S4GRU

I read Spanish. The website is reporting on a rumor they read somewhere else. Tecnetico is not the offender, its the Puerto Rican who reported the info to them and claimed he took these speed tests in PR. The website even says they doubt the rumor and the screenshots they were sent. The website is just reporting a rumor. And we all have disproven it. I don't think any further action is required. Robert via Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

We have never watermarked a photo to date. I would also give credit and thank the member in any place I used their photos. Robert via Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

I use NetMonitor app. It works really well for me. However I have heard that some people have problems with the accuracy with NetMonitor in some markets or with some devices. Results may vary. Robert via Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

After they threatened to ban me for linking an S4GRU article that was relevant to a thread discussion, I've stayed away. I just go over to respond to the occasional PM I receive. Robert via Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

gas prices Robert via Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

.5Mbps is not the same as 5Mbps. .5 is half of one Mbps, or 500kbps. So the member is not odd, but actually accurate. Robert via Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

Locked thread because of duplication. Robert via Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

mountain pass

I know what you mean. VZW completed LTE panels here in Los Alamos, New Mexico months ago, and they just sit there with no live LTE signal. But there is no VZW version of S4GRU to blab to everyone how they are just sitting there. Robert

Washington DC Status: LTE Launched/NV Upgrades Languishing NV Sites Accepted = 91% LTE Sites Accepted = 68% LTE Launched = September 9, 2014 (Northern MD Suburbs launched 7/2014) Original Scheduled Completion = January 2013 Current Production Rate Completion = December 2015

Wow, this is the first time I have ever heard of a store employee going to the opposite extreme. Usually they will sell you the moon. First, I typically only need 100k speeds to run Pandora. However, it needs to stay consistently 100k or better. If you drive into an area with less than 100k speeds, you will likely have some performance issues. And there are many sub 100k pockets in Orange County at the moment. However, I disagree with the employee's assessment about 3G and LTE. Sprint is spending almost one billion dollars nationwide in 3G improvements ahead of Network Vision. You can see these in your area at network.sprint.com. People who live in areas who have received 3G upgrades generally are pleased with the performance improvements. And these are just temporary improvements. Network Vision will improve 3G permanently upon it's arrival in your area. Now for Network Vision: Network Vision is already under way in LA County. Additionally, Orange County is in the Second Round of Network Vision improvements. With Network Vision, not only will you get better 3G speeds, but you will also get better and stronger signals and 4G LTE coverage as well. Orange County Network Vision deployment is scheduled to begin before the end of 2012. The entire Network Vision program will be complete in less than 2 years from now, nationwide. Robert

I responded to the Tecnetico article:

by Robert Herron Sprint 4G Rollout Updates Thursday, June 7, 2012 - 9:14 PM MDT In our continuing Network Vision/LTE deployment schedule update series, S4GRU would like to bring you up to speed in San Antonio, Texas. Sprint announced to the world early in Network Vision that the San Antonio market would be one of their first LTE launches. Dan Hesse announced that we can expect it to be launched by Mid 2012. Since the announcement last December, Sprint's Network Vision OEM Ericsson has been steadily deploying around San Antonio and environs. As of this week, the are more than 30 Network Vision sites broadcasting a LTE signal. These sites are all around the market. Network Vision Sites in San Antonio. Over 30 sites are complete in the market. All of these broadcasting Sprint LTE, but being blocked from accessibility by Sprint. 30 Live LTE Sites, but still being blocked by Sprint Despite the good news of these live LTE sites, Sprint is still actively blocking LTE connections. They originally planned to allow sites converted to Network Vision standards to go live immediately upon completion by the OEM Contractor. This is still the case with 3G EVDO and even CDMA 800 sites when they are completed. In Sprint's original Network Vision plans, they were also planning to allow 4G LTE signals to be handled the same way. Turn them on and allow them to be discovered prior to the formal market launch at 50% site completion. Market Launch and Remaining Schedule In recently seen correspondence, Sprint has decided to move up launches sooner than 50% completion. This is likely to maintain a Mid 2012 launch in San Antonio. If they waited for 50% now, it would delay launch until August. In the case of San Antonio, should Sprint launch prior to the end of June, they would only be complete with approximately 35% to 40% of all NV sites. This doesn't sound like a lot, but it would provide pretty good coverage. A little known item is not even Verizon launches 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 on June 30th, these are the anticipated sites that would have LTE complete at that time. This would provide pretty good LTE coverage over the market. At market launch, some areas will be well covered with LTE, and others may be kind of spotty. However, more sites will come online every week until the whole market is complete. And even with one or two bars of LTE signal on your device, you will still get speeds that are double to triple that of well performing 3G EVDO in most instances. And speaking of 3G EVDO, Sprint is not reporting any of these live Network Vision sites are currently broadcasting EVDO, only LTE. According to the NV schedule, these should have started coming online in May. However, none have shown up as NV 3G active to date. We know the new backhaul is in place at these sites since they are broadcasting LTE. That most likely means that the Switch Center is not ready for these sites. A huge backlog of 3G sites will probably come online in this market suddenly when the network is ready. The bottom line... We currently do not have a date that Sprint will formally "launch" the San Antonio market. We believe they are still targeting a launch date before the end of the month based on internal Sprint documents. However, we hope that they will actually remove LTE blocking before the launch, since there are quite a few active LTE sites that can be used now in this market. Sprint's Network Vision schedule for this market currently has 32 Network Vision sites complete. Ericsson is plotting continual progress from here with production ramping up to a rate of almost 40 sites per month. S4GRU has poured over the schedule in this market and sees an October 2012 completion date. In our estimation of the schedule, it appears that Ericsson is behind in the market. However a production rate of 40 sites per month is achievable, but a much greater pace will need to start to occur in June to see this to conclusion. In the mean time, San Antonians are bathing in a Sprint LTE signal that they cannot use. Hopefully, Sprint will soon end your misery and allow you to connect your brand spanking new LTE devices in high speed! Photo of San Antonio 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

I do not know of any. I would assume there is no such preclusion. And I think my assumption is solid. For instance, I have seen several Sprint documents and maps relating to limitations to LTE 800 deployment because of spectrum/border area limitations, etc. But I have not once seen any mitigation plans or maps relating to issues deploying LTE 1900 in border areas. Robert

VZW is not planning LTE 700 on every site in their current deployment strategy, but they are planning on LTE coverage over their entire 3G footprint. However, it is only a matter of time when they will get to every site. They are planning to be the first carrier with a full migration to LTE. Robert

Blue - 32GB, FTW!

I'm sure glad they used a July shot. Wouldn't want North Dakota to get a reputation about their freezing cold winters. Robert

Thank you for posting the link. Sometimes it's good to get the blood moving first thing in the morning. I like to know what others are saying, even if inaccurate. Robert

I think Sprint took everything into account when figuring that 3% number. Including the RRU advantage over VZW. I don't think Sprint will plan on LTE distances much greater than 7 miles with 800 LTE. They may deploy it with very little downtilt in vast open areas like in the Western Rural Prairies and on Boomers in the Rural West for something a little farther. Robert

That's immediately where my mind went to. I would like to know more details about if Sprint would get to access more of its spectrum along the border. This release is short on that info. Robert

Gotham City

According to Sprint Lab testing, they estimate less than a 3% difference between Verizon 700MHz LTE and Sprint 800MHz LTE coverage difference. That is virtually nothing. If a Verizon LTE signal would travel 15 miles, Sprint's LTE 800 would still be more than 14.5 miles. And at those kinds of distances, there are other factors that would likely be obstructing both signals. For most realistic deployments, you would see no appreciable difference. Robert