Softbank - New Sprint - Discussion

[SpenceSouth]

So it's been long enough after the acquisition to field this question... how is everyone liking Softbank buying the controlling interest in Sprint?

I, for one, welcome our new Japanese overlords. 

[Johnner1999]

So it's been long enough after the acquisition to field this question... how is everyone liking Softbank buying the controlling interest in Sprint?

 

I, for one, welcome our new Japanese overlords.

 

Technically from a customer perspective I don't see any change... AM I wrong to say that?

 

Now I have to assume softbank has kicked network vision into high gear, but again tough to say.

 

 

That all said, I'm happy as a sprint customer!

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

 

[newgroundsguru]

Technically from a customer perspective I don't see any change... AM I wrong to say that?

 

Now I have to assume softbank has kicked network vision into high gear, but again tough to say.

 

 

That all said, I'm happy as a sprint customer!

 

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

I agree with you, it does not feel any different. Actually development feels slower in Tucson so yeah, feels like nothing.

[IamMrFamous07]

So it's been long enough after the acquisition to field this question... how is everyone liking Softbank buying the controlling interest in Sprint?

 

I, for one, welcome our new Japanese overlords.

Things are still early but as of right I am very happy about the future of sprint. I mean almost two years ago sprint was close to filing bankruptcy. So much (behind the scenes) wise has changed for the good.

 

Without SoftBank we wouldn't have LTE 2500/2600 nationwide and we wouldn't have sprint "Spark"

 

Overall I am very please with the SoftBank acquisition, their CEO is very adamant to take sprint to the next level and has the cash to do it.

 

I know some people expected SoftBank to all the issues overnight but sadly they can't but them and sprint are working hard and with sprint spark I cannot wait and see what else they bring out.

[Johnner1999]

Things are still early but as of right I am very happy about the future of sprint. I mean almost two years ago sprint was close to filing bankruptcy. So much (behind the scenes) wise has changed for the good.

 

Without SoftBank we wouldn't have LTE 2500/2600 nationwide and we wouldn't have sprint "Spark"

 

Overall I am very please with the SoftBank acquisition, their CEO is very adamant to take sprint to the next level and has the cash to do it.

 

I know some people expected SoftBank to all the issues overnight but sadly they can't but them and sprint are working hard and with sprint spark I cannot wait and see what else they bring out.

Oh no doubt and again I think Mr son knows very well what he's doing.

 

I'm very excited and long on sprint.

 

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[IamMrFamous07]

Oh no doubt and again I think Mr son knows very well what he's doing.

 

I'm very excited and long on sprint.

 

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Same! Ahh I just can't wait

[newgroundsguru]

Oh no doubt and again I think Mr son knows very well what he's doing.

 

I'm very excited and long on sprint.

 

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Will this take place in months? Years?

[WiWavelength]

Will this take place in months? Years?

For a traveling radius around you, wherever you go, it will take years. Maybe, it will never happen. Karma.

 

AJ

[Fraydog]

Will this take place in months? Years?

 

http://www.androidcentral.com/softbank-s-masayoshi-son-warns-sprint-turnaround-could-take-longer-expected

 

Masayoshi Son, the chairman of SoftBank, already answered your question. 

 

"It took around a year after SoftBank bought Vodafone (before) we reached the No. 1 position of net gains in subscribers. It takes time to get devices ready and prepare services and the network .. At the very least you need half a year or a year. And for anything substantial you need one or two years."

 

You should read up on what he did turning around Vodafone Japan. He has a track record with this, which is quite different from where we've been. If people don't perform for Sprint, changes will be made and made quickly. People will be held accountable. 

[Johnner1999]

http://www.androidcentral.com/softbank-s-masayoshi-son-warns-sprint-turnaround-could-take-longer-expected

 

Masayoshi Son, the chairman of SoftBank already answered your question.

 

 

You should read up on what he did turning around Vodafone Japan. He has a track record with this, which is quite different from where we've been. If people don't perform for Sprint, changes will be made and made quickly. People will be held accountable.

 

This is way I am long on Sprint!!!

 

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[Johnner1999]

Maybe this is why it seems like sprint was updating towers nears schools...

 

http://mobile.theverge.com/2013/11/18/5117440/sprint-and-best-buy-offer-students-12-months-free-wireless-service?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews

 

 

 

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[CaryTheLabelGuy]

Maybe this is why it seems like sprint was updating towers nears schools...

 

http://mobile.theverge.com/2013/11/18/5117440/sprint-and-best-buy-offer-students-12-months-free-wireless-service?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews

 

 

 

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And as usual, it's turned into a Sprint bash-Fest. My God.

[Johnner1999]

And as usual, it's turned into a Sprint bash-Fest. My God.

Sorry - that wasn't my intent.

 

 

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[CaryTheLabelGuy]

Sorry - that wasn't my intent.

 

 

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Oh, it's not your fault!! I'm referring to how much people hate on Sprint, still.

 

My Sprint service is awesome everywhere I go in Jax (and in most other major cities), with the exception of only a few places (data wise) and voice wise it's always been top-notch. Sprint has made huge strides in their data service and everyday it gets a little better. I have AT&T and Verizon data lines and my Sprint service is actually faster most of the time. Once Band 41 is more prevalent and 800mhz LTE gets flipped, it will get even Better.

 

Sprint was terrible for awhile, but that's over now for most people. For those that are still having issues, it will get better soon.

[NYC126]

http://www.tmonews.com/2013/11/how-long-until-t-mobile-is-3/

 

The homeboys at that site believe they will overtake Sprint soon. Regardless I believe Sprint needs to buy U.S cellular to improve coverage in certain areas.

[JosefTor]

http://www.tmonews.com/2013/11/how-long-until-t-mobile-is-3/

 

The homeboys at that site believe they will overtake Sprint soon. Regardless I believe Sprint needs to buy U.S cellular to improve coverage in certain areas.

Although I do think Tmobile is making a lot of the right moves.... I truly believe Sprint has something special going on. I listen to the people around me on AT&T and other carriers and I have more signal than they have. Also, I am finally noticing that although a partially complete 4g area is even more frustrating than a 3g only area, once Sprint upgrades enough towers, there is a significant upgrade in speeds and service.

 

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[CaryTheLabelGuy]

http://www.tmonews.com/2013/11/how-long-until-t-mobile-is-3/

 

The homeboys at that site believe they will overtake Sprint soon. Regardless I believe Sprint needs to buy U.S cellular to improve coverage in certain areas.

If it weren't for Sprint's new Network Vision, spectrum positions and B41 (Spark), I would say yes. Maybe Magenta could pull it off in a year or so. But their rural coverage and LTE to EDGE issues as well as terrible building penetration (at least in Jax) will be their biggest hurdles. Right now they are just bluffing that they have the better network, eventually it will become evident that they don't and they won't be able to catch-up to Sprint at that point (with regards to network coverage and performance). It won't be long before Sprint starts to turn heads. It will take some time to change people's perception so I don't expect sub gains until at least Q3/Q4 2014, maybe even into 2015, but the network should be there - leaving Magenta in the dust. The Duopoly will even take notice as I think they already have.

 

T-mo is being as aggressive as they can be in both rhetoric and advertisement, because they know that when Sprint's new network gets totally off the ground, T-Mo is back to being #4 in network performance.

[Nickel]

http://www.tmonews.com/2013/11/how-long-until-t-mobile-is-3/

 

The homeboys at that site believe they will overtake Sprint soon. Regardless I believe Sprint needs to buy U.S cellular to improve coverage in certain areas.

One thing to keep in mind is that both AT&T and Verizon got users spoiled with great LTE speeds, then everyone got on it clogged the network down to a crawl. With both of those two now deploying more bandwidth the speeds will start to climb back up, I wouldn't be surprised to see them gain back some of the people who might have gotten flustered and left. 

[Fraydog]

One thing to keep in mind is that both AT&T and Verizon got users spoiled with great LTE speeds, then everyone got on it clogged the network down to a crawl. With both of those two now deploying more bandwidth the speeds will start to climb back up, I wouldn't be surprised to see them gain back some of the people who might have gotten flustered and left.

T-Mobile is far less likely to clog in the urban areas. Three dynamics at play:

 

1. They have a ridiculous amount of AWS spectrum to deploy and a very dense cell grid in the urban areas they serve.

2. They have scalable back haul that they aren't even close to fully using in most places. STL is tapped out at 50 Mbps in most places because their network is not sold much if at all, and T-Mobile only bothered to scale fiber to 50 Mbps, that's where LTE maxes out there even though they are capable of going to 73 Mbps over the air as they are a 10x10 in St. Louis.

3. They have a little over 1/3 the subscribers AT&T or Verizon has. It's still an undersubscribed, over spectrumed network.

 

VZW is moving FAST on AWS and they will be going 20x20 in a whole lot of places. I see them less likely to clog than ATTM, which has a bunch of disjointed spectrum bands. AT&T has contiguous 15x15 in lots of places on PCS, but it's going to take them a while to clear out all the HSPA+ needed to deploy 15x15 PCS LTE.

 

This is solely a comparison to the AT&T/Verizonopoly, Spark if anything is going to be even more undersubscribed and over spectrumed starting out. This is a big reason why I think VZW made a play for EBS spectrum as Party J.

[Nickel]

T-Mobile is far less likely to clog in the urban areas. Three dynamics at play: 1. They have a ridiculous amount of AWS spectrum to deploy and a very dense cell grid in the urban areas they serve. 2. They have scalable back haul that they aren't even close to fully using in most places. STL is tapped out at 50 Mbps in most places because their network is not sold much if at all, and T-Mobile only bothered to scale fiber to 50 Mbps, that's where LTE maxes out there even though they are capable of going to 73 Mbps over the air as they are a 10x10 in St. Louis. 3. They have a little over 1/3 the subscribers AT&T or Verizon has. It's still an undersubscribed, over spectrumed network. VZW is moving FAST on AWS and they will be going 20x20 in a whole lot of places. I see them less likely to clog than ATTM, which has a bunch of disjointed spectrum bands. AT&T has contiguous 15x15 in lots of places on PCS, but it's going to take them a while to clear out all the HSPA+ needed to deploy 15x15 PCS LTE. This is solely a comparison to the AT&T/Verizonopoly, Spark if anything is going to be even more undersubscribed and over spectrumed starting out. This is a big reason why I think VZW made a play for EBS spectrum as Party J.

Once AT&T and VZW get their capacity bandwidth rolled out, I think they'll be fine. I think you're right though in that Spark/ Band 41 could end up being huge for Sprint. 

[Terrell352]

Around 36 mins into the conference call Dan Hesse said that while a customer may be locked into unlimited data for life the prices can still go up basically for the luxury of having unlimited data. No comment on if the 1 or 3 gb plans will go up.  

[Terrell352]

Does this mean that instead of prices getting cheaper mean that they will increase instead over the years? Mobile is already expensive as it is.

 

UPDATE: Article on the matter.

 

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/07/4735153/sprints-unlimited-plans-locked.html

[koiulpoi]

Does this mean that instead of prices getting cheaper mean that they will increase instead over the years? Mobile is already expensive as it is.

 

UPDATE: Article on the matter.

 

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/07/4735153/sprints-unlimited-plans-locked.html

The key part of this is "years". The cellular industry today is nothing like it was in 2011, which was nothing like it was in 2008...

 

As we've discussed on this site ad nauseum, unlimited data is untenable in the long term.

[Terrell352]

The key part of this is "years". The cellular industry today is nothing like it was in 2011, which was nothing like it was in 2008...

 

As we've discussed on this site ad nauseum, unlimited data is untenable in the long term.

Hesse says it is going to be around for a long time but you have to be willing to pay for it.

[WiWavelength]

Hesse says it is going to be around for a long time but you have to be willing to pay for it.

Eleventy billion dollars.

 

AJ