TMo and VZW agree on spectrum swap if cable deal is approved

[marioc21]

Here are the details:

 

http://allthingsd.com/20120625/verizon-and-t-mobile-to-swap-some-spectrum-if-cable-deal-goes-through/?reflink=ATD_yahoo_ticker

 

Official Press Release:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/verizon-wireless-t-mobile-usa-130000552.html

 

One thing not clear is if this AWS spectrum is the same as what VZW had said they would divest in order to gain approval.

[JeffDTD]

Will verizon offer its other opponents anything? Hmmm

[ChadBroChillz]

Supposedly the deal includes some spectrumco spectrum and leap spectrum

 

I do not remember Verizon saying they would sell their aws originally. I believe originally they said they would sell their lower 700mhz spectrum.

[jefbal99]

Will verizon offer its other opponents anything? Hmmm

 

Not unless they are getting something useful in return, IE better spectrum or cash.

 

I take it the suggested partnership between Sprint and Tmobile that was suggested here will never happen now...

 

I disagree with the suggestion in one of the articles that a "spectrum swap market" is needed. All that will do is raise the spectrum prices as squatters will get licenses and hold them for ransom to the actual wireless providers that need to utilize it. This is a space where strict regulations are needed.

[JeffDTD]

I surely hope the FCC will consider the merit, if any, provided by tmobiles case against the spectrum swap in their own concerns.

 

Id ideally like to see some roaming mandates placed on aws spectrum as a whole, as it seems a great deal of lte will be deployed with it and it will offer higher capacity with density

[iansltx]

I surely hope the FCC will consider the merit, if any, provided by tmobiles case against the spectrum swap in their own concerns.

 

Id ideally like to see some roaming mandates placed on aws spectrum as a whole, as it seems a great deal of lte will be deployed with it and it will offer higher capacity with density

 

I too hope that AWS LTE roaming will happen. There's nothing technically preventing it...everyone will be deploying LTE-FD there.

[alphnasx]

consumers are the biggest losers. vzw is the biggest winner. wireless prices does not decrease. look wat vzw is doing to old grandfather subs. forcing everyone to new higher rates for less. cableco get to sell vzw wireless services, but it takes time & money to acquire wireless subs & cableco cableTV subs prolly all ready have a wireless carrier. vzw sale rep get to sell cableco cable tv services. like these vzw sales rep knows anything abt cable TV. haha lol (SORRY)

 

how many wireless subs will cableco get (not much)

 

 

CableCo & VZW should just sign a wholesale agreeement. have CableCo sell their spectrum to every else except for AT&T & VZW

Edited June 25, 2012 by alphnasx

[supert0nes]

T-Mobile might get more consideration from me now. Not really, but it's good to have a backup. They just keep adding in Minneapolis and it looks like they are gaining in Southern Wisconsin too. They needed the spectrum in Milwaukee very much. This is great news for competition around here.

 

I hope to see how this changes their spectrum position soon. First I gotta dig up those articles by AJ.

[Bob Newhart]

T-Mobile (and all the other main cell companies) have tons of spectrum that they do not use.

 

They should be force to give it up to the smaller regional companies.

[ericdabbs]

What the FCC should really do is reduce the build out requirements dramatically to the point where basically once a wireless carrier obtains the spectrum licenses they have to deploy immediately or have to give it up. This will deter the amount of spectrum hoarding by wireless carriers.

[supert0nes]

Isn't T-Mobile deploying LTE to every last bit of spectrum they have?

[JeffDTD]

I have a nasty feeling that this little trick will win Verizon approval on the SpectrumCo purchase as the FCC will see some increased competition from the little guy.

 

We can only hope for roaming and more strict buildout requirements (as stated), but I'm afraid we won't get that either.

 

Many of those cable companies (Comcast being my kicking stand) already have inflated their pricing in markets that have no ISP or cable competition. For markets where Verizon isn't as popular, it will be a piece of cake for them to strategically cross sell and undercut other wireless competition . If a customer stays with a carrier thats not Verizon due to $15-$20 monthly savings, offering to discount their cable @ $79 or their ISP @ $59 a month by $20 may just be the straw that brings them over to Verizon.

 

I just don't like putting so much spectrum in Verizon's hands without excising some control of how they 1)build it 2)price it and 3)allow roaming on it.

[supert0nes]

This could help lessen interest from both Verizon and T-Mobile in the PCS H spectrum auction

[4GHoward]

When will Verizon Wireless do a network modernization project like Sprint and T-Mobile?

[tybo31316]

When will Verizon Wireless do a network modernization project like Sprint and T-Mobile?

 

I doubt that Verizon will modernize their network since their goal is to get everyone on lte as fast as possible.

[supert0nes]

They have to do some sort of modernization to take advantage of all this new AWS Spectrum and they have to do some sort of hardware upgrade to go from LTE Release 8 to LTE greater than or equal to Release 10 for LTE-A. Knowing these two things, I think they'll start a tower retrofit program, ver similar to Sprint's relatively shortly.

[jefbal99]

This could help lessen interest from both Verizon and T-Mobile in the PCS H spectrum auction

 

That might be the only positive out of this deal. If Sprint can get another 10mhz nationwide block, then they should be all set.

 

Sent from my CM9 Transformer TF101 using Forum Runner

[sd2649]

Anyone see this?

 

http://www.androidguys.com/2012/06/25/t-mobile-and-verizon-ink-spectrum-deal/

 

 

[WiWavelength]

I have created a new blog. The first post details some of the ramifications of the VZW-T-Mobile spectrum swap and includes a top 20 market AWS spectrum chart.

 

http://www.wiwavelength.com/2012/06/contiguity.html

 

Just FYI, starting my own wireless focused blog is something that I have neglected to do for far too long. Rest assured, I will continue to write for S4GRU. My blog will be an outlet for more general, less Sprint specific wireless articles.

 

AJ

[pyroscott]

I have created a new blog. The first post details some of the ramifications of the VZW-T-Mobile spectrum swap and includes a top 20 market AWS spectrum chart.

 

http://www.wiwavelen...contiguity.html

 

Just FYI, starting my own wireless focused blog is something that I have neglected to do for far too long. Rest assured, I will continue to write for S4GRU. My blog will be an outlet for more general, less Sprint specific wireless articles.

 

AJ

 

As if I didn't have enough to read on this site... LOL. Congrats!

[supert0nes]

Thanks WiWavelength and congrats!

 

I have more than a few thoughts on this.

 

Holy crap, those companies, especially VZW are sitting quite pretty now. Could it be that spectrum is finally going to be efficiently aligned among the carriers?!? On a side note, I really hope that USCellular picks up the 700MHz A Block, and moves into Minnesota (selfish).

 

I'm also interested to see how the Wisconsin market is affected as T-Mobile has such a small presence here and I saw it mentioned in the press release.

 

Does VZW have any phones with AWS LTE radios currently?

 

Now I truly believe that H spectrum should be handed to Sprint at a cheap cost

[WiWavelength]

On a side note, I really hope that USCellular picks up the 700MHz A Block, and moves into Minnesota (selfish).

 

Look for USCC to acquire Lower 700 MHz A block spectrum only as overlay where it has current CDMA2000 operations. So, that probably rules out Minnesota, unfortunately.

 

I'm also interested to see how the Wisconsin market is affected as T-Mobile such a small presence here and I saw it mentioned in the press release.

 

Milwaukee is a real problem market. T-Mobile holds only 20 MHz of PCS and 10 MHz of AWS. That is insufficient spectrum for T-Mobile to maintain its current operations and launch LTE. And T-Mobile has been unable to acquire additional spectrum for Milwaukee in previous spectrum transactions. So, this swap with VZW is crucial, as T-Mobile will net gain another 10 MHz of AWS -- not a lot of added bandwidth, but just some breathing room.

 

Does VZW have any phones with AWS LTE radios currently?

 

No, VZW offers no LTE devices that are overtly AWS capable.

 

AJ

[supert0nes]

Thanks! This all pretty much agrees with what I was thinking. Looks like it's really hard (impossible) to move into new markets for a regional company like USCC.

 

Verizon phones will be as complicated as Sprint phones soon.

 

700, 850, 1700, 1900 am I missing anything?

[tybo31316]

Seems to me that att wants the 700 spectrum and t mobile wants to swap aws with Verizon in some markets and Verizon wants spectrum Co spectrum. Seems like everyone wins except sprint. I understand that the h block still be opening up but who knows when that will be. If the deal plays out that way I said above do you think that sprint will acquire clear wire sooner than later?

[4GHoward]

Seems to me that att wants the 700 spectrum and t mobile wants to swap aws with Verizon in some markets and Verizon wants spectrum Co spectrum. Seems like everyone wins except sprint. I understand that the h block still be opening up but who knows when that will be. If the deal plays out that way I said above do you think that sprint will acquire clear wire sooner than later?

 

Sprint already wins with Clearwire because Clearwire has an abundance of spectrum.