually located.

I think the LTE maps are probably wrong.

No, I am not in that area.  I was just asking the question.

[Paynefanbro]

One could fall into a dead zone where 1x 800 voice isn't available and be connected to b41.

 

But PCS Voice still travels farther than Band 41 does. AFAIK there are no Band 41 only towers unless they were ex-Clearwire towers. And those sites that weren't in Sprint native coverage but are ex-Clearwire were License Protection Sites where most if not all haven't received Band 41 upgrades yet so you'd still have no voice or data coverage.

 

Encountering this phenomenon seemed more likely in the WiMax days than now.

[red_dog007]

Coverage map for LTE clearly is overstating.  This is why you don't trust maps.  Sprint map used to do this in my area like a year or so ago.  Even with B41 coverage seemed to be just square blocks placed on the coverage map.  They have gotten it cleaned up and was nothing like it was before (lots of reduced LTE coverage on the map, that in reality was never there)

 

It is good for Sprint too.  The coverage appearance drops heavily but increases the honesty of the maps.

[Deval]

One could fall into a dead zone where 1x 800 voice isn't available and be connected to b41.

 

I would argue that the actual occurrence of that is almost nonexistent since the network is tuned a certain way for eCSFB.

[RAvirani]

But PCS Voice still travels farther than Band 41 does. AFAIK there are no Band 41 only towers unless they were ex-Clearwire towers. And those sites that weren't in Sprint native coverage but are ex-Clearwire were License Protection Sites where most if not all haven't received Band 41 upgrades yet so you'd still have no voice or data coverage.

 

Encountering this phenomenon seemed more likely in the WiMax days than now.

I would argue that the actual occurrence of that is almost nonexistent since the network is tuned a certain way for eCSFB.

Here is an example of that occurrence - my house. -102 to -118 B41 from a Clearwire conversion but no 3G or 1x at all. Texts send over LTE and data works great but incoming calls go straight to voicemail and outgoing calls fail.

[clbowens]

Here is an example of that occurrence - my house. -102 to -118 B41 from a Clearwire conversion but no 3G or 1x at all. Texts send over LTE and data works great but incoming calls go straight to voicemail and outgoing calls fail.

 

Ok, so this is possible and this is what happens.  Thanks.  That's all I wanted to know.

[Paynefanbro]

Here is an example of that occurrence - my house. -102 to -118 B41 from a Clearwire conversion but no 3G or 1x at all. Texts send over LTE and data works great but incoming calls go straight to voicemail and outgoing calls fail.

 

So when you put your phone in CDMA only mode you have no signal?

[RAvirani]

So when you put your phone in CDMA only mode you have no signal?

Yea pretty much - usually it goes to no service when I disable LTE. Sometimes I get a bar on Sprint or Verizon 1x if I'm lucky but it's so weak that there's no chance I'd be able to make a call.

[Paynefanbro]

Yea pretty much - usually it goes to no service when I disable LTE. Sometimes I get a bar on Sprint or Verizon 1x if I'm lucky but it's so weak that there's no chance I'd be able to make a call.

 

I've never seen or heard of that happening. There's a first time for everything.

[RAvirani]

I've never seen or heard of that happening. There's a first time for everything.

Yea my home is pretty much a dead spot for everyone. ATT is the only other working carrier but they aren't ahead of "No Service" by much (-114 to -118 B17 LTE that usually doesn't work). The Clearwire tower is on one of those big power lines and is <1/4 mile from me. All of the other carriers have towers within 3/4 mile or so of my house but there are so many trees that all signal is destroyed.

[Paynefanbro]

Yea my home is pretty much a dead spot for everyone. ATT is the only other working carrier but they aren't ahead of "No Service" by much (-114 to -118 B17 LTE that usually doesn't work). The Clearwire tower is on one of those big power lines and is <1/4 mile from me. All of the other carriers have towers within 3/4 mile or so of my house but there are so many trees that all signal is destroyed.

 

Oh so it is one of those edge cases I mentioned where it's an ex-Clearwire tower that was upgraded to provide Band 41 coverage but is in a "non-native" area. That makes sense to me. But that does suck.

[Deval]

Here is an example of that occurrence - my house. -102 to -118 B41 from a Clearwire conversion but no 3G or 1x at all. Texts send over LTE and data works great but incoming calls go straight to voicemail and outgoing calls fail.

 

That's actually a huge problem and needs to be addressed. I have a feeling your B41 will go away.

[RAvirani]

That's actually a huge problem and needs to be addressed. I have a feeling your B41 will go away.

It's not a big problem. Some service is better than no service. It's been live for a long time now and I'm sure if they wanted to remove it they would have a while ago.

[clbowens]

It's not a big problem. Some service is better than no service. It's been live for a long time now and I'm sure if they wanted to remove it they would have a while ago.

 

To me thought, it's a bad user experience.  Having your users able to have a data connection, but can't make/receive calls.

[Deval]

It's not a big problem. Some service is better than no service. It's been live for a long time now and I'm sure if they wanted to remove it they would have a while ago.

 

Actually it is because Sprint would be on the hook for failed 911 calling if eCSFB isn't working properly.