cescommguy

Just joined the year 2015 and got a Tri-Band phone.  LTE Bands 26 and 41 broadcast in Stafford, VA.  Pulled a Speedtest of 44.62 Down 12.71 Up with 49 ms Latency from the Stafford Marketplace I-95 at Exit 143A.

Thinking about picking this phone up, looks really nice. For those of you that own this device what do you think of it?  Does it play well with SignalCheck Pro?  Thoughts?  

Just got mine on Friday but so far so good.  It performs basic smartphone tasks competently and so far I haven't experienced any lag or network speed issues.  Have successfully picked up all 3 LTE bands and it seems to hold signal well.  Definitely not a high end phone but I've had no issues with it as my daily driver.  Besides the price was definitely right!

Looks like LTE is now broadcasting in Stafford, VA (22554). Signal Check-Lite App picked up a signal with -103 RSRP. Phone appeared to try to connect to it when it took it off WiFi but I got no data. It then went over 3G

That's definitely Baltimore. I recognize the skyline

The problem with the temporary T1 fixes, from what I have seen, is this:

 

Site has insufficient backhaul for data demands in the cell and throughput speeds start dropping. As speeds start dropping, usage also starts to go down. As speeds start to drop below 100kbps, all streaming activity stops. Users actually modify their behavior and stop using data so much because the experience is so poor. However, they keep using it enough that the experience remains poor and does not improve.

 

When this occurs, Sprint's network manager (Ericsson) orders additional T1 lines for the site. Usually one or two more. It takes between 3 months and one year for them to get set at the site and punched down for use. Yes, that's right. Sometimes it takes a full year! Once the T1's are punched down, Ericsson comes back out and connects the new T1 lines (and sometimes adds carriers too).

 

Once the additional T1 backhaul is live, speeds shoot right up. 0.9Mbps to 1.4Mbps, on average. Sprint customers start to notice something is different within a few days. People start running speed tests. People start opening their minds to the possibilities of using their 3G data again at the site. People start using their Pandora again. People start streaming Netflix again. And within a few weeks, or a few months, the site is back down in the dumps again. I have seen this pattern happen over and over again. Better performance = more usage, in an unlimited usage network.

 

However, not all of these speed upgrades being implemented are T1. Some are AAV. On those sites that are getting 2Mbps+ EVDO speeds, the backhaul in those places is AAV and not T1. These sites seem to be much less affected a few weeks and months down the road. Even though T1's are 'right-sized' for EVDO carrier backhaul, modern usage at dense cells just don't provide the performance needed. For Sprint to add more than one or two additional T1's is cost prohibitive. T1's are expensive creatures.

 

The answer, of course, is enhanced backhaul. Like what's being offered in Network Vision. Almost all sites will be going to Microwave or AAV backhaul. Much more scalable ethernet based backhaul solutions. Sprint is getting closer and closer every day to abandoning their old archaic (and expensive) T1 backed backhaul. And I say good riddance!

 

Robert

Wow! A year lead time for a T1 is incredibly long. I call shenanigans and think that the local carriers are playing games. I certainly wouldn't put it past Verizon and AT&T to slow down the process to hamper a competitor. We install T1s all across the country and start kicking and screaming if the install interval passes 60 days. We're normally in the neighborhood of 30-45. The new backhaul will definitely alleviate the issues by cutting the ILECs completely out of the picture and making a more cost effective network. In my experience, the tipping point with T1s is generally 4. Once you need the 5th, it's time to look at other solutions such as fiber or microwave.

Got one here in Stafford Virginia. GPS Coordinates 38°26'6.68"N 77°23'29.07"W. Stuck up on a electrical tower at The intersection of County Rd 721 and Apple Blossom Ct. Funny that a tower built so recently wouldn't have been constructed to Network Vision specs. It seems inefficient to stand a tower up only to have to send a crew back to retrofit it with in year.

Here is the link to the location in Google Maps

http://g.co/maps/dwtjv