SturgeonGeneral

Also, being in a Samsung market, I wouldn't rule out CSFB. If you are farther away from the LTE site in a place with a lighter shade area, you are more likely to be connected to a different 1x site than the LTE site. And that 1x site may not be running CSFB. If that were to happen, you would not connect to LTE until you got closer to the LTE site and connected to the same 1x site.

 

However, a single band LTE device would not have this problem, allowing it to map on Sensorly out to the end of the LTE signal regardless of whatever 1x site it was connected.

 

You can test this by putting your S4GT in LTE only mode and driving around back over the Sensorly coverage area.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

I'll research how to put it into "LTE only" mode tonight after work.  If you have a quick how to, I'd be able to run it on the way home.

Some who mapped signal levels might have used devices with software defects that report the signal levels as stronger than they actually are to Sensorly. I believe the Galaxy Nexus is one device that reports all LTE to sensorly as max-strength, but I could be mistaken. Extensive mapping in an area with a device like that could throw all of the mapping out of whack, showing stronger signals where they really don't exist.

 

In reality, there is not much of anything you can do with your individual device. Unless you find yourself using one device that seems to work great and another in the same location fails to connect or shows significantly lower signal levels, it's just the current state of the network. The LTE airlink is also not as robust as 1X, so it cannot hold onto weaker signals as well.

 

-Mike

I may have stumbled across part of my own answer this morning.  I normally run Google maps/directions (overview mode) to watch and dodge traffic.  I blew that off at first this morning and ran Sensorly only.  Practically coming out of the driveway I picked up LTE where I hadn't before -for just a few seconds over about 50 yards distance.

Is it my imagination or did I read someplace about LTE not acquiring a connection when a 3G data connection was actively transferring data?  Is it possible that the traffic feed was/is delaying searches for LTE because of the data transfer?

It was also just before sunrise.  How much is the LTE signal affected by solar radiation interference?

Sorry for the questions if they're flat out dumb, but I don't know enough to ask intelligent ones yet.

-Thanks!

I assume you already know that on their coverage maps, Sensorly reports relative signal strengths in shades, or more specifically in darkness of colors that may roughly correspond to "bars". In places others report the lowest signal strengths, I often appear to get no signal, or alternatively I get LTE disconnects when I do have a connection entering from an area of stronger signal. Just looking for ideas to help improve that reception if it is at all possible. Is physical orientation of the phone important or useful at all?

Now that you have positively identified components to work with, what are the ramifications? What is good or bad about these? Compared to sensorly, I'm not seeing LTE connects until I get to places with least level 2 signal levels reported and generally that is 50%-66% success.

Is that a limitation of the device or can I do anything to improve upon that?

Did you miss my reply to you just above yours..? Also, for what it's worth, every article I could find about the S4T indicated that other than tri-band capability, it would have the exact same specs as the S4.

 

-Mike

Yep, but when I reloaded I saw it, installed the app quick, shot screens and edited.

Thanks Again!

Using the debug / config screen, it calls out the MDM9615

That app worked.  Thanks!

Uh, Eric, 9x15 was the original modem in the S4.

 

You mean like this?

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/2040-bars-lie-for-lte-signal-strength-how-to-determine-your-actual-lte-signal-strength/

I'm not sure.  The title of that thread is:

"Bars Lie for LTE Signal Strength! How to determine your actual LTE signal strength"

I'm looking for identification of components, not signal strength.  I want to help answer these questions:

What processor?

What modem?

Is there a needle in that haystack of a thread that will get us there?  Or will I only learn how to gather information different from what we need, the hard way, and that is already available in Signal Check Pro?

I don't think the major specs are any different in terms of modem and processor than it is with the single band LTE GS4.  I just think new antennas were added for B26 and B41.  I wouldn't hold your breath on it.

While AJ is, of course, correct we have no indication that this is a new modem, either. Also, I don't think there's any reason 9x15 modems can't be Sprint Tri band.

The colloquial Snapdragon 600 is a standalone processor.  People need to understand that not every Qualcomm chipset incorporates a baseband and that a standalone processor has effectively no bearing on the RF capabilities of a separate baseband.

 

AJ

A major difference is that the MDM9615 standalone baseband is LTE Category 3, while the MSM8974 included baseband is LTE Category 4.  That has ramifications on the number of Resource Blocks that can be in use simultaneously and should affect performance on the 20 MHz TDD carrier(s) but not on the 5 MHz FDD carrier(s).

 

AJ

p.s. that thread also states this:

NOTE: iPhones, LG Android devices and Triband LTE devices are not affected.  They do show LTE signal accurately.  Also, many Android 4.3 and later devices also show LTE signal strength accurately.  This thread will become obsolete soon as all Sprint devices in 2014 will be Triband and will display LTE signal strength correctly.

If you thought I was looking for signal data, for a Tri-Band question, it doesn't apply anyhow.

That was a question I was working up the courage to ask.  Is there any means to get this phone to tell me all about itself?  Are there any test apps or hidden screens that I can extract that data from?

Looks correct.

 

What is there should be correct, I'd like to see more of the empty gaps filled in.

I'm going to be asking a lot of dumb questions regarding how to find that info once I get my phone in hand.

re: exterior box photos

I see the LTE B26 frequency added, I don't see any explicit mention of Spark or the 720T part number anywhere.  Were there any other hints on the the box or is the Band26 / three LTE frequencies listed the only way to tell from the outside of the box?

I suppose it was on the end labels or something.

Mine should deliver Monday.  It has tracked into the Kentucky hub with UPS tonight.  2 days via ground from there.

Have you gathered any information useful to update the entry on PDADB?

http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=5202&c=samsung_sph-l720t_galaxy_s4_td-lte_samsung_altius

I just received my shipping confirmation email with a UPS tracking number on it.  Once that gets picked up and into UPS system tonight, I'll have an idea of when it will arrive here.

hey guys, anybody get the new galaxy s4?

 

reception just as good? better?

 

about to jump to the phone since its the tri band phone i think i will like! lemme know the good and bad

 

hope everyone enjoying new years and had a good christmas

They only went on sale last night.

Figure about a week before we get any performance evaluations.

I won't be of much use as a reporter until triband gets more built out in my market, but I won't have to switch phones early now to take advantage of it.

My sprint guy was wrong.

Bought it online.

Thanks for the heads up!!

Tuesday release.  On the EVE of a holiday.

A little later than within the week after Christmas I predicted.

It matched my personal predictions fairly well and everything I was given by others turned out to be rubbish.

Not a Friday, or a mid-month, or even in stores yet.  (You can check local store availability at the online order system)

Online gets the first sales.

Sprint cut it as close to their own predicted deadlines as they could, but they did it.

Do you suppose store stock will arrive before our online purchases deliver?  (5 business days)

Figure by next Thursday.

Yes, time for a new thread.

I'll be amazed if that motivates anyone to make a better phone.  They don't seem to listen well and make what they want more than the market seems to demand.  The market just seems to put up with it.  (Note all the people here who have "settled" for right now-vs best.)

Look at even this phone.  They could release a phone that people want and rescue them from obsolete phones giving them a bad continuing experience, but they instead hold it back to force people to "settle" for products they already have in hand.

It just amazes me.

Thanks for the update. That is interesting- I would have thought Sprint would have wanted to avoid any delay in the distribution of tri-band devices for the sake of the network, and offered both versions side-by-side, perhaps charging a small premium for the tri-band version.

 

I do think that "obsolete" is a rather harsh description for the original S4. That term implies that the device is no longer useful, which is hardly true. The lack of SVLTE places the two versions at the same level in my mind, and that is another reason they should sell them concurrently- so customers can choose which feature they'd like.

It could very well be. In my mind, once a device is no longer sold, it's obsolete. Experience with the photon was that once they stopped selling it, they immediately stopped supporting it also.

There's probably enough commonality that this may not be a problem here, why risk it?

If Sprint indicates that it can't stand on it's own merits and be sold side by side as a lesser model, what does that say?

We don't yet have one in hand to figure that out. That's the biggest problem with such a conversation. Apples to question marks?

The vast majority of cell usage is indoors and the low band is supposed to improve structure penetration.

Tri band is supposed to improve overall performance.

It's all about tradeoffs until someone makes the everything phone.

I have less need for simultaneous internet and talk than I have for reliable internet by itself so that's the choice I made.

I like modding my device. S4 is a very popular device but the KNOX update has killed off and blocked all development. Probably the only reason I'm not too thrilled about it. Mostly interested in the new HTC early this year.

 

Sent from my LG-LS980

I wasn't aware that you could modify a device to add a sd card and user replaceable battery. That's why I said read the thread.

I don't understand why all the lg salespeople follow samsung threads and endlessly bash a device they don't understand.

It has flaws. We get that. It also has features that a few of us require that the alternatives do NOT have.

The detractors keep ignoring that.

For a specific physical configuration, some of us can't settle. We have to wait.

G2 is missing important features this phone has - read the thread history.

S5 is likely 4-6 months out for Sprint release.

I'll take the first thing that suits my needs best.

The information I got tonight was that obsolete inventory appears to be too high to warrant clearance sales yet.  They want to sell as many of those as possible at as high a price as possible before the other is released.  The 720T actually showed up in the database for a short time and was then removed.  Some sort of memo was disseminated that said it was in a delay.

Expect nothing to happen until the stock on hand of the old S4 is reduced enough that they're comfortable with a clearance sale on the balance.  When you see the S4 go on sale, that will be the hint that they are getting closer to a S4T release.

The release date is now driven PURELY by sales of the obsolete units in stock and will be on a continuing review basis.  New stock that they have on hand is being hidden from the sales staff to prevent them from advising customers about availability of the coming alternative.

Sit back and relax.  We're back in wait mode again.  Figure two to SIX!! weeks (and potentially even longer) depending on the pace of sales and accounting's desire to turn a profit on an obsolete device.

Bad news is that it allows more people to become aware of the S4T and makes it tougher to get one at release.

Yeah I see what you mean.  Like I said if its not released this Friday, 12/27 then it won't be released in 2013.  Look for Friday phone releases in early 2014 since it doesn't make sense for carriers to release phones during mid week since people don't have time during the day to upgrade their phones.

I'm completely confused now.  That report doesn't synch to anything I had heard so far.

...of course, the more I think about it, since when does any company connected with the cellular communication industry do anything that makes sense or follows a stable / predictable schedule?

How long does an upgrade process take for a smart phone?

What is involved and why does it take so long that it influences choice of a day of the week for a release?

If the delay in upgrade is phone-to-phone data transfer, can I do it myself?

While there may be a spike, not everyone buys on release day (if they can even find out what that day actually is <grin>) - so even that doesn't make sense.

Friday is still a business day -so what makes Friday any more special than any other business day if the consideration is the consumer's time schedule?  You have the same business day commitments on a Friday that you do the rest of the week.

As for release date, my conversation yielded that they occurred (at Sprint brick and mortar company stores) mid-week and mid-month as a rule of thumb.  Generally second or third Wednesdays as I recall but that was not a slam-dunk guarantee.

Some reports are that they will simply "fade in" and replace the -720 with no fanfare and no notice.  Maybe the delivery I was told is for the regular stock order arrivals.

What is the likely date if they follow a regular non-new phone stock delivery schedule instead of a "new product" release schedule?

How does that change dates around?  Also, do they ship to stores and vendors via UPS and FedEx?  Could the FedUPS holiday problems affect the movement of products?

Perhaps they're waiting until after the 1st so that it would be easier to distinguish between them.

It's *very* possible and that's what I am afraid of, but hope rides on the news release that indicated they were targeting before that point.

http://newsroom.sprint.com/news-releases/sprint-debuts-samsung-galaxy-s-4-with-the-benefit-of-sprint-spark.htm

Taking what they said literally, the news release was 12-10-13 and the statement was:

"Sprint expects to begin delivery of Samsung Galaxy S4 (16GB) with the addition of Sprint Spark™ (enhanced LTE) to its sales channels in the next few weeks."

10+21=31 = Dec 31st, but it doesn't make any sense to me to release a phone like this on New Year's Eve.  I don't see the marketing tie-in and benefit unless they think they can get (and KEEP -see below) that Christmas gift cash with the obsolete 720 instead of the new 720T.

The fact that there is very little fanfare could help those paying close attention.  That may get them eventual early unmolested access to the 720T before the "rest of the world" wakes up and realizes that they are finally in the pipeline and mainstream demand picks up.

I think it's also potentially a huge a mistake to hold them back through the entire holiday.  It should generate a HUGE number of returns of 720's for people swapping to a 720T as low / late information people realize that they were screwed out of a better phone by the holiday marketing choices and Sprint has a reputation for doing boneheaded things like that which anger customers.

Doesn't that gray icon with the red x over it mean that that is a feature that it doesn't have? It is cool that Sprint is now adding the Spark capability as a listed feature that a customer can look for, though.

For comparison, the S4 mini doesn't have it greyed out (but does have a "push-to-talk" icon greyed out).

If you review the filters on the left hand edge of the page you can see that there is an added choice:

Sprint Spark™

It is in the "Key features" section toward the bottom.

As of Dec 23rd AM, only the two Samsung devices are there.

If there is a set "official" launch date, I'd suspect it won't hit until the 25th -or during that following shopping / post-Christmas sale cycle for the reasons outlined above.

The longer they wait after Christmas day, the longer they risk not getting their hands on that Christmas gift cash as more people opt for the other already available Spark options.

To hit the promised December launch date, they only have another week at this point anyhow. 

After looking at Tmobile's coverage map, it looks way better than Sprint's crappy coverage map that looks so primitive like it was made by a 15 year old.  Sprint really needs to hire someone who can revamp the coverage map badly.  What bugs me the most about the Sprint coverage map is that you are limited to that tiny square box that they provide as if you can see anything.  We should be able to maximize it to at least 80% of your screen.  There is no reason why the coverage maps should not take up a lot of the screen.

That has long been one of those things that absolutely drives me nuts about Sprint.

The problem is that it is intentional.

Sprint doesn't want an easy way for their competition to send people to Sprint's OWN page to see just how horrid the coverage actually is.

Maybe if they manage to implement the network upgrade and get some coverage they will start to make the map worth using.

For now, I'll stick with Sensorly.

It a warped, twisted way, it makes manipulative psychological / marketing sense.  Sell off as much of the old stock S4 (SPH-L720) as possible as pre-christmas purchase gifts to catch the people buying them for others (or themselves) that aren't informed of the potential benefit and are just looking for sales or "deals".  You also get the most impatient people that "can't wait" out of the way.

Then, Sprint/Samsung switches on or about Christmas to the S4T Spark (SPH-L720T) to catch the other people that received MONEY as gifts to spend on gifts for themselves as they please after the fact.  They're either informed and ALREADY waiting or are ready for the "excitement" of any marketing announcement that will help drive impulse buys against money burning holes in pockets.

Is there any benefit / downside to purchasing phone and renewing contract via Best Buy vs a company Sprint store?  Sprint stores seem to have (at least around here) FAR more knowledgeable people with access to Sprint inventory levels and internal news bulletins.

Wait to March and get a S5.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900

Or we could wait until Next December and get a S6?  At some point, a user just has to bite the bullet and get something better than the device they have now.  It comes down to the threshold of pain.  The cycle of "improvement" is designed to obsolete stuff.  If you like what you have so much that you don't feel the pain to upgrade, then why upgrade at all?

This is the best short term choice for me -and the pain level of the Motorola Photon 4G is high.  MotoGoogle didn't step up, so it's time to give Samsung a chance.

Has anyone found word or evidence suggesting they also upgraded the processor to an 800?

(I realize the press release says proc speed - but I'm hoping it is a case of confusing S4 specs for the S4T)

Exact details on the device still seem to be lacking but there were hopeful rumors.

http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=5202&view=1&c=samsung_sph-l720t_galaxy_s4_td-lte_samsung_altius

Permits are public record and most of the Omaha permits have been filed since the first quarter of this year... As to the other article pointing to fiber as the primary delay, most of the sites in Omaha have had fiber before work has commenced indicating fiber isn't an issue. Lincoln is a smaller market with less sites it is going to be finished before Omaha. Omaha is will follow soon after.

Maybe I wasn't clear enough or used the wrong terminology.  In the article that I read, it was the recurring inspections that were part of SOME of the delays, not the initial application/permitting process.  As I understood it, there are building inspector type sign offs that have to be obtained as steps are completed in the upgrade process.  The inspectors that you have to deal with and their availability and workload varies by jurisdiction.  That's all I meant.  I'm still looking for the exact article.