EndlessDissent

its all spelled backward

That's his signature. It's supposed to be like that. He was talking about the post with the broken HTML tags.

<br /><br />1900 pcs - Currently 1x, EV-DO and LTE<br /><br />2.5~2.7 GHZ BRS - Currently WiMax, LTE in the future<br /><br />800 SMR - Currently iden with pockets of 1x in the Chicago area and texas, in the future LTE and 1x.<br /><br />2 klatapaT gnisu III S yxalaG gnusmaS ym morf tnes<br /><br /><br />

I have just over a week left in this billing cycle, and I've used 2.5GB of 3G data and 7GB of LTE data, and that's with spotty LTE coverage. I can't imagine being on LTE with a cap. That would be awful.

My usage is mostly from checking the XDA forums, browsing the web, streaming Google Music, and sometimes I'll download a ROM, but usually I do that on wifi.

Just began seeing LTE on my EVO 4g LTE in Schaumburg IL near Schaumburg Rd and Summit. It has been spotty and the speeds aren't all that hot yet.

That's good to hear. My friend lives over there, and it's always been a pain to try to use 3G by his house. Another tower in the area should be coming online soon to help with it; its upgrades have been interfering with my usage for almost two weeks now.

I also wouldn't mind seeing SoftBank help Sprint to get some Sharp Aquos handsets and maybe something nice from Panasonic as well and make them exclusive to Sprint in the U.S.

Especially the waterproof/water-resistant ones. That trend needs to catch on worldwide. It's already on almost all phones in Japan.

Return of the Premiere rewards (12 month upgrade, etc). I've been with them for 13+ years. I was very bummed when they suspended that program.

My Evo 4G was my introduction to Sprint. I got it in September of 2010, and when I bought it, the salesperson was going over all the benefits of my plan and mentioned the 12 month upgrade. I was pretty excited because I was expecting to have to keep the Evo for 2 years, and the prospect of quick upgrades made Sprint seem like the absolute best choice I could have made. Three months later, they ended the yearly upgrade program. I felt so cheated, words can't describe it. Needless to say, that along with the terrible data speeds I was suddenly experiencing made me seriously consider going to T-Mobile when my contract was up. This site was the only reason I signed another contract.

I would fully support a similar plan. I literally use no minutes some months. Everyone I know either uses SMS or has a mobile phone, and most of my calling happens on nights and weekends, to boot. Last time I looked at my account info, I only used 1 minute of my 450. If there was a super-cheap plan with just data, maybe 25 to 50 minutes (you never know when you'll actually need them) and unlimited SMS/MMS, I would be all over it.

Other than that, they just need to have the infrastructure to handle large amounts of data. That's the biggest thing that should come out of this deal. They were moving in that direction anyway, and this could definitely help.

One of the reasons that Samsung and HTC and Apple have such great cameras is due to the software used to process the images. All of the software used is either proprietary or licensed from a outside source (very likely Sony due to the fact that most OEMs use Sony optics). Because the software used is not owned by the OEM or Google it can not be used in a Nexus device. If it was used in a Nexus device it would have to pushed out in the AOSP source code. I don't think any of the OEMs want to open source the secrets that make their cameras so great.

 

 

Sent via CleanROM DE using Tapatalk 2

Yeah, in the flagship phones, the software is proprietary, and I understand that they don't want their secrets in AOSP, but it's not just software that's the problem. Google didn't exactly go all out to get the best camera hardware in the Galaxy Nexus, and it shows. Even just better hardware will make a big difference. Plus, the software is almost always optimized for the hardware, so if the Nexus uses different hardware than the OEM phones, it will need its own optimized software, anyway. And are you really sure HTC, Samsung, LG, and Google would all sacrifice their integrity and brand image by crippling the camera in the Nexus just so they can keep their camera optimizations secret? Well, Samsung might, but LG can't afford that. They need to bring their A game at all levels here, and that includes the camera.

And as for the Sony camera software, I wouldn't be too surprised if Sony just put all its code into AOSP eventually. There is already a push by Google and Sony to get Sony code added to AOSP. It's just a matter of time.

Kind of like they did with the Galaxy Nexus, where it had a lesser camera than the GS2. I thought that was a lame move.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 using Forum Runner

The cameras seem to be the lowest priority for these OEMs, especially Google since it considers the Nexii to be developers' phones, meaning they don't have to have the best hardware; they just have to showcase Android's abilities sufficiently for software development across the platform. Fortunately, the phone camera situation as a whole seems to have improved with HTC's move to make the One X camera the best on the market. Then, Samsung upped the game in the GS3 (or at least matched the One X camera; it's all subjective). Now, it's up to LG and Google to catch up to the big dogs. Eventually, if Google doesn't put a good camera in the Nexus, it will go from being a joke to being a serious point of contention for a lot of people. The mass market wants good cameras in their phones, even if the developers don't care - and heck, I'd bet a lot of developers would love a usable camera in the Nexus. Google can only benefit from improving the Nexus' camera.

There is a post about this somewhere...but the 4G cores were tested in Indiana when they were in Eastern time. Sprint is aware of the issue and its usually changed shortly after the tower is accepted by Sprint.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using JB 4.1.1

Hmmm... This makes me even more optimistic that a tower near me is about to get turned on soon. As I mentioned a couple pages ago, I've been having trouble staying connected to 4G, and one of my theories was that another, closer (or at least equidistant) tower is being upgraded. Now, to top it off, for the last couple days, my phone has been setting itself to Eastern Time. Maybe the tower will be permanently activated soon. I can hardly contain my excitement.

The LG Nexus was "reviewed" by a Belarusian blog. The software was buggy, and the camera's not great, but it's a pre-production model, so it should be expected. The production model should be improved.

As for the lack of storage space, there's a good chance that only the prototypes are getting such low amounts of storage since they don't need any more than that. So, hopefully, the production models will have a 32GB option.

http://www.androidcentral.com/lg-nexus-prototype-reviewed-unsurprisingly-found-have-software-issues

What are the benefits of "rooting" a phone? Pro and cons

These links might help.

http://www.knowyourc...smartphone.html

http://www.vikitech....g-android-phone

Also, don't worry so much about the warranty-voiding part. There has been an internal Sprint memo leaked around the internet directing employees to treat rooted phones the same as non-rooted phones, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Edit: A lot of those cons are overblown in both articles, especially the parts about bricking the phone. The biggest con isn't even mentioned in either. The biggest con is that by running as the root user, if your phone gets hacked, you're giving the intruder unlimited access to your life. But, apparently the people writing those articles don't care about that little stuff.

I feel dumb because I have read that post multiple times. The RSRP is -105 (when in LTE only mode). But when I force it to LTE and ran a speed test the results were

Wow. Those are very disproportional speeds. When I get similar download speeds, my upload speed is around 1Mbps. That's odd, to say the least.

I've been a customer at Verizon for awhile now. I have to say their 3G speeds are pretty good and LTE is even more amazing! I was on my friends iPhone 4S, she let me go on the internet and it was extremely slow with 4 bars! Is it true that because of unlimited data, Sprint's 3G network is getting hammered and speeds are going down?

Well, it's a combination of the unlimited data and your friend's iPhone. Kind of. When Sprint added the iPhone to its lineup, the millions of extra customers looking for unlimited data overloaded the network, and the speeds collapsed.

What is weird about my phone is that there have been a number of times that my clock has changed to Eastern Time and the connection is still 3G. Why would that be?

My guess is because the eHRPD connection goes to the same place as LTE, whereas you may be connected to just EVDO when your clock is in Central Time.

HA! Spank....nice!!! im gonna get me a Spank phone...hmmm

Ha. Reminds me of GTA3. If the deal goes through, Spank will be the most addictive wireless service to date. Gotta have me some LTE!!!

Yea. I flashed LIG modem on LIH build and it doesnt hold LTE very well. I was thinking about flashing the old LI3 ICS modem, but I dont know if that will even work....

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using JB 4.1.1

It should work fine. I believe the modems and ROMs are completely independent of each other.

I am up in Chicago for work (Alsip exactly) and the LTE here is active! The only issue is that my Galaxy Nexus will pick up a 4G signal, immediately drop it (it shows 3-4 bars) and then goes to 3G. Now if I force my phone to LTE only I get a great LTE signal (~3 mbps down and ~10 mbps up). This isnt the only city it has done that either, Kansas City did the same thing. Anyone know why? I am running CM10 if that would make a difference.

1.) Check out this thread about the bars you see and your LTE strength. Those 3-4 bars you see are most likely 1x voice signal, not LTE signal. Same goes for 3G. OEM software always shows 1x voice strength in the signal bars, even if it shows that you have a 3G or 4G connection.

2.) Going along with #1, 3Mbps down is not a "great LTE signal". It is mediocre at best, and most likely means you have a very weak connection. I seem to be at the edge of LTE service for at least one tower, and it gives me, at most, about 6 Mbps at 4 AM. Most of the time, it's between 3 and 5 Mbps. Still better than WOW's 2Mbps home internet, but not great for LTE.

I just noticed you said 3Mbps down and 10Mbps up. Are you sure you don't have those reversed (10Mbps down, 3 up)? Because then, that would be good LTE signal. Maybe you meant 3Mbps down and 1Mbps up? That follows more closely with my observations in weak signal areas, but 10 down/3 up is just as likely in a good signal area.

3.) I'm not sure if this applies for your Galaxy Nexus, but on my GS3, CM10 doesn't have all the LTE bugs worked out yet. It holds a 4G signal fine if the signal is strong enough, but it still can't perform 3G/4G handoffs properly, so if you're in a weak signal area, it will constantly cut your connection completely, sometimes for minutes at a time. Do you know if anyone else using CM10 on their GNex is having LTE issues?

#1 is possible. #2 is not possible. #3 is possible. #4, another theory...it is also possible that the cluster your work and home are in has been taken down (for some unknown reason). In Chicagoland, Lake County has been launched and appears on Sprint coverage maps. The rest of the area is in prelaunch mode. Coverage will be coming and going.

 

However, to help you verify that it is not associated with your ROM, radio or anything else with your device, do you know anyone else who has a LTE device that can replicate the issue in your area?

 

Robert

Thanks for the reply. I don't think the cluster has been taken down, because I'm still connecting to 4G, just not for more than a minute at a time. Like I said, I'm hoping it's #3, because then this little fiasco will be over in a week or two (fingers crossed), and I'll have an even better connection.

The only other person I know with a Sprint LTE phone is my sister with an Evo, and we all know how finicky those are to start with. Not just that, but she just got a replacement yesterday for one she broke, so she hasn't had it long enough to know if there's a hardware problem with LTE (I think it's a refurb, too). FWIW, on her original Evo, when the LTE was first turned on she was barely able to get LTE in my bedroom, while I had a steady but weak connection in the same place. I asked if she's had any problems connecting to 4G in the last few days, and she said she hasn't connected to it at all.

So, yeah, nothing definitive from my sister's phone, but I'm optimistic that scenario 3 is causing the current situation.

So, for the last few weeks, my 3G speeds at my house have been pretty good - about 1-1.5 Mbps at 4 AM. Around September 25, LTE was turned on, and it was also pretty good. It was kind of a weak signal, around 3.5-5 Mbps, but I had a constant connection in my house, and it worked well.

However, this all changed in the middle of the night Saturday. My phone started dropping to 3G after being connected to LTE for only a few seconds, and now, the only time I can keep a connection for longer than a minute (real time, not hyperbole) is between 3:30 and 5 AM. Even then, the connection doesn't last more than 20 minutes. At the time, I hadn't made any changes to my phone for three days, during which I had a steady LTE connection. The ROM I'm using doesn't have all the LTE bugs worked out yet, so in order to eliminate that as the cause of my problems, I flashed back to the stock ROM and got the same results - dropping back to 3G after a few seconds of LTE. To top it off, not only am I unable to connect to LTE now, my 3G speeds have dropped to unusable levels - I just tested a little while ago, and out of 4 tests, not one reached 200 Kbps, and one was only 1 Kbps (not a typo).

The strangest thing, though, is that I'm now getting the same behavior at my job. When LTE was turned on by my house in Schaumburg, it was also turned on by my job in Addison, which is 10 miles away, so it can't be operating from the same tower (afaik). The only difference is that at my job, the 3G speeds are still usable. Other than that, I'm getting the same LTE connection issues.

Since the problem doesn't seem to be my phone, I have a few theories as to what may have happened Saturday night. Do any of these scenarios sound plausible to the gurus here, or am I just crazy?

1.) Some parameter of the towers were adjusted - maybe downtilt or something - that weakened the signal in each location.

2.) The towers I'm using are already over capacity after a week and a half.

3.) A tower closer to me is currently being upgraded for NV, but isn't complete, so my phone is trying to connect to a tower that still has neither LTE nor completed backhaul, and this will be over shortly, when the tower is completed. This scenario accounts for the terrible 3G speeds at my house and why my phone won't stay connected to the LTE tower anymore, but it doesn't account for the similar behavior at my job. Unless towers are being upgraded in both places at the same time, which would be a heck of a coincidence.

4.) Other; Maybe one of you knows better, and my first three ideas are way off.

Personally, I'm hoping it's #3. Also, sorry for the long, boring story. Thanks for reading.

EDIT - Also, wasn't there talk of the FCC freeing up some ~600mhz spectrum? That would certainly help.

Kind of. It's only 300MHz, and it's mostly AWS, so it doesn't really help Sprint much.

http://www.androidce...m-carriers-2015

Edit: Found the source article. I was kind of wrong, I guess. The part concerning Sprint:

"But first, the agency expects to sell licenses for a band that Sprint Nextel has been seeking to bolster its LTE service. The proceeds from the so-called AWS-2 H-Block auction would fund a nationwide public safety network and help to pay down the federal deficit.

There was some good news for Dish Network. Genachowski said he expects the FCC later this year to lift restrictions that have prevented Dish from using 40MHz of satellite spectrum for a land-based LTE network. However, if it follows through on the H-Block auction that Sprint has been clamoring for, the agency will have to move Dish's spectrum up by 5MHz. Dish opposes that move because the current LTE standard lines up with the band it already has."

It's actually pretty hard to do a algorithm that's both very fast and "consistent" in terms of data.

No doubt. I learned enough computer science in high school to know that algorithms and programming in general aren't easy, and bugs happen. It wasn't a criticism, just a little oddity I noticed. I had been expecting that the whole trip would update at the same time; I was just wrong.

Ive noticed it usually updates within minutes

What I thought was interesting was one time, a couple weeks ago, when I mapped a trip home from work. Most of the trip data showed up within a few minutes, maybe an hour or so, but there was an entire section from the end of the trip that wasn't updated. I checked it for a couple days, but it didn't get updated, and I forgot about it. A couple days ago, I looked at the coverage map again, and the final part of my trip had been added to the map. It's weird that only part of the trip update was delayed.

He says his device goes to the 3G when he goes indoors, thus he loses LTE when he goes indoors. Two separate issues.

 

Robert

Yes, but he says that that's not his problem.

4G LTE is very good now in the Lake County area north of Lake Cook Rd. for the past week. However, can someone explain the technology between switching from 3G to 4G LTE? When I enter a building from a well saturated area of LTE outside with no issues driving for about 20 minutes connected to super fast LTE, and then when I enter the building it goes to 3G. This is understandable when in the building. However, when I come out and take the same route home there is no connection to LTE at all. It only works if I cycle through LTE/CDMA or update the PRL list. Isn't this suppose to be the opposite of the WiMAX disaster? Can someone take me through the technology? FYI this is a well saturated area of 4G LTE with no issues outside for 1 week now. I am interested on how this new technology will work with Network Vision. Thank you.

His problem is that his phone is not reconnecting to LTE when he leaves the building.

Edit: Robert's edit addressed the issue. Disregard this.

Edit 2: Maybe it's the difference in devices or the ROM I'm using, but I don't usually have trouble connecting to LTE as soon as I reach an LTE area. Maybe my device is just scanning at the right time.

If you have a strong LTE signal outdoors and no signal indoors, then it is your building.

 

I can tell you based on our observations, going indoors produced a 8 to 12 dBm signal reduction. A strong LTE signal of approx -90dBm would be reduced to -102dBm RSRP, a way more than usable LTE signal.

 

If you are losing more than 12dBm going inside, then you are going into a building that is affecting signal way more than normal. And some building types are just brutal to RF.

 

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

Actually, Robert, it doesn't seem like he has a problem with losing his signal indoors. He expects it and is OK with it. His problem is that when he leaves the building and is now in a well-saturated LTE area outdoors, his phone is not reconnecting to LTE.

I'm now getting LTE in Schaumburg, by Wise and Roselle Roads. It's kind of weak in my house, though. My speed tests were between 3.5 and 5 Mbps, but it's a lot better than 3G, and it'll be even better outside of my house. I'm stoked.