T-MoblieUser207
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Everything posted by T-MoblieUser207
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Another Sprint site has been converted! No idea what the Sprint eNBs were, but the new B66 eNB is 894640. Cellmapper back to acting up again, as it has been mapped, but hidden. Same gig cap as eNB 894588, but the interesting thing here was the tower has such little traffic I was able to get to above 700 on the tests I ran. Google map link, and here is the current view from yesterday: Another tower to add to the 312-250 list: eNB 6853. This tower falls into the density category, as T-Mobile eNB 41532 is less than 400ft away. Shockingly, I was able to place it under the 312-250 PLMN, but when I returned later to see If I could do it again, it mapped under 310-120 instead, but still showed 312-250 in Service Mode. eNB 6898 I'm not sure is a Sprint keep, just mapped under the 312-250 PLMN as I had B26 locked. There are a few others which I think T-Mobile may keep, Sprint eNBs 15946, 9727, and either 17822 or 81319 (or both with the moves they have been making), but I haven't verified them yet. Has anyone checked the infamous Greenpoint Sprint site to see if it is broadcasting 312-250? 312-250 shows up on both Androids and iPhones, and it would be appalling if its 311-490. Sprint is disappearing either via conversions or decommissioning, as eNB 5893 is wiped clean. No panels remain, only the roof equipment housing. Another tower, where Sprint is on the same building as T-Mobile eNB 43376 still has its panels up, but they are not active. Tower is just as empty as I remember it in 2017, the last time I was over here. The thing about this site is it seems to have 500 Mbps backhaul for T-Mobile, as the speedtest goes above 450, but then comes right down and levels out at 300-320 Mbps. It is first tower that I couldn't pass 500 Mbps with n41 active. In the 40 MHz n41 area of Brooklyn, Sprint still seems to be chugging along fine, I haven't noticed large gaps or areas where I'm mapping B25/26 only, unlike the 80 MHz n41 areas. Plus Sprint's small cell build is still mostly live. It also seems like there aren't any AAHF panels in this area, if there is one at all. Which is good for locating sites, as it means it will be 2 eNBs instead of 4 lol. Verizon looks like they will have solid coverage with C-band once it goes live. eNBs 81224 and 81056 have the panel up.
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When I originally passed by and found this small cell, I was supposed to come back and take a proper spin of the blocks to locate it. I'm not certain it's any of the Mobilitie SCs nearby, I think it is the Crown Castle small cell on Lincoln Place between Nostrand and Rogers Avenues (ID 17022 according to the google map link). Not 100% sure though. I hope someone did, as it will pay off with the macro density they have currently, and plan to have with more of the Sprint sites being converted, especially once the mmWave capable small cells start being deployed. Really amazing the moves they are making right now. Someone finally flipped the switch for 312-250 across NYC, and I'm here for allll of it. Since it is much easier to tell which sites will definitely be kept now, some paranoia of T-Mobile ditching Sprint sites that they should keep is gone now. They may keep the higher end of the the 12-13k sites Neville is mentioned saying in June this year if the amount of 312-250 sites popping up continues the way its going. This is wild, wow! There are a few Sprint sites that are in a similar position like this that I'm going to need to pay more attention to now. Extremely happy I made the decision last year to pick up a Sprint SIM for mapping, the amount of data added to Cellmapper has been, and continues to be, priceless. Funny enough, the sidewalk has the manhole for the node in the street view image, so I wonder what they are waiting for still.
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The list of sites with 312-250 keep getting larger, Sprint eNB 6879 and 9992 have it now. I was hoping to find B12 for T-Mobile eNB 47947 on the B12/41 locked device, as I know B41 wasn't here, but the device found the 312-250 PLMN instead. I passed by T-Mobile eNB 894588 to trigger the other bands I mapped to show up, which they did, but the curious thing I found was the site is still broadcasting the old Sprint eNB 6695 for B25 G block even though no Sprint equipment is up on the site for over 2 weeks now. B41 is T-Mobile only, and B26 from 6879 reaches very well. I'll pass by this site again to see if all 3 sectors are doing it, as its possibly a way to maintain Sprint coverage after converting sites. T-Mobile eNB 44136 has all its new bands showing up now. Still need to remap eNB 55916, as Cellmapper still hasn't popped the B41 eNB back up yet for some unknown reason. The small cell count for T-Mobile has skyrocketed. In addition to the new ones in East Flatbush, there are new ones in East New York, Ozone Park, South Richmond Hill, Flushing, and Jamaica.
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Same way VoNR is also live, but Neville still continues to say "NR CA and VoNR will launch soon".
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December 4th is coming up, making it 2 years since they launched nationwide 5G on n71. With them reaching 200M covered with n41 early, I think they plan on having NR CA and VoNR launch happen then.
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I was also worried they would decommission this site too, but with the Culver Viaduct creating a "wall", limiting eNB 40971's reach south and 41348 having trouble reaching the into the area, I figured it would only be a matter of time before the site was kept. Both the Lowe's and the Home Depot have trouble indoors on T-Mobile, if not outright no signal, so this is massive win. Sadly, the subway DAS is still midband only, no B12 or B71 yet, even though AT&T has B12 live, Verizon B13, and Sprint B26. Strange enough, they turned on B25 MFBI on the DAS, so no more roaming to Sprint 15 MHz B25, unless you band lock B26 or get to the few stations with Sprint B41. Sprint eNB 6798 still has its panels up, but the tower is definitely off. With the antennas still up there and wired in, unlike eNB 75500 that has no trace of Sprint equipment, I wonder which site out of the two Dish may be on first in this area. Work continues on T-Mobile eNB 44136. I thought they were finished, since everything was up, but I guess not, as someone was up there, and the RFS panels were covered later on in the day. First pic around 1:30, second around 4:30.
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He definitely knows the difference, and is being purposefully obscure. I would guess as more Sprint towers get decommissioned, those 10G backhaul increases start happening to T-Mobile sites, shifting Sprint opex/capex funds to T-Mobile, hence why they want Sprint towers gone asap. Sadly, it would mean 2022 for more areas see those 1Gbps+ n41 speeds. In addition to towers, I also think some of Sprint's small cells have also been turned off. I have been on B25/26 alot more often lately when mapping Sprint, even in areas where I confirmed their small cells. Definitely not the same network I mapped mid-late 2020. The small cells designs are all the same, I don't know which ones are fiber fed, or macro fed (UE-backhaul). Yes, Sprint used their own macros to provide backhaul to small cells, more info about it in this thread. eNB 899327 Sprint site in Gowanus is being kept! My inactive T-Mobile SIM seamlessly roamed onto it and showed the 312-250 PLMN. The holes in Sprint's network keep getting larger, and it looks like the conversions/decommissions are happening very often now.
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If you haven't seen on reddit yet, the site is live, and I took pics of all 3 sectors: Another T-Mo site, 44136, has work started for upgrades, I didn't hang around long enough to see if n41 is also going up, but I did see the workers up there. One RFS panel was in place for 2 of the sectors though, so I'll check the site again in a few days. I spotted more Verizon C-band, and this time I wasn't driving so I have pics! eNBs 81068 and 81455 respectively have the panel up.
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Seems like the data for this tower has been lost to the void; it still hasn't shown up, yet the data from Eastern Queens did, and it was on the same trip. The Sprint data did somewhat show, but its patchy like I had GPS issues or poor/no signal, when I didn't have any issues, but it is what it is. Going to remap it eventually, same with B41 for eNB 43673, as I mapped it that day also. The issues with Cellmapper have been fixed, and data has been processing much faster now when I did a recent spin around my neighborhood, so next time I map, it should show up. Quite a few eNBs I need to add since they are still doing splits when upgrading. For the recent small cells that have been popping up, there is a method to the madness. Each eNB usually has 3 small cells attached to it, except for the single ones. B66 is usually Cells 1/2/3 or 4/5/6. B2 is either 7/8/9 (older small cells, like 49470) or ten digits higher than B66 for the latest small cells (11/12/13, and 14/15/16). For most of the recent ones, I have seen the small cell eNB numbering is consecutive, for example eNBs 134386 to 134388 are all small cells, same for eNBs 475788 to 475790, and 127065 to 127069. Seems like there are plenty of small cells that haven't been found yet. The more I have mapped Sprint and found where their towers are, I have realized a ton of Sprint's towers fit like a glove into T-Mobile's network; if the Sprint tower doesn't increase/provide better coverage, it helps to densify the network. It seems like conversions/decommissions are starting to ramp across the city, now that most towers have the n71/41 upgrades.
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Wasn't able to take a spin around this site for all bands, but 2/66/41 should be mapped along 101st Avenue, whenever Cellmapper updates as they are currently having some issues. No idea when/if I'll pass again for lowband. One of Sprint's sites that I was hoping to be kept is actually being converted!! Location is eNB 6695, and here are pics: West sector and northeast sector have all the panels up, didn't check the south one but would assume they are up there too. Now I wonder what they will do with the small cell they have on the same intersection... that's a worry for another day. Strange enough, the keep PLMN still isn't being broadcasted from the site, as it was still active as Sprint when I passed today. Locked B26 and B41, and it was still only 311-490. It is going to be a white knuckle ride until the end of June in 2022...
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Ah, thank you! I also haven't seen new 2HH-38A-R4-V2 deployments in either. The deployment of the AIR3246 lines up with most of the new B66-only eNBs I have seen on Cellmapper. Seems like some of the towers have the panel running with split-sector active, and some don't.
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Was able to pass by this tower again, and it seems like only B66 is split, not B2. I wasn't able to do the 360 spin I did for B12/41/71, but 2 of the sectors are split, would assume the third is too. Still confused how the antenna layout leads to B66 being split, as its not something I recognize.
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I was expecting to see the Commscope panel, but didn't, unless its on the south-ish facing sector. I'll take another spin around the site to see if I missed something. eNB 49619 is another with B66 being split on one sector, but I don't see the usual split sector antenna(s) on it. While eNB 55828 has it on only one sector, eNB 55976 had 2 facing the same direction! It has since been changed now with the 6449 up on it. eNBs 40989 and 41362 are other towers with one single split panel on one sector that I know of. To be honest, while I definitely want more spectrum, the backhaul is more of an issue. Even sites with the ancient RFS 2/12/66 panels, once they get upgraded, their speeds go up by a lot on LTE. Plus, its fairly easy to hit the 1G backhaul cap with 80 MHz n41 added to B2 and/or B66. I hope they start ramping the small cells with that spectrum though as Paynefanbro said, as adding them in places with a ton of pedestrian traffic/infill coverage would help to place the icing on the layer cake. -- T-Mobile 2xB41 seems to be expanding across Brooklyn, but it also seems targeted, as in for areas where they need/want the extra LTE capacity. Along Eastern Pkwy, most of the towers from Franklin Avenue (eNB 142953) to Rochester Avenue (eNB 475428) seem to have 2xB41 live. A trip along Fort Hamilton Pkwy only produced one tower with 2xB41, eNB 131646. I ran a test on 131646, and I think 2xCA uploads are active on the sites that have 2xB41, but that was the only site I ran the test on so I'm not 100% sure. Sprint definitely had it active when I tested eNB 7263, when 2660 MHz on Sprint was still around.
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It seems like T-Mobile is definitely keeping Sprint's long haul fiber network, as the network images on Sprint.net now say T-Mobile instead of Sprint. Here is to hoping the routing issues T-Mobile is having for some people is due to T-Mobile moving their traffic from 3rd party fiber providers and onto Sprint's (now T-Mobile's) fiber. https://www.sprint.net/tools/network-maps Also, T-Mobile has been working on tech to improve up link speeds and capacity of n41, specifically 256QAM upload and UL-MIMO. Description from Signal Research Group's benchmark study in California here: https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5406477/5g-nr-benchmark-study-vol-18-enhanced-uplink
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I'm leaning towards the idea of changes in the sector azimuth and didn't take down the old sector. I don't know of any 4-sector sites within NYC, but I have realized sites with 2/12/66 setup that get upgraded to all bands may get one or 2 sectors split after the upgrade. I think T-Mobile knew some of these sites had capacity issues, and are now doing something about it when they do their 5G upgrades. Another example of this is eNB 40988, a former 2/12/66 tower with no splits, and now it has all licensed bands, and B66 is now split on it. I would assume B2 is also, but I didn't check when I passed by. Former view of the site, compared to the current view below:
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I found this tower interesting too, but I think its an RFS panel next to that 6449. It's usually RFS+6488/6449 for Ericsson markets, Commscope+AAHF/AEHC for Nokia markets. Here is a similar setup, this time in Manhattan, eNB 45627. Looks like the same panel to me. I am to blame for B41 not showing up on this tower. The eNB for B41 is located, but hidden, since no cells are shown. I passed this tower recently, and the J5 Pro I use for mapping B12/41 had a GPS glitch, and registered trails too far west, but parallel to Kings Hwy. With the trails and sector spread being too far west, I deleted the cells, with the intention of remapping B41 on this tower within the next month, as I will be in the neighborhood then. I'll make sure to add B12/71 too, which I haven't mapped for this tower at all. I think this tower was one of those midband only sites that finally got the full spectrum deployment. I could be wrong, but I don't think those antennas are still active. From the May 2021 view of Google Maps, all the new panels for that sector are at the edge of the building, with the other 2 sectors also getting updated, but they haven't changed positions. Wouldn't make sense to keep the old panels though, as they no longer have a purpose.
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Still haven't checked it to take a photo, but its eNB 6798/9383, and its definitely gone, as I connect to Sprint towers farther away instead of it. Only explanation for why B26 has gone from -96 - 110 to -115 - 120 nearby, and as soon as I step indoors, my inactive Sprint SIM immediately jumps to T-Mobile.
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The decommissioning of Sprint sites has started, the optimistic worrying starts about which sites they will keep and convert. Only 2 out of the 3 B41 sectors are on Cellmapper, and 0 B25/26 sectors. I think another site near me also got turned off/decom'd, but I haven't checked it yet. I guess its time to start paying more attention to Sprint sites... Link to street view of the site via Google Maps , Link to the site in Cellmapper . Nov 2020 view: Pic of the empty top and poles on the side of the building removed, taken 2 days ago:
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Took a day trip to Philadelphia some weeks ago, and my experience was exceptional. I was on n41 basically all the time, except when the device started to overheat and disconnect NR, as the day was hot. Rode Amtrak from NYC to Philadelphia and back, and T-Mobile was great. I locked SA south, and NSA north. Southbound the device stayed and held SA n71 without going to no signal, except for the immediate area outside the tunnel from Penn Station. From Harrison PATH station south to 30th, SA n71 didn't disconnect at all. The northbound trip was great on NSA also, quite often connecting to n41, with occasional drops to n71. 30th St Station has n41 coverage, but the tower that covers the station either is backhaul capped and/or is heavily utilized, as B66+n41 was only 110 Mbps. Walked from SEPTA Jefferson Station to the Liberty Bell, and it has 100% n41 coverage, and the tower which covers the landmark got to 600 Mbps very easily. Got on the Market-Frankford Line out to 69th Street Transportation Center, and once the train went from tunnel to elevated, n41 was there, all the way to 69th Street. Tried and failed to run a speed test at 69th St as the device was warm, thanks to the temperature of the day. Spectrum holdings Here is what I found in Center City and on the MFL trip for T-Mobile: n41 is 100 MHz, with EARFCN 516030 (2530.15 ~ 2630.15 MHz) n71 is 10 MHz, using D and E blocks B66 is 20 MHz B41 is 40 MHz, 2558 and 2538.2 MHz at 20 MHz each. B2 is 15 and 10 MHz. 15 MHz is all of C block, and 10 MHz is 1870-1880 MHz of B block. B12 is 5, and B71 is 10 MHz, B and C blocks. HSPA is still active, 1877.3 to 1882.3 MHz. Sprint: B41 at 2680 MHz (20 MHz) and 2521.1 MHz (15 MHz), and B25 (G block only) and B26. T-Mobile B41 is nearly overlaps fully with their n41 block, except for ~2 MHz. Speeds and SNR were great on n41 and B41 on the tower outside the Liberty Bell which I found it and tested on. I wonder if this is a form of DSS. HSPA is a strange one, as T-Mobile is squeezing 15 MHz of spectrum (10 MHz and 5 MHz HSPA) within 12 MHz of spectrum. I would assume come January 2022 it will be 2 15 MHz B2 blocks in Philly, with HSPA in the middle of the lower 15 MHz block, until HSPA is shut down. Data has been added to Cellmapper in Philadelphia for T-Mobile and Sprint. Album of screenshots/data is here: https://imgur.com/a/XVKgvWk
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You may need to force SA only to activate it. I have a different device (A71 5G) and I was able to make calls over n71 and n41 SA, but only by locking to SA only. Until VoNR is officially launched, the only way to use it for now is by locking the device to SA only bands. Once the device can pick up and connect to LTE/HSPA/GSM, it won't use NR for calls.
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Cellmapper updated, and its actually 7 sites. Something is brewing...
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Staten Island Took a trip to the forgotten borough of NYC, Staten Island, to see how the n41 build was going on over there, and to be honest, its a mixed bag. Immediately off the Verrazzano, I found n41 40 MHz, being broadcasted from a different frequency. The unique thing I have found is T-Mobile does 2680 for their LTE block on the island, not the 2538.2 MHz block like the rest of the city, because the NR block is using that area. South of the Expressway there is plenty of apparent holes in n41 coverage, as I dropped to n71 often, but north of the Expressway was different, as I was on n41 more often, but still dropped down to n71 occasionally. Seems like most towers have n71 and wide enough to be on n71 often, but n41 is still very patchy. I went with the guess that 2645.8 and 2599 MHz blocks from Sprint were 20 MHz each, but they are not, they are 10 MHz and 15 MHz respectively. This places the 2645.8 block right inside T-Mobile's n41 40 MHz block in Brooklyn and The Bronx. Could also be only for Staten Island 2645.8 and 2599 are setup like this, not sure. T-Mobile is also overlapping the NR block with the 10 MHz LTE currently being used for Sprint small cells on Staten Island. Organized layout of all the active blocks I have found for Staten Island: (center frequency, bandwidth [frequency boundary] = deployment) * = same deployment citywide 2523.8, 10 MHz [2518.8 to 2528.8] = Sprint LTE small cells * 2599, 15 MHz [2591.5 to 2606.5] = current Sprint LTE macros 2645.8, 10 MHz [2640.8 to 2650.8] = Sprint LTE macros 2680, 20 MHz [2670 to 2690] = T-Mobile LTE macros 2539.35, 40 MHz [2519.35 to 2559.35] = T-Mo NR macros Finding and locating some of the towers on Cellmapper has been fun on the island, as B41 doesn't use the same PCI that B66 uses, like the rest of the city does, and B12 and B71 also don't share the same PCI either on Staten Island, so matching splits have been a guessing game if B12 isn't mapped on both the original and new eNB. Recent Brooklyn observations Verizon is moving very fast with their installations of C-band. eNBs 81426 and 81322 both have the Samsung panel Paynefanbro has shared. T-Mo has upgraded 1 of 3 sites they use to cover Starrett City with n41, eNB 43391. The site at Gateway Mall, eNB 127993, also got the 6449 treatment, so speeds on 5G have gone up there. The strange thing is, the Gateway Mall site has 2538.2 and 2558 MHz blocks, both being 20 MHz being broadcasted, along with 80 MHz n41. The n41 block and the 2558 MHz block are overlapping by ~8 MHz. I haven't found this setup anywhere else in Brooklyn yet, but it isn't the first site I have seen like this, there is a Bronx site that does the same thing, eNB 130682. I wonder if the LTE NR overlap will only remain in high traffic areas, or if it will spread across the city, as it is a ton of LTE capacity. Found 2 more n41 SA sites, eNB 134936 and 140520. The speeds leveled out at 390 down/55 up at -93 RSRP on 140520. Also don't know how long they will last with SA active, since the last 2 I knew of now have n41 SA turned off.
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I thought most oDAS's anchored NR by now, didn't know it was still a site by site basis. I found one anchoring NR since Dec 2020:
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Basically -130 or worse LTE signal. Roaming onto Sprint is considered a dead last resort if its not a keep site, even if the Sprint macro has exceptional signal. The Home Depot and Lowes stores in Gowanus have awful T-Mobile coverage indoors, and the only way my device sees the nearby Sprint sites, and roams on it since its not marked as a keep site, is when I band lock, or disable B12 and 71. Otherwise it hangs onto -115 lowband for dear life, even though it is not usable at all.
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I guess the 3 of us are the select few whose service got better, as that is the experience for me also. The 5G rollout is moving faster than I expected both n71 and n41, and the speeds are there to match. Plus, the towers that I knew of with slow n41 speeds are starting to see optimizations, as their speeds have also gone up. It's a great time to be a T-Mo customer with a 5G device in NYC. Speaking of towers, T-Mobile seems to be placing all of their bands on all of their macros, including their midband only sites. There are (technically were now) 2 midband only sites that I know of, and they both got the 6449 and lowband treatment, eNB 56208 and 55976. The reason I mention it is because it seems like 56208 got the wide RFS panel that people have seen outside of NYC, instead of the double skinny RFS panels.
