T-MoblieUser207
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Everything posted by T-MoblieUser207
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Yeah, on T-Mo that's how it is. Here are the images from the Sprint eNB I found: The numbering scheme matches T-Mobile femto setup. However, last I heard T-Mobile was planning on turning all the Magic Boxes into paperweights, so if its a magic box, I'm surprised it is still active.
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Does anyone have a Sprint magic box still active? I wonder what is the eNB numbering scheme for them, as I found Sprint eNB 1025011 using 2558 MHz as the middle frequency. Wasn't able to check if its 10 or 20 MHz though. If its not a magic box, the TAC is different from pre-merger Sprint and current T-Mo TACs in the area, so it can't be a small cell.
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I have taken 2 long trips across the Bronx and short one, with Cellmapper active and running on all trips. I think I have enough data to assess 2.5 GHz holdings in the Bronx, but if there are any errors, feel free to correct me. Parts of the Bronx actually match the rest of the city. The same way Brooklyn has 2 types of n41 deployment is the same way the Bronx and Manhattan has 2 sets of n41 deployments. My entire Bx6 bus ride from 157th St (1) station to the Hunts Points (6) station had 2680 only on Sprint, and 80 MHz n41. The Hunts Point Avenue 6 stop is a strange one, and I need to take a trip back to check it again, but T-Mo may have 2xCA of B41 live on eNB 130682. I found both 2538.2 and 2558 live, but the strange thing is that tower also has 80 MHz n41, which means 2558 and 80 MHz n41 are overlapping by nearly 10 MHz! The speed test of the 80 MHz n41 here was limited by backhaul, as it had trouble going above 500 Mbps. Eastward further into the Bronx on the Bx5, as soon as the bus took the ramp to cross the Bronx River, 40 MHz n41 started showing up. Funny enough, this area of NYC still has 2xCA on Sprint live, with the carriers being 2599 and 2645.8. Same type of setup I found in South Brooklyn. This matches the findings on my first long trip. In Dec 2020, when I made a short trip to the Bronx, T-Mobile did 2599 for their LTE block. eNB 138947 shows this as of today, until it gets updated. Eventually they switched to 2558, and now 2538.2. Today, I checked the area I mapped in Dec 2020, and luckily enough, I found a tower that I picked up 3xCA from Sprint. I don't know the EARFCN of n41 at the time, as I didn't take a screenshot of it on that trip. I would guess its the same EARFCN of n41 carrier that I found in Coney Island in October 2020, with 20 MHz n41 at the time. Organized layout of all the active blocks I have found: (center frequency, bandwidth [frequency boundary] = deployment) * = same deployment citywide 2523.8, 10 MHz [2518.8 to 2528.8] = Sprint LTE small cells * 2538.2, 20 MHz [2528.2 to 2548.2] = T-Mobile LTE macros * 2558, 20 MHz [2548 to 2568] = formerly T-Mo LTE macros(except eNB 130682) * 2599, 20 MHz [2589 to 2609] = former T-Mo LTE macros, current Sprint LTE macros 2645.8, 20 MHz [2635.8 to 2655.8] = Sprint LTE macros 2660.2, 20 MHz [2650.2 to 2670.2] = formerly Sprint macros 2680, 20 MHz [2670 to 2690] = formerly Sprint macros 2660.55, 40 MHz [2640.55 to 2680.55] = T-Mo NR macros 2558.55, 20 MHz [2548.55 to 2568.55] = former T-Mo NR macros If you read this correctly, yes, T-Mobile currently has a Sprint LTE carrier (2645.8) overlapping with their NR carrier. I don't know why, but that is what the devices have picked up. My guess is the Sprint carrier is only "engaged" when a Sprint device passes by, similar to what T-Mo did years ago when they had B2 doing GSM, 5 Mhz HSPA, and 10 MHz LTE, all within the 10 MHz of B2 they owned, for a few months before they fully shut B2 HSPA down. I would love to see what moves T-Mo makes to get both the Bronx and South Brooklyn areas to 60 MHz n41 or higher. Either the upcoming auction, or buying/leasing from the Archdiocese of NY and Rockville Centre and the squatter Nextwave may help.
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Does anyone have an explanation for why Sprint's towers with the AAHF panel have each sector of B41 with a separate eNB? In Gowanus Brooklyn, I knew where the Sprint tower is thanks to the AAHF giving it away, and I was able to locate all 3 sectors, but its was a guessing game to find one of its sectors since its number sequence was different. It's also not the first tower I know of with each sector having a different eNB. B25/26 don't have this issue, AAHF or not, all 3 sectors share the same eNB, its only B41 from the AAHF panels, as eNB 9055 does not have AAHF panels and has B41 all under one eNB.
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eNB 56432 recently got the the 6449 treatment, and its one of my favorites to test, as the sector that covers the church next door is usually empty. Was able to get 300+ Mbps with B2+B66+B12 from it before the 20 MHz B2 bump. Sadly it has the same limitation most towers have; 1 Gig backhaul. Pic of the sector from the staircase at the church: Two tests from inside the church: Another 2 tests from outside on the staircase: All 4 tests are B66+n41. The A71 comes with the X52 Qualcomm modem, so when the NR bandwidth is >60 MHz, the PCC band drops from 4x4 to 2x2. Before the bump from 60 to 80 MHz, the PCC would be at 2x2 with B66 and B2 enabled, and disabling B2 leaves B66 at 4x4, or vice versa. Plenty of hardware limitations with this device, so it won't be able to fully take advantage of the spectrum deployed, but for now it doesn't matter, since backhaul is the more apparent problem.
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T-Mobile expanded n41 within the same footprint of the former (current depending on location) 60 MHz block by adding 10 MHz at each side. Now there is a reason for 2558 MHz T-Mobile LTE block being replaced for 2538.2 MHz, as 80 MHz n41 with 520110 EARFCN means its 2560.55 MHz to 2640.55 MHz. I think 2660.2 carrier is gone from Sprint macros, dropping Sprint from 40 to 20 MHz B41. Checking 2 macros isn't enough data to confirm this IMO, so I'm asking if anyone else has seen the same thing. Space for 100 MHz n41 is there, if its gone or not, just a waiting game for when 100 MHz happens. If its gone, Sprint's network is on its last legs in terms of spectrum usage. Maybe Sprint to T-Mobile conversions might start to ramp soon? While also still on the topic of 2.5 Ghz, its possible T-Mobile is making moves to place n41 and LTE in the L tunnel. No 2.5Ghz is in use on the subway system's DAS currently, but I guess we will find out eventually what their plans are.
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I could be wrong, but I don't think Sprint small cells are going ever to broadcast the keep PLMN, T-Mobile will just add their own equipment or decommission them. I have spotted quite a few new small cells in East Flatbush/Brownsville that popped up within the last year or so, and checking Streetview shows that some of the small cells were there pre to mid-2019, while others showed up between 2019 and now. Could be a Sprint conversion, could be they recently jumped on the small cell, can't really tell. I do agree they will be a big benefit to the network, especially in the areas where it is hard to reach by a macro. The basic mapping I have done with Sprint for Cellmapper showed in some places street level (possibly indoor too) coverage could be provided with 0 macros, all small cells. If they do keep all of the small cells, I hope they adjust the macro grid sectors for the small cells. For example, B2 and 66 on eNB 133781 can pull 40-50 down each, but it struggles to keep SNR positive due to the 2 nearby macros (44136 and 43398), especially since one (44136) has one of its sectors aimed at the small cell.
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Is it just me, or have all the 6488's (original n41 antenna) been replaced? There were 5 or so towers that I knew of, and they have all been replaced with the 6449 antenna. Just curious to know if anyone still sees a 6488 up across the city. I'll admit, I did not expect T-Mobile to move this fast with the upgrade process. Instead of keeping track of which towers have the n41 antenna, its now keeping track of which ones don't, and it seems like by the end of this year 90%, if not all of them, will have it.
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2.5 GHz allocations have changed again. 2538.2 (20 MHz) is now showing up on T-Mobile macros, was formerly on Sprint small cells, yet 2558 (20 MHz) is gone. Every macro that I have mapped before April 17th that had 2558 on it, it got replaced with 2538.2. Maybe they plan on going straight to 100 from 60? 60 MHz n41 is 2.5 MHz away from the 2558 MHz block, and the former 2640.4 MHz B41 Sprint block is still dormant, which means the spectrum above and below of 60 MHz n41 they own. Currently 40 MHz of spectrum is now idle (2558 and the former 2640.4 Sprint block), up from 20. Currently: (Center frequency, bandwidth = location) 2523.8, 10 MHz = Sprint small cells 2538.2, 20 MHz = T-Mobile macros 2558, 20 MHz = Formerly on T-Mobile macros, currently not in use 2600.55, 60 MHz = T-Mobile n41 2660.2, 20 MHz = Sprint B41 on macros 2680, 20 MHz = Sprint B41 on macros The only universal allocation consistent across all 5 boroughs seem to be 2538.2 and 2558 for LTE, the rest don't match what is being done in the Bronx/South Brooklyn. I probably will take another trip to the Bronx and check the allocations there, as its seems like the same allocations in the Bronx are the same things being done in South Brooklyn. I was able to find 40 MHz n41 as far north as the Avenue H stop on the Q (T-Mobile eNB 53556/475086), still trying to decipher where the line between 60 MHz and 40 MHz n41 begins/ends in Brooklyn.
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My apologies, I should have clarified better. Along straight sections of the subway system with close stations, say the 1/2/3 from 14th to 42nd, you can hold onto signal into the tunnels better with AT&T/Verizon/Sprint thanks to their lowband being installed, compared to T-Mobile with no lowband that immediately drops once you leave a station. It won't work everywhere, especially around curves of the subway system, as there is no dedicated tunnel cell coverage yet. From Prospect Park Station B/Q/S to Newkirk Plaza B/Q is basically all outdoors, although the line is in a trench, in that area I have never lost T-Mobile signal on a train there. The network places me on B12/71 at Parkside and Church Avenue stations, besides those stations its easy to find T-Mo B2/66.
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The R211s are still coming, should arrive later this year, last I heard they may/may not come with wifi built-in, don't know about cell coverage. The plans for the L-train renovation happened, T-Mobile is taking their sweet time jumping on it though, as Verizon and AT&T are already on it, per this tweet: The F train tunnel between East Broadway and York Street is next for cell coverage. Still no idea if T-Mobile will add LTE lowband, B12 or B71 on Transit Wireless's DAS, as Transit Wireless said they were ready for B71 after the auction in 2017. Yes, Sprint is still at pre-merger bandwidths for B25 and B26, no B41, either Sprint never installed B41 or it was removed after the merger. I also want to see some upgrades, specifically lowband, as the coverage drops between stations for T-Mobile, unlike the other 3 since they have lowband. It's fairly easy to get to 100 down on the DAS, since it allows B66+2 CA, but I wouldn't be surprised if T-Mobile plans to move straight to 5G for it.
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100 Mhz n41 is now live on Long Island. Judging from the B2 PCI, its probably eNB 45883.
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T-Mobile may be gearing up to take 2538.2 MHz (20Mhz B41) off of Sprint small cells onto their macro network. The vast majority of Sprint small cells I found had 2538 on them, with only a select small cell around Nostrand Avenue and President Street having 2523 (10 MHz) and 2538. Now, all the Sprint small cells I have passed recently only have 2523 instead of 2538. In Nokia markets, T-Mobile has 2538 and 2558 (20+20 MHz) on macros with n41. Its possible they may be trying to do the same thing in NYC now, especially since the 6449 Ericsson panels can do the entire band.
