Does Sprint plan on selling it's WCS spectrum holdings?

[Destroyallcubes]

I have seen that Sprint owns 20Mhz of WCS spectrum in My market. Does sprint plan on selling that spectrum? When did they receive the spectrum?

[S4GRU]

I have seen that Sprint owns 10Mhz of WCS spectrum in My market. Does sprint plan on selling that spectrum? When did they receive the spectrum?

 

It's not useful to Sprint.  And it is to AT&T.  Sprint will likely sell it for the right price, or spectrum trade.

 

Robert

[Destroyallcubes]

It's not useful to Sprint.  And it is to AT&T.  Sprint will likely sell it for the right price, or spectrum trade.

 

Robert

I would of assumed sell to AT&T but i haven't heard anything about them using that spectrum in awhile. Thought maybe they moved on, but it might not be ready for use 

[WiWavelength]

I have seen that Sprint owns 20Mhz of WCS spectrum in My market. Does sprint plan on selling that spectrum? When did they receive the spectrum?

It's not useful to Sprint.  And it is to AT&T.  Sprint will likely sell it for the right price, or spectrum trade.

 

AT&T can have the WCS spectrum as soon as Randall bends over.

 

AJ

[S4GRU]

I would of assumed sell to AT&T but i haven't heard anything about them using that spectrum in awhile. Thought maybe they moved on, but it might not be ready for use 

 

AT&T is still proceeding with Band 30.  It just takes a few years to get a new band established, approved by 3GPP, and then network OEM's and device OEM's on board, FIT's put in place and testing to commence.  And then they actually have to deploy the stuff.  But AT&T comments about their Band 30 ambitions a couple times per year.

 

Robert

[Destroyallcubes]

AT&T is still proceeding with Band 30.  It just takes a few years to get a new band established, approved by 3GPP, and then network OEM's and device OEM's on board, FIT's put in place and testing to commence.  And then they actually have to deploy the stuff.  But AT&T comments about their Band 30 ambitions a couple times per year.

 

Robert

Oh ok I must not see those articles.They should have 40Mhz total in sprint were to sell, so they could have a decent TDD or FDD LTE experience when it is deployed. But spark will be pretty decently deployed  by then, with CA.(hopefully)

[milan03]

Oh ok I must not see those articles.They should have 40Mhz total in sprint were to sell, so they could have a decent TDD or FDD LTE experience when it is deployed. But spark will be pretty decently deployed  by then, with CA.(hopefully)

As far as I know, AT&T will have up to 30Mhz of usable WCS, absolute best case scenario assumed...

[Destroyallcubes]

As far as I know, AT&T will have up to 30Mhz of usable WCS, absolute best case scenario assumed...

Ok yeah just rechecked it and Sprint own two 5x5 chunks, and AT&T owns two 5Mhz chunks.

[S4GRU]

It's not even that generous.  If AT&T ends up with the entire WCS Band, it would be 15x15 (2305-2320MHz/2345-2360MHz).  And then with guard bands, they couldn't even deploy a 15MHz carrier.  At best, AT&T will really only be able to deploy a 10MHz LTE carrier in WCS.  And currently, they couldn't even do that nationwide.

 

Robert

[linhpham2]

WCS is 2.3 GHz is pretty close to Sprint's 2.5 GHz band. Why can't Sprint utilize it? Or trade at least trade it for some 1900 Mhz PCS spectrum

[S4GRU]

WCS is 2.3 GHz is pretty close to Sprint's 2.5 GHz band. Why can't Sprint utilize it? Or trade at least trade it for some 1900 Mhz PCS spectrum

They only hold a small block of WCS in just one region of the country. It will not be useful to Sprint at all. WCS is only useful to AT&T. So Sprint should hold out for the best dealing can get from AT&T. Preferably some good PCS spectrum somewhere. Or good hard cash.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

 

 

[supert0nes]

If you're going to research WCS, it would be good to look at the deal between AT&T and Sirius.  It's the reason why the guard bands are so big http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/fcc-approves-atts-23-ghz-wcs-spectrum-plan/2012-10-17

 . The cool part for Sprint is that the bands they own in the Southeast are the most valuable/usable portions of the spectrum.  My memory might be foggy, but this is how I remember it.

[WiWavelength]

So Sprint should hold out for the best dealing can get from AT&T. Preferably some good PCS spectrum somewhere. Or good hard cash.

 

Grab those ankles, Randall. You, too, Ralph.

 

 

AJ

[ericdabbs]

I have been advocating that Sprint sell those WCS licenses to AT&T through cash or spectrum swap.  It is of no use to Sprint and I would hate to see spectrum wasted even if it means giving AT&T more access to spectrum.  When you have AT&T going all in on WCS LTE and have pretty much nationwide WCS licenses (minus Sprint's) it just makes sense to sell it to them.  

 

I personally don't think Sprint should take cash on a transaction like this because I think a WCS-PCS spectrum swap would be much more valuable.  Sprint could really use more PCS spectrum to bolster some of those 20 MHz markets so that they can deploy another 5x5 LTE block.

 

On another note along these lines, AT&T should in turn sell that 700 MHz A-block spectrum block in Chicago to Tmobile that it acquired from Leap so that Tmobile can have 700 MHz LTE in the top 3 markets.  AT&T does not have plans to make full utilization of that 700 MHz A block spectrum in Chicago so why not sell it to Tmobile.

[richy]

.  AT&T does not have plans to make full utilization of that 700 MHz A block spectrum in Chicago so why not sell it to Tmobile.

 

Totally agree. On the last point however, the mere fact it might be useful to tmobile is all the reason at&t has ever needed not to. It makes sense that spectrum should be used and companies should be forced to swap or sell what they aren't using if they don't do it voluntarily for a fair price. 

[Destroyallcubes]

If you're going to research WCS, it would be good to look at the deal between AT&T and Sirius.  It's the reason why the guard bands are so big http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/fcc-approves-atts-23-ghz-wcs-spectrum-plan/2012-10-17

 . The cool part for Sprint is that the bands they own in the Southeast are the most valuable/usable portions of the spectrum.  My memory might be foggy, but this is how I remember it.

Yep they own two 5x5 chunks, which is continuous so they could do 10+10 TDD, or 10x10 FDD.

[Destroyallcubes]

I have been advocating that Sprint sell those WCS licenses to AT&T through cash or spectrum swap.  It is of no use to Sprint and I would hate to see spectrum wasted even if it means giving AT&T more access to spectrum.  When you have AT&T going all in on WCS LTE and have pretty much nationwide WCS licenses (minus Sprint's) it just makes sense to sell it to them.  

 

I personally don't think Sprint should take cash on a transaction like this because I think a WCS-PCS spectrum swap would be much more valuable.  Sprint could really use more PCS spectrum to bolster some of those 20 MHz markets so that they can deploy another 5x5 LTE block.

 

On another note along these lines, AT&T should in turn sell that 700 MHz A-block spectrum block in Chicago to Tmobile that it acquired from Leap so that Tmobile can have 700 MHz LTE in the top 3 markets.  AT&T does not have plans to make full utilization of that 700 MHz A block spectrum in Chicago so why not sell it to Tmobile.

The only thing why a spectrum swap may not happen, is AT&T uses band 2 LTE Here, and so I am not sure if they could rely on just their 700mhz LTE. I've tested both at high capacity areas, and both tested 10-30mbps. If they could get equivalent PCs spectrum, it would be nice, but maybe get cash, and use that cash for the 600mhz spectrum.

[Rawvega]

The only thing why a spectrum swap may not happen, is AT&T uses band 2 LTE Here, and so I am not sure if they could rely on just their 700mhz LTE. 

 

It wouldn't necessarily have to be your area though. If Sprint swapped their WCS spectrum with AT&T, they could ask for PCS spectrum in return from anywhere in the country not just the areas where the WCS licenses to be traded exist.

[Destroyallcubes]

It wouldn't necessarily have to be your area though. If Sprint swapped their WCS spectrum with AT&T, they could ask for PCS spectrum in return from anywhere in the country not just the areas where the WCS licenses to be traded exist.

I am not sure how large My area is with the WCS, and the same PCS licences, But AT&T is deploying, and has in quite a few places, deployed on Band 2. And some of the places that need the PCS spectrum are those that AT&T have already deployed on. Houston, and NOLA markets definitely Need Some extra PCS for LTE. 

[ericdabbs]

The only thing why a spectrum swap may not happen, is AT&T uses band 2 LTE Here, and so I am not sure if they could rely on just their 700mhz LTE. I've tested both at high capacity areas, and both tested 10-30mbps. If they could get equivalent PCs spectrum, it would be nice, but maybe get cash, and use that cash for the 600mhz spectrum.

 

You don't have to swap WCS for PCS in the same area.  There are plenty of 20 MHz markets out there that Sprint can use use some additional PCS spectrum.  I don't recall any spectrum swap deals that have to mandate for example swapping east Texas WCS spectrum for east Texas PCS spectrum.  NO..it doesn't have to be in the same market.  There must be some markets that AT&T has that have excess PCS spectrum that they can spare to obtain the full WCS spectrum portfolio.  At the end of the day as long as it benefits both sides they should be happy.  Getting spectrum licenses are hard to get by since once they are issue, they are gone.  which is why I don't think Sprint needs the cash.  Son has the cash to compete in the 600 MHz and doesn't need to resort to selling WCS licenses to get more.  Sprint does have near the top of all the 4 carriers in terms of ARPU so its not like they aren't getting a decent amount of funds rolling in from its subscribers.

 

That is how Tmobile and Verizon got the 700 MHz deal done.  Tmobile identified multiple markets where it had an excess (~40 to 60 MHz) AWS spectrum that it can hand off 10 MHz of that to Verizon in exchange for Verizon's 700 MHz A block spectrum.

[Destroyallcubes]

You don't have to swap WCS for PCS in the same area. There are plenty of 20 MHz markets out there that Sprint can use use some additional PCS spectrum. I don't recall any spectrum swap deals that have to mandate for example swapping east Texas WCS spectrum for east Texas PCS spectrum. NO..it doesn't have to be in the same market. There must be some markets that AT&T has that have excess PCS spectrum that they can spare to obtain the full WCS spectrum portfolio.

 

That is how Tmobile and Verizon got the 700 MHz deal done. Tmobile identified multiple markets where it had an excess (~40 to 60 MHz) AWS spectrum that it can hand off 10 MHz of that to Verizon in exchange for Verizon's 700 MHz A block spectrum.

I know that I was usingv my market as an example of ATT pushing Band 2 LTE and they may not be able to spare any PCS due to that and Hspa+

[da_kiem]

Can someone point me to a place where I can understand all the terminology here?  basically an explanation of PCS/WCS and what something like a 5x5 carrier is?

[Nickel]

Can someone point me to a place where I can understand all the terminology here?  basically an explanation of PCS/WCS and what something like a 5x5 carrier is?

PCS ~ 1900 MHz and WCS ~ 2300 MHz. 5x5 is 5 MHz of download and 5 MHz of upload.

[Destroyallcubes]

Can someone point me to a place where I can understand all the terminology here?  basically an explanation of PCS/WCS and what something like a 5x5 carrier is?

5X5 is a term for FDD-LTE showing 5Mhz  assigned for the download, and 5Mhz assigned for the upload. PCS is the 1900 Mhz spectrum, for sprint it is used for 1x/EVDO/LTE. WCS used to be owned by NextWave, And ATT wants to use it for an additional LTE Carrier. I believe Sirius XM owns some WCS. Sprint has no use, and I am not sure how they even got the WCS spectrum in East texas

[Rawvega]

Not just east Texas. They've got a some WCS in Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and a little bit of Arkansas.