Marcelo Claure, Town Hall Meetings, New Family Share Pack Plan, Unlimited Individual Plan, Discussion Thread

[payturr]

Because there is no more low band spectrum for the foreseeable future. The only other way if for the FCC to mandate that PS move to the 700MHz SMR band. You have seen how successful they were getting them to move from the 800Mz band. Sprint has to bid and win a 10x10 allocation. Anything below that is stupid! Sprint has made a lot of boneheaded moves in the past, but that will be beyond boneheaded.

Why need lowband if you gotta densify a lot anyway? 800MHz penetrates buildings, the only other perk of low band is coverage but if you densify enough, you make up for the coverage with 800MHz and higher frequencies like PCS and BRS. 600MHz is gonna be insanely expensive and it makes no sense to just throw money at it & be totally unable to use it when Sprint can just build the densest network in the U.S. Besides, if "5G" is gonna be what it sounds like it might be (absurd 60GHz networks), it's better to be dense cause that low band will have no picture in it.

[DanielB]

Why need lowband if you gotta densify a lot anyway? 800MHz penetrates buildings, the only other perk of low band is coverage but if you densify enough, you make up for the coverage with 800MHz and higher frequencies like PCS and BRS. 600MHz is gonna be insanely expensive and it makes no sense to just throw money at it & be totally unable to use it when Sprint can just build the densest network in the U.S. Besides, if "5G" is gonna be what it sounds like it might be (absurd 60GHz networks), it's better to be dense cause that low band will have no picture in it.

 

You're making a very fair point. Take the $15 - $20 bil that would otherwise be spent on this spectrum alone, and densify the crap out of the existing network. T-mobile is really the only carrier that needs additional low-band spectrum - they've got some 700 MHz, but not nationwide. Sprint could better deploy its resources elsewhere.

[joshuam]

Why need lowband if you gotta densify a lot anyway? 800MHz penetrates buildings, the only other perk of low band is coverage but if you densify enough, you make up for the coverage with 800MHz and higher frequencies like PCS and BRS. 600MHz is gonna be insanely expensive and it makes no sense to just throw money at it & be totally unable to use it when Sprint can just build the densest network in the U.S. Besides, if "5G" is gonna be what it sounds like it might be (absurd 60GHz networks), it's better to be dense cause that low band will have no picture in it.

 

I'm guessing most of the efforts to increase the density of Sprint's network will be focused in urban/metropolitan areas...which will be a huge improvement for Sprint, and one that is definitely needed. But outside of urban areas, I spend more time on band 26 than any other band, even in areas fully blanketed by band 41 with 8T8R panels. Band 26 is too congested (speeds around 1Mbps)...adding a 10x10 low band carrier will help with congestion in areas Sprint won't increase the density of their network.

[payturr]

I'm guessing most of the efforts to increase the density of Sprint's network will be focused in urban/metropolitan areas...which will be a huge improvement for Sprint, and one that is definitely needed. But outside of urban areas, I spend more time on band 26 than any other band, even in areas fully blanketed by band 41 with 8T8R panels. Band 26 is too congested (speeds around 1Mbps)...adding a 10x10 low band carrier will help with congestion in areas Sprint won't increase the density of their network.

I see a very good point in this comment, but a hard reality with this auction is it will be at least 4 to 5 years before they can even deploy 600MHz at those sites, which means 4 to 5 years of more congestion on band 26 and making Sprint look bad at those areas. Wouldn't they just be better off running more backhaul and putting up a few more sites? It's not gonna take as long, it won't require getting a new phone to support that band and it'll help provide a better experience all around. But I totally see where you're coming from, 5x5 must be hell out there.

[bigsnake49]

I see a very good point in this comment, but a hard reality with this auction is it will be at least 4 to 5 years before they can even deploy 600MHz at those sites, which means 4 to 5 years of more congestion on band 26 and making Sprint look bad at those areas. Wouldn't they just be better off running more backhaul and putting up a few more sites? It's not gonna take as long, it won't require getting a new phone to support that band and it'll help provide a better experience all around. But I totally see where you're coming from, 5x5 must be hell out there.

 

It's not an either or situation. They need to densify particularly the macro sites because they have big holes in their coverage with 1900Mz. They were/are deficient. The deficiencies are covered up by band 26 but then it gets congested.

 

If Sprint had actually gotten band 12 spectrum, I would not advocate that they bid at this auction. But they did not and they need 10x10 low band to compete. There are some places that you just can't put sites anywhere because it's a big development and won't allow you.

Edited August 5, 2015 by bigsnake49

[greenbastard]

Why need lowband if you gotta densify a lot anyway?

I don't know if you've experienced Band 41, but it doesn't travel very far and there is only so much 8t8r can do to help it indoors.

 

I live less than 1500 feet away from a Sprint tower with B41 and I don't get it indoors. Harold Feld wasn't exactly exaggerating when he said 'wet leaves' can disrupt the signal.

 

2.5 is an answer for crowded areas such as medical centers, downtown, parks, etc. But it won't address the issues in residential areas where B26/B25 is drowned. Even if densification would help alleviate congestion on B25/B26, we are forgetting about the speed test obsessed media that will continue to measure them as if the speeds were penises. Sprint needs reliability and speed, and B41 only gives you speed, not reliability.

[kg4icg]

Sitting at Dulles this morning deep in the concrete jungle of the offices doing my badge renewal at the airport, I'm on my phone taking a call having only band 25 on my Ativ S Neo, showing 3 bars on the signal, while some T-Mobile users couldn't use there phones at all. I say 600 MHz would be a waste of time going after. Maybe not for the others, but for Sprint, waste of time and money. If I can get a decent signal with that much concrete and steel surrounding me and watching some T-Mobile users suffer. Then all is good.

[kojitsari]

Sprint needs additional low band spectrum for when they decided to go VOLTE. B26 as the sole 'voice' band to fall back on indoors won't be sufficient even if they density the network with key new towers.

 

Sprint cannot repurpose all of evdo and 1X carriers as soon as they make the push to VOLTE and even when they can start the process it is going to take time.

 

You're all thinking short term (>5 years), Masa and Marcelo are thinking long term (5-10). They want to be be the best wireless carrier, and they want to keep it that way.

[Ascertion]

Sitting at Dulles this morning deep in the concrete jungle of the offices doing my badge renewal at the airport, I'm on my phone taking a call having only band 25 on my Ativ S Neo, showing 3 bars on the signal, while some T-Mobile users couldn't use there phones at all. I say 600 MHz would be a waste of time going after. Maybe not for the others, but for Sprint, waste of time and money. If I can get a decent signal with that much concrete and steel surrounding me and watching some T-Mobile users suffer. Then all is good.

Situations like this depend on tower placement.  I know many areas where T-Mobile beats Sprint hands down indoors, regardless of B26 being live in the area, compared to T-Mobile's B4. 

[jroepcke51]

You're all thinking short term (>5 years), Masa and Marcelo are thinking long term (5-10). They want to be be the best wireless carrier, and they want to keep it that way.

I agree with this thinking only if Softbank is willing to pay for NGN and the 600 auction. If that happens, i don't see 600 being a waste. I know on the call they really side stepped 600 auction but I honestly cant see them sitting out. 

[jroepcke51]

I don't know if you've experienced Band 41, but it doesn't travel very far and there is only so much 8t8r can do to help it indoors.

 

I live less than 1500 feet away from a Sprint tower with B41 and I don't get it indoors. Harold Feld wasn't exactly exaggerating when he said 'wet leaves' can disrupt the signal.

 

2.5 is an answer for crowded areas such as medical centers, downtown, parks, etc. But it won't address the issues in residential areas where B26/B25 is drowned. Even if densification would help alleviate congestion on B25/B26, we are forgetting about the speed test obsessed media that will continue to measure them as if the speeds were penises. Sprint needs reliability and speed, and B41 only gives you speed, not reliability.

The other issue is that Sprint is only doing 2t2r right now. Just wait till 4t2r is deployed. I would love to discuss then.

[greenbastard]

The other issue is that Sprint is only doing 2t2r right now. Just wait till 4t2r is deployed. I would love to discuss then.

It won't do much of a difference since B25/B26 are loaded already. Maybe give me better reception (which I don't need, but others do), but not better speeds.

[nexgencpu]

I don't know if you've experienced Band 41, but it doesn't travel very far and there is only so much 8t8r can do to help it indoors.

 

I live less than 1500 feet away from a Sprint tower with B41 and I don't get it indoors. Harold Feld wasn't exactly exaggerating when he said 'wet leaves' can disrupt the signal.

 

2.5 is an answer for crowded areas such as medical centers, downtown, parks, etc. But it won't address the issues in residential areas where B26/B25 is drowned. Even if densification would help alleviate congestion on B25/B26, we are forgetting about the speed test obsessed media that will continue to measure them as if the speeds were penises. Sprint needs reliability and speed, and B41 only gives you speed, not reliability.

Actually, I do believe 4x2MIMO+CA can do more than just address crowded situations, in fact, I do believe coverage can potentially match 1.9. 

 

With that in mind, densification together with their current spectrum holdings could be even longer term than a 600Mhz  5x5 slice.

 

 

Think about it this way, would you rather be prepared with 100Mhz+ of 2.5 covering 85%+/- of the US, or 5x5 of 600 covering 95%+/- 

 

I do agree that in the interim 600Mhz would have been great to deploy Volte, but unfortunately it would not be possible to deploy until after 2020, which by then you could densify current holdings well enough to not need 600mhz. 

[nexgencpu]

It won't do much of a difference since B25/B26 are loaded already. Maybe give me better reception (which I don't need, but others do), but not better speeds.

Huh, you have no idea what 4x2MIMO can do, do you!?

 

Check it out!

 

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/1344-network-visionlte-jacksonville-market-including-gainesvillest-augustineocala/?p=434044

[jroepcke51]

It won't do much of a difference since B25/B26 are loaded already. Maybe give me better reception (which I don't need, but others do), but not better speeds.

Dude B25/b26 will not get 4t2r. Only band 41. I am interested how B41 will perform then.

[joshuam]

Former Sprint CEO Hesse: Unexpected disruption from Network Vision was 'very painful to me personally'

 

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/former-sprint-ceo-hesse-unexpected-disruption-network-vision-was-very-painf/2015-08-05

[JimBob]

Former Sprint CEO Hesse: Unexpected disruption from Network Vision was 'very painful to me personally'

 

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/former-sprint-ceo-hesse-unexpected-disruption-network-vision-was-very-painf/2015-08-05

 

Dan Hesse still cries on his pillow at night.

[greenbastard]

Huh, you have no idea what 4x2MIMO can do, do you!?

 

Check it out!

 

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/1344-network-visionlte-jacksonville-market-including-gainesvillest-augustineocala/?p=434044

Like I said, B25/B26 is already loaded. Unless 4t2r can magically produce more bandwidth, it won't help alleviate the under 1 Mbps some sectors currently get (and this is with a signal above -80).

 

8t8r radios do wonders for edge of cell, but B41 is so sensitive to anything that signal will fade rather quickly. This myth that it matches B25 is just that, a myth. Dont get me wrong, it greatly improves B41 signal, but it doesnt match B25. The S5, for example, has an antenna design so bad that I could have B41 at -108, but if I hold it the wrong way I lose B41 and get placed on B26 (and while this may be the case with most phones, I'm not exaggerating here. Holding the phone like I normally do makes B41 go haywire) Band 41 is the solution for crowded spaces, but not for you run of the mill neighborhoods with dense trees/buildings. A 10x10 600 Mhz would help in places such as Texas where a second B25 carrier is impossible to launch.

 

I'm not advocating to have the fastest speed, but if Sprint wants to survive in this cut throat industry, it'll have to find a way to shake off the slow speed perception that many people have. For me, 1-2 Mbps works just fine, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case when it comes to public opinion.

[jroepcke51]

Like I said, B25/B26 is already loaded. Unless 4t2r can magically produce more bandwidth, it won't help alleviate the under 1 Mbps some sectors currently get (and this is with a signal above -80).

 

8t8r radios do wonders for edge of cell, but B41 is so sensitive to anything that signal will fade rather quickly. This myth that it matches B25 is just that, a myth. Dont get me wrong, it greatly improves B41 signal, but it doesnt match B25. The S5, for example, has an antenna design so bad that I could have B41 at -108, but if I hold it the wrong way I lose B41 and get placed on B26 (and while this may be the case with most phones, I'm not exaggerating here. Holding the phone like I normally do makes B41 go haywire) Band 41 is the solution for crowded spaces, but not for you run of the mill neighborhoods with dense trees/buildings. A 10x10 600 Mhz would help in places such as Texas where a second B25 carrier is impossible to launch.

 

I'm not advocating to have the fastest speed, but if Sprint wants to survive in this cut throat industry, it'll have to find a way to shake off the slow speed perception that many people have. For me, 1-2 Mbps works just fine, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case when it comes to public opinion.

B41 is only started to produce 4r2t.  It seems you are bent, so I will leave it there. 

[kojitsari]

Like I said, B25/B26 is already loaded. Unless 4t2r can magically produce more bandwidth, it won't help alleviate the under 1 Mbps some sectors currently get (and this is with a signal above -80).

You have an s5, might want to update your profile it still shows an s3...and that says a lot, Samsung phones from s5 and up and known for having some of the worst RF performance from the higher tier phones. With a at least decent rf performing phone and 8t8tr sites being fully optimized it does match b25, and helps b25/b26 significantly. There are numerous markets where this is reported, KC/STL/Chicago/Indiana.

 

Also lots of the capacity issues (aka speeds suck omg <5mbs) are people abusing the network, which Sprint is working on by implementing things like phasing out old plans with the unlimited for life guarantee.

[nexgencpu]

Like I said, B25/B26 is already loaded. Unless 4t2r can magically produce more bandwidth, it won't help alleviate the under 1 Mbps some sectors currently get (and this is with a signal above -80).

 

8t8r radios do wonders for edge of cell, but B41 is so sensitive to anything that signal will fade rather quickly. This myth that it matches B25 is just that, a myth. Dont get me wrong, it greatly improves B41 signal, but it doesnt match B25. The S5, for example, has an antenna design so bad that I could have B41 at -108, but if I hold it the wrong way I lose B41 and get placed on B26 (and while this may be the case with most phones, I'm not exaggerating here. Holding the phone like I normally do makes B41 go haywire) Band 41 is the solution for crowded spaces, but not for you run of the mill neighborhoods with dense trees/buildings. A 10x10 600 Mhz would help in places such as Texas where a second B25 carrier is impossible to launch.

 

I'm not advocating to have the fastest speed, but if Sprint wants to survive in this cut throat industry, it'll have to find a way to shake off the slow speed perception that many people have. For me, 1-2 Mbps works just fine, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case when it comes to public opinion.

First off, GS5 has a horrible radio, second, they have just started to deploy 4x2 MIMO and the results have been extremely positive and yes matching 1.9. 

 

So unless you have a comparison of 4x2MIMO B41 vs 2x2MIMO B25 saying otherwise, it is what it is. I linked to an example showing 4x2 in the wild at -120dBm, and how it can help offload B25/26. No way in hell is B25 gonna be usable at that signal level, not even in a dream.

[S4GRU]

Like I said, B25/B26 is already loaded. Unless 4t2r can magically produce more bandwidth, it won't help alleviate the under 1 Mbps some sectors currently get (and this is with a signal above -80).

 

8t8r radios do wonders for edge of cell, but B41 is so sensitive to anything that signal will fade rather quickly. This myth that it matches B25 is just that, a myth. Dont get me wrong, it greatly improves B41 signal, but it doesnt match B25. The S5, for example, has an antenna design so bad that I could have B41 at -108, but if I hold it the wrong way I lose B41 and get placed on B26 (and while this may be the case with most phones, I'm not exaggerating here. Holding the phone like I normally do makes B41 go haywire) Band 41 is the solution for crowded spaces, but not for you run of the mill neighborhoods with dense trees/buildings. A 10x10 600 Mhz would help in places such as Texas where a second B25 carrier is impossible to launch.

 

I'm not advocating to have the fastest speed, but if Sprint wants to survive in this cut throat industry, it'll have to find a way to shake off the slow speed perception that many people have. For me, 1-2 Mbps works just fine, but unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case when it comes to public opinion.

B41 8T8R plus beamforming can produce virtually the same coverage as B25.

 

Using Nexus 6 on Tapatalk

[newboyx]

The Band 41 can't penetrate a paper bag thing must be related to old Clearwire equipment. I still get 41 indoors several miles from the site. I have to go deep into a building to lose it.

 

Sent from my Tab 4

[sbolen]

The Band 41 can't penetrate a paper bag thing must be related to old Clearwire equipment. I still get 41 indoors several miles from the site. I have to go deep into a building to lose it.

 

Sent from my Tab 4

I get solid B41 from a clear tower about .3 miles away in my brick house. No complaints here (but I'm on Wi-Fi 100% of the time at home).

[clbowens]

The Band 41 can't penetrate a paper bag thing must be related to old Clearwire equipment. I still get 41 indoors several miles from the site. I have to go deep into a building to lose it.

 

Sent from my Tab 4

I'm 1300 feet from a Clear tower and I get 1 bar while in my house.