S4GRU

They have to quote the speeds that can be expected in weaker signal environments, like edge of cell conditions and inside buildings. Verizon does the same thing. Nothing unusual in that at all. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

We are not protective of Sprint. However, you cannot bash Sprint here. There is a distinct difference. And negative comments need to be substantiated and productive. What makes us different than other Sprint forums is that we require people to back up their negative comments. We call people to be accountable for their comments. And some people don't like that standard. They just want to rant without regard to fact. We also confront complainers. We don't host Sprint complaints. It clogs up our forums and prevents people from finding useful content. We are not equipped to help people with their Sprint complaints, they need to direct them to appropriate Sprint customer service channels, where people are appropriately trained and have the ability to help them. We are also not trained psychologists to help provide people a relief valve because of the personal stresses Sprint may have on them. Negative comments about Sprint are contrary to the S4GRU Mission Statement. And they breed more negative comments. If we allowed them, we would be overrun in 60 days and no one would come to S4GRU anymore. No one Google searches "Forums that I can bitch about Sprint." But people do search daily for the type of inormation that S4GRU does provide. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

choice grade Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

I remember my days in the FBLA. Good times. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

If you have had the same "4G" device the past 2-1/2 years, then you have a WiMax device. You will need a LTE device to be able to use the 4G Sprint will end up deploying in Toledo in 2013. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

I have never been able to connect to a signal weaker than -118dBm RSRP no matter what I do. However, in LTE only mode, you can keep signals worse than -118 RSRP. But if you lose it, you probably will not be able to regain it until you get to a stronger signal. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Sprint permits in Phoenix. LTE must be coming! Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

I like Medford. It's a nice little burg. I'd move there in a heartbeat if there was work for me there. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

I don't think the loss of WiMax customers is as steep as it may seem when combined with the adds from Virgin, Boost, FreedomPOP and MVNO's. I'm sure its gone down, but not astronomically. I bet losses in Clearwire home subscribers is actually a bigger factor, as those people are a much bigger burden on the network than smartphone users. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Given you're in an AlcatelLucent market, even if they started work tomorrow, it would be 60-90 days before you see any LTE signals. But work should probably start soon. And you will likely see the first signals in Q1-2013. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Yeah, CDMA Field Test is dead to me now. Dead! Robert

This sounds good. However, most of Clearwire's backhaul needs to be upgraded for LTE deployment. Most of Clearwire's existing backhaul connections are maxed out or nearly maxed out with just their current WiMax loads. Adding a large LTE channel to existing backhaul would provide mediocre LTE performance. And since Clearwire's LTE is being designed to run as high as 60-90Mbps speeds, most of the current MW backhaul system cannot even come close to handling that kind of throughput. Clearwire is doing a lot to upgrade backhaul currently. And its probably a portion of why their WiMax speeds are being reported as improving in isolated locations. Robert via Nexus 7 on Tapatalk

The better of the two is the more likely indicator. However, it will be the final LTE signal after full deployment. Because a distant site that gets upgraded first may be the initial signal that reaches your home. And it may be very weak. But whenever the site that the eHRPD signal is coming from gets upgraded, you will likely have a pretty solid LTE signal. Robert via Nexus 7 on Tapatalk

The white circle thingee is a small microwave antenna. It is used as a wireless backhaul bridge. The rectangular ones are panels. These do not look like Sprint legacy nor Network Vision panels. Robert

It's hard to tell in the photos, especially being viewed on my phone, but it almost looks like they are moving legacy panels on the bottom rack to make room for NV panels. Are you going to be back by this site in a few days to take some more photos? We should be able to tell for certain in a few more days. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

time warp Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Another point I want to make is I lose Verizon LTE signals all the time at the edge of service exactly the same way, around large obstacles that block the signal and in dips in the road. And I lose Tmo HSPA+ even worse in same said spots than even Sprint LTE. VZW LTE requires a cycle to reconnect often, and requires a reboot on my hotspot. Now that's a pain. I lose HSPA and HSPA+ so readily on Tmo. But at least it comes back very quickly and easily on its own after the momentary signal loss. Sprint LTE devices would feel much better in those momentary signal losses if they rebounded back to LTE on their own quickly. This really is the problem. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

I don't think LTE 1900 signal is tempermental at all, except when you have a weak signal. I was getting 30Mbps+ indoors at my hotel in Wichita Falls. Never felt tempermental except at the edge of service, and some devices were worse than others. LTE signal dropped the same number of dBm going indoors and around obstacles as 1x and EVDO did in all my observations. The difference is that LTE maxes out at -95 RSSI. But so does VZW LTE. The difference is that VZW's -95 will be farther from the site. But it needs to because their site spacing is not as dense as Sprint LTE at 1900. In all my tests, Sprint LTE outperformed VZW LTE and Tmo HSPA+ in Wichita Falls, except around the few sites where Sprint has not deployed yet on the south side of the city around the mall. And that includes in buildings and at the bottom of hills. The big difference though was the EVO. If you were in an area consistently worse than -108 RSRP, you were not going to be able to keep a connection for long. The other LTE devices could tolerate a bad signal at the edge of service for a few moments. Like driving at a low spot in the road at driving speeds, or driving behind a big building that blocks a distant LTE signal. The other devices would cling to a weak LTE signal for a few seconds and then recover without loss of connection. But the EVO would almost always drop in these momentary points. Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

In my observations, the EVO LTE was most susceptible to "dips" in the terrain. However, any time you drop into an area, if ever terra firma gets between you and the tower, you will likely lose connection. If you have weaker than a -108dBm signal, any terrain drops will likely result in loss of LTE service, especially with the EVO LTE. Like I mentioned in another forum, the EVO LTE signal bounces around a lot, and when the signal is weak, it will likely bounce right across the LTE connection threshold when driving in lower terrain. I also lose VZW LTE in hollows, especially in weak signal areas. Because 700MHz doesn't penetrate the earth either. Robert

I'm excited about your enthusiasm. And welcome to S4GRU. However, to be also technically accurate, none of us pay for LTE service. We pay for access to the Sprint network. But we all look forward to LTE service and thankfully Sprint is planning LTE deployment fully nationwide on every site. Robert

I know you guys are dying in the Tampa market, because you have seen sites with panels installed 30-45 days ago. But I have something that you may appreciate. I live next to a Sprint/Verizon/Tmo/Cricket site here in New Mexico. Verizon installed new microwave radomes in January, and LTE panels in February 2012. It just went live last Friday morning. So even though we get worked up about Sprint LTE not going live right after panel install, we have to keep in perspective how much in advance Sprint is allowing us to connect to the new network. It is kind of unprecedented to allow them to go live as each site is ready. I really appreciate it. Robert

Thanks. That would be great. Appreciate it! Robert

Who knows what exactly the peak demand is there? But it doesn't much matter if it is 3,000 or 6,000 or 12,000, the results will be the same. The macro network cannot handle those kind of numbers. In my opinion, about the most the macro network could probably handle (and if properly designed for it) is probably between 500-1000 simultaneous users in a small area. And the expense it would take to make the macro network handle that is not worth it (and the spectrum may not be available to pull off additional carriers, either). It's better to install some small cells or DAS. Which is what Sprint will do in the longer term there. Robert

Next time you see some Tmo LTE work, take a picture and post it. They initially were planning panels with integrated radios for their LTE network. I would love to see them. It's network nerd porn. Robert

A single LTE sector serving more than 250 customers actively will fail to perform. You can forget about 13,000 in a single sector. If only one site in the area is live, it will likely only have one sector facing the stadium. To properly handle 13,000 customers in one cell sector, you would have to have fully functioning DAS or beaucoup small cells. Period. Even a full build out of Network Vision cannot handle 13,000 customers in one area. But this is true on any network. Not even Verizon can handle that. If you have other carriers having successful data use in a highly loaded cell sector (like a stadium), then they are providing more than just macro cell coverage from adjacent conventional sites. Sprint has a lot of plans to equip airports, shopping malls, stadiums, convention centers, etc. with small cells/DAS systems. But their focus so far on Network Vision has been the macro network. That will work will largely not get under way until later in 2013. Robert