Marcelo Claure, Town Hall Meetings, New Family Share Pack Plan, Unlimited Individual Plan, Discussion Thread

[derrph]

I still do not agree with a merger. Prices will increase and innovation will slow.

 

TMobile is doing well enough on their own and Sprint is improving everyday albeit not fast enough for some, but improving.

 

At the end of the day, these companies are here to maximize profits and having only 3 major players in the field will impede competition.

 

Shuffling 130+ million customers apiece will suffice for the most part.

I agree I don't think a merger is necessary. Son is just thirsty for merge Sprint with something. T-Mobile wants to merge because....idk. Tmo is doing well and is really giving Verizon and AT&T a run for their money but they aren't in a rush to merge the way that Son wants to fold Sprint into another company.

 

Now.

 

At the end of the day we can all agree that at this point in 2017 Sprint was suppose to be this amazing carrier but is a lot of places they simply are not. But for now they just need to focus on their current coverage and get that under control, get volte launched and then they can think about expanding. But coverage wise they can strengthen that up and they can be a very good discount alternative they way T-Mobile was a few years ago. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Arysyn]

 

Fabian Cortez is that you?

Awesome image!

 

I haven't seen him post on TmoNews in a long time. I'm grateful for that since I decided to use my Disqus account a while back to use for posting on there, and I didn't want to get attacked by him on the site as he did towards me on Fierce Wireless once. Thankfully some very kind people came to my defense after that.

[JossMan]

Sounds like Network Vision all over again.

 

After all these years, the initial LTE overlay is STILL not done. If that isn't alarming, I don't know what is...

 

I appreciate the enthusiasm though.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You make it sound as if Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile do not run into planning, permitting, or engineering issues.  The majority of Sprint's cell sites have LTE its just a handful that do not.  Up until about two years ago Verizon and AT&T had a couple of sites here that were only 1X/3G EV-DO and HSPA respectively.  They will all get done...Soon^TM   

[red_dog007]

Look, let's be honest. Sprint has made absolutely no promise to expand coverage to match either of the big 2's coverage footprints, nor should that even necessarily be their goal. Why is it so important to some of you that Sprint match that footprint? The ROI per square mile diminshes GREATLY as a function of population density. Hence there really isn't much incentive for Sprint to expand (as they already cover super dense [urban cores of huge cities], moderately dense [most other urban areas], and even the slightly dense [think suburbs and some exurbs] population centers). Why stop there? Because THE MONEY STOPS THERE.

 

So why even insist on Sprint matching either of Verizon's or ATT's footprints? It may simply just not be their goal. And ya know what? I'm perfectly fine with that. So should be the vast majority of you.

 

...unless you live in a corn field. In that case, go to Verizon!

Yeah, Sprint hasn't done any coverage increase. Native roaming has expanded WAY more then Sprint has in years.

 

Though honestly, I'm fine with. It's slowly coming online, expanding coverage which offers speeds and coverage Sprint can not out do. Supports small regional operators, blah blah blah. I like it.

[greenbastard]

Yeah, Sprint hasn't done any coverage increase. Native roaming has expanded WAY more then Sprint has in years.

 

Though honestly, I'm fine with. It's slowly coming online, expanding coverage which offers speeds and coverage Sprint can not out do. Supports small regional operators, blah blah blah. I like it.

I'm not fine with that since Sprint doesn't allow data roaming on Verizon anymore (at least not in Texas or SE Louisiana). My phone will scan and connect to Verizon EVDO carriers but data never works.

[JossMan]

Network vision was the complete rip and replace of the old legacy network with modern enbs. They never promised nor planned lte on every site though they're doing that now with management back indoors and 3G only sites bumped to 1st priority.

 

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

Is Ericsson completely out now, or has some of the Ericsson employees been shifted to Sprint's network management? 

[red_dog007]

I'm not fine with that since Sprint doesn't allow data roaming on Verizon anymore (at least not in Texas or SE Louisiana). My phone will scan and connect to Verizon EVDO carriers but data never works.

I'm strictly talking the extended 3G/LTE, for the good stuff. Not stuff that hits the roaming bucket. However, on VZW I do get data. I had it last week for an hour and got 140Kbps on my speed tests in Alabama.

[JonnygATL]

I didn't call you anything outside of your username, but ok.

Your ideas and thoughts regarding Sprint NEVER makes sense.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Boy, bye. Neither do your feeble attempts at speaking the English tongue. End of discussion.

[lilotimz]

Is Ericsson completely out now, or has some of the Ericsson employees been shifted to Sprint's network management? 

 

Thousands of former Ericsson employees / Former Sprint employees were transferred back to Sprint. Ericsson acts in an auxiliary mode similar to other carriers instead of wholesale full management. 

[Trip]

I agree I still don't think 3CA has reached to the D.C. Metro area.

 

It's definitely on more sites now than it used to be, though I don't know if that's all the 8T8R sites or not.  (It's definitely on the ones I regularly pass by.) 

 

The big problem that I see is that there's so much Clear gear around that it seems almost like 50/50 whether you're on Clear or 8T8R, and the Clear gear can't do more than 2x CA.  Some of them are still running just one B41 carrier, though at least two of the sites that used to be in that boat near me are now running two, so they're obviously working on that as well.

 

- Trip

[IamMrFamous07]

It's definitely on more sites now than it used to be, though I don't know if that's all the 8T8R sites or not. (It's definitely on the ones I regularly pass by.)

 

The big problem that I see is that there's so much Clear gear around that it seems almost like 50/50 whether you're on Clear or 8T8R, and the Clear gear can't do more than 2x CA. Some of them are still running just one B41 carrier, though at least two of the sites that used to be in that boat near me are now running two, so they're obviously working on that as well.

 

- Trip

I keep forgetting about the old clear gear. Sprint will need to eventually change these to either 8t8r or 64t64r correct?

[RedSpark]

Hesse originally said, then when Marcelo took over he changed the strategy, however Marcelo and Son said Sprint would have a "Next Gen" network and be #1 or 2 by this time.

keep in mind they promised that before WiMAX was forced to stay on longer than expected, failed small cell roll out (not entirely Sprint's fault), IBez pushback, and among other things.

I swear Legere has a Sprint Voodoo doll lol. Sprint can't catch a break on some things lol

Why did it change?

 

Did Hesse have an actual funding plan for 2.5 GHz to every site? Was Hesse's plan/strategy better?

 

True, WiMAX did have to stay on longer and the small cells got delayed. IBEZ as well, but that finally seems to be moving.

 

I guess no actual Macro expansion was included in this plan? Sprint was simply going to densify its existing footprint?

[RedSpark]

It's definitely on more sites now than it used to be, though I don't know if that's all the 8T8R sites or not.  (It's definitely on the ones I regularly pass by.) 

 

The big problem that I see is that there's so much Clear gear around that it seems almost like 50/50 whether you're on Clear or 8T8R, and the Clear gear can't do more than 2x CA.  Some of them are still running just one B41 carrier, though at least two of the sites that used to be in that boat near me are now running two, so they're obviously working on that as well.

 

- Trip

Hopefully Sprint is able to pull out that Clear Gear and replace it with new equipment soon. I can definitely tell some areas of the city are better than others in terms of Band 41 speeds and coverage.

[RedSpark]

Thousands of former Ericsson employees / Former Sprint employees were transferred back to Sprint. Ericsson acts in an auxiliary mode similar to other carriers instead of wholesale full management.

 

Sounds like this was a real change for the better in terms of Network management.

[RedSpark]

http://newsroom.sprint.com/blogs/sprint-perspectives/racism-has-no-place-at-sprint.htm

 

"That’s why I’m inviting this woman and her husband to meet privately with me so I can better understand what drives comments and behavior like this. I’d like to share my views with her as well."

 

"I also invite the customer she attacked, Juan, to meet with me."

 

Wow.

[RedSpark]

Here's the transcript from yesterday's Investor Conference:

 

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4075474-sprints-ceo-marcelo-claure-presents-j-p-morgan-global-technology-media-telecom-conference

 

Some interesting comments by Marcelo:

 

"There's no reason why customers shouldn’t be buying online and customers shouldn’t be serve online."

 

So why did Marcelo invest all that money into Radio Shack for more store locations?

 

----

 

On CapEx:

 

Phil Cusick

I guess, it’s only four years, I apologies. Seems like longer, so, and yet, we really haven’t seen that big push with capital and now you are talking about doubling CapEx this year. Is that enough? Is it -- can you really drive the business faster or is there still level of capital constrains that you feel like which don’t have the money to really drive as fast as we like?

 

Marcelo Claure

So that’s a huge misconception. We have never had a capital constrain as it relates to spending CapEx. What -- we were always challenge with, I says, is there really a need to spend as much as everybody else to create a great network experience and I think that’s a huge misconception of the industry that you set up a cap and I have seen even in -- within my team, you set up a CapEx budget and then people fight hard to go spend that money. And in many cases without need or they go by gear or they try to do unnatural things in order to basically hit that CapEx number.

Look at the quality of our network and look how much money we have spent. We have spent the lowest amount of CapEx in -- and be able to deliver the fastest progress than anybody else. Now, why, because we spent a lot of money before through our network vision we were the higher spenders as it relates to the number of customers that we have.

So we have set up a really good foundation, very good place now. We are going to do massive densification of our network. We plan to deploy millions of Magic Boxes. And what we told -- the way we look at it we should be spending plus minus $4 billion for the next three years and that should allow us to get where we want to get with the network.

 

Is Marcelo being serious? I thought Sprint had no money for CapEx.

 

Millions of Magic Boxes?

[WiseGuy321]

The majority of Sprint's cell sites have LTE its just a handful that do not. 

 

That's not true at all. It's not just a handful. A simple peak at Sprint's coverage maps shows significantly more 3G than LTE, especially in MA/NY/NJ/NH/ME/CT/RI/VT. That should not be the case after nearly 6 six years...

Edited May 23, 2017 by WiseGuy321

[RedSpark]

http://newsroom.sprint.com/news-releases/sprint-announces-early-tender-results-and-upsizing-of-its-cash-tender-offers-for-its-9000-guaranteed-notes-due-2018-and-its-8375-notes-due-2017.htm

 

Sprint is paying down a substantial amount of debt. Good!

[derrph]

Here's the transcript from yesterday's Investor Conference:

 

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4075474-sprints-ceo-marcelo-claure-presents-j-p-morgan-global-technology-media-telecom-conference

 

Some interesting comments by Marcelo:

 

"There's no reason why customers shouldn’t be buying online and customers shouldn’t be serve online."

 

So why did Marcelo invest all that money into Radio Shack for more store locations?

 

----

 

On CapEx:

 

Phil Cusick

I guess, it’s only four years, I apologies. Seems like longer, so, and yet, we really haven’t seen that big push with capital and now you are talking about doubling CapEx this year. Is that enough? Is it -- can you really drive the business faster or is there still level of capital constrains that you feel like which don’t have the money to really drive as fast as we like?

 

Marcelo Claure

So that’s a huge misconception. We have never had a capital constrain as it relates to spending CapEx. What -- we were always challenge with, I says, is there really a need to spend as much as everybody else to create a great network experience and I think that’s a huge misconception of the industry that you set up a cap and I have seen even in -- within my team, you set up a CapEx budget and then people fight hard to go spend that money. And in many cases without need or they go by gear or they try to do unnatural things in order to basically hit that CapEx number.

Look at the quality of our network and look how much money we have spent. We have spent the lowest amount of CapEx in -- and be able to deliver the fastest progress than anybody else. Now, why, because we spent a lot of money before through our network vision we were the higher spenders as it relates to the number of customers that we have.

So we have set up a really good foundation, very good place now. We are going to do massive densification of our network. We plan to deploy millions of Magic Boxes. And what we told -- the way we look at it we should be spending plus minus $4 billion for the next three years and that should allow us to get where we want to get with the network.

 

Is Marcelo being serious? I thought Sprint had no money for CapEx.

 

Millions of Magic Boxes?

Hmmm

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WiseGuy321]

Can we please stop with the huge quoting? Cut it down to exactly what you're responding to.

Thank you.

Edited May 23, 2017 by WiseGuy321

[RedSpark]

I keep forgetting about the old clear gear. Sprint will need to eventually change these to either 8t8r or 64t64r correct?

Part of me wants Sprint's old gear to break so they have to replace it with all-new stuff....

[IamMrFamous07]

Why did it change?

 

Did Hesse have an actual funding plan for 2.5 GHz to every site? Was Hesse's plan/strategy better?

 

True, WiMAX did have to stay on longer and the small cells got delayed. IBEZ as well, but that finally seems to be moving.

 

I guess no actual Macro expansion was included in this plan? Sprint was simply going to densify its existing footprint?

I'm not sure. Remember Hesse wanted to buy Metro PCS but the board shot it down. Maybe Hesse was banking on SoftBank to fund the 2.5 expansion but SoftBank and Son gave Hesse the "Bye FELECIA" lol

 

It was clear that Hesse and Son had their own different visions of Sprint though

[RedSpark]

I'm not sure. Remember Hesse wanted to buy Metro PCS but the board shot it down. Maybe Hesse was banking on SoftBank to fund the 2.5 expansion but SoftBank and Son gave Hesse the "Bye FELECIA" lol

It was clear that Hesse and Son had their own different visions of Sprint though

Yeah. That's certainly possible.

 

Hesse definitely had a different vision for Sprint. I guess Son had other plans.

 

How much CapEx would be necessary to get 2.5 GHz on every site?

 

I just can't get around Marcelo's remarks during the Conference that Sprint isn't constrained on CapEx.

[derrph]

Yeah. That's certainly possible.

 

Hesse definitely had a different vision for Sprint. I guess Son had other plans.

 

How much CapEx would be necessary to get 2.5 GHz on every site?

 

I just can't get around Marcelo's remarks during the Conference that Sprint isn't constrained on CapEx.

I can't wrap my head around that CapEx comment as much either. I wonder how much they were actually able to spend on the network.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BlueAngel]

Part of me wants Sprint's old gear to break so they have to replace it with all-new stuff....

Yes! Would love my have my home tower upgraded to new equipment and not this clearwire crap that is limited to 2xCA.