S4GRU

It will be on every Sprint site in the market when it is 100% complete. Everywhere you have 3G coverage today will have LTE coverage before Sprint is done with Network Vision. Robert

The additional redundant 1x/EVDO antennas were the largest limiting factor for SVDO. Once they are in place, setting up SVDO is pretty easy for the OEM. Robert

I see no difference in my smartphone performance from when I have a 2Mbps 3G connection, a 12Mbps WiFi connection at home or my 25Mbps WiFi connection at work. They all feel exactly the same doing the things I do on a smartphone. Even Netflix streaming. I only start to notice issues when speeds are sub 1Mbps for some things. The only time uber fast speeds make a difference to me while using a smartphone is those rare times I download a large file. Occasionally, I may download a ROM update directly to my device. When I do something like that, then the difference between 5Mbps and 25Mbps is noticeable (for a few minutes). But I most often download large files via WiFi. Really, these really fast mobile download speeds greater than 10Mbps just do not have any practical application than bragging. The only time they have a real use is when tethering. However, most Americans do not even have 10Mbps home internet speeds. The last time I checked, the national home broadband average was under 6Mbps. And the mobile operators are pricing tethering to try to discourage its use on a big scale, and blocking backdoor tethering, because of the demands it puts on their networks. I think that LTE will be sufficient for a long time. I don't think consumers are going to care much about the differences between 10Mbps, 30Mbps and 60Mbps for the forseeable future (especially if they have to pay more for it). I think they are going to care more about consumption, once LTE networks provide ubiquitous coverage. That's my take. Robert

I just updated it on my Galaxy Nexus and had no problems when I went back in. I have reported the crashing problem to Tapatalk. It may just be a GS-III issue with the new Tapatalk build. Thanks for reporting. Robert

I just went into Tapatalk on my GS-III and it worked fine. Went into Google Play and saw a new Tapatalk manual update and updated it. Then went back in to Tapatalk and it crashed. Rebooted and it crashed again. Hard rebooted and it crashed again. Robert

Hot in the summer, cold in the winter. No...seriously. I really don't have any more information really since posting this article, except that design is finishing up right about now. Planning, permitting and scheduling should be under way soon. This appears to be on average about 3 months earlier than most 3rd Round markets. So I am optimistic that Cleveland will be in a slot with about approximately half a dozen markets in between 2nd and 3rd Rounds. I am loosely guessing these markets will have deployment starts between November and February. I should know more in a few months. Robert

I haven't seen any differences that could not be attributed to network traffic at the time of the test. Within the range of the same fluctuations as before. Robert

I do not have Shentel site locations. Robert

Yes. It appears that the blocking has been lifted in the Kansas market yesterday. We had reports from S4GRU members all day yesterday of live LTE around the Kansas City Metroplex and even out to Manhattan, Kansas. Robert

by Robert Herron Sprint 4G Rollout Updates Thursday, July 12, 2012 - 6:55 AM MDT The next market in our Network Vision/LTE deployment schedule update series is...Oregon/SW Washington. The Oregon market has yet to be announced by Sprint, and may not be announced until as late as this Fall. The Sprint Oregon/SW Washington market covers the State of Oregon and the part of Washington in the Portland Metro Area and along the Columbia River. This includes Portland, Salem, Eugene/Springfield, Bend, Corvallis, Astoria, Medford, Grants Pass and Klamath Falls in Oregon and Vancouver, Battle Ground, Kelso and Longview in Washington State. Sprint's Network Vision OEM Samsung is scheduled to begin mobilizing their subcontractors around the market in October. The first completed Network Vision sites are scheduled to start coming online before the end of that month. Anticipated Sites Complete at Market Launch. According to the Network Vision schedules that S4GRU has reviewed, if Sprint launched the market in June, these are the anticipated sites that would likely have LTE complete at that time. This would provide fairly good LTE coverage over many parts of the market. Schedule details and the bottom line Sprint has not yet selected a date to formally "launch" LTE service in Oregon. It is difficult to try to pick a date now this far out, but we have attempted to do that. In looking at the schedule as of today, it would indicate a June market launch (going on a 40% - 50% completion for launch). But there is no way to know if Samsung and their subcontractors will actually hit their schedule dates before deployment in this market begins. We will be able to gauge better after a few months of production is achieved. Samsung needs to hit a production rate of approximately 45 sites per month to stay on schedule. This is a normal production rate when compared to other markets. They shouldn't have any schedule issues with the appropriate amount of resources allocated. S4GRU has examined the schedule in great detail in this market and sees that most of the sites will be complete by September 2013. However, there may be a few sporadic sites that will linger past the completion. Photo of Portland/Mt. Hood provided courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. NOTE: S4GRU Sponsor Members can track regular updates of Network Vision sites completed nationwide. Completed sites are shown in an interactive Google Maps interface. Information about sponsorship can be found here: S4GRU Sponsorship

board room Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

Simultaneous voice capabilities are not a network capability, but rather a device capability. All Sprint LTE devices released to date support SVLTE. And likely every future device will too. Its quite easy to achieve since voice is handled on 1x and LTE is separate. The challenge is offering SVDO on a device. Because 1x and EVDO share antennas in most devices, it takes a redundant CDMA set up to achieve simultaneous 3G data and voice. Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

3G improvements will still occur over the market in advance of Network Vision. These can be tracked at network.sprint.com Robert

I am starting to get LTE envy, myself. Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

No. Most likely the switch over from legacy equipment to NV equipment. The switch over does not necessarily include new backhaul at first, especially in Chicago. NV deployment is running pretty far ahead of backhaul. Backhaul seems to take 2-5 weeks after NV deployment on average around Chicago. Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

running scared Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

Its possible that they are doing switch over work at night to minimize the disruption to customers. Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

I think that these markets will be at the period between the Second and Third Rounds with starts from November - February. I do not have any more details than this. All of these markets were in the last detailed site schedule, but they all had the same date for each site. To me, it appears they are just starting to work on the schedule for these markets. Since I know they are not working on 3rd Round schedules until the Fall, it leads me to believe this markets are kind of in between. I would stay cautiously optimistic. Robert

I would be very surprised if the Sprint/Apple deal involves details about specific frequencies, especially 800. Apple is not likely to agree to be boxed into anything like that. Apple had the upper hand in negotiations. Sprint was in a take it or leave it situation. If Apple decides to provide 800 SMR support, its not because Sprint was able to force them through shrewd negotiations. It's because they decided to. Do you mean to tell me you guys believe that Sprint negotiated a deal where the first two models of iPhones sold by Sprint wouldn't have 800 support, but all later models will? Just a future support clause? I don't go along with that thinking. If Apple has 800 SMR support in the next iPhone, I believe it's because they want it. Because they thought it would make them more money. Not because Dan Hesse had Steve Jobs in a head lock on his death bed. Robert

It's believed that Sprint will not block completed sites in the future. Robert

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

I'm not picking on Apple at all. Along with trying to get as many carriers support into one device as possible, I just don't believe Apple is going to try to focus on every single band from every carrier. In my opinion, I just don't believe it is beyond the realm of possibility that Apple will tell Sprint, we have given you support for the 1900 PCS band and 850 for roaming too. And that's it. Then it will be up to Sprint to provide the best experience possible for its iPhone customers on 1900. It is possible that they may include 800 SMR support. I'm not saying they won't. However, I don't think it is a high priority for Apple on any level. Even if it is relatively easy for Apple to achieve. Robert

We have not had the widespread reports from other markets like we have heard from KC today. Robert

Flushed Away

I think I have a post around here somewhere that says something to the fact of, 'I believe there will be an EVO LTE OTA, then miraculously LTE will start going live.'