COUNTDOWN!!! Nextel iDEN Shutdown

[S4GRU]

A Sprint exec recently said in an interview that the entire Nextel iDEN network will be turned off at the switch level immediately on June 30th, rendering the network unusable. It will be a steady progression across the country on that Sunday. That glorious Sunday to be, 30 days from now. Oh glory, glory, hallelujah!!!

 

Then over the coming days they will go and power down each site to stop the operational costs. Then they will begin deinstalls to get the equipment gone and stop the lease payments to site owners.

 

Ding, dong, the witch is dead! Or should I say, "Chirp, chirp, the network's dead!"?

 

Robert via Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

 

[lilotimz]

That's going to be fun tracking the complete decommissioning of nextel sites. I've already seen a few applications and issuance to completely tear out nextel sites already. Going to be exciting these coming weeks!

[S4GRU]

That's going to be fun tracking the complete decommissioning of nextel sites. I've already seen a few applications and issuance to completely tear out nextel sites already. Going to be exciting these coming weeks!

 

Nextel is the caterpillar.  On June 30th it climbs up into it's cocoon.  And as each LTE 800 site goes live, it's like a butterfly emerging into markets all around the country.  

 

I think Sprint could even make a commercial of it.  A caterpillar with the Nextel logo on it inching along, making the PTT chirp with each inch.  Then after metamorphosis, the LTE 800 butterflies erupt from their cocoons all over the country. Over Philadelphia, over Denver, over San Francisco, over...heck, even over Detroit!  Then a voice over announces that LTE 800 is coming to the Sprint network, providing better and deeper coverage.  The butterfly flies deep into buildings and basements touching people's smartphones in their hands and they sparkle and get faster.

 

Well, maybe I should just stick to my day job...

 

Robert

[lilotimz]

-snip-

 

haha just for you!

 

[WiWavelength]

Can you hear me now?

 

No, that would be my parody headline for the glorious day that the VZW network would go dark, and all of the short sighted red Kool-Aid drinkers would be left parched.

 

AJ

[S4GRU]

haha just for you!

 

 

Only in California would they require a permit to remove something.  

 

Robert

[briank86]

Only in California would they require a permit to remove something.

 

Robert

They need to collect money for the new kings stadium.

[MacinJosh]

 

 

haha just for you!

 

 

 

 

Only in California would they require a permit to remove something.

 

Robert

Clark County is that way too. They require permits to remove equipment. And I think Vegas is that way too.

 

 

Sent from Josh's iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2

[digiblur]

And people wonder why their area moves at a snails pace... 

[Boosted20V]

Clark County is that way too. They require permits to remove equipment. And I think Vegas is that way too.

 

 

Sent from Josh's iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2

I'm sure it's a great revenue generator.

[Gmotif6]

What improvements will I see with the shutdown of the Nextel iDEN, to my Sprint service?

[S4GRU]

What improvements will I see with the shutdown of the Nextel iDEN, to my Sprint service?

Sprint is deploying 800MHz voice now in about 2-3 dozen markets. Some of these have started noticing 800 voice going love, or will very shortly. 800MHz travels farther and penetrates much better. The remaining markets will start 800 voice deployment this summer. It will take another 6-9 months to complete 800 voice implementation nationwide,

 

Starting this summer, Sprint will also start deploying LTE on 800MHz. LTE 800 will greatly improve Sprint LTE coverage. Especially in between cell site gaps and indoor coverage. It is estimated it will take a year to complete LTE 800 coverage.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

 

[MrZorbatron]

Sprint is deploying 800MHz voice now in about 2-3 dozen markets. Some of these have started noticing 800 voice going love, or will very shortly. 800MHz travels farther and penetrates much better. The remaining markets will start 800 voice deployment this summer. It will take another 6-9 months to complete 800 voice implementation nationwide,

 

Starting this summer, Sprint will also start deploying LTE on 800MHz. LTE 800 will greatly improve Sprint LTE coverage. Especially in between cell site gaps and indoor coverage. It is estimated it will take a year to complete LTE 800 coverage.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Let us not forget the Purgatory of the areas adjacent to the Canadian border. That 80-100 miles of hell affects a surprising number of people.

[WiWavelength]

Let us not forget the Purgatory of the areas adjacent to the Canadian border. That 80-100 miles of hell affects a surprising number of people.

 

Commiserate with your compatriots in the IBEZ along the Mexican border by cracking open a Dos Equis.  Not having SMR 800 MHz makes you "The Most Interesting Man in the World."

 

 

AJ

[MrZorbatron]

Commiserate with your compatriots in the IBEZ along the Mexican border by cracking open a Dos Equis.  Not having SMR 800 MHz makes you "The Most Interesting Man in the World."

 

 

AJ

Yeah and it makes them not recognize my photographs too.

[cletus]

My time on the clock has come! KNEEL before your timelord!

 

[WiWavelength]

My time on the clock has come! KNEEL before your timelord!

 

And what if I refuse to kneel before a slack jawed yokel?  The kind of person who sees the Nextel iDEN countdown clock and says things like, "Look, Ma, it's a fancy number cipherin' machine."

 

 

AJ

[irwinshere]

Yes my lord. Thank you my lord.

 

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[aliensporebomb]

The day they're shutting the iden down is on my 50th birthday?  So it's a birthday clock too?  How convenient!

[cletus]

My reign as timelord will soon come to an end. In the words of Bender:

 

"REMEMBER ME"

[JohnnyAwesome]

With the days limited I wish I still had an iDen device to see it happen

[Rawvega]

Just in case there was any doubt:

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/iden-nextel-national-network-schedule-140000248.html

 

 

iDEN Nextel National Network on Schedule to Shut Down June 30

100 million pounds of network gear and other materials to be saved from landfills as part of decommissioning

Press Release: Sprint – 1 hour 35 minutes ago




OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Sprint remains on schedule to decommission the iDEN Nextel National Network beginning at 12:01 am Eastern time on June 30. iDEN devices will then no longer receive voice service – including 911 calls and push-to-talk– 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. The last full day of iDEN service for active users will be June 29.

Sprint announced plans in the fourth quarter of 2010 to phase out the iDEN Nextel National Network as part of its Network Vision plan. The company declared on May 29, 2012, that it planned to cease service on the network as early as June 30, 2013. During the past year, Sprint has extensively notified customers of the impending shutdown and encouraged early migration from the iDEN Nextel National Network to avoid service disruptions. The notifications have included customer letters, legal notifications, email reminders, voicemails and text messages. The company will use other communications tactics during the network’s final days of operation.

“We strongly urge customers to migrate now to the Sprint Nationwide CDMA network to avoid losing service,” said Bob Azzi, Sprint senior vice president-Network.

Customers who migrate to Sprint® Direct Connect® experience three times the push-to-talk coverage area compared to iDEN and can take advantage of International Direct Connect’s reach to Latin American countries and 3G broadband data capabilities.

“SprintDirect Connect is a gold standard in push-to-talk,” Azzi said. “It comes with the broadband capabilities that businesses and public safety pros need for business applications and social media capabilities on Sprint’s broadband CDMA network.”

Recycling 100 million pounds of materials as part of iDEN shutdown

Sprint will recycle nearly all of the iDEN network equipment that it can’t reuse – including cables, batteries, even the concrete shelters that many iDEN cell sites occupy. The projected result of the effort is a staggering amount of recycled network gear and other materials weighing more than 100 million pounds.

Sprint will gut hundreds of cell sites of obsolete iDEN equipment -- from radios to server racks, antennas to air conditioners -- and will stage it all for recycling vendors. Most concrete shelters that house iDEN cell sites will be crushed and turned into composite for roads and bridges. Sites where CDMA and LTE equipment is co-located will be left intact, minus the iDEN gear.

When decommissioning of the iDEN network is complete, nearly 30,000 iDEN installations will be taken off air. The iDEN recycling project is expected to continue into early 2014.

“Recycling a nationwide wireless network is a huge undertaking, but one that we’re committed to,” Azzi said. “The company has earned a reputation for environmental stewardship. The iDEN recycling effort extends our commitment.”

 

[dedub]

http://gigaom.com/2013/06/05/nextel-shutdown-will-leave-45000-tons-of-network-junk-how-sprint-plans-to-recycle-it/

[thewezgrays]

It is my day!! )

[WiWavelength]

It is my day!! )

 

"The day is mine!"

 

 

AJ