No More Nextel/Sprint Phone/Radios for WDW

I think my IT Director still has a stash of Treos, if you two want to get nostalgic. As my first "smartphone," notice the scare quotes, it was quite a thrill, but I happily parted with it for the iPhone and don't miss the keyboard.

Meh. I've been using smartphones since 2005 when I was importing Nokia's running Symbian Series 60 from Europe. I love smartphones, I just don't like the iPhone.

The keyboard doesn't work well with my fingers. I have to actively try to type, as opposed to it just coming naturally.

That and some things just don't go with my workflow (e.g., there's no silent ringtone, so I had to create a :30 silent tone file so that I could assign it to certain contacts that I didn't want alerted for).

I just don't like change! RABBLE RABBLE GET OFF MY LAWN
 
Ha. All I know is that I've deployed a handful of updates that were apparently necessary for the switch.

Oh, and I have a shiny new iPhone4S in an Otterbox instead of the Blackberry.

I have a S G III in an otterbox.

But are they really encrypted. My friends at radio one say they aren't because they are indeed on a public trunked system.

All i truly know is that the freqs posted above aren't the only freqs that were applied for. WDW applied to radio one LONG before the freqs above were applied for.

Vero beach, and i believe the contemporary hotels had radio one system freqs like in april or may of this year.

you have to look up "radio one inc" exactly to get the previous application info. HTH!
 
Mike, I was about to call you a geek until I found myself reading every post on this thread and was fascinated about the change.

Geez I need a Hobby..... ;)
 
Mike, I was about to call you a geek until I found myself reading every post on this thread and was fascinated about the change.

Geez I need a Hobby..... ;)

:rotfl2: Drake, think new plant radio system. They do make Intrinsically safe models for areas that like to go "boom-boom." pixiedust:
 


Interesting read. I knew Disney was going to have to implement something before 6/30.

What is the 'preferred' provider used by Disney now? Verizon? Someone said management were being issued iPhones. While I had major issues with Verizon Wireless in the Philly area, it was quite good on property at WDW for a PCS carrier. Verizon definitely had a DAS setup at Animal Kingdom Lodge when I was there last month. Full -59 decibel signal (ie full bars of 1X and LTE) inside Boma. That wouldn't be possible without some sort of 'in-building' solution between Disney & Verizon Wireless.
 
Interesting read. I knew Disney was going to have to implement something before 6/30.

What is the 'preferred' provider used by Disney now? Verizon? Someone said management were being issued iPhones. While I had major issues with Verizon Wireless in the Philly area, it was quite good on property at WDW for a PCS carrier. Verizon definitely had a DAS setup at Animal Kingdom Lodge when I was there last month. Full -59 decibel signal (ie full bars of 1X and LTE) inside Boma. That wouldn't be possible without some sort of 'in-building' solution between Disney & Verizon Wireless.


I am not sure who the Cellular provider of choice is today for WDW, but Crown Castle, within the last 2 years, has installed a massive DAS environment at both WDW and DLR.

Here is the Press Release from when Crown Castle installed the DAS into the Amway Center...


Press Release
Crown Castle Deploys Distributed Antenna System at Amway Center
Enhances Wireless Coverage at Games and Events
HOUSTON, Mar 24, 2011

Crown Castle International Corp. (NYSE:CCI) today announced that one of its subsidiaries has deployed a neutral host distributed antenna system ("DAS") to facilitate wireless communication services to all 875,000 square feet of the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. The system is expected to provide enhanced wireless voice and data coverage for up to five wireless carriers.

"Fans attending major sporting events and concerts want to share their experience and stay connected via their mobile devices by sharing calls, texts and photos with friends and family across the country before, during and after events at the center," said Pat Slowey, Crown Castle's Senior Vice President -- Sales and Customer Relations. "For venues looking to provide wireless coverage on game day or during other events, a DAS network provides the optimal wireless infrastructure solution."

The new Amway Center features eight levels, five public concourses, and can seat up to 20,000 people. To provide enhanced wireless coverage for fans and staff throughout the Amway Center, an indoor DAS network was deployed. The system is comprised of antennas connected by fiber to a communications hub designed to facilitate wireless communications for multiple carriers.

"The Amway Center is revolutionizing the way fans watch a live basketball game or concert," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. "The building is the most technologically advanced center in the country, featuring more than 1,100 high-definition television screens and a state-of-the-art digital signage network throughout the building, which maximizes fan engagement and interaction and provides patron information. The additional wireless coverage provided by the DAS network will further enhance our attendees' experiences."

"Crown Castle is a pioneer in the design, deployment and monitoring of neutral host DAS networks. As a leading provider of shared wireless infrastructure in the US, Crown Castle has long term relationships with all major wireless carriers," stated Jim Young, Crown Castle's Chief Operating Officer. "We work directly with the carriers to lease capacity on the system, enabling the venue owner to enjoy incremental revenue without the burden of coordinating deployment, installation, and maintenance of the system. More importantly, the venue can deliver one of their primary objectives, ensuring a superb wireless experience for fans at the venue before, during and after an event."

About Crown Castle

Crown Castle owns, operates, and leases towers and other infrastructure for wireless communications. Crown Castle offers significant wireless communications coverage to 92 of the top 100 US markets and to substantially all of the Australian population. Crown Castle owns, operates, and manages over 22,000 and approximately 1,600 wireless communication sites in the US and Australia, respectively.

About the Amway Center

The Orlando Magic served as the developer of the Amway Center, which will host major national events, concerts and family shows. Opened in the fall of 2010, the facility is owned and operated by the City of Orlando on behalf of the Central Florida Community. The Amway Center was designed to reflect the character of the community, meet the goals of the users and build on the legacy of sports and entertainment in Orlando. The building features a sustainable, environmentally-friendly design and unmatched technology that provides fans with extraordinary access to event coverage both inside and outside the arena.



Now, time to inject some 802.11 RF theory into this.

There are only 3 clean channels in 2.4ghz 1, 6, & 11. There are many more available "clean" channels in 5ghz.

The ideal number of machines per Access Point in 15 on 802.11g (anything more and your speed decreases exponentially).

The tolerances for 802.11a/n are much higher, but 2.4ghz is the wireless sewer. Now, bring a DAS into place. The Distributed Antenna System, has to be able to connect to multiple available radio channels and Radios in the Targeted Areas. Expecting 802.11g/n to work everywhere is setting yourself up for severe disappointment. I think we need to wait and see what the Crown Castle is really installing. This may be just cellular enhancement. Remember, Nextel's IDEN infrastructure is going "bye-bye" and all of WDW uses that as their Radio service. They have to enhance the Sprint PCS Signal and the new 860mhz Signals into the WDW area to provide seamless radio communications.

Last year WDW started working with Sprint to phase out their Nextels starting in 2012. I think this DAS infrastructure is to support that initiative. If they decide to layer Wi-Fi on-top, then that is just the cherry. BUT, and that is a big BUT, do not expect it to work worth a crap! There is a Distributed Antenna System on each of the DCL ships, and that Wifi stinks. (Not to be confused with the internet service, which is also not great because it is on VSAT).

Here is a release on a system they installed for a 16 sq mile city. This system is for cellular only.



Crown Castle Announces Distributed Antenna System in Paradise Valley, Arizona

Network to Enhance Wireless Coverage in Residential Community
HOUSTON, Mar 30, 2011 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) --

Crown Castle International Corp. (NYSE:CCI) today announced that one of its subsidiaries has completed construction of a distributed antenna system (DAS) to facilitate wireless communications services in Paradise Valley, Arizona. The community near Phoenix approved a DAS wireless solution in order to provide enhanced wireless coverage, preserve the town's aesthetics, and accommodate multiple wireless carriers. The Paradise Valley DAS network provides wireless coverage for residents and first responders throughout the 16 square mile community. AT&T Mobility is the first wireless provider to utilize the DAS network, and the network has the capacity to support up to four additional carriers.

Working with town leaders and citizens, Crown Castle designed and constructed a forty-two node outdoor DAS system for the town. The system utilizes three streetlights, two traffic signals, and thirty-seven faux cacti to conceal wireless antennae and equipment.

"Crown Castle worked closely with the town council and residents to develop a wireless solution that would satisfy coverage demands and preserve the aesthetics of Paradise Valley," stated Mike Kavanagh, President -- DAS for Crown Castle. "Crown Castle invested a lot of time in public outreach in order to educate residents about DAS and to collect their input on what the system's components should look like and where they should be located. As a result of the public outreach campaign, the town leaders approved the DAS network, allowing construction to begin without delay."

"Our town government is dedicated to preserving the residential character of the community. The town's residents expect ubiquitous wireless service, but not at the expense of changing the peaceful, quiet surroundings of the town," said Scott LeMarr, Mayor of Paradise Valley. "With Crown Castle we found a company that recognized the special character of our town and that developed a design solution that preserved the town's aesthetics while providing great wireless coverage."

The town of Paradise Valley, Crown Castle and AT&T Mobility will celebrate the new DAS network at a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Wednesday, March 30th at 10:00 AM (PDT) at the Police Department Auditorium on the Town Hall Campus. Paradise Valley's mayor and council members, as well as representatives of Crown Castle and AT&T Mobility, will "flip the switch" to activate the DAS network.​


After looking through some additional docs, I really doubt this is for wifi and is strictly for Cellular Carrier Enhancement.

It also looks like Disney is having this installed at Disneyland also.

Screen%2520Shot%25202012-03-03%2520at%25209.26.37%2520PM.png


It looks like the radios are only compatible with Cellular carriers as indicated in this radio requirement by the city of Orlando. I would have figured they would have also used this for the Public Safety Radio system as well, but I guess not.

Screen%2520Shot%25202012-03-03%2520at%25209.38.28%2520PM.png
 
Looks like AT&T has all of the US Disney Parks now...

http://touch.orlandosentinel.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-76760916/

AT&T is now the official wireless provider for Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort

By Steven Ford, Orlando Sentinel

12:04 am, July 23, 2013
If youre an AT&T wireless subscriber, heres great news if youre at the Magic Kingdom and trying to upload your iPhone video of Splash Mountain to YouTube while you share some Instagram photos of Mickey with your friends on Facebook, too.

AT&T and Disney Parks today announced that the wireless provider would be the official wireless company for Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.

The agreement will bring a lot of branding and marketing endeavors, of course, but it also will have a very real technological effect for AT&T users in the theme parks here in Orlando and in California.

Those include: Ten cell sites across Walt Disney World Resort; more than 25 distributed antenna systems to increase wireless capacity; more than 350 so-called small cells to extend network connectivity; and more than 40 repeaters to boost the mobile performance for both guests and Disney cast members.

According to todays announcement, the agreement also will see AT&T acting as a sponsor of Disney-created soccer and runDisney events at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The pact also will be use by both companies to educate consumers about the dangers of texting while driving.

Also, Disney cast members will use new mobile devices and the enhanced network capabilities as part of their interaction with park guests, the release stated.

Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, said she was excited about the agreement.

"This alliance joins two companies that share a commitment to providing quality experiences, Crofton stated in the release, and we look forward to the collaboration as we continue to leverage technology to enhance the experience for our guests."

In addition to touting AT&Ts 4G LTE network, the release also pointed out that AT&T was named America's fastest 4G LTE network in PC Magazine's 2013 Fastest Mobile Networks 30-market study.

Thank you for the heads up, Jeff!
 


Looks like AT&T has all of the US Disney Parks now...

http://touch.orlandosentinel.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-76760916/



Thank you for the heads up, Jeff!

Great news as I just switched from Verizon to AT&T. :yay:

Like I said though, Verizon was actually really great on property and clearly was on at least some of that Crown Castle DAS. AT&T didn't fare as well to be honest, at least at AKL.

I did notice a relatively new 1 (or 2) "stealth" palm trees in the parking lot near Grand Floridian. You can barely see them from the bus stop. Newer satellite images seem to show 2 stealth towers there. I had full 1X/3G signal on Verizon, but no LTE. I'm sure LTE will come onboard soon. I am unsure who the other provider is; if I had to guess it'd be AT&T. The MK Resort Area needs more coverage & capacity from the carriers, as most only have antennas on the Contemporary. The (new-ish?) sites are located at 4401 Floridian Way Orlando, FL 32836.

Considering AT&T has 50mhz of cellular spectrum (which is unusual), PCS, and 700b (for LTE), they should have plenty of spectrum for HSPA+ and LTE to run an awesome network in the Orlando area. Just 40 mhz or so of HSPA+ on the cellular spectrum would be quite fast, not even counting the PCS spectrum or LTE.
 
There were a good amount of towers on property already. I'd be surprised if these aren't converted/supplemented with the new ATT deal.
 
I just wanted to give you a heads up.

The new radio system at WDW resort is NOT, i repeat NOT mototrbo.

They are leasing from Radio one on an existing trunk system.

This was revealed 2 Months ago and I was just over there from 6/6 to 6/20.

For now, they will still be using nextel as they have no plans to convert until the radio one system is in place.

If you want to see exactly what they are using from the links, check the emission codes.

I'll help to see what's going on too
yep they went Mototrbo lots of the sl7550 running around
 
No codeplugs that I have seen yet. WDW radios probably have an RSS programming password (probably due to the encryption key). I am sure that the depot RSS can bypass the programming password. I have only been able to see the TG IDs and Radio IDs on DSD+. No alpha tags yet.
 
Has anyone determined if the new or upgraded Uniden or Whistler Scanners w/the DMR/Trbo keys can get anything on the WDW System? I seem to recall it might be encrypted, but don't recall. Got my DMR key a few weeks after my visit last year. Going again in October.
 
Has anyone determined if the new or upgraded Uniden or Whistler Scanners w/the DMR/Trbo keys can get anything on the WDW System? I seem to recall it might be encrypted, but don't recall. Got my DMR key a few weeks after my visit last year. Going again in October.


I normally run DSD+ when I am there. None of the scanners on the market will work to decode WDW's radio system. They use enhanced privacy(encryption) and no commercially available scanner will decode it. But if you want to by a Motorola Service Monitor for $25,000, and you can get a radio to read, you can monitor their system all day long ;-)
 
I normally run DSD+ when I am there. None of the scanners on the market will work to decode WDW's radio system. They use enhanced privacy(encryption) and no commercially available scanner will decode it. But if you want to by a Motorola Service Monitor for $25,000, and you can get a radio to read, you can monitor their system all day long ;-)

Just got back from WDW. Was there last week to see the Fall/Christmas changeover. Did the "Keys to the Kingdom" tour too which was very cool.

Using my BCD436, I could pick up All active frequencies Color Codes (all using CC:1). I could pick up some Site & Talkgroup ID's, but not others. As we know, all were encrypted. I did some searching from Pop Century, but mostly from Wilderness Lodge (facing the Contemporary). I did find a few un-encrypted frequencies also using CC:1, but suspect they're another resort or something. I think DSD+ is probably the best/only way to get all the details.

As I was sitting there one night, mind wandering, I wondered if WDW would be willing to rent out some receive only portables that folks could listen to Transpo, Guest services and some of the other non-security/emergency channels. Kind of a radio keys to the kingdom idea. They'd have control to stun them if needed and they'd get some revenue, albeit small. It would be kind of cool for us hard core folks that want to "Scan the Magic". I'm guessing though the answer will be a solid "NO!"
 
Ooookay.....I'll bite. Why does this matter? Does it impact anything other than people who work for WDW?
Is this a super interesting change for all tech geeks who track such things?
 

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