Jump to content

Network Vision/LTE - Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands Market


Gab2012

Recommended Posts

That doesn't seem like such a bad thing at all. Expanded service in Puerto Rico and more towers in more places would be great. The only thing is that Verizon roams on Open Mobile in Puerto Rico so would Sprint be forced to honor that roaming agreement?

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi guys.. i just received this info... any insights, pros and cons...

 

https://www.tecnetico.com/negocios/a-ley-de-nada-para-que-sprint-compre-a-open-mobile-segun-reporte/65205

 

 

That doesn't seem like such a bad thing at all. Expanded service in Puerto Rico and more towers in more places would be great. The only thing is that Verizon roams on Open Mobile in Puerto Rico so would Sprint be forced to honor that roaming agreement?

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

If I am reading this right (I do not speak fluent Spanish) this seems like a good thing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't wait for Verizon to pay Sprint for roaming. Hopefully they can charge them a ridiculous rate since Verizon really doesn't have another option in PR

 

edit: i guess they technically can roam on a GSM carrier like they do in other countries. Same as sprint does

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If this comes to fruition I can already imagine the usual suspects around the Internet complaining about Sprint spending money on Puerto Rico as if the customers' money there isn't just as green.

One interesting thing is that Open Mobile appears to use Band 13 LTE there. That's probably not an issue for those with LTE iPhones, Google Pixel phones and the like. However, I wonder if Sprint would mandate band 13 in all phones going forward. That's kind of a big deal just to have 700 Mhz coverage in Puerto Rico and the USVI, however I wonder if that might dovetail with possible Verizon LTE roaming in the future.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If this comes to fruition I can already imagine the usual suspects around the Internet complaining about Sprint spending money on Puerto Rico as if the customers' money there isn't just as green.

 

One interesting thing is that Open Mobile appears to use Band 13 LTE there. That's probably not an issue for those with LTE iPhones, Google Pixel phones and the like. However, I wonder if Sprint would mandate band 13 in all phones going forward. That's kind of a big deal just to have 700 Mhz coverage in Puerto Rico and the USVI, however I wonder if that might dovetail with possible Verizon LTE roaming in the future.

They could decommission Band 13 and sell or trade it to t-mobile or AT&T or a local carrier for more PCS band. My understanding is that Open Mobile uses PCS for CDMA. Sprint can consolidate all of there PCS and have 1x and 3G in 5x5 and have up to 20x20 of PCS LTE depending on how much spectrum they have. They might have to spilt it into multiple carriers but it would really improve the network. I would assume Open Mobiles equipment is compatible with Sprint CDMA and is at least some of it is compatible with Sprint 1900LTE. IMO Sprint still should have bought the 800 SMR in that auction few month back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

They could decommission Band 13 and sell or trade it to t-mobile or AT&T or a local carrier for more PCS band. My understanding is that Open Mobile uses PCS for CDMA. Sprint can consolidate all of there PCS and have 1x and 3G in 5x5 and have up to 20x20 of PCS LTE depending on how much spectrum they have. They might have to spilt it into multiple carriers but it would really improve the network. I would assume Open Mobiles equipment is compatible with Sprint CDMA and is at least some of it is compatible with Sprint 1900LTE. IMO Sprint still should have bought the 800 SMR in that auction few month back.

Like Sprint, neither t-mobile not AT&T use Band 13 anywhere else so why would they be interested? If Sprint elected to sell or trade it, the only logical partner would seem to be Verizon. AFAIK Verizon doesn't own any other spectrum there so who knows if they would want to enter that market at all, let alone armed with only a 10x10 (12x12?) slice of Band 13 spectrum.

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like Sprint, neither t-mobile not AT&T use Band 13 anywhere else so why would they be interested? If Sprint elected to sell or trade it, the only logical partner would seem to be Verizon. AFAIK Verizon doesn't own any other spectrum there so who knows if they would want to enter that market at all, let alone armed with only a 10x10 (12x12?) slice of Band 13 spectrum.

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

I thought Band 13 was a subset of Band 17 which is a subset of Band 12

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like Sprint, neither t-mobile not AT&T use Band 13 anywhere else so why would they be interested? If Sprint elected to sell or trade it, the only logical partner would seem to be Verizon. AFAIK Verizon doesn't own any other spectrum there so who knows if they would want to enter that market at all, let alone armed with only a 10x10 (12x12?) slice of Band 13 spectrum.

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

VZW is not allowed to have a native network in Puerto Rico.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They could decommission Band 13 and sell or trade it to t-mobile or AT&T or a local carrier for more PCS band. My understanding is that Open Mobile uses PCS for CDMA. Sprint can consolidate all of there PCS and have 1x and 3G in 5x5 and have up to 20x20 of PCS LTE depending on how much spectrum they have. They might have to spilt it into multiple carriers but it would really improve the network. I would assume Open Mobiles equipment is compatible with Sprint CDMA and is at least some of it is compatible with Sprint 1900LTE. IMO Sprint still should have bought the 800 SMR in that auction few month back.

If Sprint trades away the 700mhz they will acquire, I do not believe they will have any lowband spectrum in Puerto Rico. I don't think that's something they want.

 

Additionally, mandating B13 support on phones going forward would be a good move on Sprint's part because when VZW sunsets their CDMA network in 2019, phones will have been ready for VZW LTE roaming for years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought Band 13 was a subset of Band 17 which is a subset of Band 12

Nope. Band 13 is it's own animal. There's a chart on this page: http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/cellulartelecomms/lte-long-term-evolution/lte-frequency-spectrum.php

VZW is not allowed to have a native network in Puerto Rico.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Oh really? I never knew that. I suppose that would explain why they're the only major carrier that doesn't have a network there.

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IIRC Sprint's position is that the current 800 Mhz license holder is a squatter that never met the buildout requirements set by the FCC. Thus Sprint isn't going to pay them for spectrum that arguably should revert back to the FCC. Also, I don't think there was much interest in purchasing the spectrum since it has limited uses besides Sprint, so who else was going to buy it. Not sure what would happen at that point. I may be thinking of a different license holder though. AJ, want to jump in here?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thats the reason to buy  openmobile  low band 700mhz better than 800mhz smr.. 

 

 

I'm doubtful Sprint would use the Band 13 there. It might be of more use to AT&T than Sprint. Also 700MHz is not that much better than 800MHz. Probably a 3dbm difference at most.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm doubtful Sprint would use the Band 13 there. It might be of more use to AT&T than Sprint. Also 700MHz is not that much better than 800MHz. Probably a 3dbm difference at most.

AT&T devices generally support B12/17, not B13. The only user of B13 in the US is VZW and they do not operate a network in PR. Since Sprint will be buying a network on which B13 is already deployed and rolled out, I see no reason to sell the licenses…plus B13 support will be necessary for Sprint phones in the coming years (VZW plans to shut down its CDMA network in 2019).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If this is true I really hope they keep that B13. I am not sure but I checked someones phone who uses Open and it was on 10x10. Another thing is that I know a lot of people that visit here and use Verizon and they always complain about data speed since it's 3g only. Now Sprint can charge Verizon for that LTE and satisfy their customers. Sprint really needs lowband here.

 

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

…plus B13 support will be necessary for Sprint phones in the coming years (VZW plans to shut down its CDMA network in 2019).

It won't be necessary. Just because Sprint roams on Verizon today doesn't mean it has to in the future. With VoLTE, there is nothing tying Sprint to Verizon anymire. Sprint should be able to shop around for cheaper rates with At&t, T-Mobile and other regional carriers with VoLTE
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I couldn't find a coverage map on Openmobile's website. Do they provide coverage in the interior portion of the island where Sprint does not?

 

The spectrum situation certainly looks much better for Sprint (in PR) with this purchase. If they where really aggressive and decided to run a minimal number of CDMA (2 probably) they could run two 10x10 Band 25 LTE carriers. Hopefully they keep the 700 MHz license as well, it would be beneficial for several reasons: The initial transition for existing Openmobile customers, the roaming revenue from Verizon customers visiting the Island, it provides another 10x10 LTE carrier for capacity, and it solves the low band problem that Sprint has in this market (although it would be unavailable to most (or all) of Sprint's current customers initially).

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I couldn't find a coverage map on Openmobile's website. Do they provide coverage in the interior portion of the island where Sprint does not?

 

 

Yes, they appear have coverage in the interior of the island, though some of it looks to be 3G.

 

http://www.openmobilepr.com/servicios/detalle/cobertura

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, they appear have coverage in the interior of the island, though some of it looks to be 3G.

 

http://www.openmobilepr.com/servicios/detalle/cobertura

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

Thanks, I took a few blind (I know almost no Spanish) stabs at links on their site but missed. I imagine those towers covering the interior could be upgraded as the networks are integrated.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am from the west coast of PR. I have Sprint with the iPhone 7 Plus. All works great except the internet speedt. The LTE is very but very slow at day time. With almost full bars I reach 0.20mbs. I cant use Youtube, FB, Nerflix stays loading forever. But I noticed that at midnight the data starts working again and I can use everything. I reach 20.00mb of speed but only at night. At day I have to toogle to 3G only to use the data a little better. All the west coast is having this problem.

post-61687-0-97069400-1486816955_thumb.png

Edited by hmendez787
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • large.unreadcontent.png.6ef00db54e758d06

  • gallery_1_23_9202.png

  • Posts

    • Since this is kind of the general chat thread, I have to share this humorous story (at least it is to me): Since around February/March of this year, my S22U has been an absolute pain to charge. USB-C cables would immediately fall out and it progressively got worse and worse until it often took me a number of minutes to get the angle of the cable juuuussst right to get charging to occur at all (not exaggerating). The connection was so weak that even walking heavily could cause the cable to disconnect. I tried cleaning out the port with a stable, a paperclip, etc. Some dust/lint/dirt came out but the connection didn't improve one bit. Needless to say, this was a MONSTER headache and had me hating this phone. I just didn't have the finances right now for a replacement.  Which brings us to the night before last. I am angry as hell because I had spent five minutes trying to get this phone to charge and failed. I am looking in the port and I notice it doesn't look right. The walls look rough and, using a staple, the back and walls feel REALLY rough and very hard. I get some lint/dust out with the staple and it improves charging in the sense I can get it to charge but it doesn't remove any of the hard stuff. It's late and it's charging, so that's enough for now. I decide it's time to see if that hard stuff is part of the connector or not. More aggressive methods are needed! I work in a biochem lab and we have a lot of different sizes of disposable needles available. So, yesterday morning, while in the lab I grab a few different sizes of needles between 26AWG and 31 AWG. When I got home, I got to work and start probing the connector with the 26 AWG and 31 AWG needle. The stuff feels extremely hard, almost like it was part of the connector, but a bit does break off. Under examination of the bit, it's almost sandy with dust/lint embedded in it. It's not part of the connector but instead some sort of rock-hard crap! That's when I remember that I had done some rock hounding at the end of last year and in January. This involved lots of digging in very sandy/dusty soils; soils which bare more than a passing resemblance to the crap in the connector. We have our answer, this debris is basically compacted/cemented rock dust. Over time, moisture in the area combined with the compression from inserting the USB-C connector had turned it into cement. I start going nuts chiseling away at it with the 26 AWG needle. After about 5-10 minutes of constant chiseling and scraping with the 26AWG and 31AWG needles, I see the first signs of metal at the back of the connector. So it is metal around the outsides! Another 5 minutes of work and I have scraped away pretty much all of the crap in the connector. A few finishing passes with the 31AWG needle, a blast of compressed air, and it is time to see if this helped any. I plug my regular USB-C cable and holy crap it clicks into place; it hasn't done that since February! I pick up the phone and the cable has actually latched! The connector works pretty much like it did over a year ago, it's almost like having a brand new phone!
    • That's odd, they are usually almost lock step with TMO. I forgot to mention this also includes the September Security Update.
    • 417.55 MB September security update just downloaded here for S24+ unlocked   Edit:  after Sept security update install, checked and found a 13MB GP System update as well.  Still showing August 1st there however. 
    • T-Mobile is selling the rest of the 3.45GHz spectrum to Columbia Capital.  
    • Still nothing for my AT&T and Visible phones.
  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...