Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread aka Sprint Spark
So.. Verizon is fixed but you're on an old phone.. So it's really you that has the issue and not their spectrum / coverage? Am I reading that correctly?
Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.
if you look at that way, you need to apply the same logic to Paul.... Chicago solid on B41 for Sprint, but his phone doesn't support it and he refuses to upgrade, so he doesn't get the benefit of all that LTE goodness..
Also Verizon AWS is NOT everywhere that 700 LTE is in NYC. Verizon network isn't even spaced properly for AWS to relieve a significant load off of 700 mhz. AWS is more-less preforming as HotSpot right now in the various sections its available, it's not blanketing NYC. B41 while still having holes, is well on a it's way to Blanketing the 5 boroughs. If you have a tri-band Phone in NYC you should never drop to 1900 or 800 LTE until deep inside buildings.
800 is for coverage, 2.5 is for capacity, and 1900 is the main band used. The extra bands is just protection since sprint only using 10mhz of 1900mhz spectrum for LTE.
Sent from my Nexus 5
B41 (2.5) will be the primary band in the cities... B41 brings both Capacity and Speed to the table. If you look at the priority settings in your phone's engineering screens you will see that B41 is the primary band...then you fall to B25 (1900) then finally band 26 (800) so in an area that is saturated with B41 a person should never need to fall to B25 or B26.
It's band 41 that's going to give you your Sprint Spark (50+ Mbps down).... Neither B25 or B26 will achieve this with a 5x5 config even if on an Unloaded tower.
Should clarify: If you buy a new phone, go tri-band without a doubt/ no matter what. I just wouldn't run out to upgrade your old phone expecting drastic range increases.
In the Mega Cities - there is a VERY BIG difference in having a Spark (Tri-band LTE) phone and a Single band device... In the Mega Cities where B41 (Spark) is launched, people are getting consistent ~50Mbps+ Down speeds.... In these same cities, with a 1900-Only LTE phone people are seeing the Congestion set in and are subject to <2Mbps Down during Peak Times. B41 has a Ton more spectrum available to it than either 1900 or 800 will have. Plus the Old Clearwire towers already have the Backhaul in place thanks to WiMax.
Understand Sprint has more spectrum in B41 (2.5 mhz) than all 4 wireless carriers have lower band spectrum combined.... That's A LOT of Spectrum, almost too much for Sprint to ever use with only ~55m Subs. No Doubt B41 is where Sprint will shine after all other carriers networks have slowed due to Congestion and demand for more Data grows. Which is why TMO is doomed giving away the store as it has been doing, their only plan for the future is to get Brought quickly, before **** hits the fan and Wall Street reacts. They know they can't maintain a Quality of Network while having all the Data Hogs jump on to it bringing down the speeds while it gives away the store and pay people to leave their current carrier.
Like Verizon congestion problems, TMO degenerate of Service will be felt first in the Mega-Cities (NYC, LA, CHI, SF) and the Tech-Blogs like AC will be reporting it as headline news, that will be the signal of the beginning of the end of Data Gravy Train that was TMO.