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

[WiWavelength]

Chattanooga is blanketed with Band 41

 

That is the Chattanooga Choo Choo.  Not track 29, but band 41.  Get aboard.  Gotta keep it rollin'.

 

AJ

[kct1975]

That is the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Not track 29, but band 41. Get aboard. Gotta keep it rollin'.

 

AJ

'>

[greenbastard]

2-3Mbps is usually associated with a higher latency which messes things up. I can't properly watch a periscope at 2-3Mbps, even Netflix goes through hell at 2-3Mbps. Furthermore, it's not exactly acceptable. A minimum of 15Mbps everywhere w 50ms ping - perfect

Something is up with your phone then because I've been able to use Netflix perfectly fine with 1.5 Mbps over LTE and less than 1 Mbps over EVDO 3G. Of course it's not HD, but it gets the job done. The only carrier that can get you constant HD video stream in my area at the moment is Verizon. At&t is good, but not great. Sprint gets along just fine and T-Mobile is great for uploading videos to YouTube....but viewing them is another story since their download is around 1 Mbps in a lot of places (I will give them the benefit that they do have higher peak speeds than Sprint and At&t, but they average worse overall).

 

Also, you can have 2-3 Mbps (or even 0.1) and still have great ping times. Either clear your cache on those apps or try a different phone.

[Overstew]

I routinely watch video (netflix, YouTube etc) every day on lunch break with only an evdo connection. 2-3mbps IS acceptable for almost anything we do on our phones.

 

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

While 2-3 MBps is definitely usable, it brings up another question. How much bandwidth is that going to support if there's a number of people wanting to stream video over EvDo?

[Arysyn]

2-3Mbps is usually associated with a higher latency which messes things up. I can't properly watch a periscope at 2-3Mbps, even Netflix goes through hell at 2-3Mbps. Furthermore, it's not exactly acceptable. A minimum of 15Mbps everywhere w 50ms ping - perfect

 

3mbps is the minimum to make HD work right using Netflix, though a better speed range which I think is between the 3mbps - 5mbps range, I believe it would be great for a carrier to offer an unlimited data plan on for $35 monthly with that as a speed cap, then get rid of the more heavy data hogging unlimited speed unlimited data plans.

 

Also, I agree with you about 15mbps working great as the perfect speed for more expensive data rates, between the 15mbps -18mbps range for $1 per gb at the higher speed as an addition to the $35 monthly unlimited data plan, while the unlimited data operates at the 3mbps - 5mbps range.

[red_dog007]

My wife went to Chattanooga this weekend and had band 41. She didn't know what to do with proof and such or even checking for two carriers, but she took a screenshot of signal pro showing band 41. Not sure if this is already known

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

Yeah, it has been in Chattanooga for a long time now.  Even shows up on the coverage map.  Coverage map is still bit generous and it is far from being deployed on every macro site.  It also seems that deployments have stopped (unless they have moved to strictly micro deployments Im not seeing)  But it was enough to have the last rootmetrics test at almost 30Mbps average across the city.

[JosefTor]

Lol how aggressive Sprint is being with advertising. I see them on TV, the sides of busses, and YouTube. Well done Sprint!

[DanielB]

Lol how aggressive Sprint is being with advertising. I see them on TV, the sides of busses, and YouTube. Well done Sprint!

Agreed. They are doing a superb job of introducing their message to the marketplace and building awareness gradually over time. I think the message that Sprint is a completely different service that is worth a new look is really taking hold among consumers- and not just those oriented towards value.

[RedSpark]

A few new spots I've seen from Sprint:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIhPTTbe998
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJHIEldldlY

   

It reminds me of T-Mobile's "Wideband NYC Challenge":

 

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeBSWkux6ss

 

Sprint needs to stick with this approach....

[RedSpark]

What's Marcelo doing with Facebook?

 

https://twitter.com/marceloclaure/status/724639213820502016

 

https://twitter.com/marceloclaure/status/724726648441044998

 

A partnership?

[grapkoski]

What's Marcelo doing with Facebook?

 

https://twitter.com/marceloclaure/status/724639213820502016

 

https://twitter.com/marceloclaure/status/724726648441044998

 

A partnership?

 

Potentially, I know FB has used Sprint for their corporate hotspots for a while. Even during the dark times.

[RedSpark]

Potentially, I know FB has used Sprint for their corporate hotspots for a while. Even during the dark times.

 

Interesting. I had no idea.

[RedSpark]

T-Mobile released its 1Q2016 Results

 

Sprint has its Fiscal 2015 Fourth Quarter Earnings Call scheduled for May 3, 2016.

 

Noticed a few things I wanted to share from this PDF:

 

 

Network Modernization Update

• T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network now covers 308 million people, which includes partner LTE coverage of 2 million people. This is up from 305 million at the fourth quarter of 2015 earnings and 275 million at the end of the first quarter of 2015.
• Wideband LTE, which refers to markets that have bandwidth of at least 15+15 MHz dedicated to 4G LTE, is now available nationwide, covering 214 million people.
• Voice over LTE (“VoLTE”) comprised 51% of total voice call minutes in the first quarter of 2016 compared to 9% in the first quarter of 2015. Moving voice traffic to VoLTE frees up capacity and allows for an accelerated re-farming of spectrum currently used for 2G and 3G. T-Mobile is leading the US wireless industry in terms of VoLTE migration

 

 

According to the fine print on Sprint's website, LTE covers "Over 280M People".

Based on the recent Press Release, LTE Plus is in 191 Markets.

Maybe we'll hear about VoLTE in the earnings call. Who knows?

 

 

Network Speed

• T-Mobile continues to have the fastest nationwide 4G LTE network in the U.S. based on download speeds from millions of user-generated tests. This is the ninth consecutive quarter that T-Mobile has led the industry in average download speeds.
• In the first quarter of 2016, T-Mobile’s average 4G LTE download speed was 22.0 Mbps compared to Verizon at 20.9 Mbps, AT&T at 19.4 Mbps, and Sprint at 15.4 Mbps.

 

 

Sprint says it's the fastest based on Nielsen Data. Dr. John Saw, Sprint CTO Blogged about this:

 

T-Mobile relies on Ookla for its network claims, which again, measures how fast a network is built to perform, not how fast traffic is actually moving. To achieve this, Ookla collects speed tests submitted by wireless consumers and compares those speeds by operator. The downside is, unlike NMP, which latently monitors network conditions (including speed) while consumers are using their phones for their daily needs, consumers must explicitly initiate Ookla speed tests. Not many customers run their speed test apps regularly, and usually when they do, it is for diagnostics purposes - either in an area where their experience may be very bad or very good.

 

T-Mobile may currently have made their highway faster (per their Ookla-based marketing claims), but with the introduction of BingeOn, we see that cars on their highway are moving at slower speeds. All those multi-lane highways and nowhere to go because they put in speed bumps.

 

 

 

Spectrum

• At the end of the first quarter of 2016, T-Mobile owned an average of 85 MHz of spectrum across the top 25 markets in the U.S. The spectrum is comprised of an average of 11 MHz in the 700 MHz band, 30 MHz in the 1900 MHz PCS band, and 44 MHz in the AWS band.
• During the first quarter of 2016, T-Mobile acquired 700 MHz ABlock spectrum licenses covering 20 million POPs for $0.6 billion in cash. These acquisitions increased T-Mobile’s lowband spectrum holdings from 190 million POPs to 210 million POPs and included the cities of San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and New Orleans.
• During the first quarter of 2016, T-Mobile entered into agreements with multiple parties to acquire 700 MHz A-Block spectrum licenses covering approximately 48 million POPs for $0.7 billion. These agreements will increase T-Mobile’s lowband spectrum holdings from 210 million POPs to 258 million POPs upon closing and include the cities of Nashville, Salt Lake City, Columbus, and Jacksonville.
• In September 2015, T-Mobile entered into a spectrum license swap agreement with AT&T Inc. Upon closing of the transaction in March 2016, T-Mobile recorded the spectrum licenses received at their estimated fair value of $1.2 billion and recognized a gain of $636 million.
• The Company has filed to participate in the broadcast incentive auction.

 

 

 

People easily forget how much spectrum Sprint actually has. It has a ton: In addition to its 800 MHz and 1900 MHz spectrum holdings, Sprint controls an average of 120 MHz of 2.5 GHz spectrum in 90 of the top 100 U.S. markets. And for all we know, Sprint will actually participate in the 600 MHz Auction with the backing of SoftBank.

 

 

A-Block Update

• T-Mobile owns or has agreements to acquire 700 MHz ABlock spectrum covering 258 million people or approximately 80% of the U.S. population. The spectrum covers 9 of the top 10 market areas and 28 of the top 30 market areas in the U.S.
• T-Mobile has deployed its 700 MHz A-Block spectrum in over 340 market areas covering 194 million people under the brand name “Extended Range LTE.” Extended Range LTE travels up to twice as far as mid-band spectrum and works up to four times better in buildings. New market launches in the first quarter of 2016 included the cities of Boston and Reno. The Company expects to continue to aggressively roll-out new 700 MHz sites in 2016 including the cities of San Francisco, Phoenix, San Diego, and Las Vegas.

 

 

 

As above. People continue to underestimate Sprint's ability to densify its network. However, I think what's even more unappreciated is Sprint's spectrum position for 5G going forward.

[clbowens]

I'm ready for Sprint to be able to say they cover 308 million people.

[JonnygATL]

I'm ready for Sprint to be able to say they cover 308 million people.

Why is that so important? I do not think that is one of Sprint's current goals, plain and simple.

[clbowens]

Why is that so important? I do not think that is one of Sprint's current goals, plain and simple.

So that they can cover more people and with that, they are able to have more customers.

 

For me, I can have native coverage in more areas.  There are areas around here where they have "holes" in coverage.   In certain areas, everything around it is covered, but in that area, it's roaming.

 

Now, I don't travel a lot to areas where they don't have coverage, but when I travel to see my parents, I am roaming all the time I'm there.  But that's just me in that case.

[RedSpark]

Why is that so important? I do not think that is one of Sprint's current goals, plain and simple.

 

Aren't "Project Cedar", "Project Ocean" and the "New Project Expansion" about improving coverage?

 

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-382-sprint-planning-large-network-expansion-adding-9000-new-lte-sites-nationwide/

[Terrell352]

Why is that so important? I do not think that is one of Sprint's current goals, plain and simple.

That is very important as it makes them look inferior. You cant claim to be the most reliable with the least coverage.

[JonnygATL]

So that they can cover more people and with that, they are able to have more customers.

 

For me, I can have native coverage in more areas.  There are areas around here where they have "holes" in coverage.   In certain areas, everything around it is covered, but in that area, it's roaming.

 

Now, I don't travel a lot to areas where they don't have coverage, but when I travel to see my parents, I am roaming all the time I'm there.  But that's just me in that case.

True but you are missing my point.  Covering a specific # of POPS simply because magenta is doing it is not necessarily a good reason to do so.  There may be many arguments for moving to cover that many POPS but doing it to simply keep up with the Jones' is NOT a valid reason.

 

Yes, increasing coverage would cover more people, by simple virtue of the definition.  However, analyzing the ROI of a rural tower covering three toothless trailer dwellers and a hog farm might lead the good folks at Sprint to simply skip over trying to match POPs #s and, perhaps more smartly, focus on getting their financial house in order first. 

[JonnygATL]

That is very important as it makes them look inferior. You cant claim to be the most reliable with the least coverage.

Incorrect.  Reliability is a measure - withing a given geographic footprint - of how often one can connect to said network on the first try and, more importantly, to remain connected to it.

 

Apples and oranges. 

 

What's more, Sprint isn't claiming those things; Rootmetrics is. 

[Fraydog]

True but you are missing my point.  Covering a specific # of POPS simply because magenta is doing it is not necessarily a good reason to do so.  There may be many arguments for moving to cover that many POPS but doing it to simply keep up with the Jones' is NOT a valid reason.

 

Yes, increasing coverage would cover more people, by simple virtue of the definition.  However, analyzing the ROI of a rural tower covering three toothless trailer dwellers and a hog farm might lead the good folks at Sprint to simply skip over trying to match POPs #s and, perhaps more smartly, focus on getting their financial house in order first. 

 

 

               

[JonnygATL]

               

That wasn't saying you were a trailer dweller.  LOL.  It was meant to make a point that they may not be planning to include area x or area y in their coverage area this year or anytime in the near future.  It isn't personal; it's business.  It is what it is.  But just because you (or person X) wants coverage does not at all mean that Sprint owes anyone shit.  

 

Especially when they are trying to pay off so much debt.  That was my point.  Nothing personal..at all.

[Fraydog]

That wasn't saying you were a trailer dweller. LOL. It was meant to make a point that they may not be planning to include area x or area y in their coverage area this year or anytime in the near future. It isn't personal; it's business. It is what it is. But just because you (or person X) wants coverage does not at all mean that Sprint owes anyone shit.

 

Especially when they are trying to pay off so much debt. That was my point. Nothing personal..at all.

I think Sprint had a great asset in the EV-DO/CDMA era that they never really used in rural and it sure could have helped in the Forsee/Early Hesse days.

 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[JonnygATL]

I think Sprint had a great asset in the EV-DO/CDMA era that they never really used in rural and it sure could have helped in the Forsee/Early Hesse days.

 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

#agreed

[Terrell352]

Incorrect. Reliability is a measure - withing a given geographic footprint - of how often one can connect to said network on the first try and, more importantly, to remain connected to it.

 

Apples and oranges.

 

What's more, Sprint isn't claiming those things; Rootmetrics is.

That is the definition of reliability, but the problem is that's not the consumer perception of the word in cellular. Your answer is correct though but to the average consumer reliability means more along the lines of more coverage in more places with fast speeds in those places. Not more speed and less coverage.

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk