red_dog007

Always the chance for TMobile to get 20MHz in Chicago when the next AWS3 auction happens.

Apparently this graph is from Sprint. http://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/sprint-s-iphone-7-could-go-up-to-200-mbps-some-markets-due-to-3-channel-carrier Couple of the small things are kinda funny.

The phone uses the SD820, just like the Note 7, so the same X12 modem. And man, personally each phone release/event gets more and more boring. The excitement scale has turned into the boring scale. Apple's is in a few hours. Let's see what all new we will get there.

I don't know about that. I think SK Telecom still takes the cake here. Like they just got LTE-M deployed nationwide. A Google shows that SK Telecom potentially started with 256QAM and 4x4 MIMO back in June under LTE-A Pro.

If I want to see what LTE bands are being used in my area, is there a sim I can pop in my N5X and it work? Similar to TMobile's prepaid sim cards. Those give me free Speedtest's but that isn't necessary. Just want to see if I can spot B30.

30MHz 700 (10x10 + 5MHz usable) 20MHz AWS-1 20MHz AWS-3 40MHz PCS (possibly swapped for continuous 20x20?) 40MHz WCS (only deploying 10x10) 25MHz CLR (10x10 usable)

Well that sucked. It was like that only tower I got VZW EVDO on. Was in other areas in NE GA and far West NC and EVDO was not working on VZW. Kills me. Wish they would just get going with an LTE roaming agreement already. They need too with VZW 3G shutdown in 40 months. Might give them some more data on where they need to drop Macro sites first whenever they get around to expansion, if ever.

Yeah, I think with the capital budget, Sprint would largely shift towards small cell deployments. It seems like they have, but we don't really have the numbers. The budget that they do have would be a ton of small cell sites and would really strengthen up their core markets (cities). I don't really mind the lack of coverage so long as they have strong roaming agreements. 300MB is plenty for me when I leave the coverage area. I just wish that EVDO on VZW worked more often then not.

Will have to run speed tests to see what is what. Does TMobile's antennas do beamforming? I'd imagine that increased QAM could benefit from it greatly.

How fast the supported devices move depends on the iPhone 7 too.

Currently in NE Georgia on VZW EVDO. First time having successful VZW EVDO roaming.

I would like to know as well. I have a Nexus 5X and frequent USCC and Appalachian Wireless territory often. I would love to get me some LTE. Granted, 3G is always 1~2Mbps anyways. As far as the Sprint 1x + Roaming LTE, it could be a policy shift. I'd imagine that it would greatly improve user experience and data reliability/dependability.

I successfully got extended network on Carolina West Wireless Sunday, pulled 1Mbps down on EVDO. Completely seemless. Just wish I knew if LTE was there. It was pretty surprising because I hit it on Hwy 74 between I-24 and I-85. I did not hit it early last weekend when traveling through. I just happened to look at the right time and pull in a speedtest. It is interesting though because Sprint doesn't advertise their coverage that far down and neither does CWW. But I have had the same experience with Appalachian Wireless, not advertising coverage that does exist. Interesting. Looks like CWW leases PCS D from Sprint in just three counties. L000007757. Looks like Sprint has 40MHz in Cleveland/Rutherford Counties. Wonder if that lease is why they don't have native coverage.

It'll be interesting to see what they can do. Seems like it would be better off maybe if they leased the spectrum out. 900MHz unlicensed is used by many, but has interference issues.

Did you restart? I find that once I enter USCC territory that I connect to EVDO / LTE but data doens't work. A restart fixes it for me every time. I go into USCC territory often in TN/NC.

If stuff has changed, may not be anything major. The map was updated 8/5 and doesn't look like there are any new roaming partners. That's the only thing I care about myself.

I only count 20MHz worth of PCS in Duluth on FCC Dashboard. Then 30MHz in St. Paul / Minneapolis.

I was thinking that Sprint might wait a bit longer. VZW doesn't shut down 1x until 2020, I could see Sprint waiting till into 2018. I think Sprint will strike some VoLTE roaming agreement that they use as fallback instead of handing calls off to 1x. So they will wait to do VoLTE for a while to minimize how much roaming they payout and to give time for their current network to improve. VZW is pretty solid, but they too will lose a lot of coverage once CDMA gets turned off unless they work on expanding around their cell edges or places with poor terrain.

Well, I have yet to really successfully roam on VZW 3G. I'll connect to EVDO but get nothing on it.

On the coverage maps, Sprint needs to add another color under "3G and more". They should have a color were we are guaranteed 3G off-network roaming. Like USCC territory and Appalachian Wireless territory. Roaming on these networks should have a different color, as the 3G vs 1X experience is a huge difference. ​

Why put LTE on A and not D? Sprint could have 7 CDMA/EDVO Carriers if they used the full A block for 3G. Then Sprint deployed CDMA Rev. B and have three EVDO channels to CA. :-P

You don't need to put an antenna on your roof or outside to get OTA. But I do see a LOT of them around here. But that also doesn't mean that they are used. You used to have to use antenna to get local channels as the satellite provider would charge extra for those. But simple indoor antennas do just fine for a lot of people if you are within 20~40miles. Put on top of the TV, behind the TV, whatever. Some people even mount the antenna in their attic. I had one of those antennas as flat as a sheet of paper and picked up +90% reception at 22 miles away all the big stations. But here is just one estimate. https://blog.gfk.com/2013/06/confessions-of-a-cord-cutter-skeptic-revisited/ You can use Google too. See what you find. See if there is a general consensuses or if data is all over the place.

​ In a lot of rural areas that TMobile needs spectrum, they have to compete with those local rural broadcasters like CSpire and USCC in the reserved spectrum. AT&T also gets to bid on that in a lot of places as well. So it may not be so cheap for TMobile. I expect them to fill in as much as possible, but if the high prices continue, I think TMobile will be lucky to get a single block in all the markets they won't be able to acquire a 700A license in. ​ ​Not sure what AT&T will do. They just bought DirecTV and are now committed to deploying FTTH/FTTP to 12 million residents. They have actually be very active out in my neck of the woods in my rural area. Then I'd imagine they would be more interested in getting the remaining AWS3. They won really big and can possibly get even more once the forfeited AWS3 goes back for auction. It will also be a heck of a lot cheaper I am sure in acquiring Dish's 700E block. AT&T and VZW are past the point of needing low band to maximize coverage. They are at the point where they just need capacity. ​ ​ ​I have a feeling this is just going to bust if the wild cards like Comcast and Dish do not participate.

Geez. Doesn't seem like it will be a very successful auction. What about all the white space? Is white space prices set by the FCC and included in this $83 billion total? Can white space be potentially significantly cheaper than broadcaster owned spectrum? Can we expect at least all white space to get auctioned off successfully where it exists if there is at least 42MHz of it?

When I've been in some roaming territory, the battery drains a little faster, but it isn't much and the phones don't get hot. I haven't tested on my wife's phone if EV-DO works on USCC because her LTE works fine and its always fast, but on my BYOP USCC 3G works very well and is always 1~2.5Mbps. The only thing I have noticed, at least on my phone, when entering USCC territory is that CDMA doesn't work at all. I get the exclamation mark and even talk/text don't work. I have to reboot my phone and then all is fine. Now, this could maybe just be a Android N issue? But I didn't have to restart my phone for BlueGrass Cellular or Appalachian Wireless.