Network Vision/LTE - Shentel Market (Shenandoah Valley/Hagerstown/Harrisburg)

[A2CKilla]

I hope shentel gets the go ahead, because look what I found in the lancaster area

 

[Galaxyguy]

I hope shentel gets the go ahead, because look what I found in the lancaster area

 

Gets the "go ahead" for what? B41?

 

Sent from my Note 4.

[A2CKilla]

Gets the "go ahead" for what? B41?

 

Sent from my Note 4.

I thought they were waiting to get approval to start turning it on or something like that, unless I was just confused, because I remember someone talking about them having the back-haul already in place.

[Galaxyguy]

To my knowledge, they will begin installing the B41 antennas this year. Nobody on here has seen any yet though. Also, Lancaster is in the Philly market. York is Shentel. If I recall, I believe the dividing line is the Susquehanna River.

 

Sent from my Note 4.

[A2CKilla]

To my knowledge, they will begin installing the B41 antennas this year. Nobody on here has seen any yet though. Also, Lancaster is in the Philly market. York is Shentel. If I recall, I believe the dividing line is the Susquehanna River.

 

Sent from my Note 4.

Yep that's true, once I pass the river, I hit b26 instantly for shentel market, I was just surprised to see b41 out here in lancaster, now obviously since I'm not a paying person on the forums, I'm not allowed to know the details, but I can do my own testing since I know where the towers are. But that's great news, I hope the rest of pa gets covered in b41, but I just hope it's optimized because it really got bad in baltimore or at least since the last time I went there

[DCC233]

Yep that's true, once I pass the river, I hit b26 instantly for shentel market, I was just surprised to see b41 out here in lancaster, now obviously since I'm not a paying person on the forums, I'm not allowed to know the details, but I can do my own testing since I know where the towers are. But that's great news, I hope the rest of pa gets covered in b41, but I just hope it's optimized because it really got bad in baltimore or at least since the last time I went there

 Just for clarification, Shentel does extend east on the other side of the Susquehanna river but that is only up towards the Harrisburg area and not as far south as Columbia, PA.  Shentel's earning's call is this week so maybe you will find out more about their B41 deployment and maybe if they have already started deploying towers.

[Galaxyguy]

Just for clarification, Shentel does extend east on the other side of the Susquehanna river but that is only up towards the Harrisburg area and not as far south as Columbia, PA. Shentel's earning's call is this week so maybe you will find out more about their B41 deployment and maybe if they have already started deploying towers.

I was referring to the area around York and Lancaster when I mentioned the river. Thanks for the clarification though. Shentel's towers go to the beginning of I-78 in the greater Harrisburg area.

 

Sent from my Note 4.

[leozno1]

To my knowledge, they will begin installing the B41 antennas this year. Nobody on here has seen any yet though. Also, Lancaster is in the Philly market. York is Shentel. If I recall, I believe the dividing line is the Susquehanna River.

 

Sent from my Note 4.

 

Lancaster is actually part of the Central PA market, not Philly Market. 

[A2CKilla]

:D :D :D :D :D :D

 

[Galaxyguy]

Lancaster is actually part of the Central PA market, not Philly Market.

I always forget about that sliver of Central PA in the Lancaster area.

 

Sent from my Note 4.

[leozno1]

:D :D :D :D :D :D

 

 

That's awesome A2CKilla! Where did you pick that up? Is that also in Lancaster?

[A2CKilla]

That's awesome A2CKilla! Where did you pick that up? Is that also in Lancaster?

Yea, it's the area I had I hard time connecting to again when I first spotted it, the whole hacc Lancaster campus is covered with b41 but then it drops as soon as you get a little bit away, which makes me feel like this is a small cell tower, I also work nearby the area so I usually keep testing as well, they've gotten b26 to shentel levels out here rarely do I drop to 3g outside of a small spot

[A2CKilla]

Now things are even better, I know what tower is giving off the b41 signal and it's right behind my school!!! Now I actually enjoying coming here, lol

 

[DCC233]

News from the earnings call (I'll update as the call goes on and from the Q&A):

 

Network Statistics

·         538 Cell Sites

·         94% have a second LTE carrier at 800 MHz

·         120 sites have three carriers, including a second carrier at 1900 MHz

 

Traffic

·         77% of data traffic is on LTE, with 40% on 800 MHz

·         Data usage grew more than 2x in 2014

·         LTE traffic grew more than 3x in 2014

·         Average speeds of approximately 6 Mbps

·         Average customer uses over 3GB per month

 

Cross band load balancing is preventing some deployment of LTE and voice functionality.

[DCC233]

The Q&A section was extremely dissapointing, as the one analyst who really knows wireless networks did not join the call so the Q&A was not very insightful.  Here are the last few points of interest from the call:

 

• Most customers aren’t taking the “Cut your rate plan in half” but taking other plans.
• They are aware of customers wanting stronger LTE signal and service once they leave the Shentel footprint.  Cited the Rootmetrics results from Harrisburg showing strong network results and then poor results for other non-Shentel areas that are adjacent.

 

*** I think it would be awesome if we could get together a list of questions for next quarter's earnings call and join the Q&A portion, as Shentel is a "small" company and I don't think we would get shut out.  At a minimum they have been very receptive, in the past, to questions submitted outside of the earnings call.  ***  

 

I'm sure the more network savy members and visitors could contribute some insightful questions that I/(we) could submit.

 

Any takers?

[chamb]

·         120 sites have three carriers, including a second carrier at 1900 MHz

 

Cross band load balancing is preventing some deployment of LTE and voice functionality.

Shentel surely did the right thing when adding the second 1900 LTE carrier at some of their sites.  It was needed. It is totally amazing at how the public will use the capacity if it is there.  You can even see the usage climbing and speeds slowing slightly on the sites with the second 1900 carrier.  B-41 will be arriving just in time. 

 

We need some explanation of the issue with load balancing preventing some deployment.  The only thing I see is that my Galaxy S-5's are not hanging onto band 26 as tightly as they did a month ago.  They seem to transfer to band 25 more easily than they once did.  Maybe the band 26 is getting more congested and the extra band 25 carrier at some spots looks better to any load balancing software.

[S4GRU]

 

 

*** I think it would be awesome if we could get together a list of questions for next quarter's earnings call and join the Q&A portion, as Shentel is a "small" company and I don't think we would get shut out. At a minimum they have been very receptive, in the past, to questions submitted outside of the earnings call. ***

 

I'm sure the more network savy members and visitors could contribute some insightful questions that I/(we) could submit.

 

Any takers?

Excellent idea. I'm on board.

 

I was disappointed there was no talk of B41. It should be imminent for Shentel now. It illustrates how important having the right question askers there is critical.

 

Thanks for your write up.

[A2CKilla]

Just finished talking to a sprint rep that came into my store, he showed me the tower statistics, estimated completion time, what towers had b41 running, everything, man I wish I had the app he had, we have to get our hands on it, lol

[DCC233]

I

 

 

Excellent idea. I'm on board.

I was disappointed there was no talk of B41. It should be imminent for Shentel now. It illustrates how important having the right question askers there is critical.

Thanks for your write up.

It's disappointing when the analysts from FBR Capital Markets don't join the call because they are the only ones it seems that understand the technology deployment and strategy side to Shentel's operations and ask the "good" questions.  I feel like they would have pressed hard about B41 deployment status and plans, but neither one of the two (noted below) joined.  

 

I would be glad to coordinate a separate Q&A submission or chiming in on the next earning's call.  I just need the questions in advance and will try and consolidate them into something that Shentel might be interested in responding to.  I would say post your question out in the forum so we know what people are thinking and I can work on keeping a master listing.

 

David Dixon - FBR Capital Markets

Neil Macker - FBR Capital Markets

[S4GRU]

I

 

 

It's disappointing when the analysts from FBR Capital Markets don't join the call because they are the only ones it seems that understand the technology deployment and strategy side to Shentel's operations and ask the "good" questions.  I feel like they would have pressed hard about B41 deployment status and plans, but neither one of the two (noted below) joined.  

 

I would be glad to coordinate a separate Q&A submission or chiming in on the next earning's call.  I just need the questions in advance and will try and consolidate them into something that Shentel might be interested in responding to.  I would say post your question out in the forum so we know what people are thinking and I can work on keeping a master listing.

 

David Dixon - FBR Capital Markets

Neil Macker - FBR Capital Markets

 

I would suggest creating a new thread in the Sponsor section specifically for this and start culling Shentel related questions.  I appreciate your interest in putting this together.  Awesome.

[DCC233]

A new thread has been created in the Sponsor section.  Please feel free to contribute, review submitted questions, and throw out ideas to make a really great listing over the next couple of weeks.  Spread the word to other members.

[A2CKilla]

A new thread has been created in the Sponsor section.  Please feel free to contribute, review submitted questions, and throw out ideas to make a really great listing over the next couple of weeks.  Spread the word to other members.

well that's saddening

[Galaxyguy]

Shentel surely did the right thing when adding the second 1900 LTE carrier at some of their sites.  It was needed. It is totally amazing at how the public will use the capacity if it is there.  You can even see the usage climbing and speeds slowing slightly on the sites with the second 1900 carrier.  B-41 will be arriving just in time. 

 

We need some explanation of the issue with load balancing preventing some deployment.  The only thing I see is that my Galaxy S-5's are not hanging onto band 26 as tightly as they did a month ago.  They seem to transfer to band 25 more easily than they once did.  Maybe the band 26 is getting more congested and the extra band 25 carrier at some spots looks better to any load balancing software.

 

I have noticed something lately now that the towers are load balancing. The closest tower to my house had two PCS carriers live prior to B26 being lit up. Since B26 came online, I never see the second carrier anymore from that tower. I'm curious as to why I never see it anymore. 

[chamb]

I have noticed something lately now that the towers are load balancing. The closest tower to my house had two PCS carriers live prior to B26 being lit up. Since B26 came online, I never see the second carrier anymore from that tower. I'm curious as to why I never see it anymore. 

I think, and this is just my observation, the phones tend to go back where they were after any kind of restart.  Toggling Airplane mode will sometimes place you on the other carrier, but it seems to be sort of rare to see that happening.

[lilotimz]

I have noticed something lately now that the towers are load balancing. The closest tower to my house had two PCS carriers live prior to B26 being lit up. Since B26 came online, I never see the second carrier anymore from that tower. I'm curious as to why I never see it anymore. 

 

Load balancing algorithms automatically shuffle connections between lte carriers so that performance on both are within a few perctange delta. 

 

You personally not seeing it doesn't mean others aren't on it. It just means that the network parameters have decided that you are better off staying on "this" carrier other than the other one. 

 

IIRC, the algorithms also allow them to prioritise certain carriers for offloading purposes.