Phil

I tried to add a picture but....     Anyway,  there is equipment by the south neil ( champaign) tower to run the last bit of fiber.   

It looks like they are about to connect the tower on South Neil in Champaign. 

Sprint tower map shows an upgrad to the tower on South mattis in Champaign.   Only one left to turn on CU. (south Neil) 

https://network.sprint.com/search/61820/

Just drove by the sprint tower off of South Neil.   This tower has not been hooked up to fiber but they just reflagged utilities in the area.   Hopefully it goes live soon. 

Drove around downtown Champaign... Strong signals!   However,  speeds were only 2-5 Mbps.(at least 10 times faster than 3G).  It also looks like the tower at market and I-57 is 4G also. 

I think you are right on both!   The sprint tower map shows both locations (downtown Champaign and campus)  have a new upgrade.   sensorly shows some high signal strength by both locations.   I hope to drive by both areas soon and check speeds!   It looks like the are only 2 towers left to be turned on in Champaign - Urbana.   South Mattis and South Neil.  (the two closest to me ) 

I just drove by South Mattis tower.   I don't think it is 4G yet.   I think that signal is from the Springfield Ave tower.     South Neil tower is not yet hooked up to fiber.   Downtown Champaign and campus are not on yet.   

South Philo Rd (Urbana)  tower is now 4G!   

East University tower (Urbana) has been confirmed (via Sensorly) 4G.  Yeah! 

According to the sprint tower upgrade map the following towers in Champaign now have 4g (or will soon) 

These are confirmed by Sensorly data... 

West Bradley 

North Lincoln

NE of Bradley and Mattis 

West Springfield 

Likely but not confirmed on Sensorly 

East University Ave

Philo road

Not yet functional (as of 9-22)

Downtown Champaign 

Campus

South Neil 

South Mattis 

Does anyone have news? 

I drove last night and found the lincoln and 74 tower to using 4G.  It covers most of CU North of university fairly well.   It goes further south of not blocked by trees or buildings.   Found a strong hot spot by Timpone's restaurant. (reflection off the chemistry lab?). 

Today drove the west side and found the west Springfield tower using 4G.  It covers everything West of prospect well (again it may be blocked by buildings etc...)   in the open areas it works down to Curtis road.   

The tower on Mattis (near Curtis) was not using 4G yet.   All of this is mapped on Sensorly. (may take 24 hours to show up). 

I thought that tower was done I get lte out there

Not sure which tower you are refering to - I mentioned 2.  However, Based on the sensorly data (darker purple = stronger) the only tower running 4g at this time is the one on Bradley (west of 57).  In far south Champaign (Curtis and further south) you can get 4G from the tower along I-57 and south of Tolono.

Just drove by tower on South mattis and West Springfield streets (champaign).   Both towers appear to be connected to fiber.  New poles showing buried fiber close to both towers!   I hope they turn LTE on soon. 

No LTE in South Champaign.   However,  my wife was doing errands around town and had some "HD" phone calls.    That never happened before. 

Just drove by the tower by South Neil in Champaign .  (East of tracks and South of  St Mary's road).   Fiber from tower still sticking out of ground but the ground has been painted / flagged to show utilities.   It looks like we will have 4G soon. 

mhammett, on 28 Jul 2014 - 6:04 PM, said:

Few people realize how much it actually costs to deliver Internet.

That may be true but it appears that Sprint does not realize how frustrating it is to pay for "high" speed data and not get it.   I have been paying an extra $10 per line per month ($480 per year)  for almost 7 years and I still get only 0.20 Mbps (or less) in Champaign Illinois.  Connection is so bad  some Web sites think I am performing a ddos attack and block me.   I now pay an extra $30 per month to hook up a mi-fi device via T-Mobile just to get their 3g (FYI... Their 3g is 3-6 Mbps)  so I can use my phone on wi-fi.

FYI....  The tower by I-74 in Danville now has 4g.  It covers 74 to the state line,  Tilton and the southern half of Danville. 

Bad in Champaign also (except far north west - 4g is on there).  For a while I was getting 2Mbps on 3g and that seemed like magic but,  it is gone.  I have seen no work on towers they are still waiting for fiber to be connected.   Why is that so hard?   

I drove by that tower around 4pm and the crane was gone.   If they could just hook up the fiber.... 

The 3g is better in many parts of CU.   I have tests over 2Mbps.  Good to see progress but this is the 3g we should have had for years.   Now waiting for more 4g towers to be connected. 

I work downtown champaign nothing but, I am in a building.   What part of downtown?   I also checked southwest champaign around 3pm yesterday also no 4g.  Is it possible that it works better in the dark (joke) or maybe they are testing at off peak time to get everything ready?   I did notice the new readings happen after 5pm.

Champaign update....Not sure what changed but,  Sensorly shows new 4g data at the Market place mall (2.4 Mbps) , farther East on Springfield(to prodpect) , and farther South on Mattis (7.15 Mbps close to Kirby and Mattis).   I will  check area later today. 

Very cool post.   

You can check out Sensorly for coverage.   I don't know about 800 but the Paxton tower and the one just north of there have been pumping 4g for many months.   You can get 5-15 Mbps on I -57.   The lake is very close but trees could really knock down the signal,  if it is not 800.  Let us know how it goes.   Even better put the Sensorly app on your phone and map your trip! 

Here are the details from us cellular.

http://www.uscellular.com/about/press-room/2012/USCellular-to-Sell-Select-Midwest-Markets-to-Sprint.html

It looks like the kept the towers but they are all there to service sprint. (and any of their customers that wonder into the Midwest) 

Looks like good news for us Sprint users!