Help Should we worry about the 800mhz/1900mhz debacle?

[EarlyMon]

Does the antennae being partially on the inside of the cover mean the One X (and the LTEvo) will turn themselves off if you pop the back cover off, much like the Windows Phone Titan II? Not that I have much reason to remove the back on a phone that's powered on, just curious.

If it doesn't, then it's going to be important to do it yourself before opening that cover, in my opinion.

~~~~~~~

By the way, I highly recommend the comments here -

Sprint 800 MHz LTE Set For Launch In 2014 - Sprint 4G Rollout Updates


2013.

 

[EarlyMon]

And I just learned that the Evo and Shift aren't really cdma 800 MHz phones at all - they're cdma 850.

See -

CDMA 850 definition (Phone Scoop)

HTC EVO Shift 4G Specs, Features (Phone Scoop)

HTC EVO 4G Specs, Features (Phone Scoop)

The 3vo is capable on ESMR/Nextel 800 MHz band -

HTC EVO 3D (CDMA) Specs, Features (Phone Scoop)

Trust phonescoop.com to get this right.

 

[BenChase7]

^
Very Nice! Thanks for sharing! Finally, a site that clearly differentiates the supported bands.

 

[EarlyMon]

MODS please delete or move, if needed....This guy say's he testing the LTE speeds on Sprint network (I don't like saying 4G, as it get redundant) and also 3G speeds being increased around 7down......

Spoiler

Sprint 4g LTE 40Mbps - YouTube

Sprint? 3G Improved 2012 - YouTube

P.s..I realized I post this in the wrong thread!

OK, so I asked the celluar network experts about this over at s4gru.com and guess what - while EV-DO Rev. B does support those 3G speeds, both videos are faked. (I'm therefore going to tag both copies of that post.)

Turns out that there was no such equipment in the location indicated at the time of these tubes, and further - they're not planning to go with EV-DO Rev B 3G, it's going to be all in for LTE for data, and 1x Advanced on CDMA to improve voice capacity and area coverage.

The good news for 3G users, tho, is that the backbone is going to be upgraded as part of Network Vision, and the bottlenecks down to 150 kbps that people see ought to go away, with the expectation of 1 to 2 Mbps for all 3G users.

Hope this helps!

 

[apinkel]

Couple things to add...

Most common radios in use on current sprint phones...
1x/EVDO at 850 cellular frequencies... supports roaming on verizon towers (ongoing support thru at least 2016)
1x/CDMA at 1900 PCS frequencies... primary sprint tower frequencies, ongoing
Wimax at 2500 frequencies... only present in 4g wimax phones (support thru 2015)

1st round of network vision
-1x-advanced will be added in the 800 mhz SMR spectrum (they couldn't deploy LTE here because LTE requires a minimum of 10mhz). 1x advanced gives sprint more connections per tower and provides support for HD voice (the network and the phone must support it... a la the Evo LTE).
-LTE will be rolled out in a 10mhz (5x5) block of the 1900 G-block spectrum AKA band 26. They have pretty much nationwide coverage in this spectrum (which IMO means it is and will continue to be the primary frequency for LTE long-term for sprint). Coverage/penetration should be similar to todays 1x/evdo but should have a bigger foorprint.

Network vision, later on...
-The next round of rollouts is expected to be LTE in a 10 Mhz (5x5) block of the SMR band. This will happen as frequencies are freed up as a result of moving Push-to-talk customers onto CDMA and off of iden. No phones today will support this because it requires channel aggregation technology that's not yet available.

Here's a link to an article about this 2nd round stuff... this is a ways out and there are a large number of dependencies before this work starts:
Sprint will activate LTE on the 800MHz band in 2014 - Engadget

A lot of people really seem to be worried about the 800mhz LTE but it seems like an odd thing to be worried about IMO. 1900 LTE is where it's at. 800 LTE will just be a little icing on the cake... of course that's just my opinion.

 

[EarlyMon]

In addition to the benefits you cite for 800 MHz ESMR, the lower frequency provides longer range.

The expectation for 800 MHz LTE has the same expectation of greater range, at a likely sacrifice of data speeds. Depends on how things are laid out.

Translation, 800 MHz LTE will provide greater coverage.

Sprint's paperwork is before the FCC for 800 MHz LTE, reports say roll out begins in 2014.

S4gru.com predicts that it will start in 2013, and that Sprint will complete Network Vision along with full LTE coverage before Verizon completes theirs.

When complete, if the plan is successful and the FCC doesn’t hold back, Sprint will have the capacity to handle as many subscribers as ATT or Verizon, with equal or greater coverage, and superior services across the board.

Very interesting, yes? I guess we'll see as we go along.

It's up to the Sprint board and management to stay the course. I have no clue what might happen if people continue to call for Hesse's head for incompetence. This seems like a good plan to me.

 

[BenChase7]

I agree with what apinkel and EarlyMon have said here completely. However I do think that once that ESMR/800mhz LTE is added a year or so down the road it will be quite a difference, as the coverage and in-building penetration that 800mhz provides is nice.

In addition, EM stated that Sprint will not deploy EVDO rev. b and will be upgrading to 1x-Advanced and LTE, which is 100% correct.. However, in regards to the EVDO rev. a that they have.. they will be upgrading this to DO-Advanced. So even though we wont get the speed benefits that rev b provides, we will get much more efficient use of of the EVDO rev a.

One more thing, s4gru has confirmed on several occasions, that the new equipment setup Sprint is installing at all the towers will improve signals strength by approx. 20%.. even with the 1900mhz sectrum.

 

[apinkel]

Yes, that is absolutely true about the 800mhz coverage. I live in the midwest so I'm really happy to see that spectrum on the to-do list, especially for rural coverage where it means they can serve a large area with fewer towers.

I do think there are a lot of folks who seem to be somehow disgruntled about the 1900 LTE rollout because it's not 800mhz. I guess because I've had very good coverage with sprint's current 1x/evdo on 1900 today and since LTE will rollout in roughly the same spectrum range on the same towers I don't really have a great concern about that issue. I hope I'm not proven wrong with that assumption.

I hadn't heard that about DO-advanced. Thanks for the info.

 

[IOWA]

In addition to the benefits you cite for 800 MHz ESMR, the lower frequency provides longer range.

The expectation for 800 MHz LTE has the same expectation of greater range, at a likely sacrifice of data speeds. Depends on how things are laid out.

Translation, 800 MHz LTE will provide greater coverage.

Sprint's paperwork is before the FCC for 800 MHz LTE, reports say roll out begins in 2014.

S4gru.com predicts that it will start in 2013, and that Sprint will complete Network Vision along with full LTE coverage before Verizon completes theirs.

When complete, if the plan is successful and the FCC doesn

 

[EarlyMon]

Could be wrong, have to go back and check, but I think that 2.5 GHz is going to be used for infrastructure. I read that when it's all tied together, they might hit LTE Advanced, not sure about that though.

WiMax supported through 2015, for what it's worth.

I wonder why they never planned on WiMax 2 instead? I am guessing that it had as much to do with marketing and mindshare as much as technology.

 

[apinkel]

Either way, with the 2.5ghz/1.9ghz and now 800mhz it's going to be a pure powerhouse of speed and coverage. 1.9ghz should be good enough for most modern buildings, 2.5ghz for everyone outside, and 800mhz for that extra arms reach.

That's my take on it as well... and while I don't think verizon has much reason to be scared I don't think the same can be said for AT&T.

 

[MiamiSpartan]

If higher freq means faster data speeds, then it seems that Sprint wants to top Verizon's claim of "fastest 4G network in America". After all, Verizon LTE is what, 750mhz? AT&T as well, if I remember right. You can bet Sprint will market the hell out of the speed of their 4G compared to others.

Personally, I get full bars for 3G at home, work, and most places that I go, so from what I've read in the thread, I'll get a good LTE signal. So I'm happy with the 1900 over 800 if it means more speed.

 

[EarlyMon]

It's all about speed and coverage.

The frequency sets a theoretical limit, and actual speed comes from how much of the spectrum is used.

Maybe think of it as a rectangle, frequency is height and spectrum spread is width, and the more area that rectangle has, the more you get.

 

[IOWA]

If higher freq means faster data speeds, then it seems that Sprint wants to top Verizon's claim of "fastest 4G network in America". After all, Verizon LTE is what, 750mhz? AT&T as well, if I remember right. You can bet Sprint will market the hell out of the speed of their 4G compared to others.

Personally, I get full bars for 3G at home, work, and most places that I go, so from what I've read in the thread, I'll get a good LTE signal. So I'm happy with the 1900 over 800 if it means more speed.

Also keep in mind it has a lot to do with back haul and cell placement. Sprint's backhaul is certainly no slouch, but Verizon is a beast in that regard.

 

[Rush]

A-hem, base on all the info accumulated...when Sprint's LTE finally comes alive, which carrier would you say - will have the better and faster LTE? Sprint or Verizon? Just curious.

 

[EarlyMon]

Sprint.

No doubt about it.

PS - Sprint's backhaul is getting completely updated and modernized. For many areas, replaced is a better term than updated.

 

[drexappeal]

Sprint.

No doubt about it.

PS - Sprint's backhaul is getting completely updated and modernized. For many areas, replaced is a better term than updated.

So, EM, in your opinion, if it leads to an influx of people moving over to Sprint, do the speeds go down when/if that happens? Basically, will the network suffer with an abundance of "new activations" come on board? Or is the "replacement" network supposed to prevent from that happening?

 

[EarlyMon]

So, EM, in your opinion, if it leads to an influx of people moving over to Sprint, do the speeds go down when/if that happens? Basically, will the network suffer with an abundance of "new activations" come on board? Or is the "replacement" network supposed to prevent from that happening?

The new network, when complete, will be able to handle either all of ATT or Verizon subscribers without additional changes or anticipated slowdowns.

Should such a day come, Sprint revenues ought to be sufficient to take the next level of service updates, whatever that technology might be.

Key phrase to this - when the network is complete.

The current plan is to complete before Verizon finishes their LTE buid out.

 

[brownhornet]

There are already people with the Nexus getting LTE in some locations and unless Sprint is going to do a LOT of speed enhancements from now until it goes "live" it's most definitely not going to be faster than Verizons. Average i've seen was 10-14 megs down, and thats with no one but those few Nexus users on the network.

 

[EarlyMon]

There are already people with the Nexus getting LTE in some locations and unless Sprint is going to do a LOT of speed enhancements from now until it goes "live" it's most definitely not going to be faster than Verizons. Average i've seen was 10-14 megs down, and thats with no one but those few Nexus users on the network.

As I said, when the network is complete.

Not when the blogosphere and some forums declare that it's live.

It will most definitely be faster than Verizon.

No question about it.

 

[BenChase7]

There are already people with the Nexus getting LTE in some locations and unless Sprint is going to do a LOT of speed enhancements from now until it goes "live" it's most definitely not going to be faster than Verizons. Average i've seen was 10-14 megs down, and thats with no one but those few Nexus users on the network.

How many people do you think are on VZW's LTE network? Just a couple months ago VZW reported less then 5% of their subs are on LTE. So, their LTE network is empty, too.

Edit: Additionally, I wouldnt put too much stock into those numbers that are being reported. Who even knows if that guy that was posting is legit? Read:
Sprint intentionally blocking new LTE devices from accessing live LTE sites - Sprint 4G Rollout Updates

Moral of the story, dont believe every post you read in an open forum.

Furthermore, s4gru reported last night in a live chat that in Sprint's LTE testing reports, Sprint is consistently getting speeds of well over 20Mbps at their LTE test sites. And, these are only the preliminary tests... the network is in its infancy. I only expect these numbers to go up as further engineering/adjustments are made before the sites officially go "live."

 

[IOWA]

How many people do you think are on VZW's LTE network? Just a couple months ago VZW reported less then 5% of their subs are on LTE. So, their LTE network is empty, too.

Edit: Additionally, I wouldnt put too much stock into those numbers that are being reported. Who even knows if that guy that was posting is legit? Read:
Sprint intentionally blocking new LTE devices from accessing live LTE sites - Sprint 4G Rollout Updates

Moral of the story, dont believe every post you read in an open forum.

Furthermore, s4gru reported last night in a live chat that in Sprint's LTE testing reports, Sprint is consistently getting speeds of well over 20Mbps at their LTE test sites. And, these are only the preliminary tests... the network is in its infancy. I only expect these numbers to go up as further engineering/adjustments are made before the sites officially go "live."

I think when its well rolled out and saturated we'll see average speeds of 10mbps on load, closer to 20mbps off peak.

 

[BenChase7]

I think when its well rolled out and saturated we'll see average speeds of 10mbps on load, closer to 20mbps off peak.

That's about what I'm thinking too.

 

[EarlyMon]

I think that before it hits saturation, Sprint will have updated to LTE Advanced.

Going to take a lot of subscribers to hit saturation.

 

[BenChase7]

I think that before it hits saturation, Sprint will have updated to LTE Advanced.

Going to take a lot of subscribers to hit saturation.

Ya know, that's a very good point. I'll bet you're right about that!