Network Vision/LTE - Colorado Market (Denver/Colo Springs/Fort Collins/Pueblo/Grand Jct)

[S4GRU]

Of course it makes sense. I hope I didn't come across as somebody only wanting to complain. Dang that Merlin. Ever since he posted a date, I've turned into a kid on Christmas eve. My girlfriend is about to strangle me. I'd rather Sprint take their time to get it right. Honestly, I'm so excited about all of this because as soon as it's running I'm firing Comcast!

 

I didn't take it as a complaint at all.  I just wanted to give a little more background to complete the picture.  I really enjoyed reading your post.

 

Robert

[jthawks]

so because we have a pathetic market share here sprint thought going last would be better? I would think we should be almost a test market cause the market is small. Also maybe a way to get subscribers here by showing off the lte capabilities. this just makes it better so the network wont get bogged down. so good news in a way. basically im glad its a low market share. more bandwidth for me. I do wish that opening day for the rockies is better than years past. I can never make a call or send a message or data doesnt work. I hope this vision upgrade helps that.

[kdw9988]

This made me laugh. I enjoy your spirit. And it never hurts to speculate.

 

 

It's interesting to consider this. The big problem with your idea though is that Sprint's Band 41 LTE (Spark TD-LTE 2600) will not work on Triband smartphones without CSFB installed and running on the 3G network that the device is connected to. We write about this here:  http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-357-nexus-5-and-lg-g2-experience-temporary-sprint-lte-connectivity-issues-due-to-circuit-switched-fallback-technology/

 

So if Sprint mad rushes Band 41 LTE (Spark) to all the sites it can in Denver (of which half are already done), then it will just sit there and wait being under utilized until Network Vision upgrades appear and enable CSFB.  As dkoellerwx mentions above, Samsung had to switch gears last Fall and deploy just the 3G side first because of the CSFB problem.

 

And here is the dirty little secret.  Sprint only has a paltry 14 share in Denver.  Only one Top 15 market has less subscribers...San Francisco.  With Network Vision, some places had to be first.  And some places have to be last.  It makes sense for Sprint to do Denver last.  But since Sprint only has 14% of the market (and likely even less now) you can all take solace that a Sprint Triband network when built out will likely be the least burdened of all Top 15 markets.

 

Robert

So are the CSFB (I still have no idea what that means, no need to explain though) upgrades going along with the LTE? Will Tri-band phones be able to use the 2.5 band while still being able to receive calls as soon as the LTE rollout is complete or will we be waiting for the CSFB? Thanks

[Dkoellerwx]

So are the CSFB (I still have no idea what that means, no need to explain though) upgrades going along with the LTE? Will Tri-band phones be able to use the 2.5 band while still being able to receive calls as soon as the LTE rollout is complete or will we be waiting for the CSFB? Thanks

 

As soon as 3G upgrades go live, CSFB (Circuit Switched Fallback) will as well, meaning you can start using Band 41 anywhere you get a NV 3G signal and Band 41. 

 

CSFB: MORE INFO

[S4GRU]

so because we have a pathetic market share here sprint thought going last would be better? I would think we should be almost a test market cause the market is small. Also maybe a way to get subscribers here by showing off the lte capabilities. this just makes it better so the network wont get bogged down. so good news in a way. basically im glad its a low market share. more bandwidth for me. I do wish that opening day for the rockies is better than years past. I can never make a call or send a message or data doesnt work. I hope this vision upgrade helps that.

Somewhere has to be last.

 

Robert via Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[jthawks]

Somewhere has to be last.

 

Robert via Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

that is true. Im cool with it and cool with the low market share. they will all come back

[WiWavelength]

Somewhere has to be last.

 

For some perspective, Sprint users need to keep in mind that AT&T continues to announce new LTE markets every few weeks, meaning that lots of places on its network are just now getting LTE and others are still waiting for LTE.  As Robert indicates, some places have to be last.  That is just luck of the draw, and it is not limited to Sprint.

 

AJ

[jthawks]

As soon as 3G upgrades go live, CSFB (Circuit Switched Fallback) will as well, meaning you can start using Band 41 anywhere you get a NV 3G signal and Band 41. 

 

CSFB: MORE INFO

I have a question. SO on the new nv map i noticed a few towers by me are now 3g and i get 800 from them. This is cool. Now you say that once 3g upgrades go live csfb will also. I get the spark icon come on but its really ever work. I cant get a signal for even a speed test so im confused on this quote of yours. Or is this cause we are not live in this area for lte? Also since this spark update on my g2 i cant get a useable connection under spark and wont get any other band of lte. thanks again

[Dkoellerwx]

I have a question. SO on the new nv map i noticed a few towers by me are now 3g and i get 800 from them. This is cool. Now you say that once 3g upgrades go live csfb will also. I get the spark icon come on but its really ever work. I cant get a signal for even a speed test so im confused on this quote of yours. Or is this cause we are not live in this area for lte? Also since this spark update on my g2 i cant get a useable connection under spark and wont get any other band of lte. thanks again

 

Need a little more info.

 

If sites are listed as 3G, that generally means CSFB updates have been applied. Not always, sometimes it follows a few days later.

 

Now, when you say the Spark icon comes up, where are you? Are you near these sites that are 3G accepted? How strong is the signal? Is it coming from a site that is also 3G/CSFB upgraded? If the LTE signal is coming from a site that is not CSFB ready, you will not be able to hang onto the LTE signal. 

[CrimsonKnightDX]

so because we have a pathetic market share here sprint thought going last would be better? I would think we should be almost a test market cause the market is small. Also maybe a way to get subscribers here by showing off the lte capabilities. this just makes it better so the network wont get bogged down. so good news in a way. basically im glad its a low market share. more bandwidth for me. I do wish that opening day for the rockies is better than years past. I can never make a call or send a message or data doesnt work. I hope this vision upgrade helps that.

 

 

True. I can see that. When I head up to a Rockies game, I can't use any data, or send any picture messages. iMessages struggle to send, and sometimes fail, and fall back to SMS.  I seem to be able to make a phone call okay though. 

[jthawks]

The tower on 160th between I25 and Huron. This tower I get 800 and the spark icon comes on but no bars a and not enough to even try a speed test. There are other towers close to my house on 104th and federal that I get the spark icon but not enough strength to do anything. These towers by my house are not 3g accepted yet so this is how I'm confused. The 3g tower I listed in the beginning does the same that are not 3g accepted except no 800. How do you know if it's csfb accepted besides holding onto a signal? Oh the signal has been no bars. Signal check will tell me I'm connected but it's like 100+ dBm and then it's gone. Thanks again for the info

[jthawks]

So can any one tell me if the vision upgrades will help with opening day?

[WiWavelength]

True. I can see that. When I head up to a Rockies game, I can't use any data, or send any picture messages. iMessages struggle to send, and sometimes fail, and fall back to SMS.  I seem to be able to make a phone call okay though. 

 

You should ask the Rockies what they are doing about enterprise grade Wi-Fi at Coors Field.  The NFL is mandating its venues meet certain Wi-Fi availability and capacity standards.  MLB should do likewise.

 

AJ

[CrimsonKnightDX]

You should ask the Rockies what they are doing about enterprise grade Wi-Fi at Coors Field.  The NFL is mandating its venues meet certain Wi-Fi availability and capacity standards.  MLB should do likewise.

 

AJ

 

I agree. The only news I heard coming out of the MLB, even close is iBeacons. I would like see WiFi agreements go in place, but like the NFL, could be a carrier exclusive deal, which I doubt Sprint would snatch up... especially at Coors, in a market like colorado with only 14%.

[AcctDeleted_Merlin]

MLB is the unholy mix of large congregations and boredom... this does not fair well for any network based data.

[WiWavelength]

I agree. The only news I heard coming out of the MLB, even close is iBeacons. I would like see WiFi agreements go in place, but like the NFL, could be a carrier exclusive deal, which I doubt Sprint would snatch up... especially at Coors, in a market like colorado with only 14%.

 

To my knowledge, NFL mandated Wi-Fi cannot be wireless provider specific.  It must be accessible to all.  And that is the smart move for all major league sports venues.  Otherwise, bad connectivity at games will start to hurt paid attendance, much the same way that HDTV has become a greater and greater excuse for people to not go to the game and just watch at home.

 

AJ

[aaronjknox]

So you're getting no Band 41 after ZVA/Spark update? If so, that really bites! and I'll pass on the update until NV is solid in south metro.

....... Also since this spark update on my g2 i cant get a useable connection under spark and wont get any other band of lte. thanks again

[WiWavelength]

MLB is the unholy mix of large congregations and boredom... this does not fair well for any network based data.

 

Yes, baseball is such a methodically paced game with so much smartphone tempting downtime that -- even with MLB venues generally half the size of NFL venues -- a typical baseball crowd may burden the cellular data network more so than a typical football crowd.

 

AJ

[CrimsonKnightDX]

To my knowledge, NFL mandated Wi-Fi cannot be wireless provider specific.  It must be accessible to all.  And that is the smart move for all major league sports venues.  Otherwise, bad connectivity at games will start to hurt paid attendance, much the same way that HDTV has become a greater and greater excuse for people to not go to the game and just watch at home.

 

AJ

 

 

hercules rockefeller said on post # 1573

 

"I'd kill for LTE or even 1900 EVDO at Mile High next year... I'm pretty much always roaming in the south stands, and I have to toggle into airplane mode between exchaning texts with my freinds if I'm going to last through the whole game.

 

And to make it worse, Verizon (my sworn enemy since back in the Nextel days) has a wifi network throughout the stadium which you can only access if you're a VZ customer. I'm guessing Sprint can't install anything onsite becuase Verizon's the Broncos' wireless sponsor and there's probably some sort of exclusivity deal incorporated into that."

 

 

This is why I was wondering the WiFi would play in effect to MLB Stadiums if Mile High was already using a Wifi System exclusive to VZ customers? 

[CrimsonKnightDX]

Yes, baseball is such a methodically paced game with so much smartphone tempting downtime that -- even with MLB venues generally half the size of NFL venues -- a typical baseball crowd may burden the cellular data network more so than a typical football crowd.

 

AJ

 

Also keep in mind, 81 games at a venue throughout the summer too, while its not 72,000 every time, its not just 8 games a season. 

[CrimsonKnightDX]

MLB is the unholy mix of large congregations and boredom... this does not fair well for any network based data.

 

 

Boredom?

 

I guess I would be the only one who wasn't.  Now, I do enjoy taking a few snap shots of the game, and sending to some friends and FB/Twitter, but I would have done the same thing at a NFL game... if  I could afford to go to one... Hence.. the HDTV gets me the best seat in the house.. and the beer.. is pretty cheap too! 

[Dkoellerwx]

The tower on 160th between I25 and Huron. This tower I get 800 and the spark icon comes on but no bars a and not enough to even try a speed test. There are other towers close to my house on 104th and federal that I get the spark icon but not enough strength to do anything. These towers by my house are not 3g accepted yet so this is how I'm confused. The 3g tower I listed in the beginning does the same that are not 3g accepted except no 800. How do you know if it's csfb accepted besides holding onto a signal? Oh the signal has been no bars. Signal check will tell me I'm connected but it's like 100+ dBm and then it's gone. Thanks again for the info

 

Ok, are you sure it's the LTE Spark icon?

 

None of the sites near that location have LTE accepted. So if you are picking up LTE, it's from a site that likely isn't CSFB ready.

 

What band of LTE are you getting? I need to see some engineering screens or Signal Check Pro screenshots before we can really figure out what's going on. It sounds like you just have a very, very weak signal, which is why it would be unusable. 

[WiWavelength]

This is why I was wondering the WiFi would play in effect to MLB Stadiums if Mile High was already using a Wifi System exclusive to VZ customers?

 

Well, he may be commenting on seasons past, he may not have done a new Wi-Fi SSID scan, or the Broncos may simply have failed to meet the NFL mandate yet.

 

AJ

[S4GRU]

A Triband device does not need to be connected to CSFB on the LTE site it is connected to, it just needs to be connected to CSFB on the CDMA site it is connected to.  So if you are on CDMA 800 (which all should be CSFB connected), you would be able to connect to LTE.  Even if that CDMA 800 site is 20 miles away.  It's true of CDMA 1900 too.  However there is still a lot of legacy CDMA 1900 out there, but we know that all CDMA 800 is CSFB capable.

 

Robert

[WiWavelength]

Also keep in mind, 81 games at a venue throughout the summer too, while its not 72,000 every time, its not just 8 games a season. 

 

The data usage per game that clogs the network is the issue, not the total data usage across the entire season.  So, baseball and football are really no different in that regard.

 

AJ