S4GRU

Updated today, adding Fraydog as moderator, and moving Scott to backup moderator status. Rickie also is a backup moderator. Thanks to all for everything you do! Robert

I am going bonkers with this persistent System Update OTA on my Samsung Galaxy Note 2. I do not want to accept the update, as it removes my Write PRL feature that I use frequently. I am willing to root it, but I want to wait until I return from my vacation in two weeks. I am going to do some device testing on my vacation, and I want a pure stock experience during that testing. However, I want the obnoxious notifications to go away. They were initially appearing once per day, then a few times per day, then hourly. Now it seems like the notification is there with a pop up window that has to be cleared every 5 minutes. If anyone knows of any way to get that cleared and go away, I'd be very happy. I have had an update on my Nexus 4 since December that I have refused to take (because I lose LTE capability), and it just reminds me once per day and leaves an icon on my top bar. I can handle that. It's the annoying in your face notifications that Samsung keeps pushing that is driving me bonkers! Robert

Each site gets 3G and LTE equipment installed at the same time (except for GMO sites). However, if there isn't upgraded backhaul available at the site when the Contractor is complete, Sprint allows them to hook up the 3G side to legacy backhaul and will at least accept that side so they can get paid. Contractors get paid for a site upon acceptance. A 3G accepted site can have the LTE turned on pretty quickly and easily once the backhaul is in place and provisioned. We see this happen all the time in markets where a 3G site turns to 3G/4G in one of our daily updates. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

I like the Tmo maps too. However, I only get HSPA/HSPA+ signals in the two strongest colors. I can't get even one bar in the lighter two colors even if I'm outside, standing on my tippy toes with my Nexus 4 held up over my head 7' in the air. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

I agree. Distract and defund AT&T. Sounds pretty good to me. Plus, the European market is far more competitive than the U.S. Let's see how AT&T handles that. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

pocket pool Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

If you had WiMax from that same tower, you wouldn't have had a signal at all. The biggest issue with performance is signal strength. Signal strength is largely determined by panel downtilt. In rural sites, there is very little downtilt and the signal goes pretty far. In denser suburban and urban environments, he cells are much smaller, with the downtilt much more severe. So if an urban site goes live with no others around it, the signal will not travel very far, and performance will degrade relatively quickly as you drive way from the site. The signals cannot overlap the adjacent sites by very much. Once LTE is fully live, you will notice it is much better than the deployed WiMax network in every way. You are just experiencing the limitations of an early immature network. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

There was one site in Holly Hill that was originally marked as 4G LTE accepted. It was changed to 3G acceptance. There was an error on my end when reporting it. It's the only one I can think of we changed in the Daytona area. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

My wife once dressed as the Chickfila cow for Halloween. She thought it was safer than dressing as a chicken. How right she was. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

A subsidized phone is not a rented phone. It's a loan. My bank does not care if my car dies and needs a new engine. I still must make the payment as agreed, and I still need to get it fixed or replace it. Whether Ford offers a warranty and will replace or fix it is of no consequence to the lender. Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

EVDO loses throughput speed/performance at a slower rate than most technologies with signal degradation. At 90% signal loss, EVDO still can meet 75% of it's performance characteristics. After 90%, it drops significantly. The issue with Sprint EVDO performance is mostly related to capacity with each individual sector being exceeded and/or backhaul capability is being exceeded. If you are getting better performance outside, it is easy to conclude it's because the signal is better. But you may be connecting to a different site, different channel or different sector when you go outside. The only time going outside will make a huge difference on EVDO is if your signal inside is very poor (like -100dBm or worse). Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

I have used both Colorado Springs WiMax protection sites before. They were operational back in July 2012 for certain. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

It's been that way for a long time, since they changed formats of how the maps looked last summer. The new towers went away. However, I have access to the database and we post all the new sites in our NV Sites Complete maps as we discover them. Robert

Up until Network Vision, Sprint only had 10MHz to deploy CDMA (1x and EVDO) on in the Ft. Wayne market. That is what I mean by spectrum challenged. In Network Vision, Sprint has been able to deploy LTE on another 10MHz (the PCS G Block). Additionally, Sprint has recently purchased more spectrum from US Cellular that will allow them to deploy more in Ft. Wayne in the future as needed. Both additional 3G EVDO carriers and LTE. This was not possible in the past. Robert

There is really no way to know publicly. We have most shown on maps in the S4GRU Premier Sponsor section. But we are missing about a dozen markets.

Holiday Road

Wow. I haven't been on Facebook in months, and I signed in and people had gifted me Starbucks gift cards. Now that is a good use of Facebook! Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

The part I miss the most from my 7 years living in the South is the cuisine. Emmm. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Almost every single site in the Chicago market is full build and slated to get LTE. Most of the 3G and 3G/800 sites in the market already have all the LTE hardware installed and just awaiting backhaul to be installed and connected. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Workers and equipment are mobilizing now in the Buffalo and Rochester markets. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Welcome to S4GRU! Glad to see you already sponsoring and contributing. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

I also very rarely use the S pen. I would have loved it 4-5 years ago when first starting to get used to a smartphone. However, nowadays I'm used to using a smartphone and a pen is foreign afterthought. To me, the work arounds of not having a pen are now natural. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Ft. Wayne is one of Sprint's most spectrum challenged markets. Network Vision and LTE would make more of a difference there than almost anywhere else. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

It's getting better. One site at a time. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Yes...density is the spacing between sites. Much greater in the CNJ market that most. Alcatel Lucent is Sprint's vendor in your market. You can try searching for permit online, but in you area there are so many cities and townships that can be a real challenge. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk