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

[IamMrFamous07]

Part of me wants Sprint's old gear to break so they have to replace it with all-new stuff....

Maybe we can break it

[RedSpark]

Maybe we can break it

Every time there's a tower outage, I hope they replace the gear entirely instead of fixing it.

 

A few weeks ago, there was a cluster of towers out around me in the heart of D.C. It was pretty awful.

 

Someone pulled up Glance for me and I was surprised to hear that a number of towers in downtown lacked 2xCA or even Band 41.

 

Marcelo himself said that Sprint was not constrained on CapEx...

 

So is this old gear still around due to equipment/vendor delays?

[ericdabbs]

I can't wrap my head around that CapEx comment as much either. I wonder how much they were actually able to spend on the network.

 

 

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I don't get the CapEx comment either.  I am all for being efficient with CapEx in deploying the network because why spend more than you need to.  However to claim that they were able to be just as efficient with the lowest CapEx compared to the other 3 national carriers is ridiculous.  Sprint's LTE network is nowhere near ready and it really bugs me when Sprint claims the 1% difference which is clearly not true at all.  There are still many spots which do not have LTE in urban areas and I am not even talking about rural areas.  I wish Sprint would withdraw from their 1% campaign because it is simply not true.  Sprint has a long way to go in terms of providing consistent speeds and coverage throughout the urban markets with their B41 LTE coverage.

[RedSpark]

I can't wrap my head around that CapEx comment as much either. I wonder how much they were actually able to spend on the network.

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Marcelo was basically saying he wanted things to be done efficiently... but reading it again, there's more to it.

 

"So that’s a huge misconception. We have never had a capital constrain as it relates to spending CapEx. What -- we were always challenge with, I says, is there really a need to spend as much as everybody else to create a great network experience and I think that’s a huge misconception of the industry that you set up a cap and I have seen even in -- within my team, you set up a CapEx budget and then people fight hard to go spend that money. And in many cases without need or they go by gear or they try to do unnatural things in order to basically hit that CapEx number."

 

So he was really concerned about wasteful spending by his own network teams... and I think that slowed upgrades in a number of markets even when money was available.

 

"We plan to deploy millions of Magic Boxes."

 

Millions? Does Airspan have the production capacity for this?

[imex99]

Yes! Would love my have my home tower upgraded to new equipment and not this clearwire crap that is limited to 2xCA.

So, u actually have clear equipment up? All of our clear in Columbus has been replaced by Nokia mini macros, which are only 2xca.

 

I get great speeds on the MM that I come across and use.

 

 

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[BlueAngel]

So, u actually have clear equipment up? All of our clear in Columbus has been replaced by Nokia mini macros, which are only 2xca.

 

I get great speeds on the MM that I come across and use.

 

 

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Yeah my home tower and a few around me are clear, and the speeds show. Clear maybe a max of around 40/14 vs 100+ on Sprint sites.

 

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[Hmight]

I heard this during the webcast yesterday and was wondering..who could the cable company be?

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/sprint-confirms-trial-small-cells-cable-company

[RedSpark]

I heard this during the webcast yesterday and was wondering..who could the cable company be?

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/sprint-confirms-trial-small-cells-cable-company

Comcast has Xfinity Mobile with Verizon... rule them out?

[IamMrFamous07]

Comcast has Xfinity Mobile with Verizon... rule them out?

It's shentel!! Lol jk

[red_dog007]

With the new mini macro B41 antennas they are deploying that can only do 2xCA 2T2R, what is the point in changing out Clear gear that can already do 2xCA?  Even those that can only do 1xCA if they provide plenty of bandwidth during peak hours.

[RedSpark]

With the new mini macro B41 antennas they are deploying that can only do 2xCA 2T2R, what is the point in changing out Clear gear that can already do 2xCA?  Even those that can only do 1xCA if they provide plenty of bandwidth during peak hours.

I wonder how long term those mini-macros are meant for.

 

3/4/5xCA seems like it's going to have to come from upgraded Macro Sites... and Sprint doesn't seem to have invested in many of those new sites for densification from what I can tell.

 

Mini Macros and Magic Boxes don't put out those higher order CA.

[utiz4321]

You make it sound as if Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile do not run into planning, permitting, or engineering issues. The majority of Sprint's cell sites have LTE its just a handful that do not. Up until about two years ago Verizon and AT&T had a couple of sites here that were only 1X/3G EV-DO and HSPA respectively. They will all get done...Soon^TM

This is exactly what I havw been thinking as well. It seems like a band aid not a permanent solution.

I wonder how long term those mini-macros are meant for.

 

3/4/5xCA seems like it's going to have to come from upgraded Macro Sites... and Sprint doesn't seem to have invested in many of those new sites for densification from what I can tell.

 

Mini Macros and Magic Boxes don't put out those higher order CA.

 

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[Arysyn]

http://newsroom.sprint.com/blogs/sprint-perspectives/racism-has-no-place-at-sprint.htm

 

"That’s why I’m inviting this woman and her husband to meet privately with me so I can better understand what drives comments and behavior like this. I’d like to share my views with her as well."

 

"I also invite the customer she attacked, Juan, to meet with me."

 

Wow.

Marcelo has earned much of my respect by doing this. Despite the disagreements I have regarding the network decisions he's made, I've been very impressed by his professionalism, and this just goes further to confirm he is a great leader in this regard.

[red_dog007]

I wonder how long term those mini-macros are meant for.

 

3/4/5xCA seems like it's going to have to come from upgraded Macro Sites... and Sprint doesn't seem to have invested in many of those new sites for densification from what I can tell.

 

Mini Macros and Magic Boxes don't put out those higher order CA.

 

 

This is exactly what I havw been thinking as well. It seems like a band aid not a permanent solution.

 

 

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I think it makes sense in areas that don't need gear that can do more. Cheaper, lighter, etc. I'd rather see more of those then fewer 8T8R gear. 

 

40MHz is 160Mbps.  If they change to Config 1, that's 220Mbps.  Even more if this stuff can do 256QAM.

[BlueAngel]

256QAM is gonna be the real game changer.

 

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[RedSpark]

https://twitter.com/marceloclaure/status/867080048632836102

 

Good on you Marcelo.

[red_dog007]

http://gigabitmonitor.com/

 

Sprint is on that list with 274,000 people. Wonder if that is due to their Gigabit launch in New Orleans.

[utiz4321]

I think it makes sense in areas that don't need gear that can do more. Cheaper, lighter, etc. I'd rather see more of those then fewer 8T8R gear.

 

40MHz is 160Mbps. If they change to Config 1, that's 220Mbps. Even more if this stuff can do 256QAM.

I guess it depends on the life time cost of these things. But we will see. If sprint is replacing this stuff with 8×8 and equipment capable of doing 3xca and higher in a year or two I think it will be safe to think of this as a bandaid.

 

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[lilotimz]

I guess it depends on the life time cost of these things. But we will see. If sprint is replacing this stuff with 8×8 and equipment capable of doing 3xca and higher in a year or two I think it will be safe to think of this as a bandaid.

 

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You can tell based on the antennas they install. 

 

If 2T2R then they don't expect demand to ever exceed a single mini macro in the near future. If 4T4R then they expect future demand to exceed a single MM and is planning to use a second MM to feed the the two unused ports in the near future.

 

If they use MM + 8T8R antennas then it's a band aid until they can acquire 8T8R eNB equipment.  

[RedSpark]

Marcelo made some interesting comments on pricing: https://www.wirelessweek.com/news/2017/05/sprint-ceo-sees-price-increases-necessity-healthy-wireless-industry

 

Sprint head Marcelo Claure on Monday argued carriers will need to rip off the band-aid and raise prices in the coming years.

 

“In order for this industry to be healthy, I think eventually all carriers will have to increase prices in next few years as data consumption increases,” Claure said.

 

Hmmm. What's Sprint's plan? Add-on's for 4K Streaming?

 

------------

 

“We don’t capture a lot of three, four, five (line) customers. So to us we look at it like two for $90,” he said. Claure noted that any customers on lines three through five the carrier can pull in will pay full price after one year. But the whole point, he said, is to price service competitively enough to provide an incentive for family switchers. Claure pointed out families tend to stay longer with one carrier and have a better churn profile than single line customers.

 

“As we bring customers, they come and they’re willing to stay, that’s why last year was the best churn the company has had in many years,” he said. “In this case, we’re moving entire families from Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. They come for one year free, lines three, four, and five, and then after that they stay.”

 

Interesting way to look at it.

[RedSpark]

You can tell based on the antennas they install.

 

If 2T2R then they don't expect demand to ever exceed a single mini macro in the near future. If 4T4R then they expect future demand to exceed a single MM and is planning to use a second MM to feed the the two unused ports in the near future.

 

If they use MM + 8T8R antennas then it's a band aid until they can acquire 8T8R eNB equipment.

 

Great info. Is acquiring 8T8R eNB equipment a CapEx funding issue or equipment availability issue?

[Arysyn]

Sprint is considering a new phone leasing program :

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2017/05/23/sprint-phone-leasing-program-plans.html

 

Personally, I really like the idea of phone leasing, and I'm pretty sure Sprint was the first U.S. carrier to offer it. Hopefully this works out well for the. As I've said before of my own idea, I'd like to see a leasing plan based on $5 monthly per $100 msrp, rounded up.

[Grabber5.0]

You'll never catch me leasing a phone.

 

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[Mr.Nuke]

Sprint is considering a new phone leasing program :

The article you linked to doesn't really state this, nor did Claure at the conference the quotes in the article are from. Adding a word to "Sprint hints at future phone leasing program" to get Sprint hints at future for phone leasing program significantly changes the meaning.

[dro1984]

I don't get the CapEx comment either.  I am all for being efficient with CapEx in deploying the network because why spend more than you need to.  However to claim that they were able to be just as efficient with the lowest CapEx compared to the other 3 national carriers is ridiculous.  Sprint's LTE network is nowhere near ready and it really bugs me when Sprint claims the 1% difference which is clearly not true at all.  There are still many spots which do not have LTE in urban areas and I am not even talking about rural areas.  I wish Sprint would withdraw from their 1% campaign because it is simply not true.  Sprint has a long way to go in terms of providing consistent speeds and coverage throughout the urban markets with their B41 LTE coverage.

I agree!   Network not up to snuff yet by me either.  Been with Sprint since 2000.   Alway routed for them.   Just have a hard time lately... it's always something or some issue...     Detroit, Dearborn, surrounding areas...  very little carrier aggregation yet... Not much 800 LTE  yet, still have very week coverage areas in very populous area.... I don't know.   It is what it is.    

No Capex issues??  What?   I call BS on this.   Sounds like Son doesn't always get what's going on nor  does Marcelo.. or they think the can tell the investment community what ever to sound good?  "I can see that consumers can withstand a $5 dollar increase in Data fees per year"..." it should be expected..." Per Marcelo in the call.  Not yet it's not acceptable!    In the web address they did yesterday, Marcelo did say that Son surprised him with unannounced visit.  It was 1/3 the way the JP Morgan call yesterday.  Guess they don't pay attention to each others schedules....    You guys and gals need to listen to that webcast from May 22nd... Interesting.

 

I got tired of having an unusable cellphone at Ford Motor Company and at Greenfield Village across the street.    I bought an unlocked phone and got a 30 day pre-pay on T-Mobile.      Works fantastic indoors and around my work area!    Works great at home too!    T-Mobile has caught up and has passed us!!     Sprint...Within 1% of competitors?  No.... I don't think so... not yet.    Pass on that Kool Aid!