Sprint schedules iDEN sunset for June 30, 2013

[WiWavelength]

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), May 29, 2012 - Sprint today announced plans to transition business and government customers from its iDEN (2G) Nextel National Network onto Sprint® Direct Connect® -- its next-generation, push to talk service, which operates on Sprint’s 3G CDMA network. Sprint also announced that it plans to cease service on the iDEN Nextel National Network as early as June 30, 2013 as part of its Network Vision plan -- a series of network updates designed to offer next generation network capabilities to customers.

 

http://newsroom.sprint.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=2296

 

AJ

[S4GRU]

http://newsroom.spri...article_id=2296

 

AJ

 

Thanks for the link. I was hoping they would go with January 1 or March 31. But I'll take it!

 

Robert

[MacinJosh]

 

Thanks for the link. I was hoping they would go with January 1 or March 31. But I'll take it!

 

Robert

 

I was just wondering when they would finally announce the iDEN sunset.

 

Sent from my LG Viper 4G LTE using Forum Runner

[lordsutch]

Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, good-bye!

[strung]

But they're still turning on 800 mHz service in available locations right? Such as the Chicago market?

[bigsnake49]

I haven't seen anybody with an IDEN handset in couple of years. I'm sure they exist .

[bigsnake49]

But they're still turning on 800 mHz service in available locations right? Such as the Chicago market?

 

CDMA 1x only I would think until June 30th, 2013. They also need to get chipsets with 800Mhz LTE on them, etc. They could have the hardware installed on the basestations installed earlier than that though just not turn them on until after that date.

[S4GRU]

But they're still turning on 800 mHz service in available locations right? Such as the Chicago market?

 

They are clearing enough iDEN channels to allow a CDMA 1xA Carrier to be placed on 800 Channel 476 now. There are 5 CDMA 800 sites in Chicago that Sprint has opened up to customers. S4GRU members have also found a few in Baltimore and LA markets.

 

Robert

[S4GRU]

CDMA 1x only I would think until June 30th, 2013. They also need to get chipsets with 800Mhz LTE on them, etc. They could have the hardware installed on the basestations installed earlier than that though just not turn them on until after that date.

 

The two 800 LTE FIT's will start this Fall. Devices that include 800 LTE support are currently scheduled to start hitting the market 2Q-2013, with 800 LTE sites currently scheduled to start coming online 2nd Half 2013. I think they will start deploying 800 LTE with NV deployments in progress after the successful conclusions of the FIT's.

 

Robert

[bigsnake49]

The two 800 LTE FIT's will start this Fall. Devices that include 800 LTE support are currently scheduled to start hitting the market 2Q-2013, with 800 LTE sites currently scheduled to start coming online 2nd Half 2013. I think they will start deploying 800 LTE with NV deployments in progress after the successful conclusions of the FIT's.

 

Robert

 

Yep, that's what I thought, second half of 2013 for 800MHz LTE. I'm very happy Sprint is actually executing. Their stock should pick up later on this year/beginning of 2013. I expect them to start looking for acquisitions as soon as the stock recovers.

[jefbal99]

Is there a list of sites that will get 800Mhz LTE and 1X Advanced? I remember reading that it is not 100% coverage, correct?

[S4GRU]

Is there a list of sites that will get 800Mhz LTE and 1X Advanced? I remember reading that it is not 100% coverage, correct?

 

There is no list, yet. However, almost all will get CDMA 800. Sprint is targeting 80% with LTE 800. Once I have a list, I will definitely report it.

 

Robert

[JeffDTD]

Pardon my candor, but all I have to say about this is BYE, B***H!

 

( apologies if this offends any lurking nextelians)

 

Jokes aside, I wish them the best with migrating the remaining customers over to cdma. Hope they can provide some small incentive to the boost iden customers as well. Is the DC feature going to show up on boost cdma devices?

[supert0nes]

There is no list, yet. However, almost all will get CDMA 800. Sprint is targeting 80% with LTE 800. Once I have a list, I will definitely report it.

 

Robert

 

Hopefully all rural areas! Looking for LTE 800 in northern MN for sure!

[Rawvega]

 

Yep, that's what I thought, second half of 2013 for 800MHz LTE. I'm very happy Sprint is actually executing. Their stock should pick up later on this year/beginning of 2013. I expect them to start looking for acquisitions as soon as the stock recovers.

 

I concur. I just wonder who the most likeliest suspects will be when that time comes...

 

Sent from my Mean Evo 3D using Tapatalk 2!

[bigsnake49]

I concur. I just wonder who the most likeliest suspects will be when that time comes...

 

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The usual suspects, Leap and Metro. I would throw in CellSouth. I'm almost certain that the FCC and DOJ would like to have 4 nationwide providers so T-Mobile is out.

[Rickie546]

Hopefully all rural areas! Looking for LTE 800 in northern MN for sure!

 

If you live to close to the border of Canada, they won't be able to do much with LTE 800mhz there.

[supert0nes]

Good point, but my cabin isn't that far north thank goodness.

[Rawvega]

The usual suspects, Leap and Metro. I would throw in CellSouth. I'm almost certain that the FCC and DOJ would like to have 4 nationwide providers so T-Mobile is out.

 

Despite Deutsche Telekom's assurances to the contrary, I still think that they may be a player for MetroPCS and at&t may very well gobble up Leap; both before Sprint is in a position to make a move. C-Spire (nee CellSouth) makes sense IMO and if USCC and/or ATNI both continue their downward spirals, they may both be looking for a way out too.

[bigsnake49]

Despite Deutsche Telekom's assurances to the contrary, I still think that they may be a player for MetroPCS and at&t may very well gobble up Leap; both before Sprint is in a position to make a move. C-Spire (nee CellSouth) makes sense IMO and if USCC and/or ATNI both continue their downward spirals, they may both be looking for a way out too.

 

T-Mobile will definitely be a player for Metro. I don't think that AT&T will be a player for anything but Verizon's 700MHz A&B and AWS divestments. Cspire Wireless definitely will be in play and so will USCC. USCC might go to one of the big two.

[BenChase7]

Looks like Sprint already got rid of all the Nextel/iDEN phones from their website. At least I don't see any for sale.

[ericdabbs]

Does Sprint Direct Connect work over 1x yet or does it still work over 3G only? I think the adoption of Sprint Direct Connect would be much faster if it works over 1x.

 

I would hate to see Sprint lose a lot of Nextel customers especially if they are in areas where there is a weak 3G EVDO connections.

[S4GRU]

Does Sprint Direct Connect work over 1x yet or does it still work over 3G only? I think the adoption of Sprint Direct Connect would be much faster if it works over 1x.

 

I would hate to see Sprint lose a lot of Nextel customers especially if they are in areas where there is a weak 3G EVDO connections.

 

Sprint Direct Connect was supposed to be available on EVDO Roaming in Spring 2012 and over Native 1x by Mid 2012. However, I have not seen anything on these two things for awhile now.

 

Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

[bigsnake49]

Hearing some rumors that Cricket is short on cash and will not be able to make its roaming payment to Sprint. Is that an added impetus for Sprint to put them out of their misery?

[ericdabbs]

Hearing some rumors that Cricket is short on cash and will not be able to make its roaming payment to Sprint. Is that an added impetus for Sprint to put them out of their misery?

 

where did you hear that from?