Post here if you have noticed 1900MHz 3G on an iPhone or other device

[reuthermonkey]

Who holds AWS in STL?

T-Mobile has 10mhz.
Verizon's got a full 20mhz, Cricket's got 30mhz, US Cellular has 30mhz...

So basically everyone but ATT and T-Mobile...

On PCS, T-Mobile only has 15 mhz as well... So things aren't looking so hot for our market seeing much improvement beyond 21mbps HSPA+

[WiWavelength]

T-Mobile has 10mhz.
Verizon's got a full 20mhz, Cricket's got 30mhz, US Cellular has 30mhz...

So basically everyone but ATT and T-Mobile...

On PCS, T-Mobile only has 15 mhz as well... So things aren't looking so hot for our market seeing much improvement beyond 21mbps HSPA+

Your T-Mobile PCS 1900 MHz spectrum holdings in St. Louis are off; whatever source you are using is incorrect. But my numbers are accurate. So, please refer to my list of most of the top 50 markets:

-PCS 20 MHz licensed bandwidth: New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington, Miami, Cleveland (23.6 MHz), San Diego (25 MHz), Milwaukee, Tampa-St. Petersburg (25 MHz), Buffalo, New Orleans (25 MHz), Hartford, Sacramento (25 MHz)

-PCS 30 MHz licensed bandwidth: Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, San Francisco-Oakland, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Atlanta, Seattle, Cincinnati, Phoenix, San Jose, Indianapolis, Portland, Columbus, San Antonio, Memphis, Louisville, Providence, Salt Lake City, Dayton

-PCS 40 MHz licensed bandwidth: Minneapolis-St. Paul, Denver, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Rochester, Birmingham

-AWS 10 MHz licensed bandwidth: St. Louis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Buffalo, Rochester, Memphis, Louisville, Dayton, Birmingham

For AWS 2100+1700 MHz spectrum, I have listed only the AWS 10 MHz markets because those are the most in need of T-Mobile W-CDMA 1900 deployment. Of those AWS 10 MHz markets, those that are also PCS 30 MHz or 40 MHz markets are the most likely see W-CDMA 1900 deployment soon. Thus, St. Louis, as an AWS 10 MHz and PCS 30 MHz market, should be on the short list for W-CDMA 1900.

AJ

[karpodiem]

Your T-Mobile PCS 1900 MHz spectrum holdings in St. Louis are off; whatever source you are using is incorrect. But my numbers are accurate. So, please refer to my list of most of the top 50 markets:



For AWS 2100+1700 MHz spectrum, I have listed only the AWS 10 MHz markets because those are the most in need of T-Mobile W-CDMA 1900 deployment. Of those AWS 10 MHz markets, those that are also PCS 30 MHz or 40 MHz markets are the most likely see W-CDMA 1900 deployment soon. Thus, St. Louis, as an AWS 10 MHz and PCS 30 MHz market, should be on the short list for W-CDMA 1900.

AJ

great post, thank you!

[WiWavelength]

great post, thank you!

To be completely clear, though, St. Louis will likely remain at HSPA+ 21, but will expand to two carrier channels: one in AWS 2100+1700 MHz spectrum, the other in PCS 1900 MHz spectrum. I doubt that T-Mobile, with 30 MHz bandwidth of PCS spectrum, can spare 20 MHz of that to deploy HSPA+ 42 in St. Louis.

AJ

[terryjohnson16]

Does T-Mobile has enough AWS in NYC, to launch HSPA+ 84? Also, why haven't they took advantage of HSUPA to the fullest in NYC? Everywhere I go, I get less than 2Mbps upload on my GS2. I know it can cap at 5Mbps hardware wise.

[fraydog]

To be completely clear, though, St. Louis will likely remain at HSPA+ 21, but will expand to two carrier channels: one in AWS 2100+1700 MHz spectrum, the other in PCS 1900 MHz spectrum. I doubt that T-Mobile, with 30 MHz bandwidth of PCS spectrum, can spare 20 MHz of that to deploy HSPA+ 42 in St. Louis.

AJ

You can't deploy 42 with one carrier channel in AWS and the other in 1900?

[WiWavelength]

Does T-Mobile has enough AWS in NYC, to launch HSPA+ 84?

Not likely. In New York, T-Mobile has 30 MHz bandwidth of AWS 2100+1700 MHz spectrum. Currently, that is probably deployed as three W-CDMA carrier channels: one paired Dual Carrier HSPA+ 42 (20 MHz bandwidth) and one single HSPA+ 21 (10 MHz bandwidth).

For the Dual Carrier HSPA+ 42, T-Mobile could update to W-CDMA Release 9, Category 28 to go to MIMO enhanced Dual Carrier HSPA+ 84 in the same spectrum. But MIMO has several disadvantages. One, no current T-Mobile devices (or none that I am aware of) are MIMO capable. Two, MIMO capability may be of limited in real world operation (see below). Three, MIMO use can degrade performance for non MIMO devices.

Also, why haven't they took advantage of HSUPA to the fullest in NYC? Everywhere I go, I get less than 2Mbps upload on my GS2. I know it can cap at 5Mbps hardware wise.

Do not rely upon empirical observations of real world networks to reveal their exact capabilities; RF conditions and/or network loading typically prevent 3G/4G networks from operating at their maximum throughput.

Currently, if you get an upload result reliably greater than 2 Mbps, then that is indication of HSUPA 5.76 (i.e. W-CDMA uplink Release 6, Category 6). But absence of an upload result greater than 2 Mbps does not indicate no HSUPA 5.76. Such does not prove a negative assertion.

AJ

[WiWavelength]

You can't deploy 42 with one carrier channel in AWS and the other in 1900?

Not exactly. HSPA+ carrier aggregation across non-adjacent channels (i.e. channels in different licenses or even in different bands) requires W-CDMA Release 9. I am fairly certain that all T-Mobile infrastructure and, more importantly, all T-Mobile devices are currently no greater than Release 8.

So, in St. Louis, T-Mobile could update the base stations to Release 9, but no current devices could take advantage of the non-adjacent Dual Carrier HSPA+ 42. The devices would still "see" the two carriers as each HSPA+ 21.

AJ

[crackerjack_17]

So it appears KC, MPLS and Birmingham are great candidates for 3G in 1900 as they all have lots of PCS and little AWS. Although, KC may get ATT's AWS license which I believe is 10 MHz.

Very interesting, I'm excited to see what T-Mobile decides to do.

[fonezfonz]

So anyone else notice their unlocked 1900mhz 3g device getting 3g speeds on tmobile? What device and where? Please post and get back on track. Happy New Year.

[bigcletus]

I have a Galaxy S II (SGH-T989) and where I live (outside of Tacoma area) it either shows 4G or "E". The other day at home it actually was displaying "3G" for a few moments. Does this mean it was picking up 1900Mhz 3G?

[Danny4G]

I have a Galaxy S II (SGH-T989) and where I live (outside of Tacoma area) it either shows 4G or "E". The other day at home it actually was displaying "3G" for a few moments. Does this mean it was picking up 1900Mhz 3G?

Other people have said the same thing. I swore I also saw "3G," on my GS4G a few times but I thought I was going crazy.

[Kies]

Yes it does, if you are on the T-Mobile network and not "searching" on AT&T it means you picked up 1900MHz HSPA. Any bands besides AWS on the T-Mobile rom will show up as 3G. You can lock PCS WCDMA from the Testing/Service Mode menu.

[Danny4G]

Can you share how to lock it in?

Then that's what it must have been then? I thought I was going crazy. I saw it pop up a few nights on the 15 FWY in areas normally reserved as EDGE only. I kept squinting my eyes thinking I was imagining things.

[Antenna]

Can you share how to lock it in?

Then that's what it must have been then? I thought I was going crazy. I saw it pop up a few nights on the 15 FWY in areas normally reserved as EDGE only. I kept squinting my eyes thinking I was imagining things.

Hey, it could be the beloved AT&T roaming agreement, now we have 3G coverage all the way on the I-15 through Cajon pass