Sprint partnering with C Spire for LTE Roaming

[marioc21]

Speaking at a conference today, Dan Hesse announced that Sprint is working on LTE roaming with CSpire. Here's the article form fiercewireless.com:

 

Sprint teams with C Spire on LTE roaming

 

NEW ORLEANS--Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) is working with regional operator C Spire Wireless to enable LTE roaming across multiple spectrum bands. Speaking at the Competitive Carriers Association conference here, Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse said that his company wants to be the preferred roaming partner for smaller operators in the United States and is working with C Spire, Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) and others to make that happen.

 

Specifically, Hesse said that Sprint is working on a solution that will allow LTE roaming across 850 MHz, 1900 MHz and 700 MHz spectrum. Sprint and C Spire have already completed intercarrier roaming tests. "We are working closely on a technical solution for intercarrier 4G roaming between our network and others," Hesse said.

 

...

Read more: Sprint teams with C Spire on LTE roaming - FierceWirelesshttp://www.fiercewir...8#ixzz2QpONn1EY

[bmoses]

good, maybe that will force verizon and at&t to allow LTE roaming too......

 

 

 

who am i kidding, that's never going to happen

[WiWavelength]

The info I have read is that Sprint will be allowing inbound LTE roaming from C Spire subs. So, barring further info, do not view this as a reciprocal LTE roaming agreement.

 

AJ

[digiblur]

Interesting... last time I had some folks with CSpire down at my place they were parked on a VZW SID but that was years ago. I know the CSpire network works great for roaming as I've used them quite a lot when going to MS. Sprint even offers EVDO roaming on their standard PRLs.

[tommym65]

Speaking at a conference today, Dan Hesse announced that Sprint is working on LTE roaming with CSpire.

 

Hesse-san was very explicit in naming Verizon and AT&T as monopolistic and anti-competitive, and was passionate about the need for the FCC to improve competition in the low-frequency spectrum bands. He offered Sprint as an ideal partner for regional carriers. He did not mention T-Mobile at all, and was (not surprisingly) silent about the whole Dish mess, nor did he say anything about Softbank.

[JeffDTD]

The info I have read is that Sprint will be allowing inbound LTE roaming from C Spire subs. So' date=' barring further info, do not view this as a reciprocal LTE roaming agreement.

 

AJ[/quote']

 

Never my expectation. Cspire is attempting to control its network traffic by offering either shared/capped data, or higher priced "unlimited" data with monthly time restrictions on streaming. This will allow them to control how large that roaming bill with sprint can ever be. Its also valuable to note that cspire vigilantly penalizes customers who roam more than 50% of their usage in any singular month. Planning on spending 30 days in another state with cspire? Get ready for a huge penalty if your native usage is nonexistant.

 

Their current deployment of lte is 1900mhz only and rather thin in the areas they have called "active". Further, evdo roaming here with cspire is still roaming for sprint. 300mb would be worthless with lte.

[lynyrd65]

Speaking at a conference today, Dan Hesse announced that Sprint is working on LTE roaming with CSpire. Here's the article form fiercewireless.com:

 

called it.

 

No USCC is dissapointing though. Maybe with the announcement of the first band 26 devices.

[lynyrd65]

The info I have read is that Sprint will be allowing inbound LTE roaming from C Spire subs. So, barring further info, do not view this as a reciprocal LTE roaming agreement.

 

AJ

 

He spoke of 700mhz compatitibility in the keynote. That could only mean Sprint customers roaming on to that band later on.

[bigsnake49]

The info I have read is that Sprint will be allowing inbound LTE roaming from C Spire subs. So, barring further info, do not view this as a reciprocal LTE roaming agreement.

 

AJ

 

Specifically, Hesse said that Sprint is working on a solution that will allow LTE roaming across 850 MHz, 1900 MHz and 700 MHz spectrum. Sprint and C Spire have already completed intercarrier roaming tests. "We are working closely on a technical solution for intercarrier 4G roaming between our network and others," Hesse said.

 

I think we need to actually look at the video of the address to erase any doubts, but fiercewireless seems to think that the roaming wil be over those three frequencies.

 

and from rcrwireless.com:

 

Hesse said the carrier has begun to work on providing specifications that would allow for roaming between the carrier’s current LTE service running in the 1.9 GHz band and those of carriers that are looking to rollout LTE services in the 700 MHz, 850 MHz and 1.9 GHz bands. A Sprint Nextel spokesman added that the 700 MHz support would include the lower A-, B- and C-Bands, also known as Band Class 12. The move would seem to be good news to a number of rural carriers that have been unable to garner device or equipment support for their lower 700 MHz spectrum as well as allow Sprint Nextel to tap into potential coverage provided by rural carriers that can begin rolling out LTE services in those bands.

...........................................

 

Sprint Nextel noted that the plan was still in its infancy, but that it planned to begin working shortly with equipment providers and chip makers like Qualcomm on specifications that would allow roaming between its Band Class 25 and Band Class 12 networks in the lower 700 MHz band.

 

http://www.rcrwirele...le-lte-roaming/

 

What? These people have never heard of multitasking?

Edited April 18, 2013 by bigsnake49

[digiblur]

Here's something to chew on.. After watching the coverage maps for years on LA and MS and even seeing future tower markers get pulled Sprint doesn't see their ability to compete in many areas of MS. That spectrum and G Block spectrum would sit idle in those areas.

 

I do not have super powers like AJ and know all of their holdings nor laws on usage. But could Sprint let Cspire rollout LTE in these rural areas on the G Block in some sort of trade or lease? The phones are already here and the tower equipment as well.

 

Second thought.. I see there already have LTE in many areas. More than I thought.

 

Sent from my little Note2

 

 

[Fraydog]

Everyone saying that "Sprint isn't going to go more than Tri-Band for LTE"? Where you at? :lol: :lol:

 

Seriously, I would rather see Sprint try to raid lower band spectrum in addition to Clearwire at this point, even if it means all you get is 700A you can't use for a few years.

[WiWavelength]

I do not have super powers like AJ and know all of their holdings nor laws on usage. But could Sprint let Cspire rollout LTE in these rural areas on the G Block in some sort of trade or lease? The phones are already here and the tower equipment as well.

 

Second thought.. I see there already have LTE in many areas. More than I thought.

 

Even though C Spire has a disparate mix of Cellular 850 MHz, PCS 1900 MHz, AWS 2100+1700 MHz, and Lower 700 MHz spectrum, all LTE deployed thus far is PCS, according to Neal Gompa. So, if a reciprocal agreement is in the offing, Sprint devices already support C Spire LTE.

 

AJ

[WiWavelength]

Everyone saying that "Sprint isn't going to go more than Tri-Band for LTE"? Where you at? :lol: :lol:

 

If it indicates anything at all, Hesse's statements suggest that Sprint LTE devices will add band 12 LTE 700 for roaming, alongside band 25 LTE 1900 for native/roaming and band 26 LTE 800/850 for native/roaming. It does not suggest, however, that Sprint will acquire Lower 700 MHz and/or Cellular 850 MHz spectrum or that Sprint will pursue greater than a tri band LTE deployment.

 

AJ

[bigsnake49]

Here's something to chew on.. After watching the coverage maps for years on LA and MS and even seeing future tower markers get pulled Sprint doesn't see their ability to compete in many areas of MS. That spectrum and G Block spectrum would sit idle in those areas.

 

I do not have super powers like AJ and know all of their holdings nor laws on usage. But could Sprint let Cspire rollout LTE in these rural areas on the G Block in some sort of trade or lease? The phones are already here and the tower equipment as well.

 

Second thought.. I see there already have LTE in many areas. More than I thought.

 

Sent from my little Note2

 

If I may add a third, why don't they lease their 800MHz spectrum in rural areas to these carriers? In return they get native roaming.

Edited April 18, 2013 by bigsnake49

[Rukin1]

This would be really cool to see happen.

[lynyrd65]

If it indicates anything at all, Hesse's statements suggest that Sprint LTE devices will add band 12 LTE 700 for roaming, alongside band 25 LTE 1900 for native/roaming and band 26 LTE 800/850 for native/roaming. It does not suggest, however, that Sprint will acquire Lower 700 MHz and/or Cellular 850 MHz spectrum or that Sprint will pursue greater than a tri band LTE deployment.

 

AJ

 

A good amount of the reason Sprint will be adding band 12 may not be just for roaming but also to increase economies of scale around the band for C Spire and US Cellular.

 

I suspect one of the main reasons C-Spire hasn't deployed 700mhz LTE was due to "would-be" coverage disparity between the iPhone and all other devices. Apple probably wasn't willing to make a band 12 iPhone just for C-Spire due to low bulk production but if Sprint demanded band 12 you can bet they would make them one.

 

I bet it was a condition of C Spire's and possibly USCC's negotiations to make Sprint devices band 12 compatible not just for the lower cost of procurement for band 12 LTE devices but availability of an iPhone that they can use on their band 12 networks.

Edited April 18, 2013 by lynyrd65

[WiWavelength]

A good amount of the reason Sprint will be adding band 12 may not be just for roaming but also to increase economies of scale around the band for C Spire and US Cellular.

 

Yes, this is a highly plausible rationale. CDMA2000 carriers in the CCA gotta stick together. Good thinking.

 

I suspect one of the main reasons C-Spire hasn't deployed 700mhz LTE was due to "would-be" coverage disparity between the iPhone and all other devices. Apple probably wasn't willing to make a band 12 iPhone just for C-Spire due to low bulk production but if Sprint demanded band 12 you can bet they would make them one.

 

The reason that Apple has not been willing to make a band 12 LTE (rather than subset band 17 LTE) iPhone can be summed up in three letters. Not three words. Three letters. A-S-S. Or A-T-T. Same thing.

 

AJ

[MacinJosh]

 

The reason that Apple has not been willing to make a band 12 LTE (rather than subset band 17 LTE) iPhone can be summed up in three letters. Not three words. Three letters. A-S-S. Or A-T-T. Same thing.

 

AJ

 

That's a much better name for Ma Bell.

 

 

Sent from Josh's iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2

[ryry4ya]

Like I said, can we all LTE along ?

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

[Fraydog]

That's a good goodwill way to think of it... throwing the other CCA members a bone.

 

It would be nice to see T-Mobile join in for the rural GSM/UMTS providers and demand Band 12 devices. It's more plausible now that Sprint joined in. Since most high end smartphones have the MDM chipsets that support both CDMA and GSM, it's feasible.

[Fraydog]

 

[WiWavelength]

Ryan, you blinded me with science. Or maybe that was just the reflection off Dan's head.

 

AJ

[Fraydog]

Ryan, you blinded me with science. Or maybe that was just the reflection off Dan's head.

 

AJ

 

Note how the other carrier CEO's got a good burn in on Michael Prior near the end of the CEO roundtable for the Alltel sellout to AT&T.

 

I'm mixed on the entire thing myself. While having actual competition for Verizon in Southern Illinois is actually a good thing, I don't think AT&T is going to do a damn thing to make Verizon more price friendly or consumer friendly here. AT&T could set up the most glorious LTE network on Planet Earth here and people still wouldn't move from Verizon.

[bigsnake49]

Ryan, you blinded me with science. Or maybe that was just the reflection off Dan's head.

 

AJ

 

Dan needs to ask whether he can get his bald spot in matte.

[WiWavelength]

Dan needs to ask whether he can get his bald spot in matte.

 

...preferably matte brown with a textured, hair like surface.

 

AJ