gusherb

do you have the lat long or street address? We can verify it using the interactive map.

That is indeed the Sprint site. Just looked at the interactive maps again and the dot lands right on that water tower.

Sooo I was excited to see that by my work, the tower was listed as 3G/800, yet my signal has actually worsened. Tower is less than a half mile away from my work. Any thoughts on why this would be happening?

I was connected to CDMA 800 all last week all over Northwest, IN, then after coming back from Chicago Friday I haven't been able to get it back. Power cycling and airplane mode did nothing. I think perhaps they may have shut it back off or something.

Don't know how useful this is but I went by my town water tower today and snapped a shot of what I'm 95% sure is the Sprint (NV) site by my house. Someone on here can probably elaborate quite a bit on what you see here.

LTE makes no noticeable difference for me on my GS3 over 3G. What does kill the battery is constant signal hunting/being in very weak signal. Leaving wifi on will kill the battery more too unless you have it set to shut off while asleep.

What's going on, guys? I decided to join this site because it seems like a great community, and I'm a brand new Sprint user. If it weren't for me coming across these forums and becoming informed about all the greatness that Sprint has in store for this city, I would've went with ATT, so I thank everyone who contributes, and Robert for helping everyone. Will be chatting with you guys soon, and reporting on my personal experiences.

You made a great choice switching to Sprint! My mom had been with AT&T for 13 years and I was with them for 5 years and I couldn't take it anymore! the coverage was fine in the city but horrible in the suburbs! Sprint by far beats AT&T hands down on coverage, and call quality. After Sprint fully deploys CDMA 800 they will have comparable indoor coverage to AT&T (usually very good)

The eherpies epidemic has mutated into LTE and has officially spread across the entire metro area!

LTE must be here!

A friend works for the rail road. There are parts of Chicago I wouldn't go map... He has to have a police guy with him when if fixes radio gear in those areas.

I stay away from those parts myself! I only care about downtown, the north side and south side.

Looks like all of Chicago itself and Northwest Indiana have been added to the maps....and right off the bat the coverage maps are lying. It's showing coverage where I know for a fact there are big coverage gaps around here.

And now I'm gonna have to drive around Chicago a bunch cuz I don't believe the coverage maps for there either.

CDMA 800 has been turned on in Northwest Indiana according to my GS3 and significantly improved indoor coverage. All along the Indiana toll road/Chicago skyway I'm seeing a great amount of LTE now and in Chicago itself in the area of 33rd and Halsted I'm seeing LTE coverage too.

All this is new within the past week or two. Now that I see it for myself Sprint really is working quick!

I'm guessing that they figure only 20-25% have insufficient LTE signals.

 

Robert via Moto Photon Q using Forum Runner

The guy at the corporate Sprint store by me said they had an LTE repeater installed, but he said he wasn't turned on yet. The devices in the store received a faint but usable LTE signal as it was.

Seems like that's about right. I've begun receiving an LTE signal in Chicago within the past week.

In Chicago today in the Bridgeport neighborhood (white sox/US Cellular field) I checked with my little bit of extra knowledge about what channels/band class to look for, and all I had was Band class 1/1900. My service still stinks inside those brick buildings.

I roamed half the time I was in my mom's shop for a Halloween party....As soon as I step outside voila! perfect signal AND LTE! Bridgeport around Sox park seems to be well blanketed it in within the past few weeks....which is awesome! 3G is USELESS over there.

On another related note, I checked my GS3 again as soon as I came home and it's locked into band class 1. I'm gonna take a guess and assume that's because I still receive a relatively strong signal in my house and it doesn't see any reason to switch over just yet? I'm sure it's more complicated then that but I must be close. I'm sure if I reboot the phone it may switch back to CDMA 800. I just wonder how it will decide automatically when to.

No. Sprint does not have enough SMR 800 MHz bandwidth to run CDMA1X, EV-DO, and LTE all concurrently. Sprint has no plans for EV-DO 800.

 

Your CDMA1X 800 report, though, is much appreciated. Thanks...

 

AJ

Got it everyone thanks! That's what I thought I had read but information about everything is so scattered it would take me forever to find the one sentence stating just that.

So I live in Northwest Indiana (one of Sprints most advanced NV area's). I just discovered today that CDMA 800 is apparently already deployed! (the coverage maps aren't showing it yet) My phone has been showing band class 10, channel 476 constantly. driving south on route 41 then heading east on route 30 I stay on CDMA 800 constantly. Also around Munster too.

I was wondering why my indoor coverage has been so good! in my home office I stay right at -70 to -76 db all day long. Even in the basement I keep a strong signal.

I do see that EVDO is still on 1900 at the same time. I haven't read it plain and clear anywhere, is EVDO ever gonna get to use 800 as well?

Since signing on with sprint 3 weeks ago I'm seeing my LTE coverage increase a good bit. Had it for the first time in the city just south of China town at 33rd and halsted. There is a live sight there close by. I was able to hold onto LTE almost continuously from the Chicago skyway toll booth and the rest of my 20 mile commute home.

Being with sprint is already starting to pay off!!

I just wonder what sprints gonna do about their 3G speeds in chicago. I can get 10 down 4 up on LTE but only 100 kbps down and 0 up on 3G sitting in the very same spot.

And while I'm on the topic of network perception...

 

Sprint roams on VZW anyways, so many of those areas are covered. Most of you would be shocked to learn that most consumers do not believe their phones actually work at all when roaming. It's because "roaming guard" is turned on by default on almost all phones, so they cannot make or receive calls without extra keypresses - which causes them to get frustrated and believe that it's impossible (really). In addition, Data Roaming is disabled by default, so no internet connection. So, what happens is, they hop on a VZW tower, and start thinking "my GOD Sprint has NOTHING out here I CANT EVEN MAKE A DARN PHONE CALL this is the WORST I am about to THROW THIS THROUGH A WALL"

 

That, and, while roaming, calls will not complete without the area code. For example, if you live in the 888 area code, normally dialing 2114727 will go through. However, while roaming, you need to dial the complete 8882114727. And seeing as many subscribers have contacts without area codes... well, I did just say people believe you can't make phone calls while roaming...

 

And the end result is, people think that Verizon will give them better service. When they just had to read what was on the screen.

And to basically sum up what you said: Sprint is not idiot proof Verizon is. People are quick to blame someone else instead of thinking that maybe it is THEIR error. back in 2007 when I got my first cellphone, on AT&T I couldn't make a call when I was out visiting my sister in california. That's when I realized that you need to dial the area code when your not in your home market. Since then ALL of my contacts have been programmed with the area code. Problem solved. T-Mobile OTOH I discovered recently that you do not need to dial the area code for a number within your numbers area code even while out of your home market.

The first things I did when I got my phone was turn on data roaming and turn off roaming guard. Luckily for iPhone users there is no roaming guard on there, all they have to do is turn on data roaming. Less room for confusion and frustration for them.

I was literally about to make this thread the other day but for some reason avoided it. Now since it's up, I can share my thoughts.

 

I think it's annoying hearing people leave sprint due to "spotty LTE coverage". Most of us don't even have LTE signal, but they're leaving because they think it's a finished product and the maps display the completed coverage.

 

These maps on sprint need to be changed to reflect current coverage, so far nothing good has come out of this false advertising.

I agree. Sprint starts launching LTE and now all the sudden EVERYONE expects it EVERYWHERE. I think Verizon and AT&T are smart to not turn on LTE until they've reached their target. It keeps people from whining that the coverage is horrible and spotty. Of course that is no fun for the ones that do realize that they aren't done yet and would like to use what sites are ready while they continue to build out. and of course the lack of accurate coverage on their maps doesn't help either, but I think even if the maps were accurate people would still be whining about the same thing.

This is so damn true, but the problem is that most consumers are misinformed by the misinformed and are clueless.

Keep in mind that consumers often don't care at all and would rather be misinformed much of the time. Sometimes even when giving them the correct information they don't wanna hear it. Also not a whole lot of people like doing their homework...

Are your 3G speeds up there good now as well? I'm usually in the south loop/Bridgeport area and not only is there no LTE but 3G remains unusable, and not even EHRPD yet. Lucky for me I live in one of the best covered LTE area's in the area.

I'm surrounded by solid LTE within a 6 mile radius...

More LTE must be coming!

I missed the welcome forum when i first signed up so I'm formally introducing myself a little late! I live in Northwest Indiana and regularly am in Chicago. Started service with Sprint the day the iPhone 5 was released.

I'm looking forward to more posting here! and also becoming a sponsor.

Jonathan

I'm seeing EHRPD deep into rural northern Indiana.

In our Sponsor maps we show all the sites that have CDMA 800 deployed to date.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

Good to know. Just made a donation.

Wonder if CDMA 800 is deployed in my suburb of Chicago. I can go anywhere including basements and hold a decent call and have at least one bar. In Chicago I still go in buildings and pretty much lose everything, go in a basement and it either roams or says no service.

Hi! first post here! Got the iPhone 5 the 21st. Exchanged it last Wednesday for the SGS3 cuz the iPhone was having a terrible time staying connected to LTE and holding a signal all together. the S3 hangs onto LTE MUCH better then the iPhone did.

Here's some speeds I saw on the iPhone and then a shot of the S3.

First photo is right near a tower, second is in my bedroom and the third was taken while driving out of my neighborhood