motiv8r100

I have a follow-up to my previous posting. After reading other members posting their thoughts and observations, I thought that I needed to explore the possibility that I had a bad GS4, SPH720T phone. So, I have further investigated the 4G LTE to 3G switching of the GS4 SPHL720T that I previously described. It seems that this only happens when I'm in an area where BOTH the 4G LTE and 3G signal are weak. The 4G LTE has dropped and the 4G LTE signal strength is -11x AND ALSO the 3G signal strength is weak -100ish or worse at the 4G LTE signal loss. I took a GS3 and a GS4, SPHL720, along with ANOTHER GS4, SPHL720T and used them for comparisons to my GS4, SPHL720T while driving through the areas that I was having issues, places I travel through often, for a side by side comparison. The GS3 and the GS4 test comparison phones dropped the 4G LTE signal sooner than my SPHL720T and the borrowed 720T when leaving the 4G LTE signal area and both switched to 3G before either of the 720T phones. The 720T phones held on to the 4G LTE signal longer while approaching the fringe of the 4G LTE coverage and were still able to transfer data via 4G LTE, even though the GS3 and GS4 had already dropped 4G LTE in favor of 3G. By the time the 720T phones let go of the 4G LTE - the signal strength of the 3G signal in the problem areas was weak -100ish or worse. While the GS3 and GS4 that had already established their 3G lock continued to hang onto their 3G connections and were able to transfer data, BOTH of the 720T phones we're left looking for the 3G signal, but BOTH unable to quickly acquire it. However, once the signal strength of the 3G was better -96ish (according to the GS3 and GS4), the 720T phones both acquired the 3G. So it seems that my perceived long wait for 3G signal acquisition may be a case of 3G signal strength, but then begs the question, why are BOTH the GS3 and GS4 able to 3G when the 720T phones aren't? So, I don't know the reason or the cause, perhaps antenna arrangement/size changed with the additional Sprint Spark radios (I haven't checked this). However, in good signal areas where the 4G LTE reaches its fringe, but the 3G signal is good let's call it -98ish or better my 720T does change to 3G without the long delay.

Well, I have had ny GS4T, SPHL720TBK, for just under a week at this point. I like it and it's overall performance has been good. The BAD: When leaving a 4G LTE served area - it takes a while to acquire a 3G data signal. Once you leave a 4G LTE served area it generally takes its about 2 minutes and even up to several minutes sometimes for it to acquire a 3G signal for data transfer (during which time you're without data service and the dreaded "This page canNOT be loaded" message pops up). We have many areas where 4G LTE is not yet up in Reno, NV - and, I'm often a passenger in a vehicle and when it drives out of a 4G served area - no data for at least 2 minutes - so this has been a bit annoying. The GOOD: But, on the other side of the coin, its ability to acquire a 4G LTE signal is dramtic. It seems to aggressively hunt for and change to 4G LTE when entering a 4G LTE served area (even on the fringe of such an area). My previous phone, an S3, seemed to be just the opposite pouncing on a 3G signal, even when 4G LTE was available. Calls have rung through easily even when I've been browsing - though of course there's no SVLTE. Then of course there's the cute - sometimes spinning - SPARK symbol added to the top of the homescreen.

Best Buy on Virginia Street in Reno, NV as of yesterday ALL their GS4 stock was GS4T (when I asked if they had SPHL720Txx they had NO IDEA what I was talking about, but the manager came over and opened the locked phone storage cabinet so I could see the boxes and every Sprint GS4 they had was a GS4T, SPHL720TWT and SPHL720TBK, white and black repsctively). However at the ONLY Sprint company store in Reno where I'd been earlier in the day yesterday they assured me that ALL GS4 phones ever made had the hardware for Sprint Spark and only needed a software update (they had no idea what they were talking about). When I questioned this further, they went in back and "asked the tech" and came back with the same story. Then when I asked to see the actual box, they brought out a GS4, SPHL720xxx and not a GS4T, SPHL720Txx. So, it's buyer beware, check the model number on the outer box.

More updates and mapping for 4G LTE in Reno, NV. Yesterday my travels took me down south by South Meadows Parkway and Double Diamond. I did some more mapping on sensorly.com if you're interested AND perhaps more important saw the BEST SPEEDS I've SEEN YET, 20+M down / 7+M up, see screenshots below.

I and others have done more mapping on sensorly.com to show the areas where the switch is flipped. About 80% - 85% of what is currently showing for Reno on sensorly.com is from my drive time and some extra driving for the sake of a little extra mapping over the past 3 days . . . a LOT of purple has been added. ANOTHER UPDATE FOR RENO !!! More pockets of 4G LTE in Reno. Hwy 395 from the I-80 interchange south beyond Damonte Ranch AND west of 395 between Moana Ln and Del Monte/Neil Rd. Some pretty impressive speeds too. The low end, even with a weak signal, 1 bar, is about 1M down / 0.5M up. Over by the airport 1.83M down / 0.41M up using sensorly's speedtest AND in the parking lot of Boston Market on Kietzke Ln ran the sensorly speed test 6.31 down / 5.82 up and then ran speedtest.net 5.52 down / 7.36 up (yes, really, the up was higher than the down on that one). See screenshots below. Can't wait to see that purple grow in Reno.

Simply see the title of this topic, " Network Vision/LTE - Upper Central Valley Market (Sacramento, Stockton, Redding, Eureka & Reno/Lake Tahoe)" Doesn't make a lot of sense to me either, BUT Reno is in the UCV.

Reno now has Sprint 4G LTE up an running on/around Hwy 395 from about Moana Ln to South Meadows Pkwy. If you want to experince it yourself without driving on the highway simply go to the Sam's Club & WalMart parking lot on Kietzke Lane. There's 5 bar 4G LTE there. I don't know exactly when it was fired up, but I left on a trip 7/24/13 and it was NOT 4G, but when I returned on 7/31/13 there was 4G. I have run the Sensorly.com app on the freeway and then back along the same approximate route on S Virginia St . . . so hopefully they'll update the purple on their coverage maps soon. I got 7.95 down and 2.51 up speeds on my best test.