will sprint be expanding coverage in cities that have outgrown it?

[Paynefanbro]

Is there any case over the last 3 months where Sprint has expanded availability to a new rural town with a new Network Vision expansion?

 

I'm sure there has, but the town was probably so tiny, that it went by unnoticed. Sprint probably had few customers there anyway.

[GorkaIQ]

im hoping to sprint expand coverage. for example, here im Puerto Rico, on the sprint map @ their site, appear full coverage of LTE on Canovanas, i work the outlet mall, and 1 part of the parking doesn't have LTE coverage. other example is on the center of the isalnd they don't have coverage. i hope when they have the 800 permisions, add more sites.

[cdk]

Current totals as of 2/25/14.

 

105 New Sites 

55 iDEN Sites converted

18 Deactivated Site

 

For a net total of 142 sites added (so far) during NV upgrades.

[shockerengr]

I also hope they maintain the coverage partnerships going forward (the Rural Alliance i think?)  It's been frustrating to lose large swaths of "native" coverage the last couple of years in Kansas...especially when the now roaming takes place at 1x instead of 3g.  Salina to Denver on I-70 is now a long stretch of roaming....

[WiWavelength]

I also hope they maintain the coverage partnerships going forward (the Rural Alliance i think?)  It's been frustrating to lose large swaths of "native" coverage the last couple of years in Kansas...especially when the now roaming takes place at 1x instead of 3g.  Salina to Denver on I-70 is now a long stretch of roaming....

 

Not to harp on the semantics of "3G," which includes CDMA1X, but the Nex-Tech and United Wireless coverage that was Sprint Rural Alliance and is now roaming still includes EV-DO in the PRL.

 

AJ

[shockerengr]

Experience has been that EVDO has not been available in SE KS, but has been along I 70....maybe we're talking semantics, but that's been my experience.

 

And it's frustrating having "native" coverage drop at the same time roaming allowances drop on the new plans....esp for routes I travel semi-regularly.

[cdk]

Totals from 5/28/13 - 7/1/14

 

145 new sites

75 iDen conversions

23 new DAS systems

0 Clear conversions

27 deactivations

 

For a net total of 216 new site.

[JWMaloney]

0 Clear conversions

27 deactivations

 

You sure about that? I seem to remember someone posting photos of Ericsson NV equipment being installed on a Clear site in Texas.

[S4GRU]

You sure about that? I seem to remember someone posting photos of Ericsson NV equipment being installed on a Clear site in Texas.

He is totaling S4GRU acceptances. We have not cataloged any Clearwire site conversions as accepted to date.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

[cdk]

You sure about that? I seem to remember someone posting photos of Ericsson NV equipment being installed on a Clear site in Texas.

 

He is totaling S4GRU acceptances. We have not cataloged any Clearwire site conversions as accepted to date.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

 

Exactly. I placed the Clear conversions as a place holder. I figured there will be a few Clearwire site conversions at some point...

 

[larryt510]

Here in the Orange County, CA area there's been only 2 or 3 new sites added in the past 3 years and I think one was a replacement for one that was decomissioned.  Hardly anything and disappointing.  It's possible that I might have missed one or two but I try to keep a watch on it with my own source.

[Paynefanbro]

I know one that was added here in NYC for capacity reasons. The Barclays Center was built where there was once nothing but empty space and a train depot. That site still doesn't have LTE though, which is annoying.

[Sprke]

Are any of these new sites expanding native coverage or they just in existing coverage areas?

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[cdk]

Are any of these new sites expanding native coverage or they just in existing coverage areas?

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

 

Many have been improving capacity and/or coverage in existing areas, some have replaced sites that have been decommisioned, but at least a few have added coverage.

[Fraydog]

Masa Son fired network execs over saying "it's ok to just cover cities and within 15-20 miles of interstates." That's a fact.

 

I know traditional arguments may come out of the old ways that Sprint can't do it. Those arguments matter not to Mr. Son.

[cdk]

Masa Son fired network execs over saying "it's ok to just cover cities and within 15-20 miles of interstates." That's a fact.

 

I know traditional arguments may come out of the old ways that Sprint can't do it. Those arguments matter not to Mr. Son.

 

While I do suspect we will see a more wide spread expansion at some point, it won't just be anywhere and everywhere. I am sure Mr. Son understands the concept of return on investment and that argument does matter to him.

[Fraydog]

While I do suspect we will see a more wide spread expansion at some point, it won't just be anywhere and everywhere. I am sure Mr. Son understands the concept of return on investment and that argument does matter to him.

That's where the mainly rural partners of the buildout come in like VTel, Mobilenation, CSpire, etc. Sprint can still fill out a lot though to bridge any gaps to these providers.

 

Then there's Swiftel that can't even be bothered to show up in NetAmerica. Could Sprint just buy the network and customers in that area away from the Brookings City Council or whatever nincompoops run Swiftel?

 

It sounds like they'll be gone at the end of the last contract anyway.

[mozamcrew]

That's where the mainly rural partners of the buildout come in like VTel, Mobilenation, CSpire, etc. Sprint can still fill out a lot though to bridge any gaps to these providers.

 

Then there's Swiftel that can't even be bothered to show up in NetAmerica. Could Sprint just buy the network and customers in that area away from the Brookings City Council or whatever nincompoops run Swiftel?

 

It sounds like they'll be gone at the end of the last contract anyway.

My guess is Sprint will simply not renew their affiliate agreement with Swiftel when it expires. They will either built out the area themselves, or else reach some kind of agreement with James Valley Telecom (which covers the Aberdeen SD market) to expand into Swiftel's area. Or maybe some combination of the two where Sprint builds the cities along the I90 cooridor and they split the I29 coordor with Sprint taking the southern part and JVT taking the northern part near its existing service territory.

[duddys31]

Does anyone know if it's possible to say have a roaming let agreement with like bluegrass cellular even tho they are in Verizon's let program. I know they couldn't let sprint roam on the spectrum they are using of Verizon's but they have their own low band b12 let also that was deployed for broadband. I wish this would happen because traveling to eastern ky is pretty bad on 1x. Maybe once sprint gets 1x800 and b26 deployed maybe will help a little bit. There's just not many towers at all in that region but bluegrass has it covered all over the state pretty good.

[S4GRU]

Does anyone know if it's possible to say have a roaming let agreement with like bluegrass cellular even tho they are in Verizon's let program. I know they couldn't let sprint roam on the spectrum they are using of Verizon's but they have their own low band b12 let also that was deployed for broadband. I wish this would happen because traveling to eastern ky is pretty bad on 1x. Maybe once sprint gets 1x800 and b26 deployed maybe will help a little bit. There's just not many towers at all in that region but bluegrass has it covered all over the state pretty good.

Most likely, it is possible. But certainly not on the Verizon spectrum or Verizon network. I don't know the terms of the Verizon agreement. If it bars such, it would be easy to overcome by setting up a new subsidiary and doing the agreement with Sprint too.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

[WiWavelength]

My guess is Sprint will simply not renew their affiliate agreement with Swiftel when it expires. They will either built out the area themselves, or else reach some kind of agreement with James Valley Telecom (which covers the Aberdeen SD market) to expand into Swiftel's area.

 

I doubt that.  Swiftel is still operating in its original 10 MHz (5 MHz FDD) PCS A block disaggregation from Sprint.  That is the only apparent CMRS spectrum it holds.  If Sprint were to sever the affiliate agreement, Swiftel would be dead in the water -- it would have no path forward.  So, Swiftel will work to accommodate Sprint, or the Brookings Municipal Utility will decide it time to give up on its wireless venture.

 

AJ

[duddys31]

That's what I was thinking to. I know from what I have read and videos I watched from the roaming hub earlier in the year bluegrass seemed like they were really interested in sprint's offer. We already have a regular roaming agreement with them but it's not lte.

[mozamcrew]

I doubt that.  Swiftel is still operating in its original 10 MHz (5 MHz FDD) PCS A block disaggregation from Sprint.  That is the only apparent CMRS spectrum it holds.  If Sprint were to sever the affiliate agreement, Swiftel would be dead in the water -- it would have no path forward.  So, Swiftel will work to accommodate Sprint, or the Brookings Municipal Utility will decide it time to give up on its wireless venture.

 

AJ

From what what others have said on here, Swiftel hasn't even released any kind of future PLAN for doing any kind of Network Vision type upgrade. Even N-Telos has finally gotten in the game now. Pretty much every US carrier at least has some 4G migration plan in the works (or intends to get bought/sell their assets). Since Swiftel hasn't made any moves in this area, AFAIK, that leads me to believe that they WANT to get out of the business.

Given Sprint's current situation, I don't expect any moves on Swiftel in the next year. Once you start seeing NV 2.0 rolling out in full force, and some of G block license protection built out in the Dakotas and Montana, I think they will be forced to rationalize their relationship with Swiftel in some way. Maybe Swiftel will just allow Sprint to buy their spectrum back, or maybe Swiftel's affiliate agreement will expire? 

 

Of course I could be wrong. Maybe you know something I don't AJ. 

[Fraydog]

If I lived in Brookings or near Brookings, I'd have a nice long chat with the mayor and city council members there. I'd more or less advocate for them giving up, selling all remaining towers, stores, and equipment to Sprint.

 

Could Robert make a trip from Rapid City?

[S4GRU]

I'm going through Brookings and Sioux Falls this weekend. Will be checking things out to see if there is any progress going on at any of their sites.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro