Why is Sprint's signal so 'dirty' compared to T/TMO?

[jakeuten]

Just a bit of insight. I live near UMD in Duluth, MN. Sprint's signal is clearly much 'dirtier' with a 1.0 SNR compared to T-Mobile's 20.4 SNR. I don't have a screenshot from the same time, but I get about a 22 to 29 SNR with T. I know that AT&T uses RRU's but I'm not too sure about Sprint or T-Mobile. Also, I didn't even know they had L2500 where I live, but I force checked it on my Samsung S7 (AT&T). 

[lilotimz]

Just a bit of insight. I live near UMD in Duluth, MN. Sprint's signal is clearly much 'dirtier' with a 1.0 SNR compared to T-Mobile's 20.4 SNR. I don't have a screenshot from the same time, but I get about a 22 to 29 SNR with T. I know that AT&T uses RRU's but I'm not too sure about Sprint or T-Mobile. Also, I didn't even know they had L2500 where I live, but I force checked it on my Samsung S7 (AT&T).

-108 rsrp vs - 92 rsrp. Thats a vast difference in reception and would explain the sinr differences.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5X

[RAvirani]

Just a bit of insight. I live near UMD in Duluth, MN. Sprint's signal is clearly much 'dirtier' with a 1.0 SNR compared to T-Mobile's 20.4 SNR. I don't have a screenshot from the same time, but I get about a 22 to 29 SNR with T. I know that AT&T uses RRU's but I'm not too sure about Sprint or T-Mobile. Also, I didn't even know they had L2500 where I live, but I force checked it on my Samsung S7 (AT&T).

Weaker signal on the sprint phone and more traffic on Sprint are probably to blame for the lower SNR.

[jakeuten]

Weaker signal on the sprint phone and more traffic on Sprint are probably to blame for the lower SNR.

Actually it's an AT&T S7 but I'm locking onto the B41 freq. Does that dBm difference make that much of a difference?

[WiWavelength]

Does that dBm difference make that much of a difference?

 

Uh, yeah.  SINR (dB) = Signal (dBm) ÷ [Noise + Interference] (dBm)

 

AJ

[jakeuten]

Uh, yeah.  SINR (dB) = Signal (dBm) ÷ [Noise + Interference] (dBm)

 

AJ

Well, I guess Sprint won't be an option for a little while. Those are coming from the same site. If the signal is that bad then I can't see myself switching from what I get now. Do you think it will improve any time soon?

[lilotimz]

Well, I guess Sprint won't be an option for a little while. Those are coming from the same site. If the signal is that bad then I can't see myself switching from what I get now. Do you think it will improve any time soon?

 

For Band 41, a -108 signal is not too bad by any means due to the TDD downlink oriented setups and the much wider 20 MHz carriers. B41 is actually quite usable til at least -115 dBM rsrp+. 

 

My parents place sits under a Clearwire site (in addition to a Sprint b25/26/41 [8t8r 2.5 does not reach this area as they're keeping the closer Clearwire site) and most devices sit with -105 to -115 range indoors and still get a healthy 10-20 mbps speeds. Going outside brings brings the RSRP to high 90s and we get 3o-40 mbps. 

 

Now if it was B25 or 26 of the 5 MHz variety then yes it'd be quite bad. 

[jakeuten]

For Band 41, a -108 signal is not too bad by any means due to the TDD downlink oriented setups and the much 20 MHz wide carriers. B41 is actually quite usable til at least -115 dBM rsrp+. 

 

My parents place sits under a Clearwire site (in addition to a Sprint b25/26/41 [8t8r 2.5 does not reach this area as they're keeping the closer Clearwire site) and most devices sit with -105 to -115 range indoors and still get a healthy 10-20 mbps speeds. Going outside brings brings the RSRP to high 90s and we get 3o-40 mbps. 

 

Now if it was B25 or 26 of the 5 MHz variety then yes it'd be quite bad. 

Agreed. Any idea what my speeds would look like? Right now I have B4+B12 for 20 MHz of DL capacity on AT&T, with results on the low end around 50 and high end around 100. I have much better SNRs and an unlimited data plan. Would you say it's worth my time to switch?

[lilotimz]

Agreed. Any idea what my speeds would look like? Right now I have B4+B12 for 20 MHz of DL capacity on AT&T, with results on the low end around 50 and high end around 100. I have much better SNRs and an unlimited data plan. Would you say it's worth my time to switch?

 

Do the 30 day drive test and make sure it works for where you go, where you reside, and where you need it the most. 

[Tengen31]

band 41 is a higher frequency than band 4. sprint needs more towers up in Duluth to support it better.  Tmobile only has 10x10 band 4 there. sprint however has all 3 of there bands. band 25 and, 26 would  get you the same signal as Tmobile.

[Tengen31]

Do the 30 day drive test and make sure it works for where you go, where you reside, and where you need it the most. 

Ive been to Duluth Band 41 needs improvements the signal was to close to -120 in alot of parts. i had no trouble keeping LTE thanks to band 25 and, 26. Sprint just needs more cell sites to increase band 41 or swap PCS spectrum to widen band 25.

[Tengen31]

Just a bit of insight. I live near UMD in Duluth, MN. Sprint's signal is clearly much 'dirtier' with a 1.0 SNR compared to T-Mobile's 20.4 SNR. I don't have a screenshot from the same time, but I get about a 22 to 29 SNR with T. I know that AT&T uses RRU's but I'm not too sure about Sprint or T-Mobile. Also, I didn't even know they had L2500 where I live, but I force checked it on my Samsung S7 (AT&T). 

with that sprint signal of -108 you could still get 40mbps with 2xca it just doesnt look like they have that in duluth.

[RAvirani]

Agreed. Any idea what my speeds would look like? Right now I have B4+B12 for 20 MHz of DL capacity on AT&T, with results on the low end around 50 and high end around 100. I have much better SNRs and an unlimited data plan. Would you say it's worth my time to switch?

I can regularly pull 70-80mbps on -102 to -105 B41 so there's my anecdotal experience if it helps. At midnight I can get up to 90mbps sometimes as well. Outside, I've pulled as high as 115mbps I think on a -94ish signal.

[jakeuten]

Ive been to Duluth Band 41 needs improvements the signal was to close to -120 in alot of parts. i had no trouble keeping LTE thanks to band 25 and, 26. Sprint just needs more cell sites to increase band 41 or swap PCS spectrum to widen band 25.

It's ridiculous and almost uncalled for given what they could be. I have never seen less than -112 in Duluth on AT&T and -116 on T-Mobile. Verizon is pretty much as bad as Sprint. Density is a HUGE factor here given the geography- more than probably most cities of a larger size. They have 1/5 the amount of towers AT&T does here. In what world, anywhere, is that acceptable? I get AT&T sort of has home field advantage, but given the huge popularity Sprint has in Minneapolis and how many tourists come from the cities you'd figure they'd step their game up. I'm hoping to see some CA eventually, and at least half of the towers AT&T has (despite being a worse spectral position).

[Tengen31]

It's ridiculous and almost uncalled for given what they could be. I have never seen less than -112 in Duluth on AT&T and -116 on T-Mobile. Verizon is pretty much as bad as Sprint. Density is a HUGE factor here given the geography- more than probably most cities of a larger size. They have 1/5 the amount of towers AT&T does here. In what world, anywhere, is that acceptable? I get AT&T sort of has home field advantage, but given the huge popularity Sprint has in Minneapolis and how many tourists come from the cities you'd figure they'd step their game up. I'm hoping to see some CA eventually, and at least half of the towers AT&T has (despite being a worse spectral position).

Like I said it's because, band 41 is s high frequency. Att many Band is band 17 which is low band. Att uses band 17,2 and, 4 which are going to have a better signal than B41. If att had band 30 there, there signal might be the same on that as Sprint is on band 41. If you were to view Sprint signal on Band 25 and,26 it would be different than B41.

 

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[Tengen31]

I also don't think Duluth is a priority Market unfortunately. It still doesn't have as much Band 41 as the Twin cites does.

 

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[mnjeepmale]

I hope they plan to increase towers in Duluth and on 35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth. Lots of 3G on Interstate 35.

[Tengen31]

Wait you were able to activate the att model on Sprint? I knew It had band 41.

[littlejth]

I hope they plan to increase towers in Duluth and on 35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth. Lots of 3G on Interstate 35.

You'd think they'd have enough towers and would just need to adjust the antennas, but I'm not sure if that's already been done and they're content with the service on I35 now.

[jakeuten]

Like I said it's because, band 41 is s high frequency. Att many Band is band 17 which is low band. Att uses band 17,2 and, 4 which are going to have a better signal than B41. If att had band 30 there, there signal might be the same on that as Sprint is on band 41. If you were to view Sprint signal on Band 25 and,26 it would be different than B41.

 

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They do use B30 here.

[jakeuten]

Wait you were able to activate the att model on Sprint? I knew It had band 41.

I took my sim card out and chose manual band selection to lock onto 41.

[Tengen31]

They do use B30 here.

Att does. Where and, does Duluth have it. They I don't know.

 

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[jakeuten]

Att does. Where and, does Duluth have it. They I don't know.

 

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They use it widepspread all over Minneapolis. PCS is also now 20x20 down that way. AT&T uses 2/4/12/29/30 in Duluth. 29 is active on a few sites, as is 30, but that will be changing. 2/4/12 are on my home cell site. Bandwidth in that order goes 5/10/10/5/10 MHz. That's 80 MHz of deployed spectrum, which is more than Verizon/T-Mobile can deploy here theoretically. Pretty crazy.

[Tengen31]

They use it widepspread all over Minneapolis. PCS is also now 20x20 down that way. AT&T uses 2/4/12/29/30 in Duluth. 29 is active on a few sites, as is 30, but that will be changing. 2/4/12 are on my home cell site. Bandwidth in that order goes 5/10/10/5/10 MHz. That's 80 MHz of deployed spectrum, which is more than Verizon/T-Mobile can deploy here theoretically. Pretty crazy.

How do you know that band 2 is 20x20?

 

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[jakeuten]

How do you know that band 2 is 20x20?

 

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I'm a magician. But no, check your PM's. :-)