S4GRU

Yes and no. They should receive good and usable experience within their coverage area. However, the coverage in rural areas is not going to ever be up to the same level as urban areas. Carriers cannot provide the density for an equal experience. But what service is there should be well maintained and have the appropriate backhaul. But this is probably what you're getting at. Rurals need low frequency spectrum. And Sprint's SMR 800 CDMA and LTE will help a lot. Robert

political party

Given your circumstances, and the GS2 meeting your needs, I would hang out for a tri band phone. In fact, if something happens to your phone, I'd just pick up a replacement WiMax or LTE phone on the cheap on Ebay to tie you over until the tribands come out. You are in a good spot to hang out for triband. However, if you decide to take the plunge with the new One or GS4, you will likely still have a good experience for your whole contract. Robert

Your perspective is all wrong. First, I can't help but contrast this to another prevalent comment I see...why does Sprint sell LTE devices if they do not have LTE in my area? If you make devices for a not yet built network, people complain. If you don't sell devices for an upcoming network, people complain. The answer to your question is, Sprint is not ready to sell them. TD-LTE 2600 is a new band using TDD technology instead of FDD-LTE technology that Sprint is currently using. There is a lot of work that is being done to coordinate handoffs of these technology and getting the device ecosystem ready. While LTE 800 is FDD and not quite having those same challenges, Sprint only somewhat recently received authorization from the FCC to allow LTE in the 800 band. They just started testing that band in an FIT in Minnesota. These bands will be added to devices later this year, when Sprint and the OEM's are ready. It's just that simple. It's not that it is so difficult for Sprint, as if they are inept. They are adding bands that are not mature and not currently supported by anyone really yet. Sprint is having to do all the heavy lifting with getting these two bands off the ground. Also, I can't help but think of the original EVO LTE, Galaxy Nexus and GS3. People said the same thing. My phone is going to be outdated right away. Yet, here we are, they did not outdate and their upgrade cycle is already coming to an end. Sprint is not an exception to this. Up until recently, no Verizon devices supported LTE AWS, and still offers very few. T-Mobile still sells many device that do not support LTE at all. AT&T is the best when it comes to supporting multiple bands, but there were a lot of people mad who bought AT&T 4G flagship phones as LTE started being deployed. What you are describing is not a problem with Sprint, but an issue with evolving wireless networks. And there is no end in sight. It is the nature of the business. Robert

Sorry if I wasn't clear enough. Robert

I never had an issue with cases until my son got me a slick Apple Green aluminumique case. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

My guess is that Sprint will stop Clearwire LTE deployment on CLWR sites. Sprint will only add TD-LTE on Network Vision sites, as needed for capacity. After 2014, Sprint would then start dismantling the CLWR network. That's what I would do. Sprint will need to get rid of all those redundant CLWR sites to reduce operational expenses. And CLWR doesn't really offer any additional coverage to Sprint, especially after Sprint deploys 800. CLWR just has denser site spacing within the Sprint footprint. Expect CLWR sites to go away after the WiMax commitment disappears. Of course, this is all dependent on whether Sprint ends up with CLWR and DISH does not end up with Sprint or Clearwire. And these are just my educated guesses. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

And which sites do you see in the market that have nothing accepted on them at all? I only see two. And I have the luxury of sorting my database, and only two come up. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

Launches are nothing more than a Press Release and coverage being shown on maps. The coverage the day before launch and the day after launch is the same. They still continue just turning on each site the moment it is ready. Nothing magical happens with coverage at market launch. Coverage will continue to grow incrementally every week until the market is complete. Slowly, but surely, the gaps will close in one by one. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

Nope. The news is much better than that. Work has started all over the South Texas market, including CC. There will be live LTE sites in your area long before the RGV is complete. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

Finish something? You say that as if the crews in your market are leaving to go work somewhere else. They are not. Ericsson and Sprint are using local subcontractors who have a contract to work in your market. They are working as fast as they can given the number of qualified workers they can get, how fast they can get permits and many other logistical factors. Sprint working in other markets has no bearing on what's going on around you. They have local Contractors and subcontractors in those markets doing the work there. The South West Florida market production rate is the highest in Florida right now. Work on recently started and they have made a lot of progress in a short period of time. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

It sounds like you've not had a good wireless experience. I can commiserate. However, please note that the info that Utah would not even start seeing LTE until Mid 2013 has been something that has been discussed at S4GRU since early 2012 before LTE devices came out. Additionally, Sprint has been announcing LTE cities for almost 15 months now, and never once mentioned any community in Utah. The information has been there to tell you not to expect Sprint LTE anytime soon, yet you still purchased an LTE device. Additionally, Sprint is still selling WiMax devices. You can buy a brand new WiMax Galaxy S2 in three colors, if you so choose. Or you can hold on to your old WiMax devices. Sprint still needs to offer the latest phones even in non LTE markets. People still want to buy them. I live in a Non LTE market and glad to have moved up to newer devices. You could have gotten a WiMax hotspot to keep with you for data on your new LTE devices. Those things have gotten dirt cheap. Last, your post violates our posting guidelines. Rants are not allowed, and also your post discusses violating several T&C's. Please refer to our posting guidelines for future posts: http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/1197-s4gru-posting-guidelines-aka-the-rulez/ I wish you the best of luck with your wireless service pursuits in the future. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

What kind of case do you have on your Note 2? I ask because I recently got a case and noticed that my LTE performance was markedly reduced when I was in Oklahoma. I drove around a site and amazed how bad the range was on the site. I knew that the Note 2 was a solid LTE RF performer. I checked out the downtilt, and it did not suggest that the range should be as poor as it was. I drove a mile away in a straight shot and lost the signal. I then picked up the EVO LTE I had with me and it was still connected. I then knew something was wrong because the EVO would never have less cover rage than the Note 2. I looked at my Note and remembered I just put on a new case. I took it off and voila, LTE came back. Full range was restored. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

There are only two sites left in the PR/VI market without any NV upgrades accepted. Both are in Urban San Juan. This market is being wrapped up. And the number of LTE sites left is dwindling steadily. I'm so happy for you all in Puerto Rico. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

lilotimz and drir took you up on the offer. Thanks AJ for stepping up to the plate, and lilotimz and drir meeting the match. This was a great idea. Robert

Do not assume that a Sprint PR specifically relates to a definite order of LTE going live. There are cities not announced yet that already have some LTE live and some cities announced last September that do not have one site live yet. The truth is is that Samsung is starting all their remaining markets now and the next 45-60 days. Including Nebraska. I wouldn't read too much into this. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Yes. But Orlando is a very large market. The largest in Florida. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

paint booth Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

The NV Market Running List has been updated. Austin just flew way up there. It may be the next market to complete after Puerto Rico and Chicago. Robert

Miami/West Palm Status: LTE Launched/NV Upgrades Completing NV Sites Accepted = 92% LTE Sites Accepted = 90% LTE Launched = June 17, 2013 (West Palm Beach launched 4/18/2013) Original Scheduled Completion = February 2013 Current Production Rate Completion = September 2015

Where are you located? Robert

Dear S4GRU Members: I first just want to say...thank you! I got back from vacation this week. I am amazed how well everything went without me and David being here. We have a great staff and a good group of mature members. I thank you all for letting me feel like I could take a vacation. I appreciated all the comments asking me to forget this place and have a good time. I did exactly that. I am making good strides catching up after several late nights. However, I still have 100's of PM's and Emails that I'm going through. I want to ask for your patience while I catch up. I was behind before I even left for vacation, and now I'm buried. So if it seems like it is taking a long time for me to respond, I apologize. I will try to get responses out as soon as possible. I thank you for your patience. I try to respond to every PM and email. And now, for the HELP part... Additionally, we are really running low on funds. Our donations have been down every month this year, taking in less and less. We started the year with a surplus. Now we will likely just have enough on hand to pay our April expenses, barely. If you ever considered giving to S4GRU for the first time, giving additional donations, renewing your sponsorship, upgrading your sponsor level or providing a scholarship for other less fortunate members, now would be a great time to donate! I hope you enjoy S4GRU. We need our members regular contributions to keep the site online. I don't ask to make money, just cover our expenses. I thank you in advance for any spare funds you can donate to the cause. And if you are expecting a healthy tax refund, we wouldn't mind if you shared a portion of it! Just an interesting note...I do appreciate those of you who only donate a buck or two. I certainly can understand if that is all you can afford. However, did you know that if you added up all the $1 donations we've ever received, it is roughly the same amount as the single top giver has given in total. It takes one hundred $1 givers to equal the same as one Premier Sponsor. Even though $5 or $10 doesn't seem like a lot more than a buck, it means 5x to 10x more revenue. We need on average $20 - $25 per new Sponsor to meet our monthly expenses. If you cannot afford to give more, we understand. However, if you do have a spare $10, $15, $25 or more, we will put it to good use. Over the next few weeks, I will be delegating a few more tasks to people offering help, so I can spend more time on Administering the site and add more content. I have a huge backlog of projects, like adding more maps and changing the format of the NV Sites Complete Maps and Daily Site Updates. With our members time and financial help, we can make S4GRU an even better community. We will also be adding back regular scheduled chats soon. I look forward to learning, chatting and enjoying more with you about wireless networks in the coming weeks and months. This site is a wonderful resource because of all of your participation. Thank you! Robert

Wow, man. That some pink commie sounding wireless network. You can't do that, man. What about Randall Stephenson, man? Have you even thought about him? What about his needs and wants? You're cold and callous, man. In all seriousness, I don't know if I would want to go to quite that extreme. I like the concept, but I would feel more comfortable with something a little more private that ensures competition for the sake of technology progression...then I could be persuaded. The current system of spectrum management is fundamentally flawed to the core and something drastic should be done to change it in the long term. But your suggestion in it's most pure form hurts my progressive Libertarian sensibilities. Robert

Houston is definitely a more challenged market for Sprint. Since it is a spectrum challenged market and they cannot add more EVDO capacity in the heaviest usage areas, I would expect LTE to be heavier burdened there than in most markets. Since Houston, Chicago and Fort Wayne are the worst spectrum constrained markets for Sprint, I would expect their LTE network to be more burdened and weaker performing. Spectrum constrained markets will definitely need LTE 800 and LTE 2600. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Yes, backhaul and power. I think lease payments are on top of this number, though. Which would double the annual amount. Robert