SouthernLINC Signs Nationwide GSM/UMTS Deal

[JeffDTD]

 

Interesting. I'm a little surprised and disappointed that the mighty Southern Company didn't just reach into their chump change jar and buy t-mobile altogether...

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

Careful... lol

[WiWavelength]

The Southern Company is the Chuck Norris of corporations.

 

AJ

[lordsutch]

I thought the whole issue with SLinc is that they want to keep the eSMR for their own PTT.

 

If they're planning on putting LTE on some of their ESMR, that can't be spectrum they need for their legacy, high-mast iDEN PTT. Ultimately the question is whether they see SLinc as an ongoing, separate business that needs a native broadband network to compete in the 21st century marketplace (which means a build-out of LTE on low-mast sites like a traditional cellular carrier, most likely) or a specialty PTT network they use internally and sell space on for other people that need that capability regionally but are content to leave broadband data at the whim of T-Mobile (which means weak coverage in most of the SLinc footprint outside the 100k+ cities).

 

If strategy B is the way forward, they can spare some spectrum to sell to Sprint, which Sprint can then use to deploy 1xA + 5x5 LTE like in the rest of the USA. If strategy A is the way forward, they'd better hope that Motorola Solutions wants to build iDEN + 3x3 LTE ESMR + W-CDMA AWS/1900 phones just for them.

[iansltx]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but SoLinc could probably reband away from the 7x7 SMR swath that Sprint holds 100% of in many places, right? They'd reduce capacity by doing so, but doesn't Sprint have interleaved SMR spectrum in the southeast anyway that they could swap over to SoLinc to soften the blow a bit? I'll bet Sprint would be willing to pay all of SoLinc's rebanding costs in order to get a full 5x5 LTE channel in SoLinc areas on SMR.

 

Now, decreasing capacity like this might pose a congestion issue. But if you're running dual-SIM phones that push everything other than voice and PTT off to HSPA, you don't have nearly the issue that Nextel had in the mid-2000s when Boost Mobile was king. It only takes 25KHz of spectrum in each direction to support three low-compression phone users or six PTT users, though frequency reuse on iDEN is a bit less than, say, CDMA 1x.

[bigsnake49]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but SoLinc could probably reband away from the 7x7 SMR swath that Sprint holds 100% of in many places, right? They'd reduce capacity by doing so, but doesn't Sprint have interleaved SMR spectrum in the southeast anyway that they could swap over to SoLinc to soften the blow a bit? I'll bet Sprint would be willing to pay all of SoLinc's rebanding costs in order to get a full 5x5 LTE channel in SoLinc areas on SMR.

 

Now, decreasing capacity like this might pose a congestion issue. But if you're running dual-SIM phones that push everything other than voice and PTT off to HSPA, you don't have nearly the issue that Nextel had in the mid-2000s when Boost Mobile was king. It only takes 25KHz of spectrum in each direction to support three low-compression phone users or six PTT users, though frequency reuse on iDEN is a bit less than, say, CDMA 1x.

 

Sprint can swap them 900MHz interleaved spectrum for 800MHz.

[jefbal99]

Sprint can swap them 900MHz interleaved spectrum for 800MHz.

 

Would their current devices/infrastructure support that 900MHz spectrum?

[WiWavelength]

Would their current devices/infrastructure support that 900MHz spectrum?

 

Some really old iDEN devices might not. But Nextel has always driven the iDEN bus, so iDEN 900 capability was incorporated in most/all devices starting in 2003.

 

Infrastructure is the better question. I would expect any iDEN equipment installed since 2003 likely supports dual band iDEN 800/900. Not to mention, Sprint is going to have a lot of dual band equipment to dispose of, so that "gently used" infrastructure could be part of any spectrum swap deal.

 

AJ

[supert0nes]

Yous guys are geniuses! We really need some capital and spectrum to start a wireless company!

[WiWavelength]

Now, decreasing capacity like this might pose a congestion issue. But if you're running dual-SIM phones that push everything other than voice and PTT off to HSPA, you don't have nearly the issue that Nextel had in the mid-2000s when Boost Mobile was king. It only takes 25KHz of spectrum in each direction to support three low-compression phone users or six PTT users, though frequency reuse on iDEN is a bit less than, say, CDMA 1x.

 

A slight clarification. One of those three full rate time slots is reserved for the PCCH. So, the first 25 kHz channel deployed has two full rate (or four half rate) time slots remaining. The next 25 kHz channel deployed has all time slots available.

 

AJ

[bigsnake49]

A slight clarification. One of those three full rate time slots is reserved for the PCCH. So, the first 25 kHz channel deployed has two full rate (or four half rate) time slots remaining. The next 25 kHz channel deployed has all time slots available.

 

AJ

 

To add some info to this comment, PCCH on Nextel has always been on 800Mhz. I don't know whether it can be set to 900Mhz or not.

[bigsnake49]

Yous guys are geniuses! We really need some capital and spectrum to start a wireless company!

 

I think we have the strategy and technology part down pat.

 

Getting back to the spectrum swap thread, there might be some butthurt feelings on Solinc's part. But, it would definitely be beneficial for both companies. Heck FCC could designate that band as utlility band.

[WiWavelength]

To add some info to this comment, PCCH on Nextel has always been on 800Mhz. I don't know whether it can be set to 900Mhz or not.

 

SouthernLINC's rebanded SMR 800 MHz spectrum extends down to 813.5 MHz x 858.5 MHz at the low end. The high end varies a bit from market to market but it reaches a max of 818 MHz x 863 MHz. Sprint really needs SouthernLINC to vacate only above 817 MHz x 862 MHz, maybe 816 MHz x 861 MHz. As such, SouthernLINC could deed a few megahertz to Sprint and still retain at least 2.5 MHz FDD of rebanded SMR 800 MHz bandwidth. Thus, SouthernLINC could easily keep PCCH on iDEN 800 with substantial additional capacity on iDEN 900.

 

AJ

[WiWavelength]

I think we have the strategy and technology part down pat.

 

Who you calling "Pat"?

 

 

AJ

[lynyrd65]

I think we have the strategy and technology part down pat.

 

Getting back to the spectrum swap thread, there might be some butthurt feelings on Solinc's part. But, it would definitely be beneficial for both companies. Heck FCC could designate that band as utlility band.

 

Not yet, that starts when someone who has the knowledge to design turnkey network infrastructure shows up. We need hardware cheap enough someone here actually could afford to begin production independently ala kickstarter using unlicensed spectrum where possible making a secure community grown small cell network like a wifi network but with hand-offs and centralized user authentication.

 

If the community small cell technology takes off and we earn enough money selling that hardware we could look into purchasing licensed spectrum to form a macro network. As a business model I would maintain access to the small network as a free service but charge for macro network access. As for licensed spectrum I would start with signing a spectrum sharing agreement with leap wireless to make use of their AWS spectrum which covers most of the US.

 

The technology would be the same protocol as the small cell network (something that wouldn't require licensing fee payment) but deployment would enable the use of much higher power sites. We could start deployment by adding sites to towers where empty rack space is already available for rent. If the company makes enough money we could buy out Leap wireless for its spectrum. The next spectrum opportunity I see could be purchasing unused 700mhz A-Block licenses that are no longer desired for use by regional companies who have chosen new paths for LTE deployment like C-Spire.

[Mobilesolutions]

Not yet, that starts when someone who has the knowledge to design turnkey network infrastructure shows up. We need hardware cheap enough someone here actually could afford to begin production independently ala kickstarter using unlicensed spectrum where possible making a secure community grown small cell network like a wifi network but with hand-offs and centralized user authentication.

 

If the community small cell technology takes off and we earn enough money selling that hardware we could look into purchasing licensed spectrum to form a macro network. As a business model I would maintain access to the small network as a free service but charge for macro network access. As for licensed spectrum I would start with signing a spectrum sharing agreement with leap wireless to make use of their AWS spectrum which covers most of the US.

 

The technology would be the same protocol as the small cell network (something that wouldn't require licensing fee payment) but deployment would enable the use of much higher power sites. We could start deployment by adding sites to towers where empty rack space is already available for rent. If the company makes enough money we could buy out Leap wireless for its spectrum. The next spectrum opportunity I see could be purchasing unused 700mhz A-Block licenses that are no longer desired for use by regional companies who have chosen new paths for LTE deployment like C-Spire.

 

 

I have been envisioning some community Wifi lately, would be an excellent use of tax dollars!

[lynyrd65]

I have been envisioning some community Wifi lately, would be an excellent use of tax dollars!

 

I was thinking more along the lines of a for profit business that sells just the hardware. By default users share their home connection as backhaul but there would be some sort of opt-out option.

[supert0nes]

 

I was thinking more along the lines of a for profit business that sells just the hardware. By default users share their home connection as backhaul but there would be some sort of opt-out option.

 

We would get sued faster than you can say magic jack

 

Sent from phone

[WiWavelength]

I have been envisioning some community Wifi lately, would be an excellent use of tax dollars!

 

What are you, a socialist? Broadband Internet deployment belongs to the "job creators."

 

AJ

[Fraydog]

Um, I think AJ was being sarcastic... I think...

[WiWavelength]

Um, I think AJ was being sarcastic... I think...

 

I probably should have used my customary winking smiley, but I thought my statement so inflammatory that it would be taken in jest as intended. However, anyone who knows me and my philosophy well understands that I believe broadband Internet and wireless service should be public works.

 

AJ

[lordsutch]

SouthernLINC Wireless introduces new Motorola device, high-speed data plans

 

A dual-SIM device running Android 2.3, at the low-low price of $199 (after $100 MIR). Capped-data nationwide plans starting at $85. All hail the great and powerful SouthernLINC.

[Conan Kudo]

That's great until T-Mobile shifts all of W-CDMA onto PCS to make way for LTE carriers on AWS. Won't happen overnight but there can't be that many AWS-only (or non-1900 at least) handsets left on the T-Mobile network.

 

There's quite a lot. T-Mobile only started selling phones with AWS+PCS WCDMA in earnest in October 2011 with the Galaxy S II and the Amaze 4G. Most phones released after that date include both bands. That still leaves four years of UMTS devices with mostly only AWS WCDMA.

 

However, the XT626 will be fine. It supports AWS+PCS WCDMA. In fact, I think that's the only WCDMA bands it supports. It may support IMT WCDMA, but I doubt it. Nextel International ordered these devices to work on the various Nextel networks throughout Latin America. While most used AWS WCDMA, a few used PCS WCDMA. Nextel shared devices across its entire portfolio of networks.

[WiWavelength]

And the dual SIM configuration confirms that SouthernLINC will be using T-Mobile for high speed data even within the Southern Company's native footprint in the Southeast.

 

AJ

[Conan Kudo]

And the dual SIM configuration confirms that SouthernLINC will be using T-Mobile for high speed data even within the Southern Company's native footprint in the Southeast.

 

AJ

 

Who wants to bet that someone is going to try to use an iPhone 5 on SouthernLINC by cutting down the SIM and using it, now that SouthernLINC's UMTS service through T-Mobile has launched?

[lynyrd65]

SouthernLINC Wireless introduces new Motorola device, high-speed data plans

 

A dual-SIM device running Android 2.3, at the low-low price of $199 (after $100 MIR). Capped-data nationwide plans starting at $85. All hail the great and powerful SouthernLINC.

 

This seems absurd. Why anyone would go with this is beyond me.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2