10x10mhz or 20x20mhz on sprints 1900mhz spectrum in the future?

[Steven800]

So my question is in the future is it going to be possible to for sprint to make LTE on their 1900mhz spectrum when of course everyone switches from 3g devices to 4g LTE devices and have a lot of spectrum left after their evdo carriers are getting hammered anymore?

[WiWavelength]

Sprint is currently deploying 5 MHz x 5 MHz LTE in its PCS G block, which is a 10 MHz extension of the PCS 1900 MHz band. So, Sprint will have LTE 1900 from the beginning. Within the next year, Sprint plans to deploy some additional 5 MHz x 5 MHz LTE carriers in its traditional PCS A-F block spectrum in selected high traffic areas of selected markets. But Sprint will not likely deploy any 10 MHz x 10 MHz LTE carriers anytime in the foreseeable future. And, with its current spectrum holdings, Sprint will never be able to deploy 20 MHz x 20 MHz LTE, as Sprint does not have 40 MHz of contiguous spectrum in any market.

 

AJ

[bigsnake49]

Sprint is currently deploying 5 MHz x 5 MHz LTE in its PCS G block, which is a 10 MHz extension of the PCS 1900 MHz band. So, Sprint will have LTE 1900 from the beginning. Within the next year, Sprint plans to deploy some additional 5 MHz x 5 MHz LTE carriers in its traditional PCS A-F block spectrum in selected high traffic areas of selected markets. But Sprint will not likely deploy any 10 MHz x 10 MHz LTE carriers anytime in the foreseeable future. And, with its current spectrum holdings, Sprint will never be able to deploy 20 MHz x 20 MHz LTE, as Sprint does not have 40 MHz of contiguous spectrum in any market.

 

AJ

 

Time for some spectrum swaps:).

[ericdabbs]

Time for some spectrum swaps:).

 

They don't have any spectrum to swap. What spectrum could Sprint possibly trade? Sprint needs to acquire the 'H' block and just continue to build on the PCS band. That should be the path forward but we'll have to see what Sprint is going to do.

 

The problem right now is that in some Sprint markets they don't even have 20 MHz of PCS spectrum if you don't count the 'G' block. Acquiring more PCS spectrum should be their number one priority.

[bigsnake49]

They don't have any spectrum to swap. What spectrum could Sprint possibly trade? Sprint needs to acquire the 'H' block and just continue to build on the PCS band. That should be the path forward but we'll have to see what Sprint is going to do.

 

The problem right now is that in some Sprint markets they don't even have 20 MHz of PCS spectrum if you don't count the 'G' block. Acquiring more PCS spectrum should be their number one priority.

 

Believe it or not, in some markets, Sprint has 30MHz without counting the PCS G block. With the PCS G block they have 40MHz. If they can swap spectrum in some of their markets where they have multiple non-contiguous 10Mhz blocks they can have 10x10MHz blocks or even 15x15

[4GHoward]

Would MetroPCS or Cricket been a good idea?

[Steven800]

Oh my bad I thought I heard some where that sprint had 40mhz of pcs 1900mhz in some markets total

[WiWavelength]

Sprint needs to acquire the 'H' block and just continue to build on the PCS band.

 

I know that I have changed my tune on the matter, but the PCS/AWS-2 H block is not that strategically important to Sprint. That it is contiguous with Sprint's PCS G block is almost inconsequential because 1) the H block will require yet another band class and 2) Sprint cannot deploy 10 MHz x 10 MHz LTE in a hypothetical G+H block combo while many of its current LTE devices support only 5 MHz x 5 MHz LTE.

 

AJ

[WiWavelength]

Oh my bad I thought I heard some where that sprint had 40mhz of pcs 1900mhz in some markets total

 

In many markets, Sprint does hold a PCS A/B block 30 MHz license plus the PCS G block 10 MHz license for a PCS total of 40 MHz. But that 40 MHz is not contiguous, so it is not usable for 20 MHz x 20 MHz LTE.

 

AJ

[ericdabbs]

Believe it or not, in some markets, Sprint has 30MHz without counting the PCS G block. With the PCS G block they have 40MHz. If they can swap spectrum in some of their markets where they have multiple non-contiguous 10Mhz blocks they can have 10x10MHz blocks or even 15x15

 

Forget the G block for a second. I know Sprint has 30 MHz without the G block in some markets like LA, San Diego, NYC, Washington DC, Dallas etc but those cities actually need the 30 MHz spectrum because they are high population areas. They are still a lot of major cities like Chicago, Bay Area (SF and SJ), Atlanta, Houston, etc that only have 20 MHz of PCS spectrum which is clearly not enough. The mentality for Sprint shouldn't be a zero sum game where Sprint should be trading 10 MHz of spectrum in its 30 MHz markets thereby depleting those markets to 20 MHz while the 20 MHz markets now gain 10 MHz through spectrum swap putting them at 30 MHz. This solution doesn't solve anything because it only fixes one problem but breaks another because now those former 30 MHz markets like LA, NYC, San Diego, etc are now stuck with 20 MHz which need more spectrum since they are high population cities.

 

The true fix is if Sprint can not get the nationwide licenses for the 'H' block then the priority should be that the major markets who currently have only 20 MHz of PCS spectrum that those 10 MHz H block licenses be bought up to now put those 20 MHz markets with 30 MHz of spectrum. Remember I am discounting the 10 MHz G block nationwide for now because we are talking about future expansion not what Sprint is already deploying for LTE.

[bigsnake49]

Forget the G block for a second. I know Sprint has 30 MHz without the G block in some markets like LA, San Diego, NYC, Washington DC, Dallas etc but those cities actually need the 30 MHz spectrum because they are high population areas. They are still a lot of major cities like Chicago, Bay Area (SF and SJ), Atlanta, Houston, etc that only have 20 MHz of PCS spectrum which is clearly not enough. The mentality for Sprint shouldn't be a zero sum game where Sprint should be trading 10 MHz of spectrum in its 30 MHz markets thereby depleting those markets to 20 MHz while the 20 MHz markets now gain 10 MHz through spectrum swap putting them at 30 MHz. This solution doesn't solve anything because it only fixes one problem but breaks another because now those former 30 MHz markets like LA, NYC, San Diego, etc are now stuck with 20 MHz which need more spectrum since they are high population cities.

 

The true fix is if Sprint can not get the nationwide licenses for the 'H' block then the priority should be that the major markets who currently have only 20 MHz of PCS spectrum that those 10 MHz H block licenses be bought up to now put those 20 MHz markets with 30 MHz of spectrum. Remember I am discounting the 10 MHz G block nationwide for now because we are talking about future expansion not what Sprint is already deploying for LTE.

I don't mean spectrum swaps between areas. I mean spectrum swaps within areas to get Sprint's holdings adjacent to their PCS G block and avoid guard bands and separate pre-amps and filters on the handsets.

[Deval]

I don't mean spectrum swaps between areas. I mean spectrum swaps within areas to get Sprint's holdings adjacent to their PCS G block and avoid guard bands and separate pre-amps and filters on the handsets.

 

But what would they swap? and with who?

[bigsnake49]

But what would they swap? and with who?

 

PCS spectrum with PCS spectrum, probably with MetroPCS, Leap Wireless, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Did I leave anybody out?

[WiWavelength]

I don't mean spectrum swaps between areas. I mean spectrum swaps within areas to get Sprint's holdings adjacent to their PCS G block and avoid guard bands and separate pre-amps and filters on the handsets.

 

Not gonna happen. Sprint's PCS A/B block 30 MHz licenses and G block 10 MHz licenses are basically at opposite ends of the PCS band, which follows this band plan: A block 30 MHz, D block 10 MHz, B block 30 MHz, E block 10 MHz, F block 10 MHz, C block 30 MHz, G block 10 MHz.

 

Sprint's PCS G block licenses are directly adjacent to only the C block 30 MHz licenses. However, nearly all C block licenses have been disaggregated into C1/2 block 15 MHz licenses or C3/4/5 block 10 MHz licenses because C block licensees (most notably, NextWave) defaulted on their payments and returned half/whole of their C block licenses to the FCC.

 

In short, the C block licenses are spread among so many different licensees (including Sprint itself in a few markets) that Sprint will not likely be able to swap and cobble together any great mass of C block spectrum.

 

AJ

[fubka]

How much spectrum does / will Sprint have on the 800mhz block? Will they be stuck with 5x5 there too? While we are at it, how about the 2.5Ghz block too?

[ericdabbs]

How much spectrum does / will Sprint have on the 800mhz block? Will they be stuck with 5x5 there too? While we are at it, how about the 2.5Ghz block too?

 

Sprint will have about 14 MHz of 800 MHz spectrum which is good for up to a 5x5 LTE carrier and a CDMA carrier. When Sprint pulls those 2 things off especially 800 MHz LTE for building penetration to compete with Verizon and AT&T.

[bigsnake49]

Not gonna happen. Sprint's PCS A/B block 30 MHz licenses and G block 10 MHz licenses are basically at opposite ends of the PCS band, which follows this band plan: A block 30 MHz, D block 10 MHz, B block 30 MHz, E block 10 MHz, F block 10 MHz, C block 30 MHz, G block 10 MHz.

 

Sprint's PCS G block licenses are directly adjacent to only the C block 30 MHz licenses. However, nearly all C block licenses have been disaggregated into C1/2 block 15 MHz licenses or C3/4/5 block 10 MHz licenses because C block licensees (most notably, NextWave) defaulted on their payments and returned half/whole of their C block licenses to the FCC.

 

In short, the C block licenses are spread among so many different licensees (including Sprint itself in a few markets) that Sprint will not likely be able to swap and cobble together any great mass of C block spectrum.

 

AJ

 

You had to spoil my dream didn't you? Yeah I was hoping they would swap with C block spectrum folks. I think Metro has a lot of those, so does Verizon, so does AT&T.