| 1900 or 800 does not change download bandwidth Those are frequency spectrum. Only difference is 1900 is normally a newer tower, so is designed to handle more data/etc. The frequency does not affect how much bandwidth can be pumped through it.
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 RaptorNot a Dumptruck
join:2001-10-21
London, ON | I think the information means that VZ's 800mhz towers are all full (relatively anyway), and Sprint's newer 1900mhz towers are just starting to get used comparatively. Since VZ's 800mhz towers are at capacity, they're struggling, where as Sprint hasn't filled their 1900mhz spectrum with the same number of users. So while both are capable of doing the same thing / pumping out the same capacity, one is less taxed atm.
Correct me if I'm wrong anyone.
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 Noah VailSon made my AvatarPremium
join:2004-12-10
Lorton, VA
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It's still old equipment. 'round here, those towers went up when GTE Cellular was competing with Celluar One.
As much as I hate going over to the dark side, I'm posting this from my Verizon EVDO card. The service has been reliable and, ironically, Verizon is the most honest of all the wireless providers ('round here).
Cingular, Alltel, TMobile and Sprint all promise wireless access and lead the user to believe that they'll get broadband speeds with their service. I've used all of them and none get above a dialup rate.
Of course that's just here and obviously YMMV. However this is where I'm doing my existing and where they're doing their marketing. It's what I care about.
So here in Florida, Verizon is the cream that rises to the top.
Everyone registered to vote?
NV
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There's more to it than just frequency. The "protocols" for how the tower handles each "call" is different and is more efficient on the newer 1900 Mhz towers. So, each 1900 Mhz tower can handle more data in a given time than an 800 Mhz tower. At least that's what I read. I don't understand the technical details as I'm not a communications expert.
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| said by jc1350:There's more to it than just frequency. The "protocols" for how the tower handles each "call" is different and is more efficient on the newer 1900 Mhz towers. So, each 1900 Mhz tower can handle more data in a given time than an 800 Mhz tower. At least that's what I read. I don't understand the technical details as I'm not a communications expert. "Older" 800 mhz towers tend to use older equipment with a smaller back plane capacity then the newer towers.
Many of the new towers have fiber run to them to mux in the location services each tower must have. These systems have newer gear with a higher back plane capacity.
Older systems are only capable of 30 or 60 mbit back planes, because the equipment is rather expensive to replace they usually try and mux 2 or 3 devices onto one fiber run. They also tend to cycle equipment. Old equipment from a metro doesn't get eol'ed it gets recycled into very suburban areas where it is a increase in capacity to what they had previously.
Back to reasons ! your basically pushing 90 mbit down a 10 gig pipe. The 10 gig equipment is very expensive and since Verizon wireless is making great numbers it is tough to spend on new equipment and justify the upgrades to the bean counters.
Verizon doesn't eol cycle equipment that's why they have a very reliable network. They actually have spare equipment around to replace the old stuff if it breaks.
And yes frequency does make a difference depending on the modulation and other functions the switches provide.
The 850 mhz spectrum can not support the modulation a 1900 mhz slot can also. Well it can but not well. There is so much you can do to provide more bandwidth in one slot but it gets pricey to do. And at this point verizon data services are just breaking even.
Evdo equipment is very pricey at this point. 4 to 5 years when evdo starts to get a better foot hold equipment costs will come down. But it won't unless people start actually using it and that is when verizon punishes. Kind of short sighted eh ?
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 Michieru2zzz zzz zzzPremium
join:2005-01-28
Miami, FL | reply to Raptor
You have a point, but Sprint has more towers than probably any other CDMA carrier that I know of in the states. So they have more capacity and newer towers especially after the Sprint-Nextel merger. Instead of selling those Nextel towers I heard they where going to upgrade them and use it to expand the network. Which was part of the 7 m(b)illion network upgrade plan. But I might be wrong as well I just heard this from a Sprint-Nextel investor call. |
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| Actually Alltel (The Largest Regional Provider in the US) has the largest physical network of towers. This is after they bought Western Wireless aka (Cell One is most markets)They have not postioned them selves as a roaming cash cow. As Western Wireless not only have CDMA towers but GSM transmitters on the same towers. They do beat sprint and verizon combined in number of towers and square footage that those towers cover. |
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