Sprint Will Not Participate in H Block Auction

[mozamcrew]

Band 12 will become usable the moment channel 51 is cleared. and Channel 51 wil be cleared 1st. So if Sprint can buy both A and B then they could have a very usable spectrum band. Sprint/Softbank needs to start thinking strategically for once.

ATT has a pretty solid stranglehold on the B block.

[mozamcrew]

It will be interesting to see how much they can pack down to in some markets as some already jammed packed like in the northeast due to the density of people.

 

I use OTA daily for TV viewing and hope it doesn't have any negative impact on it. Please, no more VHF stations as DTV should have never allowed those to be used.

 If stations are willing to MOVE from the top of the UHF band down into VHF then that's fine by me. I realize it's not ideal in the northeast since you don't WANT that added range, but those of us living in the boonies appreciate the range of VHF stations.

[WiWavelength]

According to the spectrum map, ATT has the E block in the NY/Boston area and the LA/SF area. I take your meaning though, the vast majority is Echostar.

 

Qualcomm had the Lower 700 MHz E block for added MediaFLO capacity in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, and San Francisco.  Those are the E block licenses that were transferred to AT&T.

 

AJ

[mozamcrew]

Let's just say there's very complex alliances being formed behind the scenes for the 600 mhz spectrum auction. 700 A-B (B12) is of no use to anyone now especially since USCC is moving to Band 5 LTE (CLR850) with over 90% of their network refarmed and broadcasting that spectrum. 

USCC still owns a ton of 700Mhz A spectrum. I don't think that they've given up on it, they just decided to move first on their Cell spectrum because it doesn't have any issues with channel 51 and they don't have to deal with the lack of band 12 equipment. Those two issues will soon be solved though. Sprint and ATT have both committed to support band 12 on devices, and channel 51 will have to be cleared before you have even have a 600Mhz auction.

[digiblur]

 If stations are willing to MOVE from the top of the UHF band down into VHF then that's fine by me. I realize it's not ideal in the northeast since you don't WANT that added range, but those of us living in the boonies appreciate the range of VHF stations.

 

Guess I have the opposite problem in my terrain/area.  VHF stations are PITA to receive correctly, they didn't let them allocate enough power.  Some stations went back and added more power but many did not.  UHF stations just work.  Point the antenna and that's it.  VHF..not so much.   It's the exact reason one station around here was on 8 and temporarily on 29 for DT operations/transition.  They opted to go to 8 for DT.  Tons of customers started complaining in town.  They got a waiver to do 8 and 29 DT for a while and finally opted to go back with 29 since it allowed them to have more power and better signal in town with less interference.  Channel 9 in Baton Rouge wouldn't do a interference agreement with them on 8 to increase more power since WAFB wanted to stay on the "enough" flea power of 5kw.  I've installed many OTA solutions in the area and downright hate dealing with VHF stations.  Those full power 1000kw UHF stations are a breath of fresh air!

[ericdabbs]

I think we are getting ahead of ourselves. Even with Verizon, Tmobile, and Att's 700Mhz A, it would not be anywhere close to nationwide. It would not completely solve the IBEZ problem at either border.

 

No one ever claimed that 700 mhz A was nationwide. Sprint would have to make an effort to buy up or go on an LTE sharing agreement with the regional carriers to fill the gaps

 

Sent from my LG G2 LS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

[ericdabbs]

ATT has a pretty solid stranglehold on the B block.

Correct. The Verizon 700 mhz B block licenses were already sold to ATT in Jan 2013 and the FCC officially approved the transaction in Sept 2013. Therefore the B block is now off the market. ATT now has the majority if not all of the 700 mhz B block licenses.

 

Sent from my LG G2 LS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

[Nickel]

Correct. The Verizon 700 mhz B block licenses were already sold to ATT in Jan 2013 and the FCC officially approved the transaction in Sept 2013. Therefore the B block is now off the market. ATT now has the majority if not all of the 700 mhz B block licenses.

 

Sent from my LG G2 LS980 using Tapatalk

They most certainly don't have all them. In my town the only 700 MHz they own is the D block (which is kind of worthless). But, yes, they certainly have the lion's share of the B block.

[ericdabbs]

They most certainly don't have all them. In my town the only 700 MHz they own is the D block (which is kind of worthless). But, yes, they certainly have the lion's share of the B block.

 

Right which is why I said the majority and at least in the major metros.  I can't vouch for small cities but definitely in the majority of the top 100 cities.

[mozamcrew]

Guess I have the opposite problem in my terrain/area.  VHF stations are PITA to receive correctly, they didn't let them allocate enough power.  Some stations went back and added more power but many did not.  UHF stations just work.  Point the antenna and that's it.  VHF..not so much.   It's the exact reason one station around here was on 8 and temporarily on 29 for DT operations/transition.  They opted to go to 8 for DT.  Tons of customers started complaining in town.  They got a waiver to do 8 and 29 DT for a while and finally opted to go back with 29 since it allowed them to have more power and better signal in town with less interference.  Channel 9 in Baton Rouge wouldn't do a interference agreement with them on 8 to increase more power since WAFB wanted to stay on the "enough" flea power of 5kw.  I've installed many OTA solutions in the area and downright hate dealing with VHF stations.  Those full power 1000kw UHF stations are a breath of fresh air!

 

Like any other lower frequency spectrum, the advantage of VHF is that it has better range in theory, and the trouble is that it has better range in theory.

[bigsnake49]

Like any other lower frequency spectrum, the advantage of VHF is that it has better range in theory, and the trouble is that it has better range in theory.

 

Except that they don't have to worry about it. They are allowed a territory and a power limit. It's not like they afre building a cellular network.

[mozamcrew]

Except that they don't have to worry about it. They are allowed a territory and a power limit. It's not like they afre building a cellular network.

 

Well they may not have a choice, but it does limit who can recieve their broadcast over the air.

[ericdabbs]

So is the PCS H block auction still scheduled for Jan 22?

[WiWavelength]

So is the PCS H block auction still scheduled for Jan 22?

 

Yes.

 

AJ

[ericdabbs]

Yes.

 

AJ

 

Ok thanks.

[S4GRU]

AJ has started an H Block Auction Tracking thread:  http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/5386-pcsaws-2-h-block-fcc-auction-96-results-thread/

 

Robert