Verizon Turning On 1900Mhz in NNJ/NYC!

ANDY 8409:
Yes, while there are many variables, adding a cell to an existing area will increase capacity, & is usually the reason for adding a cell in an area already covered with adequate sig strength. This is why in some select areas VZW already has cell spacing as good or better than the 1900-only carriers in the same select locations.

ADAMJ:
I have not heard about a system id 5288 for VZW in NY/NJ. Next time I see my VZW contact I will ask about this. There are a few possibilities that come to mind:
1) It is some sort of "test" id that currently allows VZW techs to program phones for the PCS system & not "see" any other channels, as would be the case w/ 0022. This would allow testing of 1900Mhz as if it were the only system in the area.
2) It could be a sys ID for EV-Do only.
3) It could be some remnant ID from Northcoast, & it will be changed.
4) VZW may actually use a new system id for 1900Mhz in NY/NJ.
This brings up some interesting possibilities.
System 22 (current 800) could still message the phone to use or switch to these channels, without 5288 in the PRL. The PRL is only used when scanning to aquire a system, not during handoffs or in-call, but if they do use 5288 I'm sure it would eventually be added to the PRL.
With a seperate sys ID, they could, for example, have roamers such as Sprint, Alltel & US cellular modify "Their" PRL's to remove 22 in favor of 5288. This would put all non home users initially on 1900, & then the system could move them from there only if needed. Also Pre-Pay customers could go "straight" to 1900. While this could all be accomplished with 1 sys ID, & the "system" moving idle users, perhaps there is some sort of advantage to VZW, to allow groups of phones themselves to PRL their way straight to the new spectrum, without needing to send control messages to these groups.
They may also simply use a new sys ID & not add it to the PRL, thinking ahead, reserving the new ID for some future "flexibility" or use that we, (& they), are not yet aware of or ready to impliment.

 

If all the phones that find a PCS channel are currently being bumped to 800Mhz, it may be possible that the phone isn't on PCS long enogh to get a 1x "message" that turns on the 1x icon, before the bump down to 800. The 1x icon may only come on when the phone is in full sync w/the system on it's assigned channel.
I am hearing that a new PRL will be out as early as tomorrow, no later than Monday. If this is the case, I am curious to see if there is a new sys ID in the NY/NJ group.
There are also posts on other boards that VZW is "officially" adding most of the extended area partners to the Free unlimited in-network mins, within the next week or so.