Clearwire

[Abyss19707]

I recently read an article saying Clearwire is starting a major move to LTE. With an expected reach of 5000 base stations in mid-2013 and another 3000 soon afterwards. My question is why. Why only deploy 8000 base stations. Lightsquared just failed in getting a new nationwide network built. This is Cleariwire's time to shine. Clearwire cloud easily sign all partners of Lightsquared to new deals. Then Clearwire can possibly make a network sharing deal with Sprint similar to the one made with Lightsquared. This would give Sprint more capacity which we know Sprint will need and offer a major threat to the big two, Verizon and AT&T. Why not Clearwire, why not?

[rjw]

$$ Money. Clearwire had to get additional funding of $600 million I believe from Sprint in order to start building out their proposed TDD-LTE sites.

[ChadBroChillz]

I believe the initial plan was to have Clear join in on NV, but Clearwire wanted a free ride, and Sprint did not way to pay for their network upgrades and clears. It would be great to have Clear join NV.

[irev210]

I recently read an article saying Clearwire is starting a major move to LTE. With an expected reach of 5000 base stations in mid-2013 and another 3000 soon afterwards. My question is why. Why only deploy 8000 base stations. Lightsquared just failed in getting a new nationwide network built. This is Cleariwire's time to shine. Clearwire cloud easily sign all partners of Lightsquared to new deals. Then Clearwire can possibly make a network sharing deal with Sprint similar to the one made with Lightsquared. This would give Sprint more capacity which we know Sprint will need and offer a major threat to the big two, Verizon and AT&T. Why not Clearwire, why not?

 

It's about tonnage.

 

Sprint's network will only become loaded in certain areas. Does it really make sense for Clearwire to put a basestation in where there is no need (no demand)? Definitely not.

 

They've said a bunch of times they are working with Sprint to identify areas with the most traffic and deploy their gobs of spectrum there. They want to deploy as few basestations as possible while offloading the most traffic possible - that will make Clearwire the most money with the least investment.

 

Adding coverage to a small rural population that is serviced with Sprint's own spectrum would make Clearwire zero dollars. Over time as data usage grows, areas that will not be adequately served by Sprint, Clearwire can come in and start to offload data onto their network and profit.

[S4GRU]

 

It's about tonnage.

 

Sprint's network will only become loaded in certain areas. Does it really make sense for Clearwire to put a basestation in where there is no need (no demand)? Definitely not.

 

They've said a bunch of times they are working with Sprint to identify areas with the most traffic and deploy their gobs of spectrum there. They want to deploy as few basestations as possible while offloading the most traffic possible - that will make Clearwire the most money with the least investment.

 

Adding coverage to a small rural population that is serviced with Sprint's own spectrum would make Clearwire zero dollars. Over time as data usage grows' date=' areas that will not be adequately served by Sprint, Clearwire can come in and start to offload data onto their network and profit.[/quote']

 

Well said!

 

Robert via NOVO7PALADIN Tablet using Forum Runner

[jegillis]

Sites upgraded may have to do with equipment as well, I recall a clearwire exec. saying that alot of there later basestations were software upgradable to handle LTE.

 

http://www.clearwire.com/company/featured-story

 

 

"Its WiMAX antennas and radios could pull duty for the LTE network, and on the base station side, Clearwire could easily upgrade to WiMAX [LTE?] with software, adding more baseband processing line cards to support LTE’s new capacity"

 

http://www.lte-tdd.org/newsdetail/399

[irev210]

Sites upgraded may have to do with equipment as well, I recall a clearwire exec. saying that alot of there later basestations were software upgradable to handle LTE.

 

http://www.clearwire.../featured-story

 

 

"Its WiMAX antennas and radios could pull duty for the LTE network, and on the base station side, Clearwire could easily upgrade to WiMAX [LTE?] with software, adding more baseband processing line cards to support LTE’s new capacity"

 

http://www.lte-tdd.org/newsdetail/399

 

Yup, older Motorola sites do not have software radios. Newer Huawei sites do.

[jegillis]

I did just realize from reading that article that Sprint is going to be the only one with any international roaming on LTE with the 2.5ghz that is unless ATT and Verizon decide to put it in there phones, which I doubt.

[WiWavelength]

I did just realize from reading that article that Sprint is going to be the only one with any international roaming on LTE with the 2.5ghz that is unless ATT and Verizon decide to put it in there phones, which I doubt.

 

First, many of the 2.6 GHz (or 2600 MHz) LTE deployments around the world are FDD band class 7, while others are TDD band class 38. Clearwire's TD-LTE deployment is band class 41, which is directly compatible with only band class 38, not band class 7. So, do not count on roaming compatibility with those FDD networks.

 

Second, until Sprint releases a TD-LTE 2600 handset with additional W-CDMA international roaming capability, do not expect any LTE international roaming. Without W-CDMA CSFB, international roaming on TD-LTE 2600 likely would provide a poor experience, akin to standalone WiMAX 2600 without CDMA1X/EV-DO fallback. Plus, absent VoLTE, TD-LTE 2600 roaming would lack voice service.

 

AJ