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


joshuam

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Well, the way Sprint currently is doing their plans has alienated many of its customers frustrated over having to pay differently from new customers. So perhaps if Sprint did something unique, fair, amd flat (equal), it would give something at least better than what they have now.

I don't know what "fair" means in this context. They offer a service for a price, you either think it is worth the price they are asking or not. I can't think of anyway in which that is unfair.

 

They have no margins! They have very little cash flow and huge debt. If they cut prices to a flat 45 it would be a sign they are waiting to sell out.

 

 

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I agree. Just like when Marcelo kept talking about Sprint's "Next Generation Network" and all of sudden Verizon used that phrase for their own marketing

I remember that. Sprint can't let Verizon let alone any other carrier out do them with their own plans. Then after that point outside of spectrum what does Sprint really have? Then too, the spectrum advantage is no longer relevant when other carriers with less out does you. I hope with Verizon following their path that it puts a fire under Sprint to start pushing this out first even if it's in their best performing markets.

 

If Verizon beats them to it the media will see Verizon of innovators and Sprint as playing catch up and I don't want to see that.

 

 

 

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They stopped talking about what they are doing that is why it is important for market tracking. We would not know about Madison, Columbus, Cleveland, LA, SF and more cities with small cells if it were not for places like this website and other sites tracking. Samsung GMOs are launching LTE spreading LTE coverage to more rural areas. B41 is still spreading on more and more sites every week.

 

I tired of people complaining about sprint doing these forward looking events. It is the Mobile World Congress what are they suppose to do sit events out? Let me put forward the prediction that at the next event people will be complaining about the same thing "Why is sprint making announcement about the future at this event that is about future tech and not doing it?".

Your right that Sprint is doing things that much is apparent. It's the rate that they do it that is frustrating. If any other carrier had to deploy 2.5mhz I can almost guarantee that they would roll it out twice if not three times faster than Sprint ever would. Why do you think there speeds slightly improve or go down while other network speeds and capacity keep going up? Because they actually "use" there assets, deploy equipment at rapid speed and actually have a large capex. Its very clear Masa is not interested in Sprint as a standalone company. At this point if Sprint divested 40mhz of that valuable 2.5 spectrum they could probably get this show on the road alot faster and still have enough to one day deploy 6xCA.
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Didn't you just switch to Verizon when they came out with unlimited?!

I did last week. While the network has been good, the store rep my mother and I set up service with screwed up something on my phone and with a major billing screwup that really upset my mother. Both of us had T-Mobile for many years and while the network is of mixed quality at times, the T-Mobile Executive Response has been great regarding billing/pricing over the years. I had some difficulty with preordering devices from them though, so I'm going to stick with getting devices unlocked only from now on, since my mother likes T-Mobile and they gave us a great idea to come back to, something I contacted them about to help my mother. 

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I don't know what "fair" means in this context. They offer a service for a price, you either think it is worth the price they are asking or not. I can't think of anyway in which that is unfair.

 

They have no margins! They have very little cash flow and huge debt. If they cut prices to a flat 45 it would be a sign they are waiting to sell out.

 

 

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What I mean is a plan every customer has the option to join and isn't over-favoring multiple lines to individual lines, something T-Mobile is getting better with doing, while AT&T is getting worse, basically huge markups on individual lines. I've become more understanding of the family plan deals, but still don't like it when there is large differences in price. I think a flat, or slightly reduced multiple line plan can be successful. Obviously, there are different opinions, just sharing mine.

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I did last week. While the network has been good, the store rep my mother and I set up service with screwed up something on my phone and with a major billing screwup that really upset my mother. Both of us had T-Mobile for many years and while the network is of mixed quality at times, the T-Mobile Executive Response has been great regarding billing/pricing over the years. I had some difficulty with preordering devices from them though, so I'm going to stick with getting devices unlocked only from now on, since my mother likes T-Mobile and they gave us a great idea to come back to, something I contacted them about to help my mother.

 

Sorry, I just got the opinion that you jump carriers an awful lot.

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Your right that Sprint is doing things that much is apparent. It's the rate that they do it that is frustrating. If any other carrier had to deploy 2.5mhz I can almost guarantee that they would roll it out twice if not three times faster than Sprint ever would. Why do you think there speeds slightly improve or go down while other network speeds and capacity keep going up? Because they actually "use" there assets, deploy equipment at rapid speed and actually have a large capex. Its very clear Masa is not interested in Sprint as a standalone company. At this point if Sprint divested 40mhz of that valuable 2.5 spectrum they could probably get this show on the road alot faster and still have enough to one day deploy 6xCA.

Just because Jacksonville, the panhandle and South Carolina have a limited number of 8t8r does not mean the rest of the country does. Tampa for example has a lot of B41 in the city and St Petersburg then up US19. Daytona Beach, Jupiter, Naples, and Lakeland all are covered by B41. B41 is even in the Florida rural parts like Lake Wales and Placid Lakes. In Eastern Michigan all the sites on US 23 from Toledo to Saginaw have B41 on live. If markets are not tracked how do you know what they lack? B41 is under reported and yes I have kept track of these markets waiting for someone to pick up the mantle for these markets.

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Just because Jacksonville, the panhandle and South Carolina have a limited number of 8t8r does not mean the rest of the country does. Tampa for example has a lot of B41 in the city and St Petersburg then up US19. Daytona Beach, Jupiter, Naples, and Lakeland all are covered by B41. B41 is even in the Florida rural parts like Lake Wales and Placid Lakes. In Eastern Michigan all the sites on US 23 from Toledo to Saginaw have B41 on live. If markets are not tracked how do you know what they lack? B41 is under reported and yes I have kept track of these markets waiting for someone to pick up the mantle for these markets.

If you think Tampa has alot of band 41 then you clearly have not been to Orlando where they have it on most towers. Hell even going to Tampa on I75 Sprint has a significant amount of 3G coverage and sites that do have LTE only have overloaded b25/26 and the worst part is the staggering amount of shared towers that they are on the bottom of. How is band 41 supposed to work when 50% of the time they choose to be the lowest on the tower?

 

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If you think Tampa has alot of band 41 then you clearly have not been to Orlando where they have it on most towers. Hell even going to Tampa on I75 Sprint has a significant amount of 3G coverage and sites that do have LTE only have overloaded b25/26 and the worst part is the staggering amount of shared towers that they are on the bottom of. How is band 41 supposed to work when 50% of the time they choose to be the lowest on the tower?

 

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I have connected to a higher percentage of sites with B41 in Tampa than I do in Orlando. Which is my point if it is not being tracked you don't know. I have never had an issue streaming on I75 most of which is Jacksonville market. The first Tampa market site is south of exit 301. It goes 1 B25/B26 then 1 B41 then 2 more B25/B26 then mostly B41 in Tampa market.

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If you think Tampa has alot of band 41 then you clearly have not been to Orlando where they have it on most towers. Hell even going to Tampa on I75 Sprint has a significant amount of 3G coverage and sites that do have LTE only have overloaded b25/26 and the worst part is the staggering amount of shared towers that they are on the bottom of. How is band 41 supposed to work when 50% of the time they choose to be the lowest on the tower?

 

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Top of a tower can be great for low band as it has more reach if you can get up and over obstructions.

For high band, like Band 41, height might not be as important.  The signal is not going to go as far anyway.

For band 41, it can be advantageous at times to be lower and blast the signal through buildings. A very high antenna on Band 41 can yield a weaker signal when you are close to the tower but on lower ground.  Each site is different because of the terrain and the amount of obstructions.

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Top of a tower can be great for low band as it has more reach if you can get up and over obstructions.

For high band, like Band 41, height might not be as important. The signal is not going to go as far anyway.

For band 41, it can be advantageous at times to be lower and blast the signal through buildings. A very high antenna on Band 41 can yield a weaker signal when you are close to the tower but on lower ground. Each site is different because of the terrain and the amount of obstructions.

In Florida this could be a bad thing. We have no shortage of trees which means lots of foilage and interference.

 

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The US is completely capable of supporting four players. Sprint is completely capable of turning around with more capital investment. Yet, the chairman, Masa Son, isn't pouring capital in. Banks don't want to SoftBank loaning money to Sprint? Find new banks. Maybe he should look out of Japan to find loaning, or sell part of the Alibaba shares to get $10 billion of capital expenditures into Sprint. Small cells isn't enough, Sprint also needs a more ambitious expansion of the macro grid in both coverage and density. Sprint has to be on one technical track as well. Why should Sprint have 2G/3G networks dragging behind them as they launch 5G networks? Sprint can't repeat mistakes of the past that poured 60,000 macros spread over CDMA, IDEN, WiMax, and LTE. It's time to be on a single technical track. It's also high time Sprint works to minimize the amount of money they pay to Verizon. Verizon isn't putting money into CDMA, they haven't really done that since 2011. They're literally pushing ahead of the pack on 5G. I mean they could get burned if their standard isn't completely compatible with 5G New Radio, but since 5G New Radio appears to be the air interface, they probably won't be that far away.

 

Sprint is capable of turning around without needing T-Mobile to rescue it. If a merger happens, that's because Masa Son wants it.

 

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Masa wants out, period. Whether Sprint merges with T-Mobile or Somebody else, the writing is on the wall. Sprint needed that $5-10B investment from Softbank 3 years ago. The same way DT forgave T-Mobile/Metro $5B with of debt.

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I have connected to a higher percentage of sites with B41 in Tampa than I do in Orlando. Which is my point if it is not being tracked you don't know. I have never had an issue streaming on I75 most of which is Jacksonville market. The first Tampa market site is south of exit 301. It goes 1 B25/B26 then 1 B41 then 2 more B25/B26 then mostly B41 in Tampa market.

Our experience is different for some reason. I always know what band im on thanks to signal check and I tell you going to Jacksonville and down to Tampa Sprint is miles behind the other carriers in speed and capacity. In Tampa there have been plenty of times I have been on usable band 25/26. Just look at the lowry zoo for example Sprint is on 3G and very other carrier has LTE with great speeds. The aquarium was the same. How is your experience so great when mine is showing the opposite?

 

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Sorry, I just got the opinion that you jump carriers an awful lot.

While I wouldn't say alot, at least its been more so than I'd like . We kept up with T-Mobile for a while, even when I discovered this site about four years ago, of which it took me two years to join. I tried Sprint a few times on my line, while my mother maintained T-Mobile service on her line, but after Sprint didn't work out, I got my mother another line, which after the phone preorder issues I had with T-Mobile, we moved my line and one of hers to AT&T, and kept that for quite some time until a few weeks ago when I had the problems with Uverse home internet. Those two lines were moved to Verizon, and of course now are going back to T-Mobile. Although my mother has kept her one T-Mobile prepaid line going all throughout this time.

 

The biggest issue for me really has been with devices. I had issues trying to preorder the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge from T-Mobile early last year, then similar issues preordering the Note 7 from them. That is why I'm going to refrain from ordering phones through T-Mobile and get them unlocked, not that option has been much better. While I've had a few defective phones from carriers, such as the Samsung Galaxy S7 Active and LG V20 on AT&T, tried a few bad cheap Kyoceras on Sprint, along with having os problems on the Nexus 6 I had with Sprint too, the bigger disappointment has been in getting good quality unlocked phones I've been very careful with, suddenly die on me.

 

I won the ZTE Axon 7 from a contest in the Z-Community website last year that I was considering selling for some time, even while having the issues with the phones I mentioned from AT&T. I later decided rather than selling it, I'd go ahead and try it, which it turned out to be great for me. Everything was going well until a few weeks ago, when the Android 7 update became available for it, which allowed for Google Daydream use. I updated the phone, got the View headset and started using it lightly watching movies on it. Suddenly during use on the headset, the phone just died. Similar thing happened with a Sony Xperia XA Ultra I had last year suddenly die during normal use. I'm very careful with these phones, but it seems either I end up getting defective units, or ones that are fine for a few months that just suddenly die on me.

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Sprint has joined the CBRS band group that aims to deploy LTE on 150MHZ of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band. With 80 percent of the data consumed indoors and 95 percent of the radio access network (RAN) capex being spent outdoors, the need to address the indoors is pressing. I see it being deployed in large venues such as malls, stadiums, large box stores and in large office buildings. But it has to be deployed in a carrier neutral manner or it will not succeed. now getting all 4 carriers to agree to share will be problematic but it can be done.

 

If we assume that it can be successfully deployed in a carrier neutral way it will lead to a depreciation of spectrum. 

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 In Eastern Michigan all the sites on US 23 from Toledo to Saginaw have B41 on live. If markets are not tracked how do you know what they lack? B41 is under reported and yes I have kept track of these markets waiting for someone to pick up the mantle for these markets.

 

I think I understand both sides of this conversation.  I really don't have many complaints about Sprint's network in my area, Owosso, Flint & Lansing, MI.  It was awesome when they came through 2.5 years ago and installed B41 equipment BUT it kills me that they didn't install it on the most important tower in the county.  We have a total 10 towers in the county.  Sprint installed B41 on every tower except one.  That one tower has highest usage/coverage of any tower in the county.  I don't know why B41 was not installed - permit issues maybe?  Tower weight?  All I know is that 2 carriers of B25 doesn't cut it - unusable.  They have had over 2 years to find a solution to the problem.  I just feel like the other carriers would have done something by now.

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Sprint has joined the CBRS band group that aims to deploy LTE on 150MHZ of spectrum in the 3.5GHz band. With 80 percent of the data consumed indoors and 95 percent of the radio access network (RAN) capex being spent outdoors, the need to address the indoors is pressing. I see it being deployed in large venues such as malls, stadiums, large box stores and in large office buildings. But it has to be deployed in a carrier neutral manner or it will not succeed. now getting all 4 carriers to agree to share will be problematic but it can be done.

 

If we assume that it can be successfully deployed in a carrier neutral way it will lead to a depreciation of spectrum.

While there is nothing wrong with Sprint doing that, it really makes me wonder why Sprint can do this but still has not deployed their band 41 spectrum on so many towers left without it. Sprint needs to utilize the spectrum they have, at least with what is commercially compatible with devices, being up to 3xca, or 60mhz. They really need to have a good majority of their towers operating band 41 spectrum.

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While I wouldn't say alot, at least its been more so than I'd like . We kept up with T-Mobile for a while, even when I discovered this site about four years ago, of which it took me two years to join. I tried Sprint a few times on my line, while my mother maintained T-Mobile service on her line, but after Sprint didn't work out, I got my mother another line, which after the phone preorder issues I had with T-Mobile, we moved my line and one of hers to AT&T, and kept that for quite some time until a few weeks ago when I had the problems with Uverse home internet. Those two lines were moved to Verizon, and of course now are going back to T-Mobile. Although my mother has kept her one T-Mobile prepaid line going all throughout this time.

The biggest issue for me really has been with devices. I had issues trying to preorder the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge from T-Mobile early last year, then similar issues preordering the Note 7 from them. That is why I'm going to refrain from ordering phones through T-Mobile and get them unlocked, not that option has been much better. While I've had a few defective phones from carriers, such as the Samsung Galaxy S7 Active and LG V20 on AT&T, tried a few bad cheap Kyoceras on Sprint, along with having os problems on the Nexus 6 I had with Sprint too, the bigger disappointment has been in getting good quality unlocked phones I've been very careful with, suddenly die on me.

I won the ZTE Axon 7 from a contest in the Z-Community website last year that I was considering selling for some time, even while having the issues with the phones I mentioned from AT&T. I later decided rather than selling it, I'd go ahead and try it, which it turned out to be great for me. Everything was going well until a few weeks ago, when the Android 7 update became available for it, which allowed for Google Daydream use. I updated the phone, got the View headset and started using it lightly watching movies on it. Suddenly during use on the headset, the phone just died. Similar thing happened with a Sony Xperia XA Ultra I had last year suddenly die during normal use. I'm very careful with these phones, but it seems either I end up getting defective units, or ones that are fine for a few months that just suddenly die on me.

You might not be an Apple guy, but I would recommend you try an iPhone. Especially an unlocked model from Apple. That way it is super easy to swap carriers with no worry about network comptibility (with he right iPhone model) and best customer support. Super easy to swap the SIM and it will work great with less of the problems you are reporting.

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Me too. I trust the raw data from RootMetrics more than most other reports. But about statistics: lies, damn lies and then statistics.

In the original report, they rank carriers in 5 categories: reliability, calls, text, data and speed. Sprint ranks dreadfully in DATA and SPEED (we all know that) categories but sprint always represents its wins in the other categories, especially calls and text. Sure it's just marketing, but I hope Sprint doesn't think it's okay that it ranks a distant LAST in data and speed when they promised to rank FIRST 2 years ago (and they should with the sea of spectrum that they constantly boast about)

 

But it's much much more costly to improve data and speed than on calls and text so they delayed the capex. I just hope they don't end up delaying that for too long. Sometimes it's easy to be fooled by your own marketing bullshit.

 

 

An overlooked analysis by Root: http://rootmetrics.com/en-US/content/mobile-performance-in-the-us-part-3-performance-in-metro-areas

 

Rootmetrics do provide really good analysis on carriers' data speed. As you see below, Sprint is in a league completely of its own (in an unflattering way)

 

If you scroll down the report to see the carrier-by-carrier numbers, you'll see all 3 carriers other than Sprint have made progress from 1H16 to 2H16. But Sprint made no effort to improve speed, thus falling further and further behind. Can't Marcelo at least pretend he cares about his network promises?

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Verizon has released a promotion supposedly as a reaction to T-Mobile, but I still believe this to be aimed more as a reaction to AT&T than to T-Mobile. Besides, only those able to get Fios service will benefit from this promotion, which is a drawback to having regional landline service not be nationally available :

 

https://www.macrumors.com/2017/02/28/verizon-vzw-fios-cross-promotion/

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You might not be an Apple guy, but I would recommend you try an iPhone. Especially an unlocked model from Apple. That way it is super easy to swap carriers with no worry about network comptibility (with he right iPhone model) and best customer support. Super easy to swap the SIM and it will work great with less of the problems you are reporting.

I've been considering getting the iPhone 7 Plus. My mother used an iPhone 6s for some time that worked well which she unfortunately had to trade in when we moved carriers since it was not on her prepaid line, an error we made at the time. I really liked the iPhone and I might end up getting the new one for her now we are back on Tmo, if the Lumia 950xl ends up not being good for voice. Otherwise if it is, we may just keep this for her so long as it remains working, and get the new iPhone 8 later in the year. I'm planning on getting an unlocked Sony XZ Premium I'm hoping will do well. My mother really needs simplicity, for her its either going to be this Lumia, or like you mentioned, an Apple device.

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Verizon has released a promotion supposedly as a reaction to T-Mobile, but I still believe this to be aimed more as a reaction to AT&T than to T-Mobile. Besides, only those able to get Fios service will benefit from this promotion, which is a drawback to having regional landline service not be nationally available :

 

https://www.macrumors.com/2017/02/28/verizon-vzw-fios-cross-promotion/

If they were targeting At&t it wouldn't have taken that much to undercut them. Verizon deliberately brought back unlimited due to T-Mobile, and while still being quite competitive on price.
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If they were targeting At&t it wouldn't have taken that much to undercut them. Verizon deliberately brought back unlimited due to T-Mobile, and while still being quite competitive on price.

Yet, if Verizon were really trying to compete with T-Mobile, I think they would have formed their plan differently. I know this issue is subject to opinion, and its fine to think however which way about it. I've stated my reasons for my opinion the other week when these plans were being announced. However, this new promo just seems like more targeting of AT&T customers by putting up a Fios deal against AT&T's offering of cheaper Directv service.

 

Not to say I don't think Verizon should have something strong to compete against T-Mobile with, as I believe all carriers ought to. I don't think it would be too difficult. Verizon could do both by having a $60 per line deal with an 8-9mbps speedcap that is an all usage cap, which would provide for 1080p hd video, compete against Cricket's offering that is better than what AT&T has with Unlimited Choice, while still providing a level of service good enough at that competitive rate against T-Mobile. It even should be seen as competitive towards Sprint.

 

What Verizon is offering in this promo is not even a bad deal. I like it for what it is. My issue with it is in its availability, as many people won't be able to get this. While I believe It tries to be competitive against AT&T's Directv service, it doesn't even have that amount of availability reach, let alone the scope of T-Mobile's promotion, which is nationwide. In promo competing with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint, Verizon could do better.

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An overlooked analysis by Root: http://rootmetrics.com/en-US/content/mobile-performance-in-the-us-part-3-performance-in-metro-areas

 

Rootmetrics do provide really good analysis on carriers' data speed. As you see below, Sprint is in a league completely of its own (in an unflattering way)

If you scroll down the report to see the carrier-by-carrier numbers, you'll see all 3 carriers other than Sprint have made progress from 1H16 to 2H16. But Sprint made no effort to improve speed, thus falling further and further behind. Can't Marcelo at least pretend he cares about his network promises?

I think you're swinging a level low here. Masa controls CapEx with SoftBank. Sprint has to abide by SoftBank wishes as SoftBank owns 84% of Sprint.

 

 

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I think you're swinging a level low here. Masa controls CapEx with SoftBank. Sprint has to abide by SoftBank wishes as SoftBank owns 84% of Sprint.

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SoftBank's ownership stake in Sprint actually has to remain below 83%. Otherwise, per the terms of the acquisition, if SoftBank's ownership exceeds 83%, it has to make a tender offer for the remainder of the stock.

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