n8tab

Wow. Did everyone from this thread jump to T Mobile?

Just curious on anything happening around Fargo lately, cuz ain't nothing happening yet in GF.

I sure hope not...their 2G service in the FM area is about as slow as it gets.

I can get decent LTE signal strength and speed everywhere I go in Fargo...except for at work or at home.  Go figure. 

And now with the additional caveat, "and CSFB upgrades are in place." That's the reason why Detroit hasn't been launched yet. It would have been in this last round, but they have A LOT of LTE only sites, and their legacy network cannot run CSFB.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

It's good to know that CSFB is in place here in Fargo. I was nervous when they first started upgrading and my Nexus couldn't get LTE.

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It is more of a marketing thing than a statement on the completion of NV. They'll "launch" a city when 40% of the population is covered.

Gotta love the marketing folks and their crazy logic.

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I see Fargo made the list of new LTE announcements today. That is great. Hopefully Grand Forks isn't too far behind!

They still have over 50% of the towers in the FM area to go. The announcement was a little premature IMHO.

Since the Fargo area is 3G complete, there shouldn't be any legacy issues. You will have LTE issues since they are in the middle of testing and adding LTE to those sites. I don't think this is related to the CSFB issues, though you could verify that by going back and checking it out with a single band LTE device. Update: There MIGHT be issues with software at the MSC I guess, but again, most likely once you lose LTE your phone might take a while to pick it up again.

I think you're right. Just had LTE pop up for at least 30 seconds while I was just sitting here at home. When that happened, the 1xRTT signal was dropped. Then no LTE & back to eHRPD then EVDO. Testing must be under way all over town. How exciting.

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I figured this much but got anxious when I started reading that there are many problems with this all over the US.

On a side note, there were 4 trucks (black service style pickups) and several people at the tower on Main in WF today. They had a large spool of something so I'm guessing that site is well under way as well. Yay!

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Hmm, too bad you can't manually select the band your phone connects to on lte

I can, and do, just have one LTE band enabled, unfortunately it doesn't address the problem. The issue is there is one radio for CDMA/EVDO/LTE. It can only do one at a time and requires different network hardware to handoff properly between bands.

I'm hoping they were just testing the past few days and not finished with the installation and configuration of that particular LTE tower. They might as well do it right the first time instead of coming back again for yet another upgrade for compatibility with new and future handsets.

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Anyone know if we can expect the handoff issues and lack of LTE for tri-band phones in this area? Apparently there are some major issues with LTE/eCSFB at this point in many areas....none of the new phones launched last week, including my Nexus 5, can connect to LTE. I also drop 3G every few minutes.

Anyone have any insight?

Thanks!

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I'm trying to sift through all the pages of this thread to find an answer, but haven't been successful just yet. I have a Nexus 5. LTE is not yet officially live in my area (Fargo, ND) but some towers are up and running. I have the same handoff issues and no LTE unless forced as most others. The sponsor map shows they already completed 3G upgrades in this area (red pins) but most towers also broadcast 800SMR. I believe we have legacy Ericsson and NV Samsung here.

Is this information sufficient enough to determine the fate of my N5 LTE experience at this point, or do I need to wait it out longer to see? Can I write this off as potential LTE launch and issues or is it likely something more long term? Too soon to tell?

I'd like to know if I should sell my GS4 o hold on to it so I can taste the delicious forthcoming LTE.

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I couldn't get my phone to use the signal but it is definitely being broadcast. Here are a couple screenshots of my LTE Engineering screen while in the Home Depot parking lot.

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Nice! I was thinking something might be happening. My phone dropped all signal while sitting at Granite City last night. Then when it picked up again it showed LTE briefly then switched to 3G...did so a few times. I thought maybe it was a fluke or normal to do that since my phone is new and I'm not totally familiar with it yet.

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Right now there are trucks and trailers on the ground and at least 2 people on the tower on Main in West Fargo.

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It would be pretty neat if BLABLA came back on the site with another progress update. 

In Fargo I think all the NV equipment has been installed as pretty much everything there is 3G complete.  I think the holdup on LTE is they are still waiting for the backhaul to be installed. I've noticed some weirdness with texts and data though. They may have some tweaking to do before everything settles back to normal.

Yeah I don't trust a damn thing @sprintcare says. I've posted up my rant and tweets with them a few pages back. And Moza is right. Everything is installed in the area. We're just waiting on the backhaul to be put in and then the integration team come and take care of the rest. It'd be interesting to see if the building permits have even been applied for yet for the digging work that will be needed.

 

Anyways double checked the area I saw yesterdayand yeah it was excavation and yeah they were digging...

 

... but not for fiber optics. They were getting at some city sewer lines.

I don't think they ever finished NV on the tower  on 43rd Ave & S Univ Dr, which is the tower closest to my house.  I haven't seen any action on it at all over the past few months.  My phone still locks onto the 1x800 signal coming from further away  on 32nd Ave unless I change my PRL to one without 800 SMR enabled.  

I know I sound like a broken record, but they need to upgrade that darn tower for all of us in that area...guess I'm hoping someone, who is in the know, will see this and put my mind at ease. I'd like to have more than  1-2 bars in my house some day. 

Last night I asked about LTE in Fargo to @sprintcare via twitter. Today I was asked to provide my zip and cross streets...then was given this nugget:

@N8Tab Thanks for the info. The tower is currently being upgraded, pls bear with us; Techs are working as fast as quality allows. -JMC

I'm hoping that is true and isn't just a scripted answer, but it seems like a familiar response.

*Fingers crossed*

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Has anyone noticed with Signal Check that the towers are back on EVDO (Rev 0 in my case) as compared to eHRPD? I've checked at both home and work (two separate towers) even after power cycling and toggling airplane mode but I still connect to EVDO. Still broadcasting voice on 800 MHz though...

Occasionally, depending on location...on eHRPD right now in West Fargo.

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So... On my way to the Vikings game and we just hit St. Cloud and I got some of that 4G stuff they talk about.

 

Mind.

Blown.

That's good to see. When I was in Chicago, I averaged between 3-5Mbps which still seemed quick.

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Anyone with an AT&T LTE Phone?

 

http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=24799&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=36996&mapcode=consumer|mk-att-wireless-networks

AT&T threw the switch in Fargo today (19SEP13)... only after having it announced a little less than a month ago (21AUG13) http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=24723&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=36923

 

It'd be interesting for a comparison to see what people are getting on AT&T's LTE up here now compared to when Sprint finally launches LTE here.

SMH. I left AT&T for Sprint in May because I thought Sprint would get LTE up quicker.

PS. I saw your post on Android Central. I'm with you on VZW.

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So it looks like the Fargo area is pretty much 3G complete, any inside skinny on when LTE will be turned on? Are they waiting on Centurylink for the backhaul?

I was going to post this earlier but got tied up...I saw a Century Link truck working on the tower on 17th Ave & 38th St. (Near Savers)... I hope that is a good sign.

Also the 3G speed I get at home is still less than 50kbps. So either the tower near me is being neglected (no 800MHz either) or there is still 3G/voice work being done. I'm praying for the latter.

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The main ave site in West Fargo is having some serious issues..... Ericsson was there in response to that. some random issues around town but data on 3g has improved greatly. It will only get better. 4g is close

Working in West Fargo, have noticed the issues. I still have problems at home since the tower on South University doesn't seem to be live with 800MHz and my phone locks onto the tower down on 32nd...I live near 60th Ave & Univ so the signal isn't very strong. Needless to say, I haven't had the opportunity to appreciate any improvements yet. Data speeds seem to have remained under 500k since all this started.

Hopefully the South Univ tower gets upgraded to 800 and WF gets squared away soon...then bring on the LTE & I'll be happy as a clam...ok bring on the LTE anytime.

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I saw an Ericsson truck at the West Fargo Main Ave tower the other day. I thought Samsung was doing the NV upgrades in this market....then again the equipment in the pic I posted also looks closer to Ericsson vs Samsung. Would they be working on legacy equipment along side NV upgrades?

Edit: I guess it looks like it could be the narrow beam Samsung antennas....also now that I think about it I saw the Ericsson truck last week before the 800MHz went live in WF...

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3G and 800 are from two different sources. There can be a slight lag in 800 reports.

Got it. Thanks.

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I see the interactive map of completed NV sites has been updated in the sponsors forum. It shows the FM sites all as 3G upgrades and not 3G/800, which many are. I'm guessing it is either an oversight or the 800MHz upgrades aren't complete or confirmed.

Hopefully Sprint get things wrapped up soon here in Fargo...including 800MHz on the 43rd & S. Univ. tower so my phone will connect to it again and not the tower a mile away on 32nd w/800MHz signal.

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Uh oh... something is happening....

I saw that a lot today down around 13th Ave. I thought my phone was borked until I saw 5 cars parked at the tower behind the old Hooter's and people scrambling.

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Where is this one at?

In West Fargo on Main near Sheyenne...had some Sprint labeled generators and light towers by it too.

FYI: Just woke up and have a 1x800 signal here down by 52nd and University...it's not any stronger than the 1xRTT but time will tell. Progress!

Update: looks like my phone had locked onto a 800MHz tower further away (32nd Ave) meaning the closest one (43rd & Univ) must not be updated...hence the weak signal... Also, I'm at work now in West Fargo and the tower on Main Ave (from my pic yesterday) doesn't appear to be broadcasting 800MHz yet...EVDO is sketchy right now too. Bummer.

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