S4GRU

Higher frequency does not provide more or faster throughout for the same size channel, regardless whether it is 700MHz or 2600MHz. What causes Clearwire's TD-LTE 2600 to be considerably faster than Sprint's LTE 1900 or LTE 800 is that it is being deployed in a 20MHz TDD channel, versus a 5MHz FDD channel. And the reason why 2600 has more capacity than 800 is just simple because of site spacing is much tighter and wider channels. Robert

I cannot believe this thread has gone on for 3 pages... Robert

No. However, it is common knowledge for wireless enthusiasts. Affiliates and partnerships with companies like nTelos and Shentel provide Sprint native service that is undetectable to Sprint customers. It is Sprint native coverage, just the networks are not owned by Sprint. The affiliate relationship with Shentel is very significant. Coverage and usability of Shentel service is even better for Sprint customers than even their own corporate network. If you wanted to do some Googling, you could find out quite a bit about Sprint affiliates and the long history. Basically, Sprint had a very extensive affiliate network that made up over 50% of its coverage. However, they ended up having to buy out most of them after the Nextel merger because of lawsuits. Affiliates like Alamosa, iPCS, Ubiquitel and many more. These are now Sprint corporate coverage. Robert Robert

I was on the same line of thinking too initially. We have to consider all of Sprint's native footprint, not just corporate owned sites when comparing the two. Start including Shentel, Swiftel, nTelos, Carolina Wireless, et al, to Sprint's 38,000 site total and the 51,000 site number for T-Mobile doesn't seem so far fetched. It would be great to see a specific breakdown on the Tmo side, but I feel pretty comfortable with Tmo having 51,000 sites now. And what does this really say? Tmo does not provide more coverage than Sprint. It means they have a lot of waste and redundancy that is costing them millions. And now, they are bringing in MetroPCS sites on top of this 51,000 number. Even more redundancy. Tmo really needs a Network Vision style project to consolidate and standardize, and most importantly, reduce redundant cost and shed some of these useless sites. And perhaps add some where they really need it. And I have seen several quotes lately from Tmo executives claiming they have 37,000 HSPA/HSPA+ sites. So if that is accurate, then the total count is a higher number to include non WCDMA sites. Robert

I'm not certain what the requirements are going to be to add TD-LTE to a Network Vision site. Do they try to support the full 90Mbps max speeds? Do they do something lower just to provide more capacity? Do they provide the max where possible and something less when not? I have no idea. I have very little data about the Clearwire integration into Sprint. A week ago we weren't even sure if Sprint was going to end up with Clearwire. Hopefully some of these plans will start leaking out now that there appears to be more certainty. Robert

Nope. 90 for each carrier that has three sectors. Not 90 per sector. 90 per carrier. A two sector site can have less than 90. Robert

I couldn't find it searching just now. However, I was corrected by Neal Gompa who is the definitive source around here when it comes to the Tmo network. He is the closest to an AJ equivalent on the Tmo side there is. Robert from Note 2 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Tapatalk misquote bug. Robert from Note 2 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Actually, I was disproven a long time ago. You may have missed it. T-Mobile has 51,000 sites total. Of which 37,000 are HSPA/HSPA+. The remainder are GPRS and EDGE only. Robert from Note 2 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

I will let Robert make the more definitive statement if he chooses to join this discussion. But 100 Mbps symmetrical fiber is low from what I recall hearing and reading here at S4GRU. My recollection is that roughly 200 Mbps is the baseline for backhaul capacity. Now, that said, you are correct that 100 Mbps should be sufficient in actual practice for three sectors deployed with one 5 MHz FDD LTE carrier along with at least one CDMA1X carrier and at least one EV-DO carrier. The three LTE sectors, for example, are never going to run full tilt simultaneously, since unity frequency reuse causes them to interfere with one another to some degree. But that would be just scraping by with the bare minimum. We have to take into account the 5 MHz FDD LTE 800 carrier, maybe even a second 5 MHz FDD LTE 1900 carrier, and the CDMA1X 800 carrier. While it does not make sense to overpay to over provision backhaul, if Sprint is once again under provisioning backhaul, then we are in for more of the same old trouble. AJ To add some clarity as AJ requested: The baseline demand is indeed 90. But not 90 per site, 90 per LTE carrier. For NV sites with LTE service that are supposed to get LTE 800 & 1900 they are looking for 200. And this makes sense when you figure three sectors. They have allowed lower amounts for sites with backhaul service problems that are lower capacity. On one sheet I have them show some that say 60, 55 and some as low as 45. And these are the sites where people say, "I have a full and perfect signal and never get above 10-15Mbps." That's because that is all the site backhaul can currently support. Also, these sites have scalable backhaul requirements in their contract. Upon request, the backhaul provider can increase backhaul requirements within 30 days to support additional LTE carriers when added. And all of these backhaul requirements were figured just on 1900/800 CDMA and LTE loads. They will grow significantly to add Clearwire TD-LTE if the intent is to push those carriers anywhere near their 60-90Mbps max speeds. Sites that have lower amounts allowed, like 60, 55, 45 are just temporary measures. They will need more backhaul brought in to support additional carriers, especially TD-LTE. Robert from Note 2 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

The more we read her writing, the more likely that she'll continue writing. It's about getting an audience. The larger the audience, the greater the ad income. Stop reading her stuff and encourage others to do the same. I did pretty well and not read anything of hers for a long time. But I kind of wanted to hear her sound desperate and defeated. Which I should have known better. Robert from Note 2 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

It seems over the last few days all LTE towers I connect to are nearly unusable for some reason. Now at 4am they work fine. Strange how all the sudden they overloaded at the same time. Unlikely they are all overloaded at the same time. Most likely they were working on the market LTE core and thus affecting all the sites at the same time. Robert from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

I know better than to read her trash writing, but I read it anyway. And now I cannot unread it. Her writing is the most slanted stuff out there. Facts just escape her. Unbelievable. Robert from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

There isn't much difference. But at least on Sprint you can modify your PRL and have 3G roaming in almost all of California. With Tmo, you're stuck on EDGE or have no service. Robert from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Some guys have all the luck... Robert from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Crest Financial realized it cannot force Clearwire spectrum divestiture via FCC action. TD-LTE must be coming! Robert from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

I'm pretty excited. I kind of have the same feeling as a kid at Christmas. Robert from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

For me, if I put it into LTE only mode and Sensorly map it will turn gray if no LTE signal is present. Robert from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

You outbid me and don't even want the phones? You can have the phones for the amount of your last bid since the winner didn't want them. Robert from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Captain Howdy choked on his fiber supplement reading TS's post above. LTE must be coming. Robert from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

OK. We can hold on to them. Thanks for supporting S4GRU! Robert

All right. Auction over. $187.50 raised for S4GRU in the auction. That covers almost 10 days of expenses of S4GRU. Thanks to azoclark again for donating the phones and the shipping for the auction. Thank you to all who participated! Robert

Less than 30 minutes left! If you've been waiting, it's now time to bid! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Obsolete-Nextel-iDEN-phones-lot-sponsor-rights-to-S4GRU-iDEN-Countdown-Clock-/300923642492? Robert

The documents I have on the USVI are from May 2012, and the backhaul vendor was not contracted at that time. So I do not know who the successful bidder was or when it actually was bid. I just know the plan from that time. Robert

Light gray means No LTE signal on Sensorly. Robert from Note 2 using Tapatalk 4 Beta