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

[Paynefanbro]

At the high end, do not use "unlimited" data for comparison -- because the cost per "unlimited" GB asymptotically approaches zero.  Instead, use the greatest common factor, which is 100 GB due to VZW.  Consider "unlimited" to be 100 GB.  Anyone who uses greater than 100 GB of mobile data should be smacked upside the head for being ridiculous.  And do not exclude the AT&T DirecTV "unlimited" data bundle -- if that is the least expensive way to obtain 100 GB, go with it.

 

AJ

But then there is a problem since neither T-Mobile nor Sprint have tiers that high and they also don't charge overages. Instead what you're left with is effectively unlimited data. It's just slow. That would mean that T-Mobile would top out at $8/GB and Sprint at $2.50/GB since their highest tiers are 10GB and 40GB respectively. For now I have edited it to show AT&T's Unlimited plan pricing per gig and left both S and TMUS's unlimited pricing until I figure out a better way to show it.

[WiWavelength]

But then there is a problem since neither T-Mobile nor Sprint have tiers that high and they also don't charge overages. Instead what you're left with is effectively unlimited data. It's just slow. That would mean that T-Mobile would top out at $8/GB and Sprint at $2.50/GB since their highest tiers are 10GB and 40GB respectively. For now I have edited it to show AT&T's Unlimited plan pricing per gig and left both S and TMUS's unlimited pricing until I figure out a better way to show it.

 

My point is -- for the sake of calculations -- you consider "unlimited" to be 100 GB.  Just take the price of any "unlimited" plan and divide by 100.  That is the cost per GB.

 

AJ

[Paynefanbro]

My point is -- for the sake of calculations -- you consider "unlimited" to be 100 GB.  Just take the price of any "unlimited" plan and divide by 100.  That is the cost per GB.

 

AJ

 

Oh, that's exactly what I did. That's why my chart stops at 100.

[RedSpark]

Well this is new: Unlimited Freedom Plan

 

$60/Month for Line 1

$40/Month for Line 2

$25/Month for Lines 3-10

 

 

 

No more worrying about running out of data or surprise overage charges. With Sprint’s Unlimited Freedom Plan, you get two lines of unlimited data, talk and text for only $100/mo. Or, you can get one line for just $60/mo. All while on the Sprint Network.

Enjoy unlimited optimized streaming videos and music, and unlimited 4G LTE data for everything else. (Streaming may be optimized with video streams at up to 480p+ resolution and music streams at extreme quality – at up to 500kbps)

 

 

Streaming may be optimized with video streams at up to 480p+ resolution and music streams at extreme quality (at up to 500kbps). All while on the Sprint Network. Data deprioritization applies during times of congestion. Other monthly charges apply.** Offer available for limited time in Milwaukee and Boston.

[Paynefanbro]

Does it offer 3GB of tethering? I never knew how much I'd use tethering until I got it.

[derrph]

Well this is new: Unlimited Freedom Plan

 

$60/Month for Line 1

$40/Month for Line 2

$25/Month for Lines 3-10

Wait so if I'm reading this right music and video is free now? Outside of that it seems as though that little announcement Verizon made about carry over data and being able to use data past your limit without being charged a overage has Sprint and Tmobile a little shook because this is the fastest I've seen them react to anything.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6s+ using Tapatalk

[RedSpark]

Wait so if I'm reading this right music and video is free now? Outside of that it seems as though that little announcement Verizon made about carry over data and being able to use data past your limit without being charged a overage has Sprint and Tmobile a little shook because this is the fastest I've seen them react to anything.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6s+ using Tapatalk

 

Verizon's Safety Mode data is at 128kbps.

 

This isn't that.

[RedSpark]

Does it offer 3GB of tethering? I never knew how much I'd use tethering until I got it.

 

Doesn't appear to on the surface. Anyone here from Milwaukee or Boston?

[Paynefanbro]

Wait so if I'm reading this right music and video is free now? Outside of that it seems as though that little announcement Verizon made about carry over data and being able to use data past your limit without being charged a overage has Sprint and Tmobile a little shook because this is the fastest I've seen them react to anything.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6s+ using Tapatalk

 

It just seems like an unlimited price decrease. I'm trying to figure out what the trade-offs are. I'll switch to this if it doesn't mean I'll lose my tethering.

 

Also how did you find this? It's not on their homepage and not on their newsroom site.

[derrph]

Verizon's Safety Mode data is at 128kbps.

 

This isn't that.

Right I know that. I'm saying just from the basis of coming out with newer plans around the time Verizon made their announcement officially minus the rumors.

 

What really sets these new plans apart from the current full blown unlimited for $75?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6s+ using Tapatalk

[utiz4321]

Right I know that. I'm saying just from the basis of coming out with newer plans around the time Verizon made their announcement officially minus the rumors.

 

What really sets these new plans apart from the current full blown unlimited for $75?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6s+ using Tapatalk

The video quality limits? I don't remember that as part of the old unlimited.

 

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

[RedSpark]

It just seems like an unlimited price decrease. I'm trying to figure out what the trade-offs are. I'll switch to this if it doesn't mean I'll lose my tethering.

 

Also how did you find this? It's not on their homepage and not on their newsroom site.

 

Some friends of mine in Boston told me about it and sent me the link.

[RedSpark]

Right I know that. I'm saying just from the basis of coming out with newer plans around the time Verizon made their announcement officially minus the rumors.

 

What really sets these new plans apart from the current full blown unlimited for $75?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6s+ using Tapatalk

 

The audio/video optimization.

[RedSpark]

The video quality limits? I don't remember that as part of the old unlimited.

 

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

 

They aren't enforced with strict bitrate limits on the existing unlimited plans. For this new plan, there are explicitly stated bitrate limits for audio and video content.

 

Sprint does video optimization on existing unlimited plans. See the Terms & Conditions: https://sprint.com/legal/open_internet_information.html

 

Does Sprint employ any type of data compression or optimization on the Sprint network today?

Yes, Sprint deploys network optimization capabilities for video and web traffic on the Sprint Wireless Network. Intent is to improve overall user experience and increase network efficiency. Optimization helps improve page load times and reduces video stalling. The optimization technology provides for the elimination of wasted data transmissions that result from lack of coordination between applications, network, and device, for example stopping transmission of video after a customer has stopped viewing it. It also matches media transmission quality to the capability of the device viewing the media.

What specific types of optimization does Sprint employ?

Video optimization is deployed for RTSP and HTTP video traffic and all HTTP web traffic. Video optimization is always deployed and active on the Sprint network for all identifiable video traffic.  Although the purpose of the optimization techniques is to improve overall video viewing experience, it is possible that some users may experience minor discernable reductions in image quality when viewing video traffic on certain devices.  These reductions should generally be offset by improvement s in load times and reductions in video stalling and other experience improvements.  Sprint’s video optimization uses four basic technologies:

• Video Delivery Synchronization: Delivers video "just in time" to the mobile device. Intent is to eliminate network waste associated with transmitting video that isn't watched.
• Quality Aware Transcoding: Matches video quality with network conditions in real time. Optimizes video for the bandwidth available to the user. Intent is to minimize or eliminate annoying video stalling. Similar in concept to the optimization techniques already employed by sites using adaptive streaming.
• Video Transcoding: Transcodes video with intent to optimize the video experience for the user while efficiently using network bandwidth. Provides for the elimination of video waste using techniques like replacing less efficient video codecs with more efficient ones. Optimizes video for the mobile device the customer is using.
• Intelligent Caching: Caches optimized video in the network with the intent of eliminating delay associated with internet video sites.

Some streaming video applications employ adaptive bitrate protocol to stream video. These applications automatically and continuously monitor the available bandwidth and adjust the streaming video bitrate to current user conditions. Depending on available bandwidth, users may notice differences in video streaming quality as the application adjusts the video streaming bitrate to account for changing channel conditions.

What specific types of web optimization does Sprint employ?

Web optimization is deployed for all HTTP web traffic and is always deployed and active on the Sprint network for all identifiable web traffic. Although the purpose of the optimization techniques is to improve overall web viewing experience, it is possible that some users may experience minor discernable reductions in image quality when viewing web traffic on certain devices.  These reductions should generally be offset by improvement s in load times and other experience improvements.  Web optimization uses three basic technologies:

• Caching: Caches web pages to help avoid delays associated with retrieval of the same internet content multiple times.
• Text/Binary Compression: Lossless compression of data and binary files using standard compression techniques supported by HTTP-compliant browsers.
• Image Compression: JPEG and GIF compression designed to reduce the size of images while maintaining no user perceptible loss of quality

[swintec]

Doesnt mention roaming. Hmmm

[RedSpark]

Doesnt mention roaming. Hmmm

 

Perhaps the same roaming terms apply?

[payturr]

AT&T wants to put cellular network equipment on drones, flying COWs (cell on wings)

http://www.theverge.com/2016/7/13/12171974/att-cell-drones-flying-cows?utm_campaign=theverge&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

[Steve Dean]

AT&T wants to put cellular network equipment on drones, flying COWs (cell on wings)

http://www.theverge.com/2016/7/13/12171974/att-cell-drones-flying-cows?utm_campaign=theverge&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

 

I would hate to see what happens when the battery dies on the flying COW.  Another Chick-Fil-A commercial of COW's falling from the sky? 

[RedSpark]

AT&T wants to put cellular network equipment on drones, flying COWs (cell on wings)

http://www.theverge.com/2016/7/13/12171974/att-cell-drones-flying-cows?utm_campaign=theverge&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

 

They'll need one heck of a stability system on the drone right if it's sending out signal, right? Will you lose coverage with a wind gust that moves it?

[WiWavelength]

They'll need one heck of a stability system on the drone right if it's sending out signal, right? Will you lose coverage with a wind gust that moves it?

 

No.  Do you lose coverage when you are moving 70 mph in a car?

 

AJ

[RedSpark]

No.  Do you lose coverage when you are moving 70 mph in a car?

 

AJ

 

I guess not!

 

I was assuming it was fed by some kind of wireless backhaul (probably not wired) that would require it to be in a certain orientation.

[RedSpark]

I would hate to see what happens when the battery dies on the flying COW.  Another Chick-Fil-A commercial of COW's falling from the sky? 

 

Would a Goodyear Blimp be a better solution for a flying COW?

[Deval]

Well I haven't seen any Sprint small cells in New York City light poles,but I have seen plenty of Verizon ones. In fact big evil red alone with crown Castle are installing small cells in my neighborhood (Morningside Heights, Columbia University campus)

 

They wouldn't be labeled Sprint, would be hidden.

[NYC126]

They wouldn't be labeled Sprint, would be hidden.

A few days too late with that sarcastic comment.

[payturr]

Verizon to shut down CDMA 1x network in 2019

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/verizon-shut-down-2g-cdma-1x-network-end-2019/2016-07-13

 

damn that means they're pushing voice 100% to VoLTE, that's wild