S4GRU

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

Being an Ericsson market with Nortel legacy, it probably is working to some extent on legacy sites. Robert

This sums up my feelings pretty well too. Robert

It's already half done. I'm surprised it hasn't already been announced. Robert

Just so you know, we have lots of Sprint corporate store employees, and Sprint corporate store managers who are S4GRU members. as well as many fine and not so fine third party Sprint retailers. Robert

I just did a quick look of the complete LTE sites in St. Louis and I can unequivocally say that the uncompleted sites are spread out enough that every single live LTE site is serving too many customers. Especially considering Sprint has a 25 share in St. Louis. One of its largest markets for Sprint in the country. Second among Top 25 markets, and may even be number one now since Sprint has picked up some USCC subscribers there. Only AT&T has more customers there. One incomplete site, surrounded by a whole bunch of complete ones even causes a lot of burden. And most of St. Louis has a group of two or three uncomplete sites surrounded by complete ones. So the traffic from the uncomplete sites gets passed on to the ones around, putting them over capacity. And when the site that is complete goes over capacity, it starts sending traffic to other adjacent sites that are on the other side that are complete, and they get near or over capacity too. So every time a site is completed, it not only starts relieving the site adjacent, but the sites two away start to get relief. In a really quick take off, I counted ~100 sites complete in St. Louis & the Missouri suburbs. I counted ~75 remaining to receive LTE. So if a 5MHz channel for 175 sites provided 100% of the LTE capacity needed, you can see how dividing that among only 100 sites would cause a significant problem. If St. Louis was this far along only 12 months into Network Vision, it would be doing fine. But with the LTE device adoption rate that Sprint has in general now, with one 5MHz channel across a market that is only 57% deployed and has such a large Sprint market share, the current network condition is to be expected. Fortunately in St. Louis, Sprint can deploy another Band 25 carrier to immediately double capacity to all LTE customers. And they can also add Band 26, tripling LTE capacity for Triband device customers. And even better still they can add several Band 41 carriers increasing LTE capacity exponentially still. So it may be darkest before the dawn, but it will just get better and better after the worst. Which is probably between now and 80% LTE completion. After 80%, you probably will feel every site that goes live. Robert

I'm guessing they will wait until deployment is much farther along to see if build out solves the problems. Because a second carrier will not be needed at every site. Just the ones that one is not enough. I'm guessing they will wait farther along in deployment. Chicago is essentially built out, so the second carrier is definitely needed. Robert

ROFLMAO!! Robert via Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

If it's true, it will go through the FCC OET any day soon and there will be an S4GRU article on the wall almost immediately. Like the Triband S4. It would be great if it happens but I wouldn't hold my breath. We had rumors from credible sources for six months about a Triband S4. We haven't heard from any sources about a new Triband GN3. It may come to pass, but I'm not counting on it. And if it was already known at the corporate store level, we would know it. Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

Excellent suggestion. I have no problem paying for something useful. Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

The biggest factor why the 5MHz channel is full in St. Louis is that there are so many sites left to finish. Every site that gets added increases capacity significantly. Also, as Triband device adoption grows, it will remove a lot of pressure from Band 25 in the areas where Band 41 is live. Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

It still shows in Sprint's Glance system 90 or 180 days for CDMA 800/1900 and LTE 800/1900 for each site. In some markets, they even break down CDMA 1900 by voice and data separately. But I have not seen any dates yet other than 'within 3 months' or 'within 6 months.' Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

I would expect data abusers to say such things. I'm closing this thread. You just want to take as much as you can and want the rest of us to finance you. You are parasites. You need to pay for what you use. I'm just sick of hearing the crying because the one sided deal you get ends next year. Of course you don't want it to end. The parasite wants the host to go on forever. Eventually you kill the host. And Clearwire is dead. Now you want to move on to kill LTE next. That's what parasites do. You would go leach off AT&T or Verizon if they'd let you. But they won't. So you're just hoping Sprint is desperate enough to let you. Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

I assume you're on the G2. Have you received the Spark update, yet? Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

I know you didn't. I'd prefer to use bytes, myself. But since the world has accepted the industry's push to use bits, we would be the only one using bytes. It pains me that my 100Mbps home internet is really just moving a file at 12.5 megabytes every second. If people really knew that their internet is moving about 1/8 the speed they think it is, they may demand more from their ISP's/wireless providers. Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

You can use Bytes over Bits for your personal use. But please don't post screen shots here in Bytes. It confuses people, because everyone else posts in bits. And it gives the impression that Sprint's speeds are slow, when in reality 23Mbps is a very good result on a 5MHz carrier. And I can tell you everyone who has ever posted here a screen shot from another provider did so using bits. Thanks. Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

I have a feeling the 'Omaha, Omaha' address you gave me is not valid. I have been told that Omaha is in Nebraska, not Omaha. Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

I don't think they NEED more low frequency spectrum. LTE 800 is to be used only when you can't get any Band 25 or Band 41 signal. So a 5MHz channel should be able to serve those people fine. Even 3MHz should be enough for those hard to reach places. 90% of Sprint customers should be covered by Band 25 or 41 at build out. Sprint just needs to be aggressive to keep people off Band 26 when its capacity reaches 50%. Above 50%, no one should be allowed on a Band 26 channel that has a usable Band 25 or 41 channel within 'sight' of the device. Don't get me wrong. More low frequency spectrum would be fabulous. Especially in the southeast. Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

This a good post, but it is off topic. The subject is AT&T's illusion of LTE performance dominance. AT&T is no longer the fastest, Tmo and VZW are the fastest, and since AT&T is doomed from ever getting faster because they have no ability to deploy 20MHz carriers and cannot even add 10MHz carriers. Not TDD or FDD. And of course, you know that I'm well aware of the difference between TDD and FDD. So I'm left wondering why you're bleeding all over my post? Does my point still not stand to even the scrutiny you have provided? AT&T has no options for 20MHz LTE channels of any flavor and will not be able to compete with Tmo, Verizon or even Sprint in performance as they build out their 15 & 20MHz networks. The best AT&T can do is add 3 & 5MHz LTE carriers to add enough capacity to keep their LTE network from degrading completely. But the peak speed on AT&T's 10MHz carrier will not be anywhere near as high as it used to be. People will be happy to see peak speeds 20-25Mbps on AT&T in 2014-2015. Most will see 5-12Mbps. But fortunately for AT&T, they have enough options to keep speeds between 5-12Mbps. Which is enough to keep 80% of their customers satisfied. They just will not be able to claim to be the fastest LTE anymore. And they can't claim the largest LTE network. It's going to be painful for them to become the slowest LTE network. But I have to admit I'm looking forward to it. Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

Yes, LTE and better 3G will likely arrive about the same time. WiMax Protection Sites do have to have their Huawei equipment removed per the federal approval of Sprint buying Clearwire. What is not known is if Band 41 LTE will be added at that time or not. We believe so, but it is not confirmed at this time. Robert via Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Lake George

Network Vision equipment upgrades are 100% complete. If a site does not have LTE live, then it is still awaiting backhaul. 3G will not improve until the new backhaul arrives. Then both the 3G and LTE will be fired up at the same time. This will happen one site at a time as new backhaul arrives. In the town so nice, they named it twice...I believe CenturyLink is the backhaul vendor. Hopefully they will get fired soon and someone else can quickly complete the work. CL has been an utter failure for Sprint. Robert

I probably should have just let you answer. You are the guru on Sacramento permits after all. And what I do know, I've caught reading what you've written. Robert

It appears that recently the Contractor that was supposed to do the upgrades inside the City of Sacramento was fired and did not pick up their permits. Their permits have expired before being picked up. I'm sure that there is another Contractor now hired, but it is not known when they will get permitted and started on work. It seems like in the best case scenario, it would be another 30-45 days before they can even begin work. Work seems to be progressing still outside the City of Sacramento. This would include Band 25/26 deployment on Sprint Network Vision/CDMA sites. As for Band 41, that is a separate deployment. That is installing Band 41 (TDD-LTE on 2600MHz) on old Clearwire WiMax sites. That work is being handled by a different Contractor and that work is still going on. Quite a few are already live. Unfortuantely, Sprint TriBand phones that are capable of using Band 41 LTE need to have CSFB deployed. Which in a Samsung market, CSFB is only available on a Network Vision 3G upgraded site. Band 41 LTE can only be used without CSFB on a Triband hotspot or on a Triband smartphone in LTE only mode. Robert

By Golly!