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techfranz

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Posts posted by techfranz

    T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2

    in General Topics

    Posted

    AT&T added that $15 activation fee that applies to Next and BYOD. Also I think the new plans are a way to force people into paying more for a bigger bucket they don't need, but that's highly subjective. (I personally find the 15 gig $100 plan a great deal for our needs, and am on it)

     

    Verizon had some pretty good plans, but the larger 12 GB plan for 2 lines for example is $10 more then the old 15 gig plan and is missing 3 gigs. The smaller plans may be ok though.

    VZW's VolTE rollout is a mess right now around here. No simultaneous Voice and Data without it. No 1xrtt fallback. Dropped calls all around. You have to leave the Advanced Calling turned off.

     

    Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

    Switch to Sprint or no?

    in General Topics

    Posted

    Fwiw, still getting only one bar on my HTC One with sprint unlimited, less than a mile up.the road, I get full bars, so I have been sitting in parking lots to upload my youtube videos since time warner cable sucks, I get 1 mbps with their broadband service, but 5 with sprint if I head up the road.......shouldn't have to buy a new phone every few months, I can't afford a new phone

    Sounds a bit inconvenient... Is this with T-Mobile or Sprint?

     

    Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

    T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2

    in General Topics

    Posted

    Keep in mind that the old Nextel gear is absolutely trash for deploying wideband 1x operations so it had to go either way. On top of this, 800MHz is only used as a secondary frequency for coverage (the iPhone in field test mode even lists it as secondary). If the spacing is good enough for PCS, there's very little reason to do 800MHz unless there are known problems around the area. As for 800MHz having a weaker signal than weak PCS, that's because it isn't properly optimized yet. Could take a year to see that happen.

     

    Hope this post answers questions!

    Great answer. Any idea why 800 couldn't be Primary? Or is that just because the investment in 1900mhz is already made, or that 1900 is somehow technologically superior?

    Why does Verizon want 700mhz so bad then?

    Would love more indoor coverage and some 800 bounce....

    Or is it all about Carrier Aggregation....the more frequencies the better.

     

    Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

    T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2

    in General Topics

    Posted · Edited by techfranz

    Actually no, which I have a hard time understanding.Since this was a big Nextel Area it would make sense that Sprint would switch to 800mhz. However, there have been  1900mhz towers in the area for a long time too. It appears like what happened is basically the Nextel Antennas were removed completely and then the 1900mhz towers were upgraded to eHrpd.

    So we are in a rural area with only a thin layer of 1900mhz coverage.

    No idea why we are not switched to 100% 800mhz coverage.

     

    I should say however that we do have the Occaisonal 800mhz sightings and some of the Rural Towns have 1900mhz LTE.

     

    Presently as promising as 1x800 is, it is much weaker than the 1900mhz signal in this area (which is not very strong either.)

    • Like 1

    T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2

    in General Topics

    Posted

    I was out there two years ago, and the network was "usable", my wife was streaming Pandora on her phone while we were driving out to go fruit picking.

     

    We stayed in Reading, and I actually had WiMAX coverage there.

    The majority of Agricultural, Service and Manufacturing Businesses around here were with Nextel. Very few of them stayed with Sprint. We definitely have OK coverage around here, just not very dense, 3G Data, and the occasional unclear or dropped call. I like traveling through the Reading Area or the Lancaster City Area because they have much more LTE coverage. I have seen 800, 1900 and 2.5 LTE frequencies.

     

    Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

    • Like 1

    Sprint Home Wifi Router [Wi-Fi Connect][Asus AC66u]

    in General Topics

    Posted · Edited by techfranz

    I was playing with whitelist function on the Sprint.com website and bricked my AIRRAVE.... should of left it alone...Manage my AIRRAVE on Sprint.com is broken.

    The tech I was on the phone said, however, that as soon as all the non-Wi-Fi calling phones are upgraded they will deprecate all the Airraves....guess that Wi-Fi calling will be the way they are going.

     

    Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

    T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2

    in General Topics

    Posted · Edited by techfranz

    It's pretty much common in NY and NJ to find all carrier sites mounted on top of buildings. There is a Sprint and T-Mobile co-located site right on top of a Starbucks next to my wife's office, which is providing coverage for all the nearby buildings.

    Around here it more like just commercial buildings, usually multi-story office buildings and water towers as well as the traditional cell towers. I just wonder what it is like to live under an Antenna Array like that? Maybe the fluorescent lights keep glowing even after they turn them off[emoji4].

     

    Anyway, in the Verizon Video they certainly have a lot of equipment deployed and to keep updated and Maintained. Nice cabling jobs too!

     

    So lets say there are 50,000 Micro-cell Sites. When 5G comes out how do they get updated, or do they all all come down and 5G units go up?

     

    Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

    T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2

    in General Topics

    Posted · Edited by techfranz

    Made you and everyone else interested a video of the small cell/DAS node! Hope everyone likes it

     

    Update: bagel was not toasted :(

    Great Video.....Didn't know that they mount Macro Sites on two story buildings in the U.S.!

     

    With such major Macro Sites, it seems like there wouldn't need to be micro-sites so close.

     

    Also saw the electric meter for the electric bill and I suppose somebody is tracking the data usage as well.

    T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2

    in General Topics

    Posted

    What town has that many internet service providers?

    Just Xfinity here, but I believe it is an account authentication page to allow subscribers to use the "free Wi-Fi". I guess all the other companies are affiliated with the WiFi hotspot system.

     

    Just thinking...if Comcast partnered with Sprint in a venture like this there could be a Micro-cell wherever there is Cable Internet.

     

    Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

    • Like 1

    T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2

    in General Topics

    Posted · Edited by techfranz

    I am sitting in a public park. I have the option of Xfinity, Bright House, Optimum, Time Warner & Cox for WiFi. It seems like if a location like this would also have a Sprint Wi-Fi access point or Micro-cell Station that would be great.

     

    Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

    T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2

    in General Topics

    Posted

    Never wear a case, Zagg InvisibleShield got my back B)

    I like Zagg, Skinomi and Armorsuit and the Dual cover is great. Just no impact protection when the phone hits the sidewalk. I like the transparent cases on Amazon, but an Otterbox or Trident case are still tops.

     

    Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

    Switch to Sprint or no?

    in General Topics

    Posted · Edited by techfranz

    I was kind of in your shoes too and would have wanted Insurance and Push to Talk and Visual Voicemail and lots of other stuff no doubt:) But I decided I could do without those. We use Zello for PTT and I think it may actually work better than Sprint Direct Connect.

    If we would have added all those services it soon would have equalled our AT&T bill.

    I am sure someone will argue with me, but with the deductibles being so High these days I pretty much decided to skip the insurance, because if it is $10 per month and then a $200 deductible that is almost $300. Depending what devices you get you may be better off just paying them off or adding a third line instead of buying insurance in the event you break a phone. Somehow I wound up with an upgrade eligible line after my first week with Sprint. So I am saving that for a catastrophe. Buy a nice LifeProof or similar case for the phone.

    Anyway the deductibles are below:

     

    Q. Is there a deductible charge or additional fee?

     

    There is a $50, $100, $150 or $200 non-refundable deductible per approved insurance replacement (depending upon your device). Payment of the deductible is required upon approval of the claim.

    • Like 1

    Switch to Sprint or no?

    in General Topics

    Posted · Edited by techfranz

    Do you know if they will pay off the remaining balance of our phones? I would obviously need to trade them in, but if they do then I am all over this deal!

    I did AT&T not T-mobile and got paid for all my lines, it says a "competitor carrier" so I would expect John Legere would classify as a competitor? https://promo.sprint.com/Registration/ContractBuyoutLanding?ECID=vanity:joinsprint

     

    Ok a quick Web Search and it looks like they do cover T-Mobile ETF's & Installments. I know T-mobile is paying Sprint ETF's and Installments.

     

    Just be real clear with the rep when you talk or chat with them.

    Switch to Sprint or no?

    in General Topics

    Posted

    Now I have the following plan:

    $100 for Unlimited T&T 20GB Data and no access fees till December 2016.

    $18 LG G4

    $15 Galaxy S5 Sport

    $8 Netgear Zing Mobile Hotspot

    $8 Kyo DuraForce Flip

    $8 Kyo DuraForce Flip

    +Tax

    About $170

     

    Definately beats the $230 I was paying from AT&T

     

    There is a new plan 10GB for 4 lines for $100 with no end date.

     

    Call Sprint telesales. They have some things they can offer as well, then document any offer they give you so can prove it later if necessary. Also, try the Sales Chat.

    Sprint Home Wifi Router [Wi-Fi Connect][Asus AC66u]

    in General Topics

    Posted · Edited by techfranz

    I have the Asus Router and Airrave.

    We run two phones on the Airrave and one on the Wi-Fi calling. Wi-Fi calling is more like a way to make a call when you have no service. You need to manage your connections etc...And the WiFi calling does disconnect really often...I wonder if it is an SSL tunnel back to Sprint where everything has to be perfect or it disconnects. But with with Wi-Fi calling you can leave your phone's LTE on. With the Airrave you should set the phone to CDMA only, unless there is no LTE in the area. (Every once in awhile we get a blast wave of SMR800 LTE come through or 1900 LTE and the data starved phone could potentially latch onto that poor signal.)

    Anyway if you just need a temporary solution use the Wi-Fi calling and if you want have Sprint send you the free Router. The more reliable of the two is the Airrave. The best situation is to use both realizing that neither one is 100% perfect but that AIRRAVE works better for critical, always on applications. Funny my Wi-Fi calling disconnected while I am writing this[emoji4]

     

    Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

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