[Deval]

Originally Posted by jbjtkbw00

Yes you have. You're one of the members that I rememeber way back from when I was originally on Sprint back in the day. There have been MANY changes and will continue to be.

Yep, I still have faith in the company...I've seen all the chaos first hand, and things are a lot better now.

[marioc21]

Saw this today which indicates that Sprint will be deploing LTE advanced capable equipment from the get go as part of Network Vision. They simply won't be switching on advanced until 2013. Makes sense to get the equipment up when you're upgrading the towers already.

http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=213958&

Sprint's Move to Advance Its Network Vision

CHICAGO -- 4G World 2011 -- "It just made sense."

That's how Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S)'s Iyad Tarazi, VP of network development and engineering, characterized the operator's decision to implement LTE-Advanced as part of its "Network Vision" infrastructure, when he spoke with Light Reading Mobile here on Wednesday evening in Chicago. (See Sprint Plans LTE-Advanced Launch in 2013.)

His point was that Release 10 of 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) LTE standard is largely complete, so it makes sense to deploy radios that can support multi-antenna devices and the software for interference and collision detection in the new specification. Basically, Sprint wants to avoid extra truck rolls if at all possible, since that all adds up money-wise.

[nmherron]

All LTE Revison 8 deployments and later revisions are LTE Advanced ready. LTE Advanced won't be available to carriers until early 2013 according to the most recent timelines I've seen from 3GPPP. Sounds like Sprint is trying to be an LTEa launch customer.

LTE Advanced doesn't really run faster, per se than LTE Revision 8. But what it does allow is carrier binding for larger/faster throughput. Two 5x5 bound together run like one 10x10. It also allows some really big carriers like three 10x10 carriers bound together and make something that will run 50MB speeds. Theorhetically, LTEa can support mobile speeds up to 100MB if using the proper carriers and backhaul.

The most exciting thing about LTEa, at least to me, is that you can bind carriers from other frequencies. Sprint wants to bind a 5x5 1900 with a 5x5 800 with LTE Advanced. To me, that's exciting. But I'm a dork.

[logamus]

[QUOTE=nmherron;2628295

The most exciting thing about LTEa, at least to me, is that you can bind carriers from other frequencies. Sprint wants to bind a 5x5 1900 with a 5x5 800 with LTE Advanced. To me, that's exciting. But I'm a dork.[/QUOTE]

so would this provide better signal penetration into buildings? just curious as to what the benefits are for the different frequencies.

[Krayzie Joe]

What is the benefit of binding these frequencies? I hope it means better reception, because that's what Sprint truly needs to improve on (along with 3G speeds).

[Deval]

Originally Posted by logamus

so would this provide better signal penetration into buildings? just curious as to what the benefits are for the different frequencies.

Yep, lower the frequency, better the signal penetration.

So do have 800+1900 = great coverage

[nmherron]

Originally Posted by Krayzie Joe

What is the benefit of binding these frequencies? I hope it means better reception, because that's what Sprint truly needs to improve on (along with 3G speeds).

OK...here is a simple explanation...

(1) 800MHz 5x5 LTE carrier will run at 3MB to 6MB download speeds with bursts to 9MB. And it will handle approx 100 simultaneous data users.

(1) 1900MHz 5x5 LTE carrier will run at 3MB to 6MB download speeds with bursts to 9MB. And it will handle approx. 150 simultaneous data users.

However, if you bind these two carriers together with LTE Advanced you will get...one carrier that will run at 5MB to 12MB download speeds with bursts up to 20MB. And it will handle approx. 250 simultaneous data users.

So binding these carriers together with LTE Advanced will allow for much faster LTE speeds, approximately double. And will make Sprint's LTE speeds run similar to Verizon's LTE network. Sprint can't run 10x10 LTE carriers like Verizon. It doesn't have 20MHz of contiguous spectrum to do it. So it is quite the technological feat to get two separate small 5x5 carriers to work together like one larger carrier. Well, it's very exciting to us geeks.

[Jonger1150]

Originally Posted by nmherron

OK...here is a simple explanation...

(1) 800MHz 5x5 LTE carrier will run at 3MB to 6MB download speeds with bursts to 9MB. And it will handle approx 100 simultaneous data users.

(1) 1900MHz 5x5 LTE carrier will run at 3MB to 6MB download speeds with bursts to 9MB. And it will handle approx. 150 simultaneous data users.

However, if you bind these two carriers together with LTE Advanced you will get...one carrier that will run at 5MB to 12MB download speeds with bursts up to 20MB. And it will handle approx. 250 simultaneous data users.

So binding these carriers together with LTE Advanced will allow for much faster LTE speeds, approximately double. And will make Sprint's LTE speeds run similar to Verizon's LTE network. Sprint can't run 10x10 LTE carriers like Verizon. It doesn't have 20MHz of contiguous spectrum to do it. So it is quite the technological feat to get two separate small 5x5 carriers to work together like one larger carrier. Well, it's very exciting to us geeks.

Ya, doesn't look like Sprint has the spectrum to ever achieve Verizon speeds. Because of the spectrum deficiency, Sprint will always been the slower option.

[Deval]

Originally Posted by Jonger1150

Ya, doesn't look like Sprint has the spectrum to ever achieve Verizon speeds. Because of the spectrum deficiency, Sprint will always been the slower option.

Just a question, how much is fast enough? At the end of the day, you'll blow through your bandwidth cap much faster.

I'd personally take unlimited 9mbps over restricted 5gb or whatever.

[nmherron]

Originally Posted by Jonger1150

Ya, doesn't look like Sprint has the spectrum to ever achieve Verizon speeds. Because of the spectrum deficiency, Sprint will always been the slower option.

How can you say that, Jon? Sprint's Two-carrier 5x5 LTE Advanced will perform nearly identical to Verizon's one LTE 10x10 carrier. And Sprint will have far less LTE customers burdening its equal performing LTE network for a few years.

The difference is that Verizon has AWS spectrum to back up on in a few years to add capacity. But Sprint has LightSquared and Clearwire for additional LTE capacity.

The reality is that Sprint's network future looks rosy. Its just going to be a little bumpy getting there.

This is the most excited I've been about Sprint's network ever. But in terms of their current 3G network and 4G WiMax woes, its darkest before the dawn.

Originally Posted by Deval

Just a question, how much is fast enough? At the end of the day, you'll blow through your bandwidth cap much faster.

I'd personally take unlimited 9mbps over restricted 5gb or whatever.

Ain't that the truth, Deval?

[Jonger1150]

Originally Posted by nmherron

How can you say that, Jon? Sprint's Two-carrier 5x5 LTE Advanced will perform nearly identical to Verizon's one LTE 10x10 carrier. And Sprint will have far less LTE customers burdening its equal performing LTE network for a few years.

The difference is that Verizon has AWS spectrum to back up on in a few years to add capacity. But Sprint has LightSquared and Clearwire for additional LTE capacity.

The reality is that Sprint's network future looks rosy. Its just going to be a little bumpy getting there.

This is the most excited I've been about Sprint's network ever. But in terms of their current 3G network and 4G WiMax woes, its darkest before the dawn.



Ain't that the truth, Deval?

If I can pull down a consistent 5mbps I would be happy with this as a cellphone internet connection. If we are talking data card... I would really prefer 10mbps+.

[nmherron]

Originally Posted by Jonger1150

If I can pull down a consistent 5mbps I would be happy with this as a cellphone internet connection. If we are talking data card... I would really prefer 10mbps+.

Agreed. Those are reasonable expectations from a 4G network. And I will add that it should work consistently over the entire metro area and inside buildings.

[variablebinary]

Originally Posted by Jonger1150

If I can pull down a consistent 5mbps I would be happy with this as a cellphone internet connection. If we are talking data card... I would really prefer 10mbps+.

I could live with this.

More importantly, Sprint needs consistency. A 24/7 5mbps connection is far better than a sporadic 20mbps connection that performs at .5mbps 90% of the time

[Deval]

I will say that I've seen faster speed tests on aircards than handsets. In my house, I routinely get 7-8mpbs on my Epic Touch, and get over 10mbps on my aircard.

But I agree, a consistent speed is preferred, and I think we'll see it with the NV updates and LTE rollout.

[monkeyboy]

Originally Posted by Deval

I will say that I've seen faster speed tests on aircards than handsets. In my house, I routinely get 7-8mpbs on my Epic Touch, and get over 10mbps on my aircard.

But I agree, a consistent speed is preferred, and I think we'll see it with the NV updates and LTE rollout.

almost certainly a device issue, not a network issue. Decent aircards backed by good data architecture on your PC/laptop/home router will always be able to move bits faster than mobile phones.