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

[SkyGuy98]

Even if T-Mobile gets some 600 MHz spectrum in the auction, that won't do much to address its speed issues will it?

If so I would think it would only be minimally because of the small bandwidth, but every bit helps.

[jroepcke51]

Even if T-Mobile gets some 600 MHz spectrum in the auction, that won't do much to address its speed issues will it?

Not in the short term. Who knows when it would be available to be deployed. AWS-3 will help more as that could be deployed later this year to the next I think. Not completely positive on that.

[RedSpark]

Not in the short term. Who knows when it would be available to be deployed. AWS-3 will help more as that could be deployed later this year to the next I think. Not completely positive on that.

 

Tarek Robbiati said 600 MHz wouldn't be available for use until 2021.

 

http://www.lightreading.com/mobile/mec-(mobile-edge-computing)/sprint-cfo-600mhz-auction-will-not-deliver-enough-spectrum/d/d-id/720282

 

(Jeez LightReading: Who puts () in a URL?)

 

 

"This auction is at best going to give a block of 2x10MHz spectrum," Tarek Robbiati said at the Citi 2016 Internet, Media and Telecommunications Conference. "For a really, really high-speed network you need at least 2x20MHz of contiguous spectrum."

 

Furthermore, Robbiati suggested, the spectrum won't be available for use until 2021. (See Sprint Says It Will Sit Out Incentive Auction .)

[kg4icg]

Not looking good for that free stuff on Tuesday thing. The moochers came out in force.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/06/16/dominos-suspends-participation-in-t-mobile-tuesdays-indefinitely/

 

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[Terrell352]

EDIT: But VZW is coming to the end of their spectrum soon enough so they might end up in the same predicament as T-Mobile soon.

With AWS-3, PCS and Cellular 850. I wouldn't call that soon. It will take at least 2-3 years to get that deployed to the masses.

[RedSpark]

Not looking good for that free stuff on Tuesday thing. The moochers came out in force.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/06/16/dominos-suspends-participation-in-t-mobile-tuesdays-indefinitely/

 

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As far as "Uncarriers" go, this was pretty underwhelming and poorly executed.

[Fraydog]

One thing worth noting that Sascha Segan said was that T-Mobile actually performed worse this year around than it did last year and he attributed it to their success at gaining customers.

 

In my opinion the problem is that T-Mobile has been really invested in expanding coverage as much as possible so they've been implementing too many stopgaps instead of actually fixing it the amounting congestion problems by doing things like capping streaming quality with BingeOn and aggregating Band 12 and Band 4 (which really isn't helping the congestion on Band 12 anyway).

 

Meanwhile Verizon has been hard at work spending millions on densifying their network with small cells and deploying large swaths of more spectrum in PCS and eventually Cellular frequencies. Sprint too seems to be on the ball, deploying a third Band 41 carrier in many places and densifying with small cells.

 

From my observations, T-Mobile threw all their eggs in early on which gave them a really fast network early on but both RootMerics and now PCMag's test are now showing them to be slowing down and now they're scrambling to spend millions if not billions on more spectrum in an attempt to keep their high speed reputation.

 

 

EDIT: But VZW is coming to the end of their spectrum soon enough so they might end up in the same predicament as T-Mobile soon.

I'm genuinely surprised T-Mobile hasn't got a big small cell install in the field yet. If they do I don't see it yet. I realize LAA is part of their plan but that is primarily for congested indoor environments like shopping malls, big box stores, and large office buildings. That isn't for deployment on macros. T-Mobile could use small cells for the congested hotspots. The use of B41 in the hotspot areas is a huge reason why Sprint speeds got way better in the PC Mag testing. T-Mobile could use LAA in cities like Chicago and St. Louis where they have congestion in crowded areas.

 

Verizon is a huge monolith to spend problems away. T-Mobile doesn't have that luxury. Even with an incredible network leader, TMo has to be very disciplined with network spending because they lack the scale of Verizon and AT&T. That is a large part of why T-Mobile couldn't modernize all rural sites yet. Expanding coverage is a good thing for T-Mobile but it is a long term bet.

 

Verizon is likely to push harder on VoLTE. They aren't to the point where they can pull CDMA out of phones yet but they are to the point where they can default VoLTE.

 

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[mnjeepmale]

As far as "Uncarriers" go, this was pretty underwhelming and poorly executed.

 

I want to know who is paying for all these free pizza's? But yeah very poorly executed and the right choice for Domino's to withdraw from the program.

[kg4icg]

Something that might answer some people's questions about small cell installations and the process of getting it done, red tape and all. And for some, it has pictures to.

http://www.gunnersonconsulting.com/blog

 

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[Houston_Texas]

I'm genuinely surprised T-Mobile hasn't got a big small cell install in the field yet. If they do I don't see it yet. I realize LAA is part of their plan but that is primarily for congested indoor environments like shopping malls, big box stores, and large office buildings. That isn't for deployment on macros. T-Mobile could use small cells for the congested hotspots. The use of B41 in the hotspot areas is a huge reason why Sprint speeds got way better in the PC Mag testing. T-Mobile could use LAA in cities like Chicago and St. Louis where they have congestion in crowded areas.

 

Verizon is a huge monolith to spend problems away. T-Mobile doesn't have that luxury. Even with an incredible network leader, TMo has to be very disciplined with network spending because they lack the scale of Verizon and AT&T. That is a large part of why T-Mobile couldn't modernize all rural sites yet. Expanding coverage is a good thing for T-Mobile but it is a long term bet.

 

Verizon is likely to push harder on VoLTE. They aren't to the point where they can pull CDMA out of phones yet but they are to the point where they can default VoLTE.

 

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In regards to in-call management, has (can?) CDMA carriers improved? I remember the experience being vastly superior on GSM carriers.

[Fraydog]

In regards to in-call management, has (can?) CDMA carriers improved? I remember the experience being vastly superior on GSM carriers.

You mean on Wideband CDMA like what the 3GPP evolution specified, or old TDMA based GSM voice? The former was very good at it. The other sucked and was a large reason why I dumped AT&T for Verizon long ago. The former didn't reach where I lived into 2013. Wasn't on 850 MHz until 2015 here. T-Mobile never bothered to put the former here, it was only AT&T.

 

Specific generations of the technology matter. As for VoLTE, it is a completely different beast with lots of different implementations. T-Mobile has a different VoLTE implementation than Verizon, for example. I might have to write an entire technical post on this and ON VoLTE standardization. It's going to be a while, though, before the dust settles in that regard.

 

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[NYC126]

Tmobile only bid AWS3 in very small  pockets around the country. TMOBILE and Verizon will need more spectrum, and this is why Dish will have these fighting and bidding for their assets. 

 

 

While  those carriers scramble for more spectrum  Sprint will be riding on densification and deploying extra Carriers on the 2.5ghz band. This is why they are rushing to the 5G hype, and using very high bands that won't penetrate paper bag.  

[Fraydog]

Tmobile only bid AWS3 in very small pockets around the country. TMOBILE and Verizon will need more spectrum, and this is why Dish will have these fighting and bidding for their assets.

 

 

While those carriers scramble for more spectrum Sprint will be riding on densification and deploying extra Carriers on the 2.5ghz band. This is why they are rushing to the 5G hype, and using very high bands that won't penetrate paper bag.

When we talk about the needs for 5G which include getting paper bag spectrum, by that I mean real paper bag spectrum north of 5 GHz, penetrating walls, 1 Gbps speeds on average, and sub 1 ms latency... What is really needed for that is a breakthrough in air interface. Hope either Nokia or Ericsson have something really good up their sleeve.

 

 

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[Deval]

Questions:  why did Sprint embark and rip and replace NV1 in the first place?  Was it because the equipment that was in place is not compatible for LTE?  As Sprint migrate to 5G, do they have to do rip and replace again or is it more like an add on to what already in place for LTE?

 

NV1 was the groundwork for LTE, the same equipment is used for 3G and LTE.

 

5G is a completely different animal, so it's too soon to look at how it will be deployed. 

[derrph]

Another win for sprint

 

http://www.rootmetrics.com/en-US/rootscore/map/metro/ogden-ut/2016/1H

 

 

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[smooth25]

I mentioned this a while ago.. I think Sprint needs a way to jump ahead of the others since they are playing catch up. Would Sprint be able to handle changing all its plans to unlimited but throttled, essentially doing what T Mobile is doing with Binge on?

For example: 3 plans unlimited. $50 unlimited throttled at 2 Mbps.

$65 unlimited throttled at 8 Mbps (like cricket)

$85 truly unlimited no throttle (maybe after 30 gb if conjested)

This would basically defeat Binge on and music freedom and no net neutrality issues.

These plans and prices are just examples off the top of my head. Would this benefit or hurt Sprint?

 

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[EvanA]

 

 

Specific generations of the technology matter. As for VoLTE, it is a completely different beast with lots of different implementations. T-Mobile has a different VoLTE implementation than Verizon, for example. I might have to write an entire technical post on this and ON VoLTE standardization. It's going to be a while, though, before the dust settles in that regard.

 

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The VoLTE problem is on its way to being solved. The GSMA just finalized an global standard for VoLTE called OMD (Open Market Device). More info here

 

http://np.reddit.com/r/tmobile/comments/4of25n/_/

[Paynefanbro]

I mentioned this a while ago.. I think Sprint needs a way to jump ahead of the others since they are playing catch up. Would Sprint be able to handle changing all its plans to u limited but throttled, essentially doing what T Mobile is doing with Binge on?

For example: 3 plans unlimited. $50 unlimited throttled at 2 Mbps.

$65 unlimited throttled at 8 Mbps (like cricket)

$85 truly unlimited no throttle (maybe after 30 gb if conjested)

This would basically defeat Binge on and music freedom and no net neutrality issues.

 

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Throttling like that would be the definition of suicide for Sprint. If they want to do that for their prepaid brands to make it similar to Cricket, I'd be fine with that. You'd just get a ton of people complaining that they can't get 8 Mbps in the first place. Plans like that aren't great for today's networks. Maybe for fixed wireless (which is something that we'll likely see with 5G) plans like that will come to fruition. 

 

I think Sprint should make a throttled Unlimited plan (6-8Mbps) for prepaid brands only and offer full speed data for capped plans that throttle you after your limit.

[clbowens]

I mentioned this a while ago.. I think Sprint needs a way to jump ahead of the others since they are playing catch up. Would Sprint be able to handle changing all its plans to unlimited but throttled, essentially doing what T Mobile is doing with Binge on?

For example: 3 plans unlimited. $50 unlimited throttled at 2 Mbps.

$65 unlimited throttled at 8 Mbps (like cricket)

$85 truly unlimited no throttle (maybe after 30 gb if conjested)

This would basically defeat Binge on and music freedom and no net neutrality issues.

These plans and prices are just examples off the top of my head. Would this benefit or hurt Sprint?

 

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I think the problem with plans like this that sets a max download speed you can do, is that Sprint (nor any other wireless provider) can not guarantee that a particular customer can get say 8Mbps consistently.

[clbowens]

The VoLTE problem is on its way to being solved. The GSMA just finalized an global standard for VoLTE called OMD (Open Market Device). More info here

 

http://np.reddit.com/r/tmobile/comments/4of25n/_/

Hopefully, Sprint implements this.  Since they don't have VoLTE implemented anywhere yet, it should be a better solution to just implement this.

[smooth25]

Throttling like that would be the definition of suicide for Sprint. If they want to do that for their prepaid brands to make it similar to Cricket, I'd be fine with that. You'd just get a ton of people complaining that they can't get 8 Mbps in the first place. Plans like that aren't great for today's networks. Maybe for fixed wireless (which is something that we'll likely see with 5G) plans like that will come to fruition.

 

I think Sprint should make a throttled Unlimited plan (6-8Mbps) for prepaid brands only and offer full speed data for capped plans that throttle you after your limit.

If you get more people on the lower throttle like 1.5 or 2 Mbps, wouldn't that create less strain on the network? I looked at T Mobiles plans. The minimum for Binge on is $65 for 6GB. Sprint can even do $60 as the minimum unlimited and have a $50 tiered plan. T Mobile is $50 for 2GB.

I think Sprint has to try something besides waiting for 5G and small cells. How long can they rely on 50% offer.

 

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[nexgencpu]

If you get more people on the lower throttle like 1.5 or 2 Mbps, wouldn't that create less strain on the network? I looked at T Mobiles plans. The minimum for Binge on is $65 for 6GB. Sprint can even do $60 as the minimum unlimited and have a $50 tiered plan. T Mobile is $50 for 2GB.

I think Sprint has to try something besides waiting for 5G and small cells. How long can they rely on 50% offer.

 

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All the carriers are at or near their spectrum peak, Sprint is just getting started. So no worries.

[greenbastard]

I think the problem with plans like this that sets a max download speed you can do, is that Sprint (nor any other wireless provider) can not guarantee that a particular customer can get say 8Mbps consistently.

Not if you word the plan correctly like cricket does.

[clbowens]

Not if you word the plan correctly like cricket does.

Yeah, I can agree on that.

[Fraydog]

 

[emoji23] [emoji23] [emoji23] [emoji23]

 

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