S4GRU

Band 41 is TDD-LTE on 2600MHz (the EBS and BRS bands). These are the same bands that Clearwire deployed WiMax on. Sprint purchased Clearwire and is now deploying 20MHz wide TDD-LTE carriers in WiMax markets. And they will deploy it in Non WiMax markets starting next year. Band 41 used with 20MHz carriers provides a lot more capacity than LTE on 1900 or 800MHz, and provides much faster speeds. At sites with really fast backhaul, speeds can be over 60Mbps. Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

You are making an assumption though. And your assumption is incorrect. LTE is more usable than WiMax. WiMax was unusable around a threshold of -83dBm RSSI. LTE is unusable until around a threshold of -93dBm RSSI. That is a huge difference and makes TD-LTE 2600 much more usable in many more places than WiMax 2600. I saw this first hand in Denver. I had my GS2 on WiMax and my Triband hotspot on LTE 2600. In coverage areas I would keep even the most fragile LTE 2600 signals and would lose WiMax. Additionally, a very weak LTE 2600 would still run 7-20Mbps. Whereas a weak WiMax signal would be between 100kbps - 2Mbps. So the difference is significant. In those areas beyond WiMax coverage, you will still have 1 bar and likely faster speeds than LTE 1900. And even with just a fair LTE 2600 signal, I'd get between 8-35Mbps. Much faster than 1900. Also LTE 2600 hands off nicely to LTE 1900 when you do run out of 2600 coverage. But getting 40-60Mbps speeds when you have a great LTE 2600 signal is just very enjoyable. Whereas 800 and 1900 will run 15-37Mbps in only the best conditions. Selling your iPhone is not a bad option. Also getting a Triband hotspot to keep with you isn't a bad option either. But to say LTE 2600 will have coverage and performance like WiMax is a complete misstatement. Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

Or he didn't want to draw attention to the media that Sprint has multiple LTE bands, and it is missing one of them. I would have not discussed it either. Sprint needs iPhone sales to be robust. They cannot take a chance on the narrative about their new iPhones are missing something. It was a wise decision to skip that point at this time. Also, we are not wrong. Apple says they support Band 26 in the 5c and 5S. Robert

Anyone who lives in a current WiMax market will regret not buying a Band 41 device. All major WiMax markets will have usable Band 41 coverage before the end of 2013. Including SLC. If you're in a non WiMax market, then dual band won't be so bad as they won't even begin deploying Band 41 in these areas until next year. Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

You must have missed this thread: http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/4644-sprint-launching-lte-in-oklahoma-city-corpus-christi-sheboygan-wi-and-others-coming-soon/ Robert

Actually, it is worse. The Sprint Samsung GN3 is single band. I wouldn't recommend anyone buy a Sprint Note 3, unless they also got a Triband LTE hotspot to go with it. It's just crazy to buy a single band LTE device right now. To miss out on two years of two other bands is just unconscionable. Especially since one of those bands provides building penetration/distance, and the other provides much faster speeds. Robert

I stand behind mine too. When LTE 2600 is added to every Network Vision site in San Diego, most of San Diego will have it. And it will be in 100's of places you will go. And since you will transition seamlessly between 2600 and 1900, it doesn't really matter about the places where it isn't. But all the places where it is, you won't be using it until you upgrade to a Triband device. Yes, it will be even better when they start filling in between sites too with additional TD-LTE 2600 sites. That will be great. But to say you don't want any TD-LTE 2600 at all until you can get it absolutely everywhere is absurd. I have used LTE 2600 in Denver. And it only covers about 50% of the metro area at this very moment. But where you get it, you're glad you do. Because it equals or bests the averages of AT&T and VZW LTE. And even with a miserably weak LTE 2600 signal, I still would get 7-20Mbps. Robert

That's something I think we all can agree. And the Clearwire TD-LTE deployment is going way faster. For obvious reasons. It's roughly the same scope as Tmo's LTE upgrade. Overlay, baby! Robert

I don't think any serious user should consider buying the Sprint Note 3 unless they were going to get a Sprint Triband hotspot to pair it with. Network usability trumps all other phone features, including screen size. Robert

I would prefer to have the device first. That way, the very moment service is live in my area, I can use it. And that's the way Sprint does it. However, logisitically, this period is the absolute earliest that Sprint Dualband and Triband LTE devices could hit the market. So I definitely would not want them to wait to convert the Clearwire WiMax network to TD-LTE until devices were available. I'm glad they could get a start on it before the devices versus waiting. But I definitely would not want them to wait until the entire network is upgraded for them to sell the devices. Robert

Look. I get sick of the bitching. You just said, "they need to sell phones before the network is ready." I also often hear, "they need to have the network done before they start selling phones." It drives me bat shit crazy!!!! I personally am glad that Band 41 coverage is going to exist in many places the day Band 41 capable LTE smartphones go on sale in the next 30-45 days or so. This is not a bad thing. And there are lots of Band 41 hotspots out there. Sprint is not doing something wrong here. I would have loved for these devices going on sale this month and next month to have Band 41 LTE. I bet Sprint wishes they did too. However, we know that the LGOG2 and the Samsung GS4 Mini are going to have Triband. It will be glorious. And there will likely be another one or two more before the end of the year. And Sprint says that all smartphones in 2014 will be Triband. It is what it is. Robert

No, not quite. Clearwire has broken up each market into two phases. Phase 1 are the highest capacity sites. Phase 2 are the rest. All of the Phase 1 Clearwire WiMax sites in Columbus have been upgraded to include Band 41/TD-LTE 2600. Not all of the WiMax sites are complete in the market, just Phase 1 sites. They will not begin Phase 2 in Columbus for a few more months. Robert

Especially with Band 41 LTE sites live in Columbus right now. Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

I was told by a pretty solid source that there would be a Samsung GS4 Refresh that would be triband and another Samsung triband smartphone this year. I assumed the second one was the Note 3. That assumption was obviously wrong at this point. Now I wonder if the source was confused and the GS4 Refresh was actually the GS4 Mini and there is another unknown Samsung Triband device coming. Or if the GS4 Refresh is legit, then the GS4 Mini is the second device and there may be no other Triband Samsung Smartphones this year. There you have it. You now know what I've been told. Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

Sprint does not have their own service in Lynchburg. Sprint service is provided by nTelos. nTelos is inly beginning LTE deployment. I would guess it will be 6 months to a year minimum. Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

You are free to go. We won't stop you. But there are already a dozen Sprint LTE sites live in Phoenix and more going live every day or two. http://sensorly.com/fullscreen/map/4G/US/USA/Sprint/lte_310sprint#q=phoenix,arizona Robert

Site acceptance reports from Tuesday (9/10): Alabama – 1 update (LTE) Albuquerque - 2 updates (1 LTE)] Arkansas - 3 updates (LTE) Atlanta/Athens - 5 updates (3G) Austin - 1 update (3G) Baltimore - 1 update (LTE) Boston - 1 update (3G) Central Jersey - 1 update (3G) Central Pennsylvania - 1 update (3G) Chicago - 2 updates (1 LTE) Delaware - 1 update (3G) DFW - 3 updates (2 LTE) East Kentucky - 1 update (3G) East Texas - 2 updates (LTE) GA/SC Coast - 1 update (3G) Georgia - 1 update (3G) Gulf Coast - 2 updates (LTE) Houston - 4 updates (LTE) Inland Northwest - 1 update (LTE) Jacksonville - 1 update (3G) Kansas - 5 updates (1 LTE) LA Metro - 5 updates (4 LTE) Las Vegas - 1 update (3G) Louisiana - 1 update (LTE) Memphis - 2 updates (LTE) Miami/West Palm - 3 updates (2 LTE) Milwaukee - 3 updates (LTE) Minnesota - 2 updates (LTE) Mississippi - 1 update (3G) Missouri - 5 updates (LTE) Nashville - 3 updates (2 LTE) New Orleans - 2 updates (LTE) New York City - 2 updates (3G) Northern Connecticut - 2 updates (1 LTE) North LA - 1 update (3G) Oklahoma - 6 updates (2 LTE) Orange County - 2 updates (3G) Orlando - 3 updates (2 LTE) Philadelphia Metro - 1 update (3G) Phoenix - 1 update (3G) Riverside/San Bernardino - 1 update (3G) San Antonio - 1 update (LTE) San Diego - 1 update (LTE) South Carolina - 1 update (3G) Southern Connecticut - 1 update (LTE) Tampa - 1 update (LTE) Upstate NY East - 1 update (3G) Washington DC - 1 update (3G) West Kentucky - 1 update (LTE) West Michigan - 17 updates (3G) West Texas - 2 updates (1 LTE) Maps are updated. Robert Links: Comments regarding this thread, NV Sites Complete Map

I definitely do not defend Samsung here at all. It seems a dual band could have been done pretty easily for Sprint. And if there is a Sprint HTC One Max that is Triband, it makes it a lot more attractive. Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

I'll be honest though...I really thought the GN3 was going to be Triband. I will not be getting it. At least not on my Sprint account. Only Triband for me. I'm thinking 5" is just about right. Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

There is nothing unusual about the two bands in the VZW model. They are common bands in lots of devices. Band 26 and Band 41 are uniquely Sprint at this point. Also, don't forget that Band 41 is TDD. Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

You really think Sprint did not want a Triband device? As if Samsung did and Sprint chose not to? I don't think this was a choice at all. Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

Network wide? Probably. However, the people who live in the 8 markets where Band 41 has been launched, and the 70 more that should be launched between now and Spring 2014 may not care about network wide. Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

I agree that if I had to choose between Band 41 and 26, I would choose 26. And no Band 41 support is fine in the short term. But as it starts to become widespread mid contract and pushing Sprint average LTE speeds in 30-60Mbps range, it will become more frustrating not to have it. However, since the iPhone holds its value so well, you can just sell it and upgrade to the iPhone 6 mid contract for full cash price. It will likely support Band 41. Robert

Longer? How do you figure? It will be way faster. They just have to add a panel and a carrier card. Everything else will be there from the original Network Vision upgrade. It will be more like Tmo's upgrade...just an overlay. And now with SoftBank money and the fact that wireless crews should be a little less busy next year than this year, the Band 41 overlay should take less than 12 months start to finish on existing Network Vision sites. Also, Sprint will have the existing WiMax sites with a complete LTE Band 41 overlay complete in Spring 2014. So there will be a lot of Band 41 coverage that will be missed during the contract life of this device. But a supplemental Triband hotspot is not that expensive if one is ever needed/desired. Robert

Site acceptance reports from Saturday (9/7), Sunday (9/8), and Monday (9/9): Alabama – 6 updates (3 LTE) Albuquerque - 5 updates (3G) Arkansas - 3 updates (1 LTE) Atlanta/Athens - 3 updates (1 LTE) Austin - 7 updates (2 LTE) Boston - 4 updates (2 LTE) Central Illinois - 1 update (LTE) Central Iowa - 4 updates (3G) Central Jersey - 5 updates (3 LTE) Central Pennsylvania - 1 update (3G) Charlotte - 18 updates (3 LTE) Chicago - 1 update (LTE) Cleveland - 1 update (LTE) Delaware - 1 update (LTE) DFW - 3 updates (2 LTE) East Iowa - 1 update (LTE) East Kentucky - 1 update (3G) East Texas - 2 updates (LTE) Ft. Wayne/South Bend - 3 updates (LTE) GA/SC Coast - 3 updates (1 LTE) Houston - 11 updates (3 LTE) Jacksonville - 7 updates (4 LTE) Kansas - 9 updates (1 LTE) LA Metro - 9 updates (5 LTE) Las Vegas - 3 updates (2 LTE) Long Island - 6 updates (LTE) Louisiana - 3 updates (2 LTE) Memphis - 1 update (LTE) Miami/West Palm - 6 updates (2 LTE) Milwaukee - 2 updates (LTE) Minnesota - 2 updates (1 LTE) Missouri - 9 updates (7 LTE) Myrtle Beach - 2 updates (1 LTE) Nashville - 11 updates (8 LTE) New Orleans - 9 updates (3 LTE) New York City - 3 updates (1 LTE) Northern Connecticut - 5 updates (1 LTE) Northern Jersey - 7 updates (5 LTE) North LA - 1 update (3G) North Wisconsin - 1 update (LTE) Oklahoma - 6 updates (4 LTE) Orange County - 8 updates (3 LTE) Oregon/SW Washington - 1 update (LTE) Orlando - 9 updates (5 LTE) Philadelphia Metro - 9 updates (6 LTE) Phoenix - 6 updates (1 LTE) Raleigh/Durham - 1 update (3G) Riverside/San Bernardino - 1 update (3G) San Antonio - 4 updates (3G) San Diego - 8 updates (5 LTE) South Carolina - 12 updates (9 LTE) Southern Connecticut - 2 updates (LTE) Southern Jersey - 4 updates (LTE) South Texas - 1 updates (3G) South West Florida - 2 updates (1 LTE) Tampa - 4 updates (2 LTE) The Panhandle - 2 updates (1 LTE) Upstate NY Central - 1 update (3G) Upstate NY East - 3 updates (3G) Washington DC - 17 updates (9 LTE) West Iowa/Nebraska - 4 updates (3G) West Kentucky - 4 updates (2 LTE) West Texas - 3 updates (3G) Winston/Salem - 2 updates (LTE) Maps are updated. Robert Links: Comments regarding this thread, NV Sites Complete Map