userwhat

I hope that's the case over here. I had such a strong signal at home that I didn't even need to use wifi. Streaming HD was awesome.

I hope so too. My theory is that whichever tower I was connecting to was adjusted to the point that the signal was no longer reaching me and whatever signal I'm getting now is from another tower. Who really knows tho.

I have had the same issue from Pelham Manor up to the Morris Park area in the Bronx. In December, I was getting some pretty nice LTE speeds and coverage (even indoors) on my Note 2 and then after Xmas, it was gone. There is some LTE in some parts of Bay Plaza but it's not very fast. Pelham Manor is now non-existent (I was able to compete with my Girlfriends Verizon LTE phone speed while it was up) and the last time I was in the Jacobi area about 2-3 weeks ago..the LTE was also gone. Again, in December it was fine in that area. Weird...

 

For those in the know: Is it normal for Sprint to turn off LTE towers that seem to be working fine??

I had lte for a good few weeks and then it went POOF. Came back about 2 months later but with a stronger signal.

Ah, I made a mistake then. I wondered why info was so sparse. Thank you. Feel free to delete this all and my account or whatever.

These links should be useful to you..

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/638-network-visionlte-phoenix-market-including-flagstaff-lake-havasu/

http://s4gru.com/index.php?app=blog&module=display&section=blog&blogid=1&showentry=148

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/1631-questions-about-the-phx-metro-area/

LTE has been absent in my area for at least over a month now after making an appearance for a few weeks. Luckily 3G works fine enough for me.

 

Sounds like you are getting a lot of work done...

 

 

 

Folks, this is the type of excessive usage that makes unlimited data untenable. So, I guess enjoy it while it lasts because some users relish sucking the teat dry. Unlimited data will go the way of the dodo, or slow speeds will be here again.

 

AJ

Thank you, . I think this the greater challenge...I'm on my phone so I can't source but I was reading yesterday elsewhere that mobile data usage increased by more than 100% in the last year.

Sprint is known however to cancel the accts of users who are using excessive amounts of data so that might be one way to sustain the network and unlimited.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

So I wonder if sprint will ever be the top dog? Above VZW and att.

Maybe with Clearwires spectrum? I'm sure someone who knows more than me will chime in. What concerns me most is that from what I have read, Att and Vzw are outspending Sprint on investments in their networks by much $ but that can always change and I have no idea what they are actually spending there money on compared to what Sprint is doing or why Sprint is spending less money.

I thought Sprint stopped selling the Iphone4 in their stores?

http://www.phonedog.com/2012/09/18/sprint-to-only-offer-iphone-4-online-starting-september-21/

Maybe they changed their mind..I haven't been in a Sprint store in a long time.

No, I know exactly what am talking about. I don't need to cite a source to prove the moon isn't made of cheese. Its common sense in the RF world. Once again you call on me to show you proof when you continue to make up your own "proof". ATT, Verizon, and Sprint all have publicly complained about the abuse of their network by abusive users such as those who tether without authorization. This is common knowledge among the educated masses in wireless tech dealing with cell networks. You are simply ignorant of cell network infrastructure and the effects abusive tethering.

Evo - You're not listening to anything I'm saying nor do you want to...or maybe I'm not making myself entirely clear. Either way, we can still be respectful of one another. For now I am done with this.

*sigh*

 

So all of your findings are based on observational assumption. Nice. And yet you are willing to call everyone on the carpet? SMH

 

I need to get back to working on the update. I cannot believe I allow myself to get sucked into these things.

 

Robert

I'm trying to understand by asking questions and instead I'm being attacked now by you. I guess I'm done with this community.

Robert its over. When this guy just start denying facts there is no way we can win. To him tethering simply doesn't do anything to degrade network experience. Why it doesn't when all the facts(and common sense) say otherwise? Who knows? but apparently I have no idea what am talking about. I will say am not the one questioning the research a multi-billion dollar company did with " internet posts".

I'm just saying people are not tethering as often as you think. Why keep attacking me rather than educating and providing links to all this research you keep talking about?

lol am sorry to laugh at you but your arguments are becoming comical. You admit your argument has no validity by saying its nothing more than your opinion. THEN, you go own to add even more unproven or fact based data based on your OPINION. You try to use reverse logic as if it makes sense. I could say their are other infinitely small universes inside my bowl of cereal this morning they are just to small to see. No one has proved me wrong otherwise so I must be right. However, thru all of that I think one of the funniest thing about your post is the fact that you say tethering is done less and less. Maybe you should go back to page 3 and 2 when YOU yourself say that as the capabilities of phones increase people will want to tether MORE.

 

But here is another thing to think about. Sprint is obviously not in a position to charge as much as the big 2 which is why the have unlimited now as a market strategy. Do you think if they could really afford to allow phones to tether an unlimited amount without network performance issues, wouldn't they do so? This would be a major marketing point just behind unlimited data.

 

Am sorry to tell you this but tethering is a problem for Sprint otherwise like Robert said they wouldn't be addressing it and trying to stop it.

Here is a question for you. I have Sprint and receive great coverage throughout the entire city. I'm almost always able to browse the internet and stream radio whereever I am. If tethering was such the issue as you state and was crippling the entire network, then why am I able to use my phone almost everywhere I go just fine?

People who unauthorized tether tend to be heavy users. It only takes a couple of these people per sector of a site to absolutely destroy the experience for everyone.

 

If they were tethering and just using Facebook, it wouldn't be a problem. That's why Sprint enacted caps on even authorized tethering. I have a VZW hotspot and if I just use it for casual browsing and S4GRU usage, I use 2-3GB per month. I once let my kids watch Netflix on it and it used almost 3GB in 90 minutes.

 

The problem is abusers. Abusers tend to abuse. Granted, smartphone streaming may end up being a long term problem too. But it is currently allowed. And Sprint will be able to sustain it for awhile if people only use it when actually mobile. Smartphone streaming using LTE in your home is irresponsible in my opinion when you have WiFi available. But that is a whole 'nother subject.

 

Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Robert - how often do a couple of tether's destroy the experience for other users? How many Sprint customers are receiving poor experiences directly because of tethering at any given time? IF we could have some hard facts like this then we could talk about it being an issue.

However, thru all of that I think one of the funniest thing about your post is the fact that you say tethering is done less and less. Maybe you should go back to page 3 and 2 when YOU yourself say that as the capabilities of phones increase people will want to tether MORE.

When did I say people would want to tether more? I've been saying the entire opposite this entire time. Also. just because something is my opinion does not make it more right or wrong than anything you've said. You state things as fact yet are able to provide no sources to back it up. You talk like you know what you are talking about but the truth is your statements are actually just an opinion just like mine.

The thing is even if people stream to much or hammer the data network, if they are properly paying Sprint has more revenue to add more sectors and/or more bandwidth to each site, unauthorized tethering means more costs to them without the revenue or just let their network get hammered. I hate the fact I know a ton of Sprint customers that take advantage of deals Sprint employees give them, that they shouldn't get or ones that only root to tether.

It's already been stated Sprint can detect tethering so any loss revenue to them is something they are currently acceptable with. I'd hope they've done the math and came to the conclusion that the current policy currently benefits Sprint the most.

Sprint makes it difficult to tether. Apps required to do so are not on the market and you often need to be rooted. Again, I think unauthorized tethering is done much less than we all think.

Does anyone here really think that growth in data usage from the mobile connections is due to mostly tethering?

How can you say you don't believe it yet don't have any proof? Whereas att has done research and has the data to back it up. You do understand that the people using unauthorized are more likely to be using it as a home ISP. What part of someone using over 30 GB(a very conservative estimate) not effect network performance and degrade data service do you not understand?

It is just my opinion and I have yet to see any proof to say I'm wrong...can you source att's research?

The fact is that in 2011, the top 5% of users on att and verizon used on average less than 4GB / month , while the mean was around 3GB / month.

Maybe if everyone had there phone as an always on permanent internet connection replacing cable or dsl in there homes, constantanty connected to all the computers and xbox's in the house,..but I just don't see that happening very often.

I suspect that tethering is not done as often as we all think, and that it is done less and less each day. I'd also hypothesize that high bandwidth apps on phones are causing greater stress on Sprint's network than tethering today and they are more of what Sprint is concerned about than tethering. In fact - every post I've seen on the internet with someone using 30GB+ a month of data has stated they done so by streaming netflix/youtube/radio all day or downloading torrents all day through there phone..not yet by tethering.

If anything, Sprint should really raise all of our prices as the data connection on our phones is even more valuable and we can now do more through it than ever before.

But tethering is the problem. At&t even said so in late 2010 when they started transferring everyone to data caps. As someone who has no home internet options, I was tethering from my iPhone when I needed a decent connection to the internet. I've done it on Sprint too when I really need it as a last resort. But tethering really is the problem. Streaming video may become the problem later down the road, but it isn't right now.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus running Paradigm 3.0 using Forum Runner

AT&T has agenda and has said lots of things that have been debunked. Tethering may be a problem (I still don't believe it), but we are starting to live in a postPC world. Our smartphones are almost capable of completely replacing the PC for many people. Everything you can do that might abuse the network can now be done on a smartphone. People can torrent from there cell phone, they watch videos, they can download large files. Really, there are very few reasons why anyone really needs to tether anymore.

You can block tethering but it will only lead people to doing the things they'd do from there PC to do them on computer. How many of us post on SG4U from our smartphones today vs what it would of been three years ago? In the end I think we'll see unlimited go away unless carriers start putting further restrictions on what kind of Apps we can use with unlimited.

I also wonder...will the sprint network be able to handle everyone streaming spotify or there favorite radio stations in there cars while there kids watch a show on hulu? I know more and more people doing activities like this. Verizon might have the right idea with there plans right now and its allowing them to Invest way more money in there network than providers like Sprint. I'm afraid we'll be playing catch up as people start doing more and more with there devices way before Sprint is ready for it.

I think you're misunderstanding what I said, and I don't think I was clear. Sprint is never going to be able to offer completely unlimited data with unlimited tethering at a reasonable cost. However, I would rather have them keep unlimited mobile data and cap tethering plans than to have them cap everything like AT&T and Verizon are doing. And if you want to use Sprint as your home internet, then maybe there could be an expensive unlimited tier for tethering. And yes, I support offloading, but I think that we shouldn't have forced caps on everything, but it's difficult to offer unlimited tethering at a reasonable price. Another potential idea is to give a low free allowance of tethering for when you really need it, but otherwise just have am actual capped tiered tethering plan with unlimited mobile data. Hope that makes more sense.

I understand what you're saying but I just don't think tethering is the problem as everyone thinks it is. The problem are activities that take up large amount of bandwidth and our mobile devices are going to be doing more of these things and putting more stress on the network than people who are tethering IMO, and the majority of this will take place when people are at home. I know many people who have no problem being at home without a wired internet connection as long as they can check there email and stream videos to there tv just using there phones.

I really like the idea of capped tethering and unlimited smartphone usage. After all, the only way to really abuse the network to such an extent is to tether it and use it as home internet (unless you're watching Netflix on your phone 24/7, which sucks). I'm hoping that Sprint will hold out for as long as they can without data caps, and this is probably the best way of doing so for everyone.

Interesting post..maybe carriers should use GPS to prevent us from using the network while we are at home? That way we'd be force'd to use another connection and the network would still work great when we are mobile.

We are probably only a year or two away from being able to display netflix on our tv's through our phones wirelessly while also being able to play angry birds..

And those people who support it are wrong. Authorized tethering comes with caps. They can use their data for whatever they want to up to their cap. Unauthorized tethering is not allowed and invites abuse of the network which will reduce performance for everyone.

 

Sprint is counting it can support smartphone unlimited data, but they cannot support unlimited tethering.

 

Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Am I the only one who thinks tethering is the temporary problem? Whats going to happen when everyone is streaming netflix to there TV at night through there phone to there tv Or what about someone who wants to download a large torrent? Crap, LTE is faster than my home internet so I'd be saving a ton of time grabbing that 5 Gig linux distro through my phones connection, and I'll get better quality on that netflix stream too.

No, this is exactly your viewpoint otherwise you wouldn't agree. You mistake the purpose of Net Neutrality and the logistics of cell phone networks. First off, do you know what would happen to Sprint's network if just 1/4 of its subs use unauthorized tethering anytime they wanted? Even post NV we would be exactly where we are now maybe even worse considering NV has a lower threshold before a sector is overloaded. Also maybe you should take a closer look at the contract you signed or your term of service agreement.

 

I shall never understand where this entitlement comes from. You say " many people...feel they should be able to use that data however they want." It doesn't matter what they feel what matters is the agreements they sign. Your agreement says you may use as much data for your PHONE as you like not ANYTHING you like. If you don't like it then don't buy it or agree to the tos. Its not like everyone carrier has this policy. ATT and Verizon would be more than happy to add you to a mobile share or share everything plan.

 

Another point you make comes from Net Neutrality and honestly you kind of make my point but am not sure you see that. Net Neutrality( now named NN for short) is related to content. Its purpose is to ensure sites like Amazon can't pay an ISP to make its web page load faster than a mom n pop page, and for that I agree; BUT, this does not apply to what we are talking about. NN simply doesnt apply because sprint isnt restricting what you use your connection for. It restricts a capability on your phone not the internet itself. Now if you want to make an agreement on how companies shouldn't restrict anything on THEIR products then please do so. The point that really mutes NN is the fact that Sprint isnt an ISP and nor do they have any intention of becoming one because they don't have the network to support it. I was going to go into further detail but just looking at this post I think its long enough.

You don't know me so who are you to know if this is my viewpoint or not? When did I agree? Tethering is actually part of my plan so I'm not breaking the rules.

I'm explaining to you what many people think...you may not agree with it and you may be perfectly right but it doesn't change how people think. Also, the NN debate also covers what you said and much much more.

http://arstechnica.c...tethering-apps/

http://www.muninetworks.org/content/verizon-wireless-busted-violating-network-neutrality

Can anyone that believes in "Free tethering" enlighting me on why you are so entitled to a service you do not pay for. Please tell me how a company should be forced to go along with what you define as acceptable usage. Without any regards to their bottom line, as if they are not in the business of making money.

This is not necessarily my viewpoint but it is really simple. Many people pay for data and that feel they should be able to use that data however they want. As our phones are increasingly capable, the point of tethering will soon turn mute as we'll be able to just plug our phones into some laptopesque device and use it as any computer.

I wouldn't be surprised if sprint, verizon, att, etc.. will want to just start limiting what kinds of Apps we want to use on our phones depending on what plans we have. Think of different tiers of Internet. This is actually what the whole net neutrality argument revolves around too.

The battle of tethering reminds me of when internet providers used to try to charge customers per computer on there home network. Does anyone remember this? First computer would be $X and each additional computer would be an additional $Y. Savvy users at the time would just buy their own router but some actually paid per computer.

I think in the end unlimited will have to come to an end as some users are doing over 100GB just streaming netflix to there tv through there phone. I for one would like to see more reasonable limits. 250MB is only enough for someone who doesn't know how to use their device and 5GB can easily be reached by streaming music and not by abusing the connection. I'd like to see 5GB limits increased to something more reasonable like 30-50GB or even 100GB. This would still feel like unlimited to many but would limit the abusers and allow them to pay more.

Alternatively, I'm also not opposed to throttling to just lesser 4G speed too.

Android also has tethering built into it and you can also enable it w/o rooting on some devices. I think they are already tracking it as I can see usage on my Sprint.com account but with no charges. Will be interesting to see what Sprint does.

4G has been inaccessible for at least two weeks at one of the towers by me after being accessible since first sighting in la. Would be interesting to know why.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

So I'm noticing a delay of about 10 seconds or so before the LTE connection gets moving. What I mean is I'll type msn.com into my phone browser and I'll wait a good 10 seconds before the page starts to download, which at that point it is quick to load the images and elements. I've noticed the same thing with Speed tests...I'll tap begin start and wait 5 seconds before it begins.

Is this normal? I'm guessing it might be related to DNS/waiting to resolve ip addresses or something but haven't done much research beyond this observation.

For reference, I'm in a market which is testing but has not yet launched.