Sprint Announces 'Magic Box' to Improve LTE Data Download and Upload Speeds By 200%

[TechGeek76]

So...like what Verizon and others are already doing?
[doublepost=1493829677][/doublepost]

Let's go Verizon....

Like this?

https://www.verizonwireless.com/accessories/samsung-4g-lte-network-extender/
[doublepost=1493829876][/doublepost]

I wonder if these implement some odd tower-based hack. One problem with mobile wireless is you constantly need to adjust/range your signal. With a fixed receiver you can eliminate a lot of that.

It uses your home internet to function.

 

[turbineseaplane]

So...like what Verizon and others are already doing?
[doublepost=1493829677][/doublepost]
Like this?

https://www.verizonwireless.com/accessories/samsung-4g-lte-network-extender/
[doublepost=1493829876][/doublepost]It uses your home internet to function.

You talking about the Sprint one?

Start of 2nd paragraph:
"The Magic Box doesn't require a router or Wi-Fi to use -- Sprint also mentioned that it doesn't interfere with established Wi-Fi networks"

 

[avanpelt]

Sprint needs to just mail these boxes to hundreds of thousands of businesses all across the country and pray that even 30% of them plug the boxes in. Sure, that's not a realistic gameplan; but it would definitely benefit Sprint's customers when they are out and about.

I guess Sprint is taking the "micro" approach to improving their network now since years of supposed "macro" improvements have done little to improve their network overall.

 

[TechGeek76]

You talking about the Sprint one?

Start of 2nd paragraph:
"The Magic Box doesn't require a router or Wi-Fi to use -- Sprint also mentioned that it doesn't interfere with established Wi-Fi networks"

Ah, it helps to pay more attention Interesting it doesn't require this.

 

[chriscrowlee]

This thread is going to get me to make a big bowl of popcorn. Lol.

 

[Bob Zimmerman]

I wonder if these implement some odd tower-based hack. One problem with mobile wireless is you constantly need to adjust/range your signal. With a fixed receiver you can eliminate a lot of that.

At a guess, it sounds like a pair of cell radios. One connects to the tower, one offers service for local stations. Since they know this box is going to sit stationary, they can use certain techniques to improve the link quality between it and the upstream tower.

I would love to learn more about the call routing and handoff protocols. Again, at a guess, they're probably implemented like normal LTE handoff with a data backhaul. I don't think that has been done with an LTE data backhaul before, but it's not implausible.

 

[JosephAW]

And you thought it was dangerous to hold a cell phone up to your head...

Hey! Everyone's house becomes a cell tower, just like Xfinity's hotspot that you can't turn off and it uses your bandwidth.

 

[theshoehorn]

Looks like they're using LTE Advanced Relay to do it...

http://www.radio-electronics.com/in...g-term-evolution/4g-lte-advanced-relaying.php

Actually looks pretty cool when you think about it...

 

[turbineseaplane]

And you thought it was dangerous to hold a cell phone up to your head...

Hey! Everyone's house becomes a cell tower, just like Xfinity's hotspot that you can't turn off and it uses your bandwidth.

The Xfinity thing is so crazy… I have been places with my uncle who is an Xfinity subscriber and he's literally getting on other people's Wi-Fi equipment using his Xfinity password

 

[TechGeek76]

And you thought it was dangerous to hold a cell phone up to your head...

Hey! Everyone's house becomes a cell tower, just like Xfinity's hotspot that you can't turn off and it uses your bandwidth.

This one doesn't require an internet connection, just power.

 

[CarlJ]

It's just a [rather large] single-unit signal booster. Quite magical...

You know what would be magical? Densifying their network so that devices like that aren't necessary.

Maybe this IS densifying (nice word, BTW) their network - their new plan is to avoid the bother and expense of adding new cell towers by weaving together effectively a mesh network of femtocells placed in subscriber's homes - and get this, instead of paying $$$ for cell tower space, the subscribers will let them install a largish box of equipment, strategically placed in a window rent-free (and likely powered by plugging into a wall socket in the subscriber's home as well).

 

[swajames]

The magic box they really need is one that improves their legendarily crappy customer service by 200%...

 

[XTheLancerX]

I don't understand how this just magically increases speeds. What is being used as backhaul in order to do so, if your internet isn't doing it? If it was just repeating LTE signal I would figure the speed would just be the same as whatever signal it already is receiving.

 

[BeSweeet]

Maybe this IS densifying (nice word, BTW) their network - their new plan is to avoid the bother and expense of adding new cell towers by weaving together effectively a mesh network of femtocells placed in subscriber's homes - and get this, instead of paying $$$ for cell tower space, the subscribers will let them install a largish box of equipment, strategically placed in a window rent-free (and likely powered by plugging into a wall socket in the subscriber's home as well).

That's an interesting way of looking at it, though faster speeds via the magic boxes could cause people to use their phones more, possibly bringing the speeds back down. I don't think they're a good long-term solution if that's a part of their plans.

 

[CarlJ]

I don't understand how this just magically increases speeds. What is being used as backhaul in order to do so, if your internet isn't doing it? If it was just repeating LTE signal I would figure the speed would just be the same as whatever signal it already is receiving.

Wireless speed varies not only with maximum available bandwidth back to the internet, but also with signal strength to/from the tower. The amount of space the average cellphone has available to devote to radio receivers and transmitters and antennas is smaller than your thumb, and they have to sip power from your cellphone battery, while this unit has space for radio equipment hundreds of times bigger (thus likely much more sensitive), and a nearly limitless power budget since it plugs into a wall socket. I have little trouble imagining that they can get more data throughput to/from a tower than a cellphone can.

And the article headline "conveniently" summarizes the article from "improve up to 200%" to "improve by 200%". I'm guessing in areas with really strong signal already, you won't get double the speed. But there are likely a lot of areas in the US where Sprint doesn't have really strong signal.

 

[vigilant]

So... it doesn't require an internet connection...

...and can cover 64 users at double the speed...

Sounds like Sprint is trying to get around the permits to build microcells by selling what I'm assuming are cheap consumer grade micro-cells.

In significant parts of Dallas Sprint is so bad that you'd think you're phone is broken. If this gives 64 users 2X increase in performance without an internet connection I wouldn't want to stand close to it while it's on.

 

[SumYoungGai]

So...like what Verizon and others are already doing?
[doublepost=1493829677][/doublepost]
Like this?

https://www.verizonwireless.com/accessories/samsung-4g-lte-network-extender/
[doublepost=1493829876][/doublepost]It uses your home internet to function.

At least sprint is doing it right and giving customers a free network extender.

My home neighborhood is a dead/very weak spot for Verizon. I'll go down to no service, 1x, or 3G at the very best while walking around inside the complex.

If I want a network extender, I have the privilege of paying $249 to get usable service in the parking lot.

There's a little plot of land that I have line of sight to with AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint antennas but interestingly enough, no Verizon.

I'd switch to another carrier if I didn't have bill credit promotions on the account.

 

[macduke]

T-Mobile sent us something like this for free recently (well, there was a $20 refundable deposit) because my wife's iPhone SE was having problems losing signal in our basement. There's nothing magical about this, it's just a signal booster, lol. The nice thing about the T-Mobile unit is that it gives you two boxes. You mount the one where the signal is best and then you mount the other on the opposite part of your house where the signal is worst. It gets four bars in our window and beams that downstairs. Upstairs on my iPhone 7 I would get 2-3 bars and now I get 3-4 bars, while downstairs I would get 1-2 bars and now I get 2-3 bars. My wife went from 0-1 bars downstairs to 1-2 bars. Data isn't important while at home, but a cellular phone connection is because we don't have a landline and our WiFi sometimes goes out because Mediacom sucks. No WiFi calling and no cellular calling equals no calling at all. This box fixes that, which is important since we have an in-home daycare in the basement.

I think some people will find this useful, especially if their work WiFi for some reason has problems routing calls through to the networks or their home internet is flakey. But this kind of seems like Sprint wants people to install these all over so they can increase their coverage area since they advertised huge outdoor range. I don't know if my T-Mobile box has the range for other people to connect to it, but I don't think it was advertised that way. I'm really looking forward to LTE extended coming to my town, which they said should be sometime later in the summer—at least for my tower.

 

[chriscrowlee]

I don't understand how this just magically increases speeds. What is being used as backhaul in order to do so, if your internet isn't doing it? If it was just repeating LTE signal I would figure the speed would just be the same as whatever signal it already is receiving.

Look at the size of it, it could have a four foot antenna inside it. So if you're getting reception on your phone's inch antenna vs a four foot long antenna, then repeating the signal, see? It's basically moving you closer to the tower sort of.

 

[whiteonline]

So... it doesn't require an internet connection...

...and can cover 64 users at double the speed...

Sounds like Sprint is trying to get around the permits to build microcells by selling what I'm assuming are cheap consumer grade micro-cells.

In significant parts of Dallas Sprint is so bad that you'd think you're phone is broken. If this gives 64 users 2X increase in performance without an internet connection I wouldn't want to stand close to it while it's on.

The main issue this solves is in-building coverage.

On a side note, I don't understand the hate on this. A mobile company is actually working alternative solutions to make a better overall customer experience. If you not a Sprint customer, then it doesn't affect you. If you are and have coverage issues, it's free and a much faster solution than building another cell tower.

 

[chriscrowlee]

The main issue this solves is in-building coverage.

On a side note, I don't understand the hate on this. A mobile company is actually working alternative solutions to make a better overall customer experience. If you not a Sprint customer, then it doesn't affect you. If you are and have coverage issues, it's free and a much faster solution than building another cell tower.

I agree, while I think the things people are saying are funny, I think it's a fantastic move by Sprint. I have AT&T and live in a densely populated city (San Francisco). I WISH AT&T would offer something like this. I used to have 3-4 bars at home, now for whatever reason I have 1, sometimes 2. So my phone is on WiFi calling 90% of the time... what do I pay a cell company for if I have to pay Comcast for bandwidth to use my phone off ATT's network?!?! I bitched to ATT and they sent me a microcell. The issue with a microcell is again it uses MY home internet which I already pay for, thus lessening the value of it. Furthermore, it's not really LTE, it's basically just wifi calling under a different name. It really serves no purpose when compared to Wifi Calling and Wifi data. Kinda pisses me off.

However, if ATT were to offer a "Magic box" like Sprint does, that'd be huge. If I stand in the window I get 2-3 bars on my phone, so a bigger antenna like a magic box would likely get 3-4, and thus transmit that inward to me solving my whole gripe with AT&T. And before you jump on me, yeah I know 1 bar is perfectly usable, it just gets choppy on occasion and would be nice to have better reception in one of the most densely populated markets on ATT's map.

 

[tremlock]

I had one of these with Sprint 6 years ago. Nothing new. Granted it did work.

 

[chriscrowlee]

I had one of these with Sprint 6 years ago. Nothing new. Granted it did work.

You're confused with an internet-connected microcell and a signal amplifier. This device doesn't create signal where signal doesn't exist like a microcell that connects to your internet. This device amplifies the weak signal from the local cell towers. Huge advantage. They had no such such thing prior to this.

 

[tremlock]

You're confused with an internet-connected microcell and a signal amplifier. This device doesn't create signal where signal doesn't exist like a microcell that connects to your internet. This device amplifies the weak signal from the local cell towers. Huge advantage. They had no such such thing prior to this.

Very good info. Thanks

 

[Tmeadows]

You're confused with an internet-connected microcell and a signal amplifier. This device doesn't create signal where signal doesn't exist like a microcell that connects to your internet. This device amplifies the weak signal from the local cell towers. Huge advantage. They had no such such thing prior to this.

If I may jump in here there is something that people are missing if I'm not mistaken. It doesn't use the same spectrum that people usually get from the cell tower. On top of that it uses a larger breadth of spectrum of communicating to the actual cell tower and then converts it to another frequency to hit your phone. Effectively using their large amount of high bandwidth spectrum as a cellphone (internet) backbone similar to fiber optic (much less speed currently though). Also the frequencies it uses in the "house" are not as long distance but are faster and penetrate walls/ceilings better. Let me know if I'm wrong please.