LTE Network Buildout - A Comparison between carriers

[irev210]

I hope that 37,000 tower modernization includes more 3G... The press release on this mentioned, in the end, that Tmobile launched HSPA+42 in Hattiesburg, MS (my location). True? Yep. There are either 1 or 2 towers on the west side of town that have been upgraded. The truth? They deployed it to "midtown hattiesburg. I live in the "Avenues", the most popular historic area in town and adjacent to downtown. The upgrade is completely absent in downtown hattiesburg and most of hattiesburg proper. The fall from this to 2G is also pretty stark once you're 5 miles out of town. Tmobile has taken this approach in all MS cities where its deployed HSPA+.... Just upgrade a tower or two (3 in our capitol, Jackson) and add it to the coverage list.

 

While Sprint's native network is by no means the best here, its all 3G in the areas I frequent and 3G roaming is enabled in most places.

 

I wonder..... is the 4 billion pricetag of tmobile's modernization accurate?

 

The 4 billion pricetag is probably pretty accurate. T-Mobile already has ethernet to something like over 80% of their towers.

 

Sprint's 38k towers are getting new backhaul, new basestations, new RRU's, new antennas.

 

The T-Mobile deal just covers LTE @ 37,000 sites. I am guessing that the remaining sites that do not have upgraded backhaul will get it.

[jefbal99]

T-Mobile's existing HSPA+ network is great, they would be better off converting their Edge/GSM markets and expanding their coverage instead of converting to LTE. They have a lot of unused spectrum around the country unused, just like the other cell companies. Maybe LTE is a marketing buzz word, even better than using a 'g' in 4g adverts.

 

Besides the buzz of LTE, why would TMobile invest 4 billion into an LTE conversion? HSPA+42 and 84 perform great and as noted outperform LTE in many cases.

 

Is there something in LTE that makes it that much better than continuing to upgrade HSPA?

[S4GRU]

 

Besides the buzz of LTE' date=' why would TMobile invest 4 billion into an LTE conversion? HSPA+42 and 84 perform great and as noted outperform LTE in many cases.

 

Is there something in LTE that makes it that much better than continuing to upgrade HSPA?[/quote']

 

All things being equal in the way its deployed, HSPA+ does not out perform LTE. I guess you could argue maybe on the device side there are better performance attributes like battery life and device availability.

 

Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

[bigsnake49]

All things being equal in the way its deployed, HSPA+ does not out perform LTE. I guess you could argue maybe on the device side there are better performance attributes like battery life and device availability.

 

Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

 

It definitely has advantages on the basestation side where you can deploy up to 8x8MIMO. Not so clear on the device side, where if you can squeeze 2x2 MIMO you're in business. Maybe on the tablet or laptop side, but I don't see anything more than 2x2 on an iPhone sized handset, do you?

[S4GRU]

 

It definitely has advantages on the basestation side where you can deploy up to 8x8MIMO. Not so clear on the device side' date=' where if you can squeeze 2x2 MIMO you're in business. Maybe on the tablet or laptop side, but I don't see anything more than 2x2 on an iPhone sized handset, do you?[/quote']

 

Agreed. Small and medium sized smartphones are disadvantaged with MIMO larger than 2x2. Even 2x2 is tough in those little guys with an ever expanding frequency set.

 

I'm looking forward to a larger iPhone being released. All of a sudden these iPhoniacs who loved small phones will miraculously love larger devices. Its going to be funny.

 

Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

[bigsnake49]

Agreed. Small and medium sized smartphones are disadvantaged with MIMO larger than 2x2. Even 2x2 is tough in those little guys with an ever expanding frequency set.

 

I'm looking forward to a larger iPhone being released. All of a sudden these iPhoniacs who loved small phones will miraculously love larger devices. Its going to be funny.

 

Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

 

The other thing that needs to be considered is that MIMO is most effective in urban environments rife with multipaths. Not much good on a flat, suburban state like Florida. I have seen some good work on innovative antenna designs that are dynamically tunable to different frequencies. Also tree-shaped antennas where each branch+part of the trunk is tuned for a different frequency.

Edited May 9, 2012 by bigsnake49

[Deval]

I hope that 37,000 tower modernization includes more 3G... The press release on this mentioned, in the end, that Tmobile launched HSPA+42 in Hattiesburg, MS (my location). True? Yep. There are either 1 or 2 towers on the west side of town that have been upgraded. The truth? They deployed it to "midtown hattiesburg. I live in the "Avenues", the most popular historic area in town and adjacent to downtown. The upgrade is completely absent in downtown hattiesburg and most of hattiesburg proper. The fall from this to 2G is also pretty stark once you're 5 miles out of town. Tmobile has taken this approach in all MS cities where its deployed HSPA+.... Just upgrade a tower or two (3 in our capitol, Jackson) and add it to the coverage list.

 

While Sprint's native network is by no means the best here, its all 3G in the areas I frequent and 3G roaming is enabled in most places.

 

I wonder..... is the 4 billion pricetag of tmobile's modernization accurate?

 

I had to snicker when I heard the comment made that T-Mobile would be the first to deploy multi-mode components.

 

But that being said, 4 billion sounds about right if you're reusing some equipment and not deploying backhaul.

[S4GRU]

I had to snicker when I heard the comment made that T-Mobile would be the first to deploy multi-mode components.

 

But that being said, 4 billion sounds about right if you're reusing some equipment and not deploying backhaul.

 

Multi-mode components is a stretch. However, it does appear to be true they will be the first to deploy integrated radios (combined RRU/Panel assemblies). They are quite stellar to look at the mockups from Ericsson below. Those are so hot, I would hang them in my living room!

 

Robert

 

 

Source: http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/359-integrated-radios/

[MacinJosh]

Multi-mode components is a stretch. However, it does appear to be true they will be the first to deploy integrated radios (combined RRU/Panel assemblies). They are quite stellar to look at the mockups from Ericsson below. Those are so hot, I would hang them in my living room!

 

Robert

 

 

I would love to have speakers that look like those in my living room. Awesome design.

[Deval]

Ahh, makes sense now.

 

Rob, voice of reason