How much of the 900 Mhz band being used?

[ericdabbs]

Do you guys think there will be a time where the 900 Mhz band will be refarmed for wireless communication use? I know there are some iDEN channels that are being used in the 900 Mhz but what else uses the 900 Mhz band? I am hoping iDEN fades away within the next 2-3 years and hopefully the FCC can look at refarming this nice spectrum for wireless use.

[oversight]

if we're lucky iDEN will die by the end of next year so Sprint can start to repurpose that spectrum.

[ericdabbs]

if we're lucky iDEN will die by the end of next year so Sprint can start to repurpose that spectrum.

 

The only problem is that Sprint does not have enough spectrum in 900 Mhz to support LTE to begin with. Even if Sprint could deploy LTE at 900 Mhz, the problem is that it is yet another band for the chip makers to incorporate and not to mention additional antennas in the phones to support 900 Mhz which they are not going to do.

 

Until the entire 900 Mhz is repurposed for wireless communication if ever and Sprint, Tmobile, Metro, Leap, etc buy up the 900 Mhz spectrum and deploy LTE on it, I can't see LTE on 900 Mhz any time soon.

[4ringsnbr]

The only problem is that Sprint does not have enough spectrum in 900 Mhz to support LTE to begin with. Even if Sprint could deploy LTE at 900 Mhz, the problem is that it is yet another band for the chip makers to incorporate and not to mention additional antennas in the phones to support 900 Mhz which they are not going to do.

 

Until the entire 900 Mhz is repurposed for wireless communication if ever and Sprint, Tmobile, Metro, Leap, etc buy up the 900 Mhz spectrum and deploy LTE on it, I can't see LTE on 900 Mhz any time soon.

 

It was my understanding that the 900 MHz "holdings" Sprint has were a temporary arrangement only made by the FCC consent decree for rebanding. Basically, Sprint was "loaned" the 900 MHz spectrum to push iDEN to during the rebanding in some areas. Once the rebanding was completed (by 2010), Sprint was supposed to move iDEN back to 800 MHz ESMR and relinquish those 900 MHz channels. I think they were only loaned like 4 MHz or something like that.

[WiWavelength]

To bring some greater clarity to the SMR 900 MHz discussion, I have cooked up another of my famous graphs.

 

 

Note the interleaved nature of the SMR blocks; B/ILT blocks occupy the channels in between. At the very least, this is why Sprint cannot currently utilize its SMR 900 MHz holdings for CDMA1X or LTE.

 

AJ

[WiWavelength]

The only problem is that Sprint does not have enough spectrum in 900 Mhz to support LTE to begin with. Even if Sprint could deploy LTE at 900 Mhz, the problem is that it is yet another band for the chip makers to incorporate and not to mention additional antennas in the phones to support 900 Mhz which they are not going to do.

 

Should the FCC and Sprint ever work together to disentangle the SMR 900 MHz band, it would be well suited to CDMA1X because it would not require another new band class. 3GPP2 band class 10 already includes both SMR 800 MHz and SMR 900 MHz.

 

AJ

[WiWavelength]

It was my understanding that the 900 MHz "holdings" Sprint has were a temporary arrangement only made by the FCC consent decree for rebanding. Basically, Sprint was "loaned" the 900 MHz spectrum to push iDEN to during the rebanding in some areas. Once the rebanding was completed (by 2010), Sprint was supposed to move iDEN back to 800 MHz ESMR and relinquish those 900 MHz channels. I think they were only loaned like 4 MHz or something like that.

 

This is likely incorrect. Sprint holds SMR 900 MHz licenses through several subsidiaries: ACI 900, FCI 900, and Machine License Holding. (There may be a few others, but these three are the most prevalent across all markets.) And seemingly all of Sprint's SMR 900 MHz licenses are active through 2016, 2017, or 2021.

 

AJ

[lynyrd65]

I personally think the 900mhz smr band would be a great place to relocate the current iden network to so that NV can be rolled out on 800 sooner.

[WiWavelength]

I personally think the 900mhz smr band would be a great place to relocate the current iden network to so that NV can be rolled out on 800 sooner.

 

iDEN 900 is what currently occupies Sprint's SMR 900 MHz spectrum.

 

AJ

[lynyrd65]

Is it enough to support all current iDen users?

[ericdabbs]

I personally think the 900mhz smr band would be a great place to relocate the current iden network to so that NV can be rolled out on 800 sooner.

 

I don't think moving iDEN folks to 900 Mhz would make a difference anyways. Sprint hasn't even requested FCC approval to run LTE at 800 Mhz yet. I am sure that has got to be some areas in the US where the entire 800 Mhz is not being used so that Sprint can run some tests with LTE at 800 Mhz and begin the filing process to get approval by the FCC. I would love to see 800 Mhz LTE in 2012 but I just can't see that happening.

[MacinJosh]

I don't think moving iDEN folks to 900 Mhz would make a difference anyways. Sprint hasn't even requested FCC approval to run LTE at 800 Mhz yet. I am sure that has got to be some areas in the US where the entire 800 Mhz is not being used so that Sprint can run some tests with LTE at 800 Mhz and begin the filing process to get approval by the FCC. I would love to see 800 Mhz LTE in 2012 but I just can't see that happening.

 

From all the articles on here and elsewhere on the internet, everyone has said that LTE on 800MHz will not be deployed until next year. It would be a surprise if iDEN gets shut down late this year instead of the original target for next year.

[S4GRU]

 

From all the articles on here and elsewhere on the internet' date=' everyone has said that LTE on 800MHz will not be deployed until next year. It would be a surprise if iDEN gets shut down late this year instead of the original target for next year.[/quote']

 

Full scale iDEN decommissioning should start before the end of 2012 and be complete by the end of 2013. This is one of the biggest financial drains on Sprint. They want to get rid of it fast, but they also want to try to convert as many of these customers as possible to CDMA.

 

Posted via Forum Runner

[MacinJosh]

Full scale iDEN decommissioning should start before the end of 2012 and be complete by the end of 2013. This is one of the biggest financial drains on Sprint. They want to get rid of it fast, but they also want to try to convert as many of these customers as possible to CDMA.

 

Posted via Forum Runner

 

If Sprint deploys SDC nationwide including their roaming partners, then I would think that most iDEN users would switch faster. And also if they offer upgrades with no contract extensions. That was my pet peeve with at&t during the TDMA to GSM transition.

[S4GRU]

If Sprint deploys SDC nationwide including their roaming partners, then I would think that most iDEN users would switch faster. And also if they offer upgrades with no contract extensions. That was my pet peeve with at&t during the TDMA to GSM transition.

 

Switch...yes. Switch to Sprint CDMA? Not necessarily. AT&T is pushing really hard to convert many Nextel subscribers itself. I am hearing reports of lots of mid-sized companies that use Nextel being courted by AT&T, big time. And to most companies, they are most interested in coverage. AT&T beats Sprint coverage, hands down. At least Native coverage.

 

Sprint wants to migrate as many of these customers as possible. But many companies don't want to deal with migration and will just run out the clock on Sprint. At some point, Sprint will have to write off the remaining subscribers and start shutting things down.

 

That's what these early decommission sites will do. They will save Sprint a lot of money in operational costs quickly, plus it will strike the note with remaining Nextel subscribers that the end is nigh! Maybe it will motivate a few customers to get off their tushes and migrate.

[MacinJosh]

Switch...yes. Switch to Sprint CDMA? Not necessarily. AT&T is pushing really hard to convert many Nextel subscribers itself. I am hearing reports of lots of mid-sized companies that use Nextel being courted by AT&T, big time. And to most companies, they are most interested in coverage. AT&T beats Sprint coverage, hands down. At least Native coverage.

 

Sprint wants to migrate as many of these customers as possible. But many companies don't want to deal with migration and will just run out the clock on Sprint. At some point, Sprint will have to write off the remaining subscribers and start shutting things down.

 

That's what these early decommission sites will do. They will save Sprint a lot of money in operational costs quickly, plus it will strike the note with remaining Nextel subscribers that the end is nigh! Maybe it will motivate a few customers to get off their tushes and migrate.

 

I sure hope they don't lose too many Nextel customers. Btw, how many people are still using Nextel after all these years?

[digiblur]

 

I sure hope they don't lose too many Nextel customers. Btw, how many people are still using Nextel after all these years?

 

I know of a company that has nextel. They tried the new cdma phones and found almost half of their coverage area as a service company had no coverage. So their drivers had to use their nextels anyway. ATT swooped in and stole the 50 or so lines. I hear they used the doom and gloom of your phones will stop working one day and have to switch now.

[MacinJosh]

I know of a company that has nextel. They tried the new cdma phones and found almost half of their coverage area as a service company had no coverage. So their drivers had to use their nextels anyway. ATT swooped in and stole the 50 or so lines. I hear they used the doom and gloom of your phones will stop working one day and have to switch now.

 

I knew at&t was evil. But that takes guts to be that underhanded.

[digiblur]

 

I knew at&t was evil. But that takes guts to be that underhanded.

 

I am sure it is happening all over around my area. Nextel had pretty good coverage. Sprint...not so much..they haven't expanded anything here in probably 6 years, and that was maybe one or two towers. They really fell on their face here and ATT is doing the right thing and picking up Sprints pieces or should I say customers. The only reason I am with sprint is due to SERO otherwise I would not have them.

[MacinJosh]

I am sure it is happening all over around my area. Nextel had pretty good coverage. Sprint...not so much..they haven't expanded anything here in probably 6 years, and that was maybe one or two towers. They really fell on their face here and ATT is doing the right thing and picking up Sprints pieces or should I say customers. The only reason I am with sprint is due to SERO otherwise I would not have them.

 

I wish I had access to discounts like that. I'm running out of money and can barely afford my phone service as it sits with a 25% discount.

[S4GRU]

I don't think moving iDEN folks to 900 Mhz would make a difference anyways. Sprint hasn't even requested FCC approval to run LTE at 800 Mhz yet. I am sure that has got to be some areas in the US where the entire 800 Mhz is not being used so that Sprint can run some tests with LTE at 800 Mhz and begin the filing process to get approval by the FCC. I would love to see 800 Mhz LTE in 2012 but I just can't see that happening.

 

You mean, like this... http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-90-fcc-ready-to-give-sprint-official-go-ahead-on-smr-800-mhz-wideband-operation/

[xcharles718]

Is getting 900MHz untangled possible or is it just not worth the effort? If after the iDEN shutdown Sprint has no other way to possibly use this spectrum, maybe they'll just sell it?

[bigsnake49]

Is getting 900MHz untangled possible or is it just not worth the effort? If after the iDEN shutdown Sprint has no other way to possibly use this spectrum, maybe they'll just sell it?

 

I'm hoping that they somehow or another convince the ILM customers in the 800SMR band to move to the 900 Band then move down into the 800MHz guard and expansion band and another 1MHz below that. That way they'll end up with 10+10Mhz in the 800MHz band.

[ericdabbs]

I'm hoping that they somehow or another convince the ILM customers in the 800SMR band to move to the 900 Band then move down into the 800MHz guard and expansion band and another 1MHz below that. That way they'll end up with 10+10Mhz in the 800MHz band.

 

Who are the ILM customers?

[WiWavelength]

I'm hoping that they somehow or another convince the ILM customers in the 800SMR band to move to the 900 Band then move down into the 800MHz guard and expansion band and another 1MHz below that. That way they'll end up with 10+10Mhz in the 800MHz band.

 

That will never happen -- at least, not anytime soon. Such would displace some public safety users a second time. Not to mention, it would not make a whit of difference in the Southeast, as SouthernLINC occupies the Guard band, Expansion band, and part of the B/ILT non cellular band.

 

Sprint is just going to have to be satisfied that it finally has any <1 GHz spectrum for CDMA1X and LTE.

 

AJ