Sprint will launch 10 LTE markets by mid-year

[legion125]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 5 January 2012

 

 

Although most of this information is posted on the wall, this article adds some additional details. Sprint is launching 10 cities with LTE this summer, along with 12 LTE devices.

http://www.fiercewir...year/2012-01-05

 

Sprint Nextel (

NYSE:S) will launch LTE service in 10 markets by mid-year using its new Network Vision multi-mode base stations, according to CEO Dan Hesse.

 

Speaking at the Citi Global Entertainment, Media & Telecommunications Conference, Hesse said that four of those 10 markets will be Atlanta, Dallas, San Antonio and Houston, Texas. He added that the company is confident it can deploy LTE as planned but added that sometimes big network transitions do have difficulties, alluding to Verizon Wireless' (

NYSE:VZ) recent spate of LTE network outages.

 

Hesse added that Sprint can decide whether to deploy LTE faster or slower than anticipated depending on what it deems is optimal for its cash spend.

 

Earlier this year Sprint announced that it had deployed its first multi-mode base station in Branchburg, N.J., and its first LTE network cluster in Kankakee, Ill., about 50 miles south of Chicago.

 

Sprint's extensive Network Vision upgrade will deploy LTE using the company's 1900 MHz spectrum. The company plans to have 250 million to 277 million POPs covered with LTE by the end of 2013. Sprint also plans to launch at least 12 LTE devices this year.

 

Hesse added that Sprint has enough spectrum for its Network Vision plans through 2014. The company also envisions using Clearwire's (

NASDAQ:CLWR) TDD-LTE buildout to augment its own FDD-LTE network, which means it will have enough spectrum through 2016 or 2017.

 

Last year Sprint agreed to pay Clearwire up to an additional $350 million in a series of pre-payments over a period of up to two years for LTE capacity if Clearwire achieves certain buildout targets and network specifications by June 2013.

[S4GRU]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 6 January 2012

 

I'm more interested in finding out what the other six markets are!

[MacinJosh]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 6 January 2012

 

So am I! I hope that those other markets will be detailed at CES this next week.

[Guest Jail-RN]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 7 January 2012

 

So what is going to happen to those of us that just bought a new phone and have no WiMax service? Are they going to keep charging us for the upgraded service $10 per phone per month that we cannot use?

[S4GRU]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 7 January 2012

 

@Jail-RN...I responded to your question in another post.

[ductape11]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 7 January 2012

 

The answer is most likely yes. They changed the name of that fee to a "premium data fee". It is supposed to be for smartphones that will use a lot of data. Although it has basically been billed a 4g fee. So yes they will continue to charge ypu but they have already committed to supporting their current wimax deployment through 2013 i believe so if you do end up spending time in a wimax market try it out. Get you moneys worth :-)

[legion125]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 7 January 2012

 

Nothing to worry about if you've already dropped some coin on a WiMAX phone, it will be supported until 2015 per Sprint/Clearwires current contract, so it actually works out well to have your contract end in 2014. All the network bugs s/b worked out and the chip sets will have all the allocated frequencies by then.

[S4GRU]

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 7 January 2012

 

I'm sure us folks who are early LTE adopters are going to have a bumpy ride. So there is a lot of benefit in waiting. But it's a ride I'm more than willing to take. It's part of the adventure in being a wireless geek.

[legion125]

With KC & Baltimore announced today, only four more to go. The east, south and midwest have been identified so far. I wonder if there will be any representation on the west coast for this summer?

[S4GRU]

Furthermore, all have been Ericsson cities, except for Baltimore (which is A/L). So there must be several more A/L and Samsung cities to be announced for NV/LTE deployment for 1st half of 2012. I think we must have heard all the Ericsson cities by now.

 

I think Sprint is trying to play the, under promise, over deliver card.

 

 

[legion125]

Looking at the map, besides Chicago, I thing Samsung will either hit the NW or upper Mid-West (Wisconson/Minnisota) next and A/L will have to have a SoCal city in the mix. Someone in either of those areas will be in the final four. I think Ericsson has filled its quota for the initial rollout.

[S4GRU]

I think I said this in another thread, but Ericsson will likely have more cities than the other NV partners in the first round. They have been managing Sprint's network for a few years now and know the ins and out of their customer very well now. They also were a big part of the planning of NV early on. So my guess is Ericsson will have double the cities in the first round.

 

However, by the second half of the year, I bet Samsung and A/L get up to speed really quickly and meet Ericsson deployment speeds. In a lot of ways, this going to be a competition. It was a very good move to have three firms handling deployment. Breaking it into 4, would have been even better. But I don't think Sprint could handle Network Vision being deployed any faster than it already is. It would be a major cash flow crunch and very difficult to fund.

[legion125]

Your probably correct on the Ericsson scenario. It just looks better I suppose if you had more areas showing activity than just one region, but eitherway, it does show that progress is being made.

[Matthias]

S4GRU, you have spoken with me about central Illinois which according to your map is Samsung, also with kankakee Illinois being the first official test site being in northern Illinois, it seems like Samsung must being doing fairly well.

[Duffman]

I think Sprint is trying to play the, under promise, over deliver card.

 

Always the best policy.

[S4GRU]

S4GRU, you have spoken with me about central Illinois which according to your map is Samsung, also with kankakee Illinois being the first official test site being in northern Illinois, it seems like Samsung must being doing fairly well.

 

I have no criticisms of Samsung. One of their first markets, Chicago, has over a thousand sites. That is a big chunk to chew on right out the gate. I think that Samsung is getting off to a slightly slower start in completing markets. But I have no complaints. They are going to do just fine.

 

Of all the NV Contractors, I'm most concerned about A/L. They are running into some financial problems and some tight cash flows. I think they will still meet their contract, but I'm watching carefully. A few more really bad quarter like the last one could be an issue.

[Sgt. Slaughter]

I have no criticisms of Samsung. One of their first markets, Chicago, has over a thousand sites. That is a big chunk to chew on right out the gate. I think that Samsung is getting off to a slightly slower start in completing markets. But I have no complaints. They are going to do just fine. Of all the NV Contractors, I'm most concerned about A/L. They are running into some financial problems and some tight cash flows. I think they will still meet their contract, but I'm watching carefully. A few more really bad quarter like the last one could be an issue.

 

Yeaaaaaaaaa for the one doing my state. lol

[Matthias]

The under promise, over deliver policy might allow some LTE sites/cities to go live in April/May from Ericsson and Samsung getting some of their sites deployed in the middle of the year since they are a little behind (al is pure conjecture, I have no actual source to back up this optimistic comment)

[S4GRU]

The under promise, over deliver policy might allow some LTE sites/cities to go live in April/May from Ericsson and Samsung getting some of their sites deployed in the middle of the year since they are a little behind (al is pure conjecture, I have no actual source to back up this optimistic comment)

 

I have a source now. I just needs to sift through the data and figure it all out. But I think I'm going to be able to announce the next few Samsung and A/L cities later in the week.

[Matthias]

I have a source now. I just needs to sift through the data and figure it all out. But I think I'm going to be able to announce the next few Samsung and A/L cities later in the week.

 

Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to like your post, otherwise I would :-)

 

I hope Peoria, IL is one of them, or at least get it by the end of the year

[S4GRU]

 

 

Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to like your post, otherwise I would :-)

 

I hope Peoria, IL is one of them, or at least get it by the end of the year

 

You will know all the details that I can release soon enough.

 

How are you using S4GRU? The like feature works on the mobile site and Forum Runner. But it doesn't work on Tapatalk.

[MacinJosh]

Actually, it's not working on the website. And it seems to be affecting just your posts as the admin.

[Duffman]

 

I have a source now. I just needs to sift through the data and figure it all out. But I think I'm going to be able to announce the next few Samsung and A/L cities later in the week.

 

Interesting. I have always thought it was funny that I learned things about Sprint on other sites before they officially told me.

[S4GRU]

Actually' date=' it's not working on the website. And it seems to be affecting just your posts as the admin.[/quote']

 

I think I remember a setting now where members can't like Administrator posts. I'll need to go look when I get home. I'm currently out to dinner with my wife.

 

I love the new mobile capabilities of the site. I can now sign in and check things when she runs off to powder her nose.

 

S4GRU is now mobile...posted via Forum Runner

[Sgt. Slaughter]

I have a source now. I just needs to sift through the data and figure it all out. But I think I'm going to be able to announce the next few Samsung and A/L cities later in the week.

 

 

If I had to take a guess Charlotte,NC and Richmond, VA would be in the first round. Would love for it to be Raleigh but just dont see that happening...