Sprint has inked LTE Roaming deals

[koiulpoi]

No, since USCC is deploying neither band 2 nor band 25 LTE (at the moment anyway). In theory, a tri-band or dual band (iPhone 5S/5C) should be able to roam on USCC's band 5 LTE if there is a roaming agreement in place.

I'll have to track it down, but I'm fairly certain Digiblur posted a screencap of his enginerring screens where his device was attempting (and failing to auth) to another regional carrier's PCS LTE.

[Nickel]

I'll have to track it down, but I'm fairly certain Digiblur posted a screencap of his enginerring screens where his device was attempting (and failing to auth) to another regional carrier's PCS LTE.

C Spire.

[ddaniels3968]

USCC is Sprints preferred roaming partner in the Nashville market and I would guess that's why you don't see CSprie in that market.

I live in the Nashville market and my phone always roam's on USCC before Verizon

[blackwaterstout]

I honestly don't understand the high tech lingo you guys refer to when it comes to certain bands and frequencies.

 

I do know that here in Morgantown WV USCC, Verizon, and ATT all have LTE. Sprint (ntelos) is the only provider that doesn't. Sprint uses nTelos towers here and roam on USCC's towers. I've been told at the nTelos store that LTE is being deployed here in 4th quarter but ntelos has lied before. I'd love to see the 4g light up on my phone here.

 

If USCC is indeed the roaming partner when do you expect this to happen?

 

Sent from my EVO 4G LTE using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[dkyeager]

 was wondering what bands it would affect and where...

Edited October 2, 2013 by dkyeager

[Nickel]

I honestly don't understand the high tech lingo you guys refer to when it comes to certain bands and frequencies.

 

I do know that here in Morgantown WV USCC, Verizon, and ATT all have LTE. Sprint (ntelos) is the only provider that doesn't. Sprint uses nTelos towers here and roam on USCC's towers. I've been told at the nTelos store that LTE is being deployed here in 4th quarter but ntelos has lied before. I'd love to see the 4g light up on my phone here.

 

If USCC is indeed the roaming partner when do you expect this to happen?

USCC uses either band 12 or band 5 for LTE depending on where you are, Verizon and AT&T are using band 13 and 17 respectively (although they, AT&T, have promised to start using band 12). I would assume that nTelos  would use band 25 but I could be wrong about that.

 

Time tables are difficult to predict but either way, you would need a device that supports both band 12 and 5 to use USCC's LTE.

 

 was wondering what bands it would affect and where...

See above but also add in C Spire who is primarily in Mississippi, I believe.

[dkyeager]

FYI for others like me:

http://www.uscellular.com/coverage-map/coverage-indicator.html then pick data.  http://www.ntelos.com/coverage-map  This could also help explain why Sprint LTE has been going to so many small towns before metro areas -- more strategic than I thought.   Makes sense that they would strike deals with those who they have dealt with before. 

[Dkoellerwx]

FYI for others like me:

http://www.uscellular.com/coverage-map/coverage-indicator.html then pick data.  http://www.ntelos.com/coverage-map  This could also help explain why Sprint LTE has been going to so many small towns before metro areas -- more strategic than I thought.   Makes sense that they would strike deals with those who they have dealt with before. 

 

No, this doesn't explain that. There's only one explanation for the reason smaller towns are done first. They are easier to complete. They have a smaller number of towers, and it's generally easier to get the needed work permits. Larger towns have hundreds more towers, and stricter permitting rules, which makes it take much longer. Sprint is upgrading whole markets at a time. This generally includes a large metropolitan area, or a large city or two, and then all the smaller towns and rural communities that surround it for many miles. Upgrades go on across the whole area at the same time, smaller towns are complete first. That's all there is to it.

[dkyeager]

There's only one explanation

 

Your comments make tactical sense at the beginning of a multiple location project, especially one as complex as Sprint is trying to undertake -- start small then see if it scales up properly (make adjustments if needed).  They also make sense from a critical path perspective as you noted.

 

But why choose one "market" for LTE upgrades versus another?  Why put markets with larger populations further down the list when Sprint's stated goal is LTE available to 200 million people? AT&T and Verizon, with their larger access to capital, have often gone for major metropolitan areas first then smaller cities then towns. 

 

Several months ago when the project plans were made, Sprint needed cash and places like the middle of Wisconsin with US Cellular may have stretched it, while also blocking satellite and other companies possible deals with these firms (http://www.telecompetitor.com/lte-will-underlie-dishntelos-fixed-wireless-broadband-service/).  Even today these LTE roaming deals also have strategic advantages for Softbank by improving future chances for buyouts to further increase Sprint's market, while not increasing financial risk in case Sprint runs into trouble with NV.  Of course additional factors in market selection for LTE upgrades could be contractor and equipment availability, Sprint Wimax availability/complexity, number of LTE subscribers, and the permitting delays that you mention just to name a few other possible explanations.

[Dkoellerwx]

Your comments make tactical sense at the beginning of a multiple location project, especially one as complex as Sprint is trying to undertake -- start small then see if it scales up properly (make adjustments if needed).  They also make sense from a critical path perspective as you noted.

 

But why choose one "market" for LTE upgrades versus another?  Why put markets with larger populations further down the list when Sprint's stated goal is LTE available to 200 million people? AT&T and Verizon, with their larger access to capital, have often gone for major metropolitan areas first then smaller cities then towns.

 

They didn't choose smaller markets over larger ones. They did not "start small" and then ramp up. Yes, production ramped up over time, but that is the nature of these types of projects. They started all top ten markets with the exception of Phoenix very near the beginning of the project. The density and complexity of these larger cities have made it take much longer to complete than the smaller markets. 

 

For reference, this is how Sprint defines markets: 

 

You'll notice how large some of these markets are. When Sprint starts upgrading a market, work begins over the ENTIRE market, not just the cities.

[WiWavelength]

But why choose one "market" for LTE upgrades versus another?  Why put markets with larger populations further down the list when Sprint's stated goal is LTE available to 200 million people? AT&T and Verizon, with their larger access to capital, have often gone for major metropolitan areas first then smaller cities then towns.

 

Sprint is redoing its entire network -- every site -- in one initiative.  No other wireless operator is doing likewise.  So, the parallels to VZW, AT&T, or even T-Mobile are not that relevant.

 

AJ

[dkyeager]

dkoellerwx,

 

Thank you for the market map for Sprint.  Only two of the dozen or so markets I deal with have more than a few LTE towers. Fortunately they have made far greater progress in other markets. 

 

Sprint is redoing its entire network -- every site -- in one initiative.  No other wireless operator is doing likewise.  So, the parallels to VZW, AT&T, or even T-Mobile are not that relevant.

 

AJ

 

I wholeheartedly agree that technically and logistically NV is a very complex project for Sprint and far exceeds what other carriers are currently doing.  Marketing wise, it has been costly for them to not be fully LTE operational in a number of major cities.  Maybe Sprint will tweak (or have tweaked) their project plans since they have more cash and more contractors (or the contractor's employees) are becoming available, as other providers initial LTE projects are completed.

 

I am glad to see Sprint getting LTE roaming deals, even if we may be effectively limited to 100 to 300 MB per month (hopefully not).  Note that Sprint even settled billing disputes with Ntelos now that they have some cash.