Sprint just added first cell site in 13 years here

**RenoWirelessGuru** · 05-16-2019, 09:23 PM

Sprint’s first new cell site in the Reno area since 2006 just went live. A few things are puzzling me about the new site...

1. It’s co-located on a tower also occupied by T-Mobile. Why build now when a merger is pending?

2. The only carrier currently is a 5 MHz block of Band 25. Why not use their other 10 MHz B25 Carrier, or Bands 26 and 41 like the other sites in the area? The speed test shows they definitely need the added bandwidth on the site:

**techfranz** · 05-16-2019, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by RenoWirelessGuru

Sprint’s first new cell site in the Reno area since 2006 just went live. A few things are puzzling me about the new site...

1. It’s co-located on a tower also occupied by T-Mobile. Why build now when a merger is pending?

2. The only carrier currently is a 5 MHz block of Band 25. Why not use their other 10 MHz B25 Carrier, or Bands 26 and 41 like the other sites in the area? The speed test shows they definitely need the added bandwidth on the site:

The is really interesting because a Sprint site that has not been touched since then around here has cables hanging from it. Maybe it’s time for the sites 10 year upgrade.

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**Morphling27** · 05-17-2019, 12:14 PM

If using the free year BYOD in Phoenix or much of AZ is any indication to NV, it's band 25 as far as the eye can see. Unless you're in a well known very busy dense area then you might get band 41.

I've seen band 26 a total of once currently. And I think the phone realized I knew, so Sprint switched it right back to band 25 for no apparent reason.

The 5MHz only thing is odd too. I'm guessing your speed is the lack of bandwidth as your uplink is decent. Oh Sprint...

**signalchaser** · 05-17-2019, 08:34 PM

Good eye on that, my sister used to live pretty close to that new cell. I just noticed a new cell here in NH( first new tower in several years) a few days ago. It is pretty puzzling as to why they are adding sites now.

**techfranz** · 05-17-2019, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by signalchaser

Good eye on that, my sister used to live pretty close to that new cell. I just noticed a new cell here in NH( first new tower in several years) a few days ago. It is pretty puzzling as to why they are adding sites now.

I know it is really weird. I was expecting a couple Sprint 5G deployments in major metros, and then them sort of waiting for the T-Mobile merger.

But there are a few things that could be happening. Here are my conjectures:
1. Sprint has always stated business as usual until the merger. So they keep doing Carrier stuff like building towers.
2. Sprint probably has a rotating backlog of cell upgrades that need to be done. These sites just so happen to be at the end of the end of the end of the list. (The one near here is an ancient bypassed Network Vision Site.)
3. Sprint figures it will take two years to get full synergy with T-Mobile so they are identifying key pieces of infrastructure and upgrading them to keep things in tip top top shape.
4. Sprint has already identified key locations where T-Mobile will need infrastructure so they are building out ahead of the merger.

Or possibly:
5. Sprint loves building towers everywhere and and wants to have seamless nationwide coverage and they thought 2019 might be a good year to start.
6. They like you as a customer so they are building you a tower.
7. The view from the top of a cell tower is awesome.

What I actually think is happening is this might be Sprint filling in some gaps before they roll out VoLTE. Isn’t VoLTE going live very soon if it is not already live?

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**river.guy** · 05-18-2019, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by Morphling27

If using the free year BYOD in Phoenix or much of AZ is any indication to NV, it's band 25 as far as the eye can see. Unless you're in a well known very busy dense area then you might get band 41.

I've seen band 26 a total of once currently. And I think the phone realized I knew, so Sprint switched it right back to band 25 for no apparent reason.

The 5MHz only thing is odd too. I'm guessing your speed is the lack of bandwidth as your uplink is decent. Oh Sprint...

I actually found myself roaming on Clearwire the other day. Thought that system had been totally decommissioned. The tower is in a place called Nothing, Arizona on Highway 93 heading towards Phoenix.

At home here on the Arizona Nevada border, almost always on band 26.

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**techfranz** · 05-18-2019, 10:38 PM

Something just struck me. We have two new Sprint branded stores in the area. Maybe that’s why they are fixing up coverage.

Are you guys seeing new Sprint stores as well?

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**techfranz** · 05-18-2019, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by river.guy

I actually found myself roaming on Clearwire the other day. Thought that system had been totally decommissioned. The tower is in a place called Nothing, Arizona on Highway 93 heading towards Phoenix.

At home here on the Arizona Nevada border, almost always on band 26.

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700mhz? Wouldn’t that point to T-Mobile Roaming?

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**xxxxxagent47xxx** · 05-18-2019, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by techfranz

700mhz? Wouldn’t that point to T-Mobile Roaming?

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700 could be Verizon tmobile or att

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**baaadandy** · 05-19-2019, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by techfranz

700mhz? Wouldn’t that point to T-Mobile Roaming?

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It is. T-Mobile is broadcasting the Clear MCC-MNC to make Sprint roaming seamless.

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**baaadandy** · 05-19-2019, 10:25 PM

Edit: App double posted

**Morphling27** · 05-20-2019, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by baaadandy

It is. T-Mobile is broadcasting the Clear MCC-MNC to make Sprint roaming seamless.

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That's interesting, is the phone set to not show band 12 or connect with it if there isn't a fallback to 1x by VZW?

Or are they allowing full volte on it? I just find that odd as Tmobile was stringent about all phones must use volte with band 12.

**Mrp Alert** · 05-22-2019, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by Morphling27

That's interesting, is the phone set to not show band 12 or connect with it if there isn't a fallback to 1x by VZW?

Or are they allowing full volte on it? I just find that odd as Tmobile was stringent about all phones must use volte with band 12.

There’s data only on Clear/TMO. Couple T-Mobile data with Sprint CDMA voice and you have a passable network quality pre-merger or in case merger failure.

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**10mm** · 05-23-2019, 04:58 PM

The new site they added is live in Lewiston, Michigan. Just B26, no 25. Hope they do some tweaking, because looking at the signal with a T-Mo SIM it's total crap. I'm only a mile from the tower where they're co-located with Verizon and I'm on B66 primary with AWS.

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**comintel** · 05-23-2019, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by 10mm

The new site they added is live in Lewiston, Michigan. Just B26, no 25. Hope they do some tweaking, because looking at the signal with a T-Mo SIM it's total crap. I'm only a mile from the tower where they're co-located with Verizon and I'm on B66 primary with AWS.

When a new site is turned up it starts at a very low power level and they gradually raise the power level over some weeks while monitoring to ensure no interference with other signals.