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RedSpark

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Posts posted by RedSpark

  1. On 3/16/2024 at 9:11 AM, Paynefanbro said:

    Dish marks 5G drive test milestone, validating its network speeds

    https://www.fiercewireless.com/5g/dish-marks-5g-drive-test-milestone

    And yet barely anyone can use it. That's probably the only reason why they're able to meet these network speed milestones. 

     

    This being roughly six months later, Dish delivered the goods, but guess what? The results are under wraps because Dish considers the information to be proprietary and could result in “substantial competitive harm” if disclosed.

    LMAO. What a joke.

    • Like 1
  2. 1 hour ago, Paynefanbro said:

    Technically they have to *attempt* to sell it but they aren't obligated to take any offer less than the $3.5 billion purchase price that Dish agreed to. Meaning if no one offers at least that much for the spectrum T-Mobile gets to keep it.

    I'm doubtful that T-Mobile is going to keep it though. Burns & McDonnell already said last year that they wanted the spectrum for private wireless networks. https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/dish-isnt-only-one-interested-t-mobiles-800-mhz-spectrum

    Is T-Mobile still actively using it now?

    If T-Mobile keeps it, could it use it for 5G or would it be relegated to LTE?

  3. https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/dish-says-theres-zero-chance-it-will-buy-t-mobiles-800-mhz-spectrum

    Dish is throwing in the towel on its agreement to purchase all of T-Mobile’s 800 MHz spectrum licenses for $3.59 billion. In an SEC filing, Dish parent company EchoStar revealed that it is unable to get the financing necessary to pay T-Mobile for the 800 MHz spectrum licenses by the April 1 deadline. 

    So much for that....

  4. https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/dish-says-theres-zero-chance-it-will-buy-t-mobiles-800-mhz-spectrum

    Dish is throwing in the towel on its agreement to purchase all of T-Mobile’s 800 MHz spectrum licenses for $3.59 billion. In an SEC filing, Dish parent company EchoStar revealed that it is unable to get the financing necessary to pay T-Mobile for the 800 MHz spectrum licenses by the April 1 deadline. 

    So much for that....

    • Like 3
  5. Numbers coming in:

    Verizonhttps://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-customers-allegiant-stadium-super-bowl-lviii

    NEW YORK – Verizon customers shared the championship game’s biggest moments, consuming a record amount of data on Verizon’s network in and around Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Game Day Facts

    - On game day, Verizon fans used 52.34 TB of data in and around the stadium, the equivalent of playing HD video continuously for 3.3 years.

    - The data usage by Verizon customers was up 9.4% over the 47.8 TB used at Super Bowl LVII in 2023.

    - Verizon customers benefited from super-fast speeds in the stadium1:

    • Peak: Download speed 4,404 Mbps, Upload speed 671 Mbps
    • Median: Download speed 2,704 Mbps, Upload speed 138 Mbps
    • Verizon users experienced 3.8x faster download speeds and 3.1x faster uploads than the competition!

    - 50.5% of the 61,629 attendees used Verizon’s network.

    - The biggest spikes of wireless data usage occurred during:

    • Kickoff
    • Halftime show

    - 70% of customers were using 5G UltraWideband, up from 63% last year.

    - Verizon’s team of 65 engineers staffed Verizon’s two remote Network Command Centers 24x7 to help ensure a reliable network experience for fans, first responders and public safety teams. An additional 23 Test Force Engineers were working in and around the Stadium.

    “We know that connection is essential to the fan experience and network usage during Super Bowl LVIII clearly indicates that we are creating a superior network experience for our customers,” said Joe Russo, EVP & President, Global Networks & Technology. “I want to thank our Test Force, a team of engineers and technicians, who worked tirelessly to ensure Verizon customers had the best possible game-day experience.”

    The Verizon Consumer Connections Report shows that consumers are using their phones at NFL games more than ever, with the 2023-2024 season showing total average mobile network usage across all NFL stadiums was 101 MB per person, up 47% from the season prior. This upsurge means NFL stadiums must be more prepared than ever to meet the technological demands of its fans.

    For this reason, Verizon spent more than two years preparing for Super Bowl LVIII. Throughout Allegiant Stadium, Verizon’s customers were served with a sophisticated, state of the art in-building network, enabling game-changing performance so fans could capture and share every Super Bowl moment. In total, Verizon deployed approximately 250 5G mmWave radios so fans could watch game highlights, keep tabs on players’ stats, and use their phones for concession payments with ease. With C-Band technology, fans were able to use a full 160 MHz of spectrum, nearly tripling the 5G bandwidth from last year’s Super Bowl.

    Over the last three years, Verizon has invested significantly, nearly tripling network capacity in the Las Vegas metro and readying the city for the 40M+ tourists and business travelers who visit each year. Verizon has doubled down on its 5G network in Las Vegas, laying out more than 547 miles of fiber across the city - enough for a trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and back again - and lighting up C-Band across 52 million square feet in and around casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, the equivalent of more than 900 football fields. Las Vegas residents and visitors can now use a full 160 MHz of spectrum, which allows Verizon to provide greater bandwidth and enable higher data speeds for its customers throughout Las Vegas.

    Verizon has added unmatched large capacity connections (mmWave) at the most congested areas in Las Vegas, including the Las Vegas Strip, Fremont Street and Allegiant Stadium, as well as additional upgrades in high demand areas such as the Las Vegas Convention Center and Harry Reid International Airport. These are permanent upgrades that will remain a fixture of the Las Vegas network.

    Read more about all of Verizon’s enhancements in Allegiant Stadium and the surrounding Las Vegas area.


    1 Measurement results are based on umlaut testing of 260 to 270 samples per network operator during the actual game including half time show.

    • Like 1
  6. https://www.lightreading.com/5g/five-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-super-bowl-network

    https://www.lightreading.com/cable-technology/cox-gears-up-for-super-bowl-lviii

    Great overview here!

    Also:

    https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/matsing-boosts-coverage-big-3-during-super-bowl

    Cellular data and video traffic are showing dramatic increases in usage every year. At last year’s Super Bowl, data usage by Verizon customers spiked 57% compared to the Super Bowl in 2022 – from 30.4 TB in 2022 to 47.8 TB in 2023. The busiest times were during the halftime show and at kickoff.

    For AT&T, fans at the game last year broke data records, with 5G data usage of 21 TB  increasing by 81% compared to the previous year’s game.

    Very cool! Looking forward to seeing the numbers from the game.

    • Like 1
  7. VERIZON:

    Here's info from Verizon for comparison:

    https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizons-commitment-las-vegas-community

    Las Vegas Network Upgrades

    Over the last three years, Verizon has invested significantly nearly tripling Las Vegas’ network capacity and readying it for the 40M+ tourists and business travelers who come to the city each year. Verizon has doubled down on its 5G network in Las Vegas, laying out more than 547 miles of fiber across the city - enough for a trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and back again - and lighting up C-band across 52 million square feet in and around casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, the equivalent of more than 900 football fields. Las Vegas residents and visitors can now use a full 160 MHz of spectrum, which allows Verizon to provide greater bandwidth and enable higher data speeds for its customers throughout Las Vegas.

    Verizon has added unmatched large capacity connections (mmWave) at the most congested areas in Las Vegas, including the Las Vegas Strip, Fremont Street and Allegiant Stadium, as well as additional upgrades in high demand areas such as the Las Vegas Convention Center and Harry Reid International Airport. These are permanent upgrades that will remain a fixture of the Las Vegas network.

    At Allegiant Stadium, Verizon is delivering an exceptional network experience so fans can capture and share every Super Bowl LVIII moment. By Super Bowl, Verizon will have deployed approximately 250 5G mmWave radios covering the stadium’s seating areas, back of house, suites, lounges, press box, concourse areas and entry ways, allowing fans to watch game highlights, keep tabs on players’ stats, and use their phones for concession payments with ease.

    “At Verizon, we are obsessed with delivering game-changing connectivity and ensuring our customers have a superior network experience,” said Joe Russo, EVP & President, Global Networks & Technology. “These upgrades will provide a reliable, high performing and secure experience for the Super Bowl, offering the best for Las Vegas residents and visitors for years to come.”

    ICYMI:

    Connecting the gridiron: Verizon's 5G network at Allegiant Stadium

    https://www.lightreading.com/5g/connecting-the-gridiron-verizon-s-5g-network-at-allegiant-stadium-

    Behind the scenes with Verizon 5G at Super Bowl LVIII stadium

    https://www.lightreading.com/5g/behind-the-scenes-with-verizon-5g-at-super-bowl-lviii-stadium#close-modal

    AT&T:

    I have not' seen any press releases on AT&T yet, but found this on YouTube:

    Also on Reddit:

    Thoughts?

  8. Here we go:

    LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Jan. 30, 2024 — No matter who they are rooting for, the Un-carrier has fans in Allegiant Stadium and beyond covered with permanent ultra-fast 5G upgrades across Las Vegas. Today, T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) announced 5G coverage and capacity enhancements inside the second most iconic Las Vegas sports venue, amping peak download speeds up to 1.2 Gbps, 10x faster than before, and peak upload speeds to a staggering 200 Mbps.

    “Everyone knows Las Vegas is a hub for the biggest sports and entertainment events in the world, especially with the return of the Las Vegas Grand Prix late last year,” said Ulf Ewaldsson, President of Technology, T-Mobile. “That’s why we set the bar high and invested early in extensive permanent upgrades across the region, so T-Mobile customers can stay connected better than ever before, not just during one event, but year-round.”

    With an estimated 450,000 visitors expected to flood Sin City, T-Mobile customers can once again rely on the permanent upgrades T-Mobile made in part for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, helping locals and visitors on the Un-carrier’s network stay better connected than ever before. Recent New Year’s celebrations were another great testing ground for T-Mobile. With more than 400,000 people attending celebrations along the Strip, the Un-carrier saw a 22% increase in 5G traffic compared to 2023 with a 42% increase in download throughput. It’s the perfect example of how T-Mobile’s network is built to handle Vegas crowds.

    Here's how T-Mobile is supporting the Big Game with its permanent upgrades inside Allegiant Stadium:

    • 62 iDAS sectors inside the stadium with 3 sectors covering the field, covering the entire stadium with Ultra Capacity 5G.
    • 7 oDAS sectors servicing areas just outside the stadium for better coverage at celebrations happening around the stadium.
    • mmWave enhancements both inside and outside the stadium, so fans on T-Mobile’s network can quickly update their social feeds, friends and family on the latest plays with our fastest possible 5G speeds.

    The Un-carrier is also supporting key celebration locations with temporary enhancements in a few additional locations:

    • Fountains of Bellagio to support users looking to catch a glimpse of the broadcast stage.
    • Mandalay Bay Parking Garage to better support tailgaters at Allegiant Stadium. Pass the hot dogs!
    • Wynn Parking Garage for enhanced coverage supporting activities around the Sphere.
    • Brooklyn Bowl enhancements to up the network experience at the NFL House hospitality zone.

    Since the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November, T-Mobile has made additional permanent upgrades at additional iconic Las Vegas locations to better support locals and those visiting for the Big Game, bringing the total number of permanently upgraded locations in the last year up to 25. These include:

    • Cosmopolitan and Fontainebleau upgrades enhance the network experience for T-Mobile customers inside both locations.
    • Harry Reid International Airport mmWave upgrades ensure travelers on T-Mobile’s network have access to our fastest 5G speeds while making their way through the airport.
    • 17 more small cell sites added across the city.

    T-Mobile is the fastest mobile network in Nevada (and 46 other states, plus the District of Columbia) with the best mobile video experience ­– according to Ookla and Opensignal ­–  so fans across the nation who can’t make it to the Big Game can still catch every play from their smartphone with the power of T-Mobile 5G.

    • Like 2
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  9. ICYMI, from a few days back:

    Through a merger with Sprint in 2020, T-Mobile has made a massive commitment to improve Internet connectivity and mobile service for rural and small-town America. In 2021, T-Mobile doubled down on its commitment to West Virginia when it finalized its acquisition of Shentel Wireless, one of the primary mobile service providers in West Virginia. Since then, the Un-carrier has invested an additional $200 million to upgrade 5G service via 377 new towers and upgrades to 121 existing towers.

    The result:

    • 100 percent of interstate highways in West Virginia are serviced with T-Mobile 5G;
    • 90 percent of West Virginians now have T-Mobile 5G access, up 30 percent, or 500,000 people, in just two years;
    • 70 percent of West Virginians now have access to Ultra Capacity 5G which delivers median download speeds of 99.98 Mbps statewide, 41 percent faster than in 2021;
    • Greatly expanded backup power sources to ensure redundancy in case of severe weather or other emergencies that may impact mobile service;
    • T-Mobile is the fastest provider in the state of West Virginia, according to third-party experts at Ookla.
    nr-West-Virginia-2021-Coverage-Map-1-19-

    nr-West-Virginia-2023-Coverage-Map-1-19-
     

    Impressive!

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1
  10. https://www.fiercewireless.com/5g/t-mobile-plays-5g-sa-lead-samsung-s24-series

    T-Mobile has said that more than 70% of the smartphones on its network are 5G smartphones and more than 70% of its total network traffic is 5G. Over the next couple years, T-Mobile will move even more traffic onto 5G spectrum, although it will continue to maintain LTE capability for long-tail devices, according to Castle.

    The S24 works on all of T-Mobile’s bands, including n41/2.5 GHz. It also supports the 600 MHz low band and n25/1900 MHz mid-band. During tests, T-Mobile engineers clocked a top uplink speed of 275 Mbps – the fastest ever recorded using sub-6 GHz spectrum, according to T-Mobile.

    Incredible.

    • Like 5
    • Thanks 2
  11. On 1/11/2024 at 12:36 AM, jonathanm1978 said:

    Is that an esim thing now, or can you do physical sim + esim with that? I have firstnet and I'd love to be able to something like that.

    Definitely going to have to look at this whenever I decide to move from the S23U. I waited 3 years on the last upgrade and got lucky that I upgraded right before Sprint billing was switched over to Tmo. In fact, my call with Sievert's office even verified that for me.. dont remember verbatim how she told me..but basically if you had devices financed with Sprint, all of that was just accepted to Tmo and you continued that regardless of the limit placed on the account by their newly implemented "Hard R r-tard" rules for sh*tting on the sprint folks. I had a screen problem with my GN20 and NOBODY could repair it..even with the protection plus plus super plus whatever plan... so I kept it for a few months after the break, then decided maybe it would be a good idea to upgrade prior to what I anticipated would be a nightmare to move over to Tmo billing.

    IIRC, I was told that because I was Legacy Sprint that I was actually above my new permissible T-Mobile Credit Limit as “a post-merger courtesy” but could not finance any new devices as a result, subject to the new credit limit of $1,500.

    What an absolute joke.

    Go unlocked directly through the manufacturer and don’t go back.

    • Like 2
  12. 12 hours ago, jonathanm1978 said:

    So, if I wanted to do something like this with Samsung, I assume to start with -- the initial phone -- would need to be paid off thru T-mobile (the one that I currently  have thru Tmo is leased S23 ultra). So I would have to finish the lease, buy out the device from them, unlock it and then trade it in to Samsung.. 

     

    You have the option to do a trade-in with Samsung with your paid-off device.

    You’re asked “yes/no” for Trade-In and it walks you through it either way.

    If someone else is offering a better trade-in value you can go with that instead.

    • Like 3
  13. 4 hours ago, jonathanm1978 said:

    Got a call last night from the office of Sievert... 

    After about a 38 minutes convo... nothing really going to change with the credit stuff.  Basically.. i got a consolation prize, since the initial reason that I even found out about this was because I tried to buy a new watch line for my wife to upgrade her wifi only galaxy watch, basically they covered the amount that was being req'd as a "down payment"..which came to around $246. Probably maxxed out that $2k equipment financing credit now with that watch being add to the bottom line for whatever the period is (I think it's like 12mos)..

    But I was told there's just all these factors that go into their decisions... and it's not going to change. According to her, they dont do the 6month reevaluation and it's a constant thing now on a per-customer basis...blah blah thanks for umpteen dozen years and is there anything else we can do for you?

    Yup. That's exactly what happened with me. It felt like I was talking with a computer instead of a person.

    I guess it's an improvement that it's a "constant thing" vs every 6 months. Maybe that's from me complaining about it. I haven't bothered to check what the current Credit Limit on my account is, but now that I've offloaded three devices to Apple I've got more headroom than I had.

    • Like 2
  14. 4 hours ago, schmidtj said:

    For iPhone users the buy direct from Apple is a good option. Especially if you upgrade every year as Apple will give you a very competitive trade-in for your 1 yr old iPhone. Plus the phones are unlocked from day one so if you ever decide to switch carriers it's very simple.

    I have no idea if Samsung etc. have similar offerings.

    J

    Agreed!

    Samsung does: "Unlocked by Samsung"

    https://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/phones/unlocked-by-samsung/

    They also offer trade-in credit.

    • Like 1
  15. 10 hours ago, jonathanm1978 said:

    Seems as though former-Sprint/now T-mobile customers just keep getting the raw end of the merger when it comes to everything from devices, to plans, to the benefits of such..

    As a first responder, i never had anything with Sprint as far as a discount..but with T-mobile, after jumping thru several hoops, sending a copy of my EMT national registry card and my state licensure to practice in my state, i finally was able to get a small discount (totals around $40/mo total)...

    But so far, that's the only real benefit that i've seen from the merger, as Sprint never offered that sort of thing.  After seeing the website tell me that I could upgrade a watch repeatedly, I finally decided to get one for my wife for Christmas.. and after trying to get the $350 off deal 5 or 6 times, each time, after I would click "proceed to checkout", the amount due today would change from $35 to $349 or so every single time...

    I finally went to the store, and point blank asked what did the former Sprint customers get from the merger besides a good screwing by T-mobile...because apparently I can't even lease a watch or phone now, because of the account limits that I've been placed under.  I was a Sprint customer, in good standing, for 14 years before the merger. That equates to NOTHING with T-mobile. I asked about how many lines I was approved for, and the store associate told me 10. Ok great.. so what about device financing / leasing? $2000.00. THAT is the problem. They've limited people who were Sprint customers to like $2k in device purchasing.. so you can't upgrade, or even add a line, unless you're willing to pay the entire $1000+ possibly per phone.  If I needed to add a line with Sprint, in the past, I would just add the line, lease or whatever, and pay the device off after a few months of paying it down. Now, that's not an option anymore... If I want to add a line now, I either pay full price or do without... there's no in between.  That doesn't seem like good customer appreciation for the longest account-holders that came over from Sprint. 

     

    Fired off an email to Mike Sievert this morning about this very thing...because to me, being approved to have 10 lines, but limited to $2000 in device purchasing power seems counter productive and quite frankly, STUPID AF.  Even with Firstnet, if I decided that I want a new phone, I just pick the phone and pay it off over time, usually within 6 months..but usually I'll finance for 4-5 months before paying it off just to lower that big charge upfront.. But Firstnet isn't T-mobile...and vice versa.. Just seems like Tmo doesn't really care if Sprint customers stay or go... Why else would they limit people who have been around the longest?

    I ran into this exact credit limit issue myself and escalated it to the Office of the CEO. I have 800+ Credit and was suddenly being treated as a deadbeat with no/poor credit history, limited to $1,500 total.

    See my post from October 19th:

    Quote

     

    BTW I finally got my answer back from T-Mobile Corporate:

    Thank you for your email. We have submitted your feedback to the department that oversees the policy regarding the amount available to finance. Regrettably, the Equipment Credit Limit cannot be increased outside the approved specific scenarios from any department. I regret any confusion I may have caused on how we send up feedback.

    So it looks Iike I'm stuck with a $1,500 Credit Limit as a 20+ Year Customer with 7 phone lines/2 watch lines until their 6 months re-review sometime in December. We have three iPhone 14 Pro lines we want to upgrade to 15 Pro via trade-in.

    Uncarrier my @$$.

     

     

    I ultimately upgraded my three iPhone lines directly through Apple and haven't bothered to check on whether my Credit Limit has updated.

    Let me know if your letter goes anywhere.

    • Like 2
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