S4GRU

Here are maps of the coverage from the WiMax Protection Sites in Walla Walla and La Grande. Both are confirmed as working in the past:

Sprint is in no danger of going bankrupt between now and 2014. They have very little debt even due in that time frame. There is no reason to be concerned about that. Where Clearwire has deployed its 4G WiMax has no bearing on the deployment order of Sprint LTE. Additionally, Clearwire has no plans to add LTE to its entire existing WiMax footprint. Clearwire is only adding LTE in high capacity areas in major markets. I would not expect Clearwire to add LTE to markets like the Tri-Cities, Hermiston/Pendleton or Protection Sites for several years (if ever). Only people in major markets would have an advantage (and even that is debtable) to wait for Clearwire LTE device compatibility. I think there is a good chance that Sprint will get the Galaxy 2 Note this year. Probably long before there is a device that supports Clearwire LTE. It has been stated that Clearwire will keep the WiMax network operating until 2015. And Protection Sites are pretty safe to keep operating, because Clearwire would lose its FCC license for that area if they let them go dark. However, note that Pendleton, Hermiston and the Tri-Cities are not Protection Site deployment, but normal deployments. The Walla Walla and La Grande sites are protection sites. Yes, you can switch phones, no problem. If you can pry it out of your son's hands! Robert

After using my Verizon hotspot and reading more about Verizon's network, I don't think using LTE above -95dBm RSSI (-120dBm RSRP) is going to be very useful, on any LTE network. It appears to be the limit to the LTE airlink for useable data. Around -95dBm, download is a trickle, and upload is non-existent. Around -90dBm, performance takes a huge hit. And depending on your LTE radio, may not be usable at all beyond that. My -100dBm comments were based on FIT data I've read. Real world conditions do not support it so far. Robert

Most markets are deployed in a shot gun approach, over the whole market, not starting in the main city and working outward. The order of deployment is not based on which places Sprint thinks are the most worthy, but rather the sites that have everything in place and ready to go (especially backhaul). Some rural and highway sites end up going first. In most instances, urban locations seem to be the last sites that get worked on. It varies a lot, from market to market. Robert

4G LTE is basically going on every site that 3G is on now. LTE is being deployed on a better frequency than WiMax, and it goes further and handles obstacles noticeably better. If you have a 3G signal of -90dBm or stronger now, you will likely have a good and usable LTE signal when it arrives on the sites in your area. Robert

I'm not sure what your tactic is to come and troll and flame the site owner, for no meaningful purpose. But since you dislike Sprint, and you do not care about our blog, it will be of no consequence to you when I block you from our page. I made no assumption that you didn't like me. And I certainly don't make any assumptions that everyone dislikes me. I merely responded to your post, but obviously I am not able to have any meaningful dialogue with you. C'est la vie. Robert

Sprint guru Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

Infinite Loop Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

It seems in wide open rural places, I can usually get 1x beyond the edge of service for EVDO a short distance. Rarely more than a mile. Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

belt loop

There are lots of things that can cause RF dead zones. Building obstructions, gullies/depressions, foliage, hills, etc. They will not adjust downtilt because of a RF dead zone. Downtilt is a very delicate thing and is figured based on very precise calculations and engineering taking into account the entire network coverage and the size and adjacency of nearby cells. There is virtually zero chance of Sprint adjusting downtilt because of a RF dead zone in your area. What Sprint may do, if there are a lot of people in that dead zone, is possibly come in and install a picocell. Sprint is just now gearing up to add picocells to their network to augment capacity and fill in small coverage holes in high usage areas. The only other possibility is to buy a signal booster. I'm sorry that I don't have much good news for you. But its the position that millions of people are in on all networks. I have lots of RF dead zones even on Verizon LTE 700. Robert

Coverage is what it is. Sprint is not really expanding coverage at this time. You will get some improvement with voice when 1x is added on 800MHz in your area. It will also improve again when LTE 800 arrives in your area. However, there will likely not be any 3G EVDO improvement, ever, unless another tower or picocell/femtocell gets added in your area. Robert

by Robert Herron Sprint 4G Rollout Updates Tuesday, August 7, 2012 - 9:39 AM MDT S4GRU has recently been apprised of some additional Network Vision information. As you may recall, when Sprint originally announced Network Vision details and explained their change to LTE for its 4G technology, Sprint also said that planning/design/permitting is under way at the first 22,000 sites. S4GRU was able to obtain the information about these first 22,000 sites last Spring and we have received several updates since. Now we have planning information on the first 24,000 sites. In perusing the last update we received, we noticed a new market that we have not discussed before. That is West Kentucky. So now it appears that Louisville and the West Kentucky market are making a play for an earlier start. Louisville/West Kentucky. There are over 360 sites in the West Kentucky Sprint market. West Kentucky The West Kentucky market is included in Sprint's initial 24,000 sites planning. However, in a cross check with the NV schedule, this market has all its dates as "TBD." It's quite possible since all the planning and permitting for this market will be done in advance, it may actually be moved up to the end of the second round. I would interpret that TBD means that they are finalizing the Network Vision schedule for this market. We cannot say with any certainty at this time. This should be seen as good news though for the folks living in the West Kentucky market. We do not have any more details than this to report at this time. S4GRU will keep pushing for all the latest information for you on Sprint's Network Vision and LTE Depolyment. Stay tuned to S4GRU.com for breaking Network Vision news. Photo of Downtown Louisville courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Regardless (I almost typed irregardless, but Scott would have corrected me) of whether Sprint allows other operators to use its network, Sprint is looking to grow the number of users significantly. Whether organically, contractually or otherwise. The way Sprint is instituting Network Vision, it is designed for future flexibility and growth. And it is designed to be well monitored so it can be maintained. Sprints lack of maintenance in the past was caused by two big things...the first was a lack of a network design that helped them to manage and monitor issues proactively. They were always in reactive mode. The second was Sprint was holding cash burn upgrading systems that soon were going into a dustbin, that would be better used in Network Vision. Sprint has learned some valuable lessons the past 24 months that will help them better manage the new post NV network. And no matter whether they allow more users or not, Sprint is going to have to step up their network management in a post NV world. Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

And universities, airports, civic buildings, large corporations... Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

We reported SF work would start in August and the first sites should start being completed in September: http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-293-san-francisco-bay-area-network-visionlte-deployment-schedule-update/ However, the South Bay work appears ahead of schedule. Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

I haven't seen or heard any Baltimore reports of LTE yet, nor LTE sites reported from Sprint. But it should be any day now. Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

White House Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

I can tell you as a frequent Verizon network user, that I get Verizon EVDO 850 noticeably farther from a site (and in buildings) than LTE 750 from the same site. However, this is at least partially due to my device (A Verizon ZTE 890L Hotspot). Thankfully, Verizon mostly shows their LTE device signal strength in RSSI, so it makes it a little easier to compare apples to apples. Most of the time, my Verizon EVDO runs around 3-5dBM stronger than LTE from the same site. However, where I really notice the difference is above -90dBm. Verizon LTE dives off a cliff around -92dBm on my hotspot. And download drops to 10% to 20% of full strength speed. Upload usually will drop to 0-200kbps. Around -95dBm RSSI, my Verizon LTE is useless. However, EVDO keeps going strong on VZW 850 through the Nineties, with only a slight drop in performance. EVDO on VZW 850 stays with 80% of speed until approximately -100dBm, and then starts dropping off quickly. At -105dBm, it keeps about 30%-40% of its performance. at -110dBm, it is pretty much unusable. I think AJ's point about the fragile nature of the LTE airlink is the likely culprit, with my device LTE radio playing a minor second role. Robert

CRP is in the South Texas market. This market will not begin deployment until some time in 2013. Robert