S4GRU

I am testing both, because I would like to identify which devices are more susceptible to being held. Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

OK. We now have a Motorola Photon on the way after a member donated his device to the experiment. So now we have a total of eight devices that will be a part of the 1x/EVDO radio performance article we are working on. 1. Samsung Galaxy S-III 2. HTC EVO LTE 3. LG Viper LTE 4. Galaxy Nexus 5. Samsung Galaxy S-II Epic 4G Touch 6. Motorola Photon 7. HTC EVO 3D 8. HTC EVO 4G 9. Samsung Epic 4G I will be doing the testing later this week. I'm also going to go to a lightly used WiMax Protection Site for testing the four WiMax devices in a separate article. Additionally, I'm considering a trip to DFW for a LTE reception article later in the month after the network stops being blocked. I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a lot of work, but it will be interesting to have these results. Tests will be conducted at full signal locations near the tower, mid range locations and edge of cell locations with tests being held and laying flat without being touched. Stay tuned. Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

by Robert Herron Sprint 4G Rollout Updates Sunday, July 1, 2012 - 12:56 PM MDT The next market in our Network Vision/LTE deployment schedule update series is the City of Brotherly Love...Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Metro market has yet to be announced by Sprint, but is expected to be announced in the near future. Perhaps around the time of the first market launches. The Sprint Philly market encompasses all of Southeastern Pennsylvania. Including the Philly Metro area, up toward the Lehigh Valley (Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton) and over toward Reading and Pottstown. In does not include the Jersey suburbs, which are in the Southern Jersey market. Sprint's Network Vision OEM Alcatel/Lucent is scheduled to be mobilizing their subcontractors around the market now. Completed Network Vision sites are scheduled to start coming online this month. Philadelphia Metro Market Launch It was Sprint's original plan to launch markets when they reached 50% of sites converted to Network Vision. However, it has now been determined that Sprint will move up launches sooner than 50% completion in several markets. This is likely to maintain a Mid 2012 launch in markets that have already been announced. However, in an unannounced market like Philly, we don't know if they will resume pushing back market launches to 50%, or if they will now settle on a 40% completion to be the new normal for market launches. If Sprint waits for 50% completion to launch this market, it would make the launch approximately January (should the OEM stay on schedule). If they plan on a 40% market completion for launch, that would be December. You may think that 40% - 50% site completion is not enough to launch LTE service, but it would provide pretty good coverage. Even Verizon doesn't launch on all sites in a market initially. Usually less than 50%, then filling in with more and more sites every few months. Anticipated Sites Complete at Market Launch. According to the Network Vision schedules that S4GRU has reviewed, if Sprint launched the market in December, 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 We currently do not have a date that Sprint will formally "launch" LTE service in Philadelphia. It is difficult to try to pick a date now this far out, but we will take a stab at it. In looking at the schedule as of today, it would indicate a December or January market launch (going on a 40% - 50% completion for launch). But there is no way to know if AlcaLu and their subcontractors will actually hit their schedule dates this early in the deployment for this market. We will be able to gauge better after a few months of production. Alcatel/Lucent will need to hit a production rate of 50 sites per month to stay on schedule. This is an achievable rate in our opinion. If properly prepared and equipped and if backhaul is ready timely, this market shouldn't have problems staying on time. S4GRU has examined the schedule in great detail in this market and sees that most of the sites will be complete by July 2013. However, there may be a few sporadic sites that will linger past the completion. Photo of the Philadelphia skyline 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

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

I've had to stop using the Sprint Connections Optimizer. If I have it on and drive away from WiFi at my home, office, church...anywhere...about half the time it will not connect to data services on the macro network when I get out of WiFi range. No 1x, no 3G. Nothing. Cycling through mobile network on/off, airplane mode and rebooting will not restore mobile data connectivity. However, in about 15 minutes it will finally come back on its own. I disabled the Sprint Connection Optimizer and haven't had the problem since. I can break with WiFi now and it goes right to 3G data. Anyone else notice this with the GS-III? Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

Des Plaines is in a new active deployment area. Areas that are complete, like in the outer Western exurbs, the dropped call and data sessions should largely already be over. It won't be as bad in The Loop, because sites there have many more carriers and the possibility of transferring to the same channel is much less likely. Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

There are three types of upgrades being tracked at network.sprint.com. Voice carrier adds, EVDO carrier adds and data speed upgrades (which are mostly additional T1 lines). In the case of Chicago, they cannot carry over any legacy equipment into Network Vision cabinets because the legacy equipment is Motorola and the NV equipment is Samsung. So presumably, all these temp upgrades at a legacy site will be removed and probably installed in other Sprint markets that are awaiting Network Vision and/or sold to other vendors around the world. Except T1 lines, which will be just be disconnected. However, it is likely that network.sprint.com will also track upgrades in post Network Vision sites too. Although the number of NV sites needing this kind of work should be substantially lower, there will always be need for additional voice and 3G carriers as demand grows in certain cells. This will always be an ongoing network management issue over time. Hopefully Sprint can move to a proactive role in a Post Network Vision World, a far cry from the previous reactive mode it has been in. And even though it may seem stupid, or a waste, to do this work right before NV...you have to understand the relationship between Sprint and Ericsson. A few years ago, Sprint contracted out management of its entire network nationwide to Ericsson. Ericsson has in their contract to perform these upgrades as necessary. So these upgrades are being performed by Ericsson. And Sprint essentially paid for these in advance by the nature of their contract. So Ericsson should be doing these upgrades, even if they will only be used for a few months. Sprint paid for them already. Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

Labor Day Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

Why would you come to an independent website and call our reporting BS? We are not Sprint and have no motive to BS you. We are just reporting information. We will have an updated more detailed article on Orange County soon. The coverage will be seamless once its fully deployed. Sprint is installing LTE on every 3G site and on the same band as 3G. LTE coverage will be identical to 3G at market completion. Robert

Yes it does. It covers the whole market. However, market launch is just ceremonial. Its a snapshot in time during deployment. Deployment keeps continuing even after market launch until every single CDMA site is converted to Network Vision/LTE. Robert

That is in the North LA market. It is not scheduled to start Network Vision deployment until 2013. Robert

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

I lived in Florida for 7 years. I don't miss it one bit. I like to visit...in the Winter only. I melt at 85 degrees. That's why I live in the mountains now. People in Florida always told me I would get used to the heat and humidity. And I never did. Because I always knew there was somewhere cooler in the summer. Robert

I don't like where this thread has headed. I don't see any way to resolve this without pissing off core members that I respect and appreciate. So I am closing the thread and let every cool down. Everyone made good points...at times. And I think we all need to be sensitive to other members. We can all make counter points to opinions. There are more constructive ways to do it than some of the worst examples in this thread, and I expect you all to do that a little better when these types of threads appear in the future. Robert

If you used an older Airave, you may want to try one of the new ones. Robert

I hear mixed results. I hear some people say they have no problems and others complain. It seems like the people with the most problems are within coverage areas, but use the Airave out of convenience. It seems like people who live completely out of coverage or in very poor coverage areas do not have issues. I'm certain someone will come in here and disagree with me, but this is the common denominator I've noticed. Since Sprint gives them out for free, no harm in trying it out. I love my Airave. It's 250' tall and in my front yard. Robert

Here is an article we wrote with info about getting a free Sprint femtocell (Airave) for your home: http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-88-sprint-has-a-new-airave-product-out-that-are-free-to-customers-with-indoor-coverage-problems/ Robert

evil empire

by Robert Herron Sprint 4G Rollout Updates Saturday, June 30, 2012 - 2:02 PM MDT The next market in our Network Vision/LTE deployment schedule update series is The Crossroads of America...Indianapolis. The Indy market has yet to be announced by Sprint, but is expected to be announced in the near future. Perhaps around the time of the first market launches. The Sprint Indianapolis market encompasses all of Central Indiana, including the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area, Bloomington, Lafayette, Anderson, Muncie, Kokomo and Columbus. Sprint's Network Vision OEM Samsung is scheduled to begin mobilizing with its subcontractors in August. Completed Network Vision sites are scheduled to start coming online in September. Indianapolis Market Launch It was Sprint's original plan to launch markets when they reached 50% of sites converted to Network Vision. However, it has now been determined that Sprint will move up launches sooner than 50% completion in several markets. This is likely to maintain a Mid 2012 launch in markets that have already been announced. However, in an unannounced market like Indy, we don't know if they will resume pushing back market launches to 50%, or if they will now settle on a 40% completion to be the new normal for market launches. It doesn't much matter in this market if Sprint launches at 40% or 50% completion. Samsung is scheduled to hit both the 40% and 50% milestones in the month of December (should they stay on schedule). It may seem that 40% - 50% site completion is not enough to launch LTE service, but it would provide pretty good coverage. Even Verizon doesn't launch on all sites in a market initially. Usually less than 50%, then filling in with more and more sites every few months. Anticipated Sites Complete at Market Launch. According to the Network Vision schedules that S4GRU has reviewed, if Sprint launched the market in December, 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 We currently do not have a date that Sprint will formally "launch" LTE service in Indy. It is difficult to try to pick a date now this far out, but we will take a stab at it. In looking at the schedule as of today, it would indicate a December 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 this early in the deployment for this market. We will be able to gauge better after a few months of production. Samsung will need to hit a production rate of 35 sites per month to stay on schedule. This is an easy to achieve rate in our opinion. If properly prepared and equipped and if backhaul is ready timely, this market shouldn't have any problems staying on time. They may even be able to get ahead of schedule here. S4GRU has examined the schedule in great detail in this market and sees that most of the sites will be complete by May 2013. However, there may be a few sporadic sites that will linger past the completion. Photo of the Indianapolis skyline 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

It is all about radio performance in your device. Network Vision sites will give you a 20% signal increase. So in the same device, it might be enough for a "one bar" improvement. You may notice a moderate improvement in voice performance, without dropped calls anymore. However, 3G data performance will be much better. And even with 3 bars of LTE signal, you should have screaming fast speeds compared to 3G. But if you upgrade to a device that has a weaker radio than your EVO (like the Galaxy Nexus), then any improvement in NV signal will be negated by the weaker radio. We are planning a radio performance comparison article next week. However, I will say this, if the nearest site is two miles away, and you live in a block home (like most Floridians) then that is most likely your problem. CMU (cinder block) and concrete and stucco are not good for a PCS signal...especially at 2+ miles. If this is your case, you will not get a lot of relief until Sprint depolys 800MHz service in your area. Sprint is deploying 800 service in two waves...CDMA 800 (voice) will be deployed first and is starting this Fall. LTE 800 will not start deployment until the second half of 2013. We do not have any specific dates yet on 800 deployments. And you would need to have an 800 capable device. Robert

Sixteen Candles

I'm playing with my new LG Viper that showed up today in the mail. I now have one of every Sprint LTE device on the market. Pretty cool. First impressions. Its very cute. Very high build quality and material feel. Screen is sharp and bright...most likely because of the small screen. Its a little thing. Even smaller than I imagined. Smaller than an EVO. But I could see this being a good size for a lot of people. First impressions are definitely good. But feels odd to use a Gingerbread device again. LG and Sprint really should expedite an ICS upgrade. Did I mention this thing is cute? Robert via LG Viper 4G LTE using Forum Runner