milan03

HSPA also suffers a latency hit when dual carrier mode is enabled. The phone stays "parked" on one carrier for power efficiency, but whenever data needs to be transmitted, it acquires an adjacent carrier before starting the transfer. This process takes time, causing initial data transfers to have a high ping.

This.

If you're running consecutive speedtests for instance, one after another right away, latency stays amazingly low, LTE-like 30-40ms here in NYC. However if I take a test, then wait a few seconds before I fire up a second one, latency spikes to over 600ms.

It's a known issue on DC-HSPA+ networks easily solved by streaming radio in the background for instance

Just saw these new panels put up. They don't look like any at&t or verizon I've ever seen. Is this t-mobile?

Definitely not T-Mobile's

Tmo LTE is now active in many places in ABQ. I have been doing some Sensorly mapping today. I have been averaging in the high teens, occasionally hitting around 30Mbps. Pings between 40-70ms most of the time.

 

I hit this speed test on Montgomery near I-25. I've never even been this high on even Verizon before. It hit as high as 56Mbps before settling just under 50.

 

uploadfromtaptalk1371419444380.jpg

 

Robert from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Yup, ABQ is a 10Mhz market, I'm still trying to figure out if their LTE is A or F block there. Wish you've had a TouchWiz based phone, impossible to tell on a Nexus. 

Ya that's just a transceiver capability which is already in use in last year's UE like Nexus 4, etc. MDM9x25 IP block is what interests me with CA and cat 4 capabilities

...and the have/have-not issue that is T-Mobile's network continues. Speeds on their network, right up to the edge of upgraded cells, will be pretty phenomenal. Once you hit an un-upgraded site, all bets are off.

 

As for 4x2, my guess is that once T-Mobile finishes their H+/LTE upgrades, the old panels will come down. I'd imagine that the new equipment can broadcast some GSM/EDGE in PCS.

It's actually not the case. Their existing equipment in NSN markets is 4x4 MIMO ready, while Ericsson markets will need extra panels in most cases. All of their BTS are 4x2 4x4 ready in all of their modernized markets, soft upgrade away. If those upgrades required significant work and investment, they wouldn't be talking about it this early.

T-Mobile is in a great position to deploy higher order MIMO as early as this year if needed.

What excites me more than anything is that MDM9x25 Cat 4 modem that's integrated into Snapdragon 800.

Ya I'm sure engineers don't want anyone attached while they're running OCNS and tuning that network. At least they're visible and not broadcasting 001001 MNC.

I totally miss engineering screens on my Nexus 4 and HTC One. Bad. I do have iPhone 5 which has a very nice Field Test mode, but I'm craving ServiceMode from galaxy phones.

Will be skipping S4 and wait for the first Cat 4 UE that should hit the market this summer which should play nice with Verizon's 2x20Mhz AWS LTE.

That worked! Although it throws me off after 2 mins or so.

 

 

Robert from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Yup, that's how it was in NYC in early testing stage, few minutes and you're out. Maybe late night longer sessions.

You guys should be 2x10Mhz market so you should have the good stuff Enjoy!

ya com not net!

OK...I have added that APN. I'm not near an LTE site this second, but I'm going to drive over to one. My WCDMA speeds just skyrocketed over the standard APN that was assigned.

 

Robert from Note 2 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

You can also add MMSC settings from the old APN, and if you're having a hard time finding T-Mobile LTE, put your phone in LTE Only mode, and then manually scan for networks. This way it'll list T-Mobile if available. 

If you don't connect right away, keep hammering that T-Mobile network and eventually you'll connect

I have gotten Tmo LTE signals from a dozen sites in ABQ today, but cannot authenticate ever. I don't know if they're blocking connections or if there is an issue with my Nexus 4.

 

Robert from Note 2 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

 

Use "fast.t-mobile.com" also APN type should be dual stack ipv4/ipv6. You should be good to go

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Yeah, it's coming from users able to connect to LTE in live or testing markets. With Austin, Houston, and San Antonio it would totally make sense to deploy 10Mhz LTE since T-Mobile's AWS spectrum is contiguous, all nicely lined up, but they opted to start 5Mhz.

AJ has his explanation which probably isn't too far from the truth, but for me it's still kinda hard to explain why...

In Austin they have two big fat chunks of AWS, both 20Mhz, F block used for DC-HSPA+ and A block perfect for 2x10Mhz, but they've decided to only use the upper portion of that 20Mhz slice and deploy 2x5Mhz LTE, leaving the bottom A open...

The only advantage that VZW would have is when deep in a building you MAY have faster service. However, in my area, VZW LTE has dropped to 1-4Mbps at peak times. I hear of these 40-60Mbps VZW speeds, but I have never seen them. This is going to make Sprint more than just competitive. AT&T and VZW are scared, because they've never had to compete on this level before.

 

Robert via Samsung Note II via Tapatalk

Funny that you've mentioned 40-60Mbps speeds, as I decided to get out and check out how's Verizon LTE performing. It's been a while since I've tested that carrier, even sold my HTC DNA, so had to use an iPad lol.

Verizon seriously suffers from capacity issues. During the peak hours when PRB and TTI usage is extremely high, speeds crawl, sometimes to sub 1Mbps. Often users get dropped to 3G airlink...

But on a day like today, a weekend Verizon still packs a punch. Considering that their lonely 10Mhz FDD channel has been in use for almost three years with millions of users. Give credit where credit is due.

He said "20X20" in reference to T-Mobile, not Sprint.

 

AJ

He also said this: "He never bothered to mention that Sprint is doing the same and likely sooner than T-Mobile, Verizon, or AT&T.

"

Nonetheless, the fact that Sprint is already launching Tri Band UE is a great thing, brings us hope. I really hope I was wrong earlier.

Sprint may never have 20 MHz FDD LTE.  He is referring to one or more 20 MHz TDD LTE carriers.

 

AJ

20x20Mhz would have to be an FDD configuration, but oh well. Clear's TDD can definitely be an amazing asset to Sprint's spectrum portfolio, but still I don't see that being deployed sooner than Verizon's or T-Mo's 2x20Mhz network. I hope I'm wrong.

People tend to put off Clear and their potential to be a game changer for Sprint. In a statement made by a T-Mobile representative, he believes that they will pass Sprint and become #3 because they will be able to launch a 20X20 network soon. He never bothered to mention that Sprint is doing the same and likely sooner than T-Mobile, Verizon, or AT&T.

How so? Verizon will have quite a few markets with 2x20Mhz this year, T-Mobile will have potentially a few markets this and a lot more next year. 

What mathematical formula did you use to conclude that Sprint can have 2x20Mhz FDD LTE sooner than that?

As far as I know no current phones support LTE-Advanced but I wouldn't be surprised to see it next year. I believe Verizon has stated that their LTE rollout will be done this year and then they will switch to LTE advanced deployment. However, it won't be as difficult for Verizon as they have the backhauls already in place for a faster network. T-Mobile is in a similar boat as Sprint in that its LTE network is easily upgradeable to LTE Advanced rather than a hardware change like Verizon.

This year Qualcomm is releasing MDM9x25 LTE-A chipsets w 10+10 carrier aggregation on board. We should be seeing first devices with this chipset in Q4 2013.

Also T-Mobile's LTE network is fully Release 10, they don't have to do pretty much any significant upgrade, it's LTE-Advanced ready. They are waiting on LTE-A UE availability, and the real need for LTE-A features as they're not really ready yet.

Also T-Mobile's spectrum is rather simple as they're deploying across only two bands.

No, you should not see any cutback from AWS DC-HSPA+ in Austin.

 

At its peak, T-Mobile in Austin held 50 MHz of AWS -- three non contiguous blocks of 20 MHz, 10 MHz, and 20 MHz. The AWS D block 10 MHz license, which T-Mobile received from AT&T, is gone, leased to Leap. Otherwise, the AWS A block 20 MHz and AWS D block 20 MHz licenses are still in the fold. So, in AWS, T-Mobile will continue to run DC-HSPA+ and will launch 10 MHz FDD LTE.

You meant F Block, right?

2x10Mhz LTE and DC-HSPA+ in AWS is what they'll have for a while as you've already pointed out.

It would be impossible.

 

http://www.phonescoo...php?a=187&p=229

 

The only bands that would be useful are the lower B,C blocks because those are band 17 which is available on T-Mobile iPhone (and ATT&T iPhone which are now the same thing).

 

Verizon+ATT own most but after Verizon was approved to buy AWS from Spectrum Co. - the cable companies - it sold off lower A,B,C licenses; AT&T bought ALOT.

 

http://www.extremete...for-1-9-billion

 

Furthermore, they've very recently declared that they'relooking toward 600MHz for next boost in coverage and they're stopping footprint expansion with AWS+PCS.

 

 

 

I actually listened to the entire 40min webcast last night and I think the CTO is delusional. He thinks after they finish 200mil LTE expansion, they can taper their CAPEX and "have a really nice cash flow profile"

 

http://jpmorgan.meta...php?ticker=TMUS

 

and wait it out until the 600 MHz is available.

 

My guess is they're trying to preserve the value of DT's 74% share- until lockup period expires - by not loading TMUS with more debt.

 

I'd love to see their free cash-flow profile when people realize in mid-2014 that even Sprint has more geographic coverage.

 

It's funny cause during the audio webcast, the interviewer explicitly asked "since you're the lowest cost provider and have the iPhone, why do you think people are STILL going to VZW+ATT?" and Mr. Ray starts BEEEEE-SSSSSING, totally avoiding the whole coverage thing.

He was actually pretty on point with everything he was talking about. The MetroPCS merger has been completed just 2 weeks ago, and they've already merged MPCS + T-MO LTE networks in Vegas. As of today it's 2x10Mhz instead of 2x5Mhz. They're running MOCN, where LTE is ran completely off of T-Mobile's core.

This really excites me since this is almost instant benefit for T-Mobile's existing subs, not to mention MPCS. Other 2x5Mhz can hope to get 2x10Mhz when contiguous AWS spectrum is available.

I don't think so, I've been hitting 40/20's.... I think they are 10x10 in the DC area. Maybe tmo4gru.com will have more info?

Yeah DC is 2x10Mhz T-Mobile market. Baltimore is 2x5Mhz.

I saw that, it's "64 antenna elements". So... 32x32? 63x1? I have no idea how this works.

It doesn't matter, it's "5 Jiggas" !!

Oh but it doesn't matter what it is... Samsung has to be the first one to market 5G! They're the first!!!

Like the laundry list of their useless features on SGS4 that you'll turn off within a week.

I think there is some QoS going on as many of us seem to be rate limited to about 15.5Mbps on the downlink on HSPA+42. Could be account related, as there seem to be some prioritization of 5 and 10GB plans over unlimited/unthrottled. 15Mbps is still noting to cry about.

What happens to that speed when you leave the city limits?

Speed? The speed follows you like a ninja.