Will Northeast MI ever receive 3G?

[Mjrtom7]

I've heard talk about how ATT is "working on their network coverage" and plans to provide 3G service in Northeast MI "in the coming months".  Well, now that another 2 year contract has expired, I'm seriously wondering if I would be better off jumping to Verizon.  The EDGE data network up here if virtually useless.  5 full bars, yet extremely poor data transfer.  

Can anyone provide an HONEST answer as to when this coverage is planned to be upgraded???  Verizon has had 3G for quite a long while up here...

[JREwing53]

No 4G here yet in Pickford. But I did drive by the local tower located about five miles south of town. A big roll of wire on the pole at the entrance to the site. Drove back to the tower. They have cleared out a bunch of trees, which I think is to allow the wire to be buried. But then there was some big wiring on the side of the tower.

From the looks of everthing, I'll be suprised if 4G is up and running around here by the end of summer.

[Tpeltz]

@JRE - That tower is HSPA+ '4G' ready. Those are new coax lines on the tower and it looks like they will be using Charter fiber for backhaul. The ILEC doesn't use aerial distribution, so it could only be from Charter (which their fiber backhaul is great).

If you look closely on the coax lines when they run into the cell equipment shelter, you can see some wrapped in a blue tape and some wrapped in red. These color differentiators denote specific 3G/4G frequency. The blue might denote 850Mhz HSPA+ and the red might denote 1900Mhz HSPA+ (or visa-versa). 

[Lewyman]

Wow. If there is no 4G coverage in Pickford they blew it on the map, as it shows the blob of dark orange completely engulfing the town. I would say by late summer it should be on. Nice clear pics btw.

[willzzz88]

From my sources online I can tell you that Verizon Wireless is using Charter fiber backhaul for their LTE network. AT&T maybe using the ILEC. Double check the antennas and make sure its an AT&T site and not a VZW site (or they maybe sharing the same site).

[Tpeltz]

AT&T can use Charter fiber for backhaul if the ILEC is more expensive. Niether carrier is locked into any deal for backhaul contracts. But you are right, Verizon is using a ton of Charter fiber for LTE backhaul. In my area all but 2 towers are using Charter. The other two sites are using Frontier fiber.

It is an AT&T site, owned by Global Tower. The address is: 29255 SOUTH M-129
PICKFORD, MI

Verizon doesn't have a site in or around the Pickford area.

[JREwing53]

@Lewyman..... If you are looking at the orange on the map, you are looking at cell coverage. You need to hit the data tab and the data will be displayed in blue. We have just average cell reception in Pickford, but zero data coverage, contrary to the map.

Verizon has no cell coverage in Pickford. Rumor has it that they are trying to get access to the tower about two miles west of our ATT tower.

[Lewyman]

The AT&T map that I am viewing is new and is depicted in Orange and 2G(EDGE) is in Yellow. I will upload a pic of what I am viewing.

[Lewyman]

@JREwing53

The new AT&T coverage map depicts coverage in Orange and Yellow rather than Blue. Here are pics of the maps shown from my phone and PC   The map on the left shows regular voice coverage and the one on the right shows 2/3/4G data. Although there might not be actual 4G,  you can see that Pickford is shown in solid dark orange 4G (hspa+). Here is the new AT&T coverage map:

http://www.att.com/maps/wireless-coverage.html#fbid=LqQq3iDbaAr

Better Image

[JREwing53]

Well I'll be darned. Never seen the yellow data map. It's just as inaccurate as the blue one.

[Lewyman]

HaHa yep. That blob of orange in Pickford is new as it was not there last Friday. Hope they get it finished for you before the end of this month. I will say that AT&T, like Verizon, might be waiting on certain components from vendors for their towers as all the wireless carriers are scrambling to upgrade their networks.

[Lewyman]

Just a quick note: The AT&T tower in Red Oak, MI (12 miles south of Lewiston.) on 489 & F-32, now has active HSPA+ "4G". Also, Tpeltz has confirmed that many AT&T towers in NE MI have been lit up with "4G".

[JREwing53]

Called att for an update on our tower upgrade. July 15 is the new target date for 4G. Drove by the tower today, and the roll of fiber is still on the poll.

[Lewyman]

Well I took a ride up to the U.P. yesterday. AT&T's 4G coverage is pretty good up along I -75 into the Soo and over in Brimley. I will note Verizon now has LTE coverage along the northern 2/3 of 75 and now covers Rudyard, Kinross, Dafter, and Sault St. Marie. The eastern part of the Soo by the Casino is still 3G as of yesterday.

[MNelly420]

Any idea about 3G in Grayling yet? Specifically between Grayling and Lewiston. I'll be in Lovells next week. Was hoping there would finally be some 3G. I got full bars of Edge last summer but was so slow.

[Lewyman]

@MNelly420

I really cannot believe Grayling doesn't have it yet. The tower in Lovells was still EDGE as of last weekend, and the tower in Lewiston had broadband antennas installed on it three weeks ago so it could be anytime now that they flip the switch. Now the tower in Red Oak at F-32(Miller Rd) and 489 has had active '4G" for the last two weeks which could be the prelude to a big expansion in the surrounding area. Kinda like the tower they turned on at Black Lake......since which they have made a large expansion in NE MI. I can only confirm "4G' in Onaway as I have not checked Cheboygan/Rogers City areas.