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MagnusOchncap

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Everything posted by MagnusOchncap

  1. Saw an interesting photo essay on Gizmodo this morning about the NYC subway building out full station cellular coverage through an intermediary called Transit Wireless. It looks like it is a massive distributed antenna system supported from a couple of central 'base station hotels.' Sprint joined Transit Wireless as a provider in July 2013, but I haven't seen much news about the rollout or how it works in the last year. Are there other instances of Sprint working with a partner for these kinds of DAS network setups? And is this distributed architecture more akin to traditional cell tower deployments (with larger distances between base stations and the radios), or more like the small cells some Sprint executives have been talking up in recent months? Does anyone have any idea what Sprint bands are being deployed with this project? 800MHz 1x Advanced for voice and 1900MHz PCS EVDO/LTE for data? I cannot imagine this is a Spark-capable project yet/ever/at all?
  2. All of those articles sourced the 3.5x purchases of iPhone 5s from an app analytics company. So, likely not representative of realty, but simply of people opening applications on their new iPhones that use Localytics' backend. Much as we can assume from third-party application analytic data that consumers who purchase less expensive handsets are likely not pro users that use lots of applications on their phones. In example, if people that normally wouldn't chose a $199 iPhone 5s are instead buying a $99 iPhone 5c rather than a competing $99 Android handset, they are likely to use less applications or even browse the web on their devices. [source: http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/07/22/apples-ios-maintains-dominance-over-android-with-63-mobile-browsing-share] All we know if Apple sold nine million iPhones, a combination of 5s and 5c. Is that a 50%/50% split? We'll never know, and anecdotal evidence from third party backend service providers are suspect for being representative of reality.
  3. It is probably a little bit of that, but perhaps mostly of launching in more markets this year for the simultaneous retail start. Last year was nine markets; this year was 11 markets, including China.
  4. Yea, I bet you are right. $99 is a great entry price for the 5c. Muggles will walk into the stores and see these new 5c devices and wonder why they should spend $200 for the iPhone 5s and most Android phones when they can get that for $99. One imagines the 5c becoming their most popular phone, like the MacBook Air is their most popular laptop, and the 5s and MacBook Pros is where they do the new technologies at a slight premium.
  5. What you said is a rumor. ABC News repeated a rumor. ABC News repeating a rumor does not make it a fact. I also saw rumors stating they would be showing off ARM powered laptops, new iPads, new Apple TV, and Apple TV Screen, NFC in the iPhone 6, 802.11ac in the new iPhones, Mac OS X Mavericks launch, Apple iWallet, etc. Two years ago, October 2011, talking heads on CNBC went on and on about Apple releasing the iPhone 5 as a WiMAX-capable device exclusively on Sprint. Because they read some junk at BGR. Apple rumors are rumors until Tim gets up on stage and says they are facts. Regardless, we're all off topic about the iPhone 5C and 5S. =)
  6. No rumors about potential new Apple products are facts until Tim gets up on a stage and introduces them to the world. Until that point they are only rumors.
  7. I agree, but Nexus batteries have always been small. Gotta get the bill of materials down to meet that $300 price point I guess... ;-)
  8. SEC just gave it's blessing to the SoftBank-Sprint union. http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/2/4293352/sprint-clear-to-vote-on-softbank-buyout-after-sec-approval
  9. Yea, I personally think that Sprint would be much better served with the backing of SoftBank and its CEO, who have the experience to grow Sprint into a much stronger company. Charlie Ergen's idea of using spectrum for video transmission is just insane. I don't understand that at all. Wouldn't you rather have even more LTE-powered spectrum that can serve any kind of data requested (including video)? And I have yet to understand the idea that Dish and Sprint will gain synergies from combining customers. They cannot suddenly sell their 14 million satellite TV subscribers on phone service; normal people have two year contracts from the big four. And they will not be able to move their 50 million Sprint customers over to DISH; many of those subs will be on cable and not want to move to satellite (or on a one or two year contract with DirecTV or the local cable company).
  10. MagnusOchncap

    X Phone

    Definitely. Motorola needs their own brand of Android phones they can sell whole kit to carriers. They need to start walking away from special one off designs and builds. If you make a couple of good phones every year the same worldwide, component pricing and cost of goods sold drop, marketing dollars can be better spent, and people more identify with the brand name than the carrier. But, Google owns it now, so who knows. =P
  11. I forgot that Verizon bought a ton of AWS spectrum during the 2006 auction. [source: http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=99&p=1495 ] Geez, that was a lot of spectrum to just sit on until the SpectrumCo swap and T-mobile sale last year.
  12. MagnusOchncap

    X Phone

    Seconded. But I believe that Googlerola will be better going forward. A lot of after-sale support by the manufacturer is built into their supplier/vendor contract with the carrier (we will pay you $x per sub that has your phone for two updates over the next nine months; bug fixes are your responsibility). And Motorola's acquisition only closed 10 months ago. Google CFO Patrick Pichette admitted they have 12-18 months of shitty products to roll through [source: http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/03/08/motorola-is-still-a-work-in-progress-for-google/] before 'good' stuff starts being released, as that 12-18 months of product didn't 'wow' Google [source: http://blog.laptopmag.com/google-throws-motorola-under-the-bus-says-phones-lack-wow]. So, we're coming up on that 12-18 months in the second half of this year. Hopefully some good product announcements and after-sale support then. =)
  13. Good to know. Was under the impression the Snapdragon chip line had the modems integrated.
  14. Indubitably. I don't meant to harsh on Sprint, but even Verizon is supporting their non-existant AWS LTE tech on their Galaxy S4 variant [source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/29/samsung-galaxy-s-4-for-verizon-swings-through-the-fcc/]. We probably won't see Verizon's AWS LTE network until late 2013 or even into 2014... and Verizon is usually conservative on this kind of stuff. Just wish Sprint was a little bit more forward including support for their forthcoming LTE networks. They've been selling handsets that support 800MHz CDMA voice since sometime in 2012... And for Samsung, I don't know why they continue to put out the Galaxy S line in the USA with Qualcomm chips. I'd happily take a Exynos 4+4 core (or as the lazy tech PR mouthpieces have been calling it an octocore) here. =)
  15. Digging into Sprint's Tri-band LTE network...

  16. News reference: http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=11771 Sprint's current LTE service is in LTE band 25 (which is 1900MHz, also known as the PCS band of radio spectrum). It is what Sprint has traditionally run all of their services on (CDMA, EV-DO). The PCS band is okay, but best served in metro regions (high density towers, lower transmission range). Nextel has traditionally run its iDEN service in the 800MHz range, known as the EMSR band of radio spectrum (and classified as LTE band 27). Sprint is turning off this Nextel network by the end of June 2013, and discontinuing the Nextel brand. They will then start upgrading their towers as a second phase of the Network Vision rollout to support CDMA voice and LTE in this frequency. 800MHz is great for coverage. Can cover great distances with lower tower density (which means their rural support will get very, very strong), and lower frequency bands pass through solid objects better (meaning better indoor coverage). Sprint's partnership with Clearwire will also net access to the under-construction Clear TDD-LTE network at 2500MHz (known as LTE band 41). The network will target 'hotspots' around major metro areas and public spaces. Imagine stadiums, highways, and super densely-populated urban centers. Higher frequency doesn't pass through solid objects as well, requires greater tower density, and travels less distance. All together Sprint will be running or have access to three disparate LTE networks. And Sprint's LTE networks are being rolled out with the latest LTE specification, called release 10, which enables a software upgrade to LTE Advanced (or is already technically capable? I'm not sure). LTE Advanced allows for carrier aggregation (better explained here: http://www.3gpp.org/Carrier-Aggregation-explained), which allows one device to connect to the three disparate LTE networks at the same time to increase bandwidth and transfer speeds. Overall new Sprint tri-band phones will have the best possible reception offered by Sprint. They will be able to connect to 800MHz, 1900MHz, or 2500MHz LTE towers either disparately or together for best reception and speed. Sprint will likely have the best 'performing' data network in the USA until AT&T's network of the year 2020 is up and running (as AT&T at that point will likely have LTE running on 700MHz, cellular [850MHz], AWS [1700/2100MHz], PCS [1900MHz], and WCS [2300MHz] bands). But... its AT&T. So it will probably suck. AT&T reference: http://www.extremetech.com/electronics/138150-fcc-approves-new-rules-to-make-wcs-spectrum-usable-att-begins-making-wcs-lte-a-reality
  17. The Samsung Note '10 is the first Verizon device on sale to support AWS, but the Galaxy S4 will be the first Verizon phone on sale to support their AWS LTE network. http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/29/samsung-galaxy-s-4-for-verizon-swings-through-the-fcc/
  18. Yea, been following that. Live in Oregon City, work downtown PDX. Lots of travel around town to clients. Eagerly awaiting the 800MHz CDMA and LTE rollout later this year (or next year) in the PDX market. =)
  19. I still personally believe that T-mobile/MetroPCS will become a merger or acquisition target for Sprint-uh-Bank within three years. All together they would still be under 100m subscribers, which would still be smaller than either AT&T and Verizon at such a time. This administration's FCC is all about consumer choice and protection. Having a really strong third national player would work towards that goal. Likely part of such a deal would be a promise to maintain unlimited smartphone data, sub-$50 monthly plans, and prepaid brands? Even logistically, Sprint would garner a legacy GSM network for international roaming partners, and more extensive PCS band holdings. Sell off or hold the AWS bands? Who knows. They'd gain LTE roaming or compatibility with AT&T and Verizon, who are both using LTE on AWS. SoftBank's Son's expansion plans are all about economies of scale. Sprint was a target simply because of their Clearwire connection. SoftBank is also using the same LTE bands in Japan as Clearwire is here. Buying 80,000 network cabinets instead of 40,000 probably gets you a couple billion dollar break. Plus, SoftBank is all about crazy subscriber expansion. From this Forbes article: http://www.forbes.com/sites/terokuittinen/2012/10/11/us-consumers-need-softbank-to-buy-sprint/
  20. Been lurking on S4GRU for sometime. Finally decided to become a sponsor this week and get the inside track for new cell sites. Cannot wait for tri-band LTE phones! Until then I'll be controlling my data use on a couple of Verizon devices. :-( More extensive network coverage in my area, and existing LTE network. But eagerly awaiting my switch back to Sprint. :-)
  21. indeed, but I hold out hope. They can release phones that have hardware support for the network anytime, but leave connectivity disabled in the baseband. And then enable with a future firmware update. Seems to be the best way to increase customer satisfaction and network reliability. Sprint still has two year contracts... :-) That is a long time to be using a phone that only supports 1900MHz LTE.
  22. I think there are some people that will care about 64GB on the HTC one, but those are few? And even fewer will make a network carrier decision (switching from Sprint to AT&T). Too bad the HTC One doesn't have a microSD slot.
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