Nextel in Reading, PA

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

I have Boost Mobile and I just received a post card from Nextel telling me that they are going to be putting in towers in Reading and upgrading the ones that they already have

[chuikov]

I have Boost Mobile and I just received a post card from Nextel telling me that they are going to be putting in towers in Reading and upgrading the ones that they already have

True. Many new sites have gone on the air and will go on the air in the Philadelphia area as well as in Lancaster, York, Harrisburg, Lebanon etc. Lots of new sites in Eastern PA. New ones in the areas between the cities as well.

[Matt]

Not Nextel related, but I know Smartestchild will read this thread, so....I've heard T-Mobile will be adding 20-30 towers in SC PA this year.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

o wow.....thats a lot.....i want to go back to T-Mobile as soon as possible.......thanks for the update Matt!!!

im curious though......for Nextel in Reading there is almost perfect service.....???

I mean......even in my school (Reading Central Catholic High School)........ i get full bars most places and my school is old like really old.....most of it is an old mansion

[RichXKU]

Yes Reading is pretty saturated signal-wise, but the new sites coming up are for capacity.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

o.....yeash that probably explains it........Nextel is really big here in Reading because a lot of the kids really like Boost.....Nextels are really big here too but so is Verizon and Cingular too.......but us kids like it cuz we can get the CHIRP on prepaid........kids like that a lot......

EDIT: do you know where they are putting them in and if they aren't putting new ones in are they going to simply upgrade some of the towers that are already in

[RichXKU]

Yes I know where they are putting the new ones. The existing sites are pretty full as it is, not much room for upgrade there, which explains the new cell sites.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

i am still in the process of trying to pick out the planned location where they will put in the towers.......ill post when i get it.......

btw........there is one tower up on Mt. Penn and there is another tower on the adjacent mountain......Neversink Mountain......it looks exactly like the one that is on Mt. Penn but im wondering is this also a Nextel site.....cuz i know that the one on Mt. Penn is Nextel.

does Nextel tend to calibrate their towers to aim the signals in one direction to extend the distance that the signal will travel

[TelcomJunkie]

does Nextel tend to calibrate their towers to aim the signals in one direction to extend the distance that the signal will travel

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking, but most carriers, Nextel included, will aim the antennas in the directions that are weak in coverage.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

there are two mountains.........there is one tower on each mountain and they both look exactly the same......i know the tower on one mountain is a Nextel tower because Pennside used to be a dead area for Nextel.....but now that they added that coverage has been perfect.....so im wondering are they both Nextels that are calibrated to be unidirectional???

[TelcomJunkie]

there are two mountains.........there is one tower on each mountain and they both look exactly the same......i know the tower on one mountain is a Nextel tower because Pennside used to be a dead area for Nextel.....but now that they added that coverage has been perfect.....so im wondering are they both Nextels that are calibrated to be unidirectional???

It depends on how they set it up. What antennas they use, how the sectors are aligned, the power output of the site. Take some pictures.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

ok i might......ill post them here when i get them or would you prefer i pm them to you so you get notified

[TelcomJunkie]

ok i might......ill post them here when i get them or would you prefer i pm them to you so you get notified

Post and PM me. I'm sure others would like to see them.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

sure thing......it might take me time though so that i can find time to get the pix but ill get them

[RichXKU]

I'll be interested to see what you find.

This week I will be out in south Reading doing the "official" performance testing for the 2 new sites that came up last week.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

2 sites went up last week!?!?!?!

is it possible for you to tell me where??

[TelcomJunkie]

2 sites went up last week!?!?!?!

is it possible for you to tell me where??

Do some research, if Nextel turned up a site it will have an FCC license.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

good thinking.....that was a really blonde moment for me

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

i tried all different kinds of combos in the ULS at the FCC.GOV site but nothing turned up is there some where else i can look?

[TelcomJunkie]

Overview of all Nextel sites in Berk County:



Closeup of just Reading,PA




This was done in a couple minutes via the FCC databases.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

what section of the site did you use for future reference

[TelcomJunkie]

I prefer to do my searches through the older version of the client which is
http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws....nmen/index.hts

Though both
http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/reports/index.cfm
and
http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsS...rchLicense.jsp

Will provide the same information.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

k thanx!!!

[RichXKU]

The FCC site sounds like a good idea, but it is never right. I learned that in my pre-wireless days from cell site hunting. That map is showing MAYBE 60% of our sites, it looks like a map from 4 years ago.
Also we don't have 2 clumps of 3 sites ontop of each other on the mountain there.

One of the new sites is east of 176 along 422. The other is near the intersection of 724/222.

[chuikov]

Could the three markers on the map represent the three sectors of one site?

Nextel has done a lot of building in Eastern PA, so it will probably take a while for the map to catch up to the new builds.

Also confusing things a little is that Berks County is part Nextel Communications and part Nextel Partners. The Western edge is Partners - both have been building new sites. There are also some amplifiers going in for some very local boosting in some spots as well.

[RichXKU]

Could the three markers on the map represent the three sectors of one site?

Nextel has done a lot of building in Eastern PA, so it will probably take a while for the map to catch up to the new builds.

Also confusing things a little is that Berks County is part Nextel Communications and part Nextel Partners. The Western edge is Partners - both have been building new sites. There are also some amplifiers going in for some very local boosting in some spots as well.

All the sites in Berks have 3 sectors.

Berks county is 100% Nextel communications. There are no partners sites within Berks.

I don't know about partners, but we do not use any kind of outdoor amplifiers or repeaters.

Yes Nextel has done a lot of building, but I'd still say if it takes the FCC database 4 years to catch up, it is considered an unreliable source.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

i agree.......if the prime authority on communications in the U.S. is out of date.....I would begin to wonder if there was a problem with the government of the FCC

[chuikov]

All the sites in Berks have 3 sectors.

Berks county is 100% Nextel communications. There are no partners sites within Berks.

I don't know about partners, but we do not use any kind of outdoor amplifiers or repeaters.

Yes Nextel has done a lot of building, but I'd still say if it takes the FCC database 4 years to catch up, it is considered an unreliable source.

Partners has no sites within Berks, but there are Partners coverage areas in Berks.

Partners does use amplifiers - in Berks - off Partners sites.

But I don't want to turn this into a civil war

[RichXKU]

I declare war!!

Release the locations of your secret amplifiers or I'm deleting all the partners sites off my neighbor lists

[chuikov]

I declare war!!

Release the locations of your secret amplifiers or I'm deleting all the partners sites off my neighbor lists

I say uncle!