Sprint on Schedule for iDen Shutdown

[marioc21]

From the press release:

 

Sprint (NYSE:S) today announced that its plans to shut down the iDEN Nextel National Network remain on schedule for the end of June, as originally announced in May of last year.

The last full day of iDEN service will be June 29; shutdown begins first thing Sunday, June 30, and will continue throughout the day. iDEN devices will then no longer receive voice service – including 911 calls – or data service. Sprint will shut down switch locations in rapid succession on June 30, followed by powering down equipment and eliminating backhaul at each cell site.

 

...

 

http://finance.yahoo...-150000767.html

[Rukin1]

2 months left. 60 days. telel

[Kaixor]

So what will happen immediately following this?

[Deval]

So what will happen immediately following this?

 

We have a 21 chirp salute, and 800mhz voice goes live nationwide (I hope)

[WiWavelength]

We have a 21 chirp salute...

 

Circa 2004, Nextel hitched its wagon to this kind of "salute."

 

Definitely NSFW:

 

 

AJ

[bmattox79]

What are the chances that all the iden sites have been setup so that when they are shut down the 800mhz voice will be turned on?

[ericdabbs]

Tick tick tick...nextel iden users, time is running out. I can't believe there are people still on the iden network given that they have had over a 1.5 years notice that its going to be shut down in June 2013. I guess people like to ride stuff to the end with no exit strategy. Personally if I was an iden user, I would have either switched to Sprint Direct Connect if I liked the price point or switched to Verizon or ATT with good PTT services. Hanging on for this long hoping that Sprint would suddenly change their mind is ridiculous. Sprint should have added the $10 premium data charge in 2011 to get the iden users off quicker.

[supert0nes]

"Let me chirp these fools" -Three 6 mafia - "Roll with it" I'll let you find that one yourself.

[bigsnake49]

Finally, the millstone around Sprint's neck can be thrown away. I hope that Sprint takes the opportunity to really solidify their coverage and at the same time reduce their roaming bill.

 

Right after the Softbank deal closes, they need to go back to being Sprint. No more Nextel anywhere. Close the book on this dark chapter in Sprint history.

[JayLuvsCiara]

Finally!!! Iden should have been shut off around 2008-2010.

[WiWavelength]

Finally!!! Iden should have been shut off around 2008-2010.

 

Agreed. However, hindsight is always 20/20. Had Sprint Nextel bit the bullet and sunset iDEN a few years ago, the financial state of the company could have been very different today. That said, the FCC did not formally approve broadband operation in SMR 800 MHz until last year, so the the end result may have been little different.

 

AJ

[Fraydog]

So we can start the countdown for 12:01 AM June 30, right?

[ericdabbs]

Agreed. However, hindsight is always 20/20. Had Sprint Nextel bit the bullet and sunset iDEN a few years ago, the financial state of the company could have been very different today. That said, the FCC did not formally approve broadband operation in SMR 800 MHz until last year, so the the end result may have been little different.

 

AJ

 

I don't know exactly when Sprint began applying to the FCC for broadband operation in SMR 800 MHz. If it took several years then you are correct in that it wouldn't have made much of a difference since the earliest Sprint could use this spectrum for CDMA/LTE/EVDO is now. However if it was possible to apply back in 2008 with a plan to shut down Nextel in 2010 and could have gotten approval for SMR 800 MHz broadband usage say in 2010 or 2011, it would have been nice to have used 800 MHz to enhance the Sprint network with 800 MHz CDMA and EVDO for better voice and data penetration.

[Deval]

What are the chances that all the iden sites have been setup so that when they are shut down the 800mhz voice will be turned on?

 

zero to negative

[Deval]

Finally, the millstone around Sprint's neck can be thrown away. I hope that Sprint takes the opportunity to really solidify their coverage and at the same time reduce their roaming bill.

 

Right after the Softbank deal closes, they need to go back to being Sprint. No more Nextel anywhere. Close the book on this dark chapter in Sprint history.

 

If I remember correctly, one of the Softbank notes mentioned that the Nextel name would be completely gone, and replaced with Sprint, or New Sprint? (not sure exactly)

[Danielj1981]

I pray for 800 voice! I drop calls like a hot potato inside my plant. Can the iPhone 5 even pick up any of the Nextel 800?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

[Rawvega]

I don't know exactly when Sprint began applying to the FCC for broadband operation in SMR 800 MHz. If it took several years then you are correct in that it wouldn't have made much of a difference since the earliest Sprint could use this spectrum for CDMA/LTE/EVDO is now. However if it was possible to apply back in 2008 with a plan to shut down Nextel in 2010 and could have gotten approval for SMR 800 MHz broadband usage say in 2010 or 2011, it would have been nice to have used 800 MHz to enhance the Sprint network with 800 MHz CDMA and EVDO for better voice and data penetration.

 

But what about re-banding which to this day still isn't 100% complete?

[Rawvega]

I pray for 800 voice! I drop calls like a hot potato inside my plant. Can the iPhone 5 even pick up any of the Nextel 800?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

 

Yes, it can. However, I believe digiblur has mentioned the 800MHz priority is set up differently in the iPhone 5 PRL as compared to other Sprint phones.

[lilotimz]

Yes, it can. However, I believe digiblur has mentioned the 800MHz priority is set up differently in the iPhone 5 PRL as compared to other Sprint phones.

 

Iphone 5 has PCS set as high priority while SMR 800 are lesser priority. If a person has an iphone 5 in a low signal area and drops to SMR, they will not stay there. Instead, the Iphone 5 will constantly search for a PCS signal and latch onto one no matter it's strength (this can kill a persons phone in a low PCS signal area). Whereas on Androids, PCS and SMR priority are set the same. If you are connected to SMR 800 because you dropped from PCS, the phone will stay there and won't bother scanning for a PCS signal as PCS and SMR are equals on the priority list.

[WiWavelength]

If I remember correctly, one of the Softbank notes mentioned that the Nextel name would be completely gone, and replaced with Sprint, or New Sprint? (not sure exactly)

 

Yes, you mean Splint or Sprint-uh-Bank.

 

 

AJ

[Danielj1981]

 

Iphone 5 has PCS set as high priority while SMR 800 are lesser priority. If a person has an iphone 5 in a low signal area and drops to SMR, they will not stay there. Instead, the Iphone 5 will constantly search for a PCS signal and latch onto one no matter it's strength (this can kill a persons phone in a low PCS signal area). Whereas on Androids, PCS and SMR priority are set the same. If you are connected to SMR 800 because you dropped from PCS, the phone will stay there and won't bother scanning for a PCS signal as PCS and SMR are equals on the priority list.

 

See these are the things I need to learn. I go for brand loyalty. Next time though I will remember that. Sounds like I need an Android. Lol

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

[Danielj1981]

 

Yes, you mean Splint or Sprint-uh-Bank.

 

 

AJ

 

SprintNEXsoft..........

 

What....too soon? ;-)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

[Deval]

But what about re-banding which to this day still isn't 100% complete?

 

really? I thought it was done?

[Ryan]

Does anyone know what parts of the network that they still have to shutdown? I know the coverage map that sprint has on their site is complete bogus. hmmmm?

[Rawvega]

 

really? I thought it was done?

 

Not to my knowledge. Significant progress has been made, but I don't believe that this seemingly never ending project is complete just yet.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2