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

[JonnygATL]

Well if anyone is planning on deluding themselves into thinking that Sprint isn't gonna pass along the costs of massively upgrading its network along to its customers then this is your wake up call. 

This is how all of life works. You get what you pay for.  If Sprint is going to start pouring  $5-$6B+ into its network each year then they had absolutely better raise prices accordingly. I'd be surprised if they didn't. You can't buy a BMW with Honda Civic money. 

[Tengen31]

Well if anyone is planning on deluding themselves into thinking that Sprint isn't gonna pass along the costs of massively upgrading its network along to its customers then this is your wake up call. 
This is how all of life works. You get what you pay for.  If Sprint is going to start pouring  $5-$6B+ into its network each year then they had absolutely better raise prices accordingly. I'd be surprised if they didn't. You can't buy a BMW with Honda Civic money. 

True. People want signal everywhere they go, well it comes at a price.

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[Arysyn]

7 minutes ago, JonnygATL said:

Well if anyone is planning on deluding themselves into thinking that Sprint isn't gonna pass along the costs of massively upgrading its network along to its customers then this is your wake up call. 

This is how all of life works. You get what you pay for.  If Sprint is going to start pouring  $5-$6B+ into its network each year then they had absolutely better raise prices accordingly. I'd be surprised if they didn't. You can't buy a BMW with Honda Civic money. 

If Sprint densifies their band 41 where it can connect around 85% or more the way it was back when I tried it in Schaumburg, Sprint can easily charge $90 a month or so for the first line as the other national carriers do, and still have it be worth the money.

My guess is that eventually these carriers when working to upgrade to 5G will charge $95 monthly for full service. Its possible they may offer cheaper plans that have speed caps, but if people expect to continue getting full resolution unlimited service, prices most likely will start around just under $100 monthly for it.

[BlueAngel]

28 minutes ago, JonnygATL said:

Well if anyone is planning on deluding themselves into thinking that Sprint isn't gonna pass along the costs of massively upgrading its network along to its customers then this is your wake up call. 

This is how all of life works. You get what you pay for.  If Sprint is going to start pouring  $5-$6B+ into its network each year then they had absolutely better raise prices accordingly. I'd be surprised if they didn't. You can't buy a BMW with Honda Civic money. 

If I see improvements then yeah sure I'll gladly pay another $5 a month, but if there is none no way. You don't buy a new car without test driving it...

[JonnygATL]

1 minute ago, BlueAngel said:

If I see improvements then yeah sure I'll gladly pay another $5 a month, but if there is none no way. You don't buy a new car without test driving it...

...which is how capitalism works. It tends to garner choice in services and products. Use whomever you want at whatever price point you want. Just don't expect Verizon level service at Boost prices.

[BlueAngel]

13 minutes ago, JonnygATL said:

...which is how capitalism works. It tends to garner choice in services and products. Use whomever you want at whatever price point you want. Just don't expect Verizon level service at Boost prices.

I would never lol.

[gusherb]

Some things I'd like to see is Sprint rebranding. Like the Sprint name gone. It is far more tarnished than T-Mobile ever was.

 

I'd like to see densification take place everywhere they currently have native coverage, and build out new coverage into parts of metro areas that have been developed over the last decade.

 

They need to get VoLTE going ASAP with better site optimization (for gods sake stop being afraid of pushing B26 and 25 out farther, it NEEDS to be done!) so calls don't wind up dropping like crazy. All new sites need to be LTE only, urban areas with good coverage need to do lots of B41 only sites with as many carriers as they have spectrum for. No skimping on backhaul either.

 

I'd also like to see them expand coverage. All interstates need to be covered 100%. US highways need to be thoroughly covered as well. They don't need to match Verizon but they need to cover ALOT more than they do now.

 

 

[RedSpark]

Finally had a chance to listen to the whole event replay. This honestly sounded like a cathartic moment for Marcelo.... and Sprint employees are finally relieved to move forward on this new strategy of “once and for all” on the network buildout and deployment.

Forget “getting better everyday”, perhaps Sprint’s new rallying slogan should be “once and for all”!

Very interesting to learn about that Quality of Experience ranking tool he referenced.

Taking all of the bloat out of the business needed to happen, merger or not. Now that progress has been made on that, Sprint is in a position to execute a new network strategy efficiently.

Edited November 9, 2017 by RedSpark
Meant to say “once”! Fixed misspelled words.

[fizzicsguy]

18 minutes ago, RedSpark said:

Finally had a chance to listen to the whole event replay. This honestly sounded like a cathartic moment for Marcelo.... and Sprint employees are finally relieved to move forward on this new strategy of “one and for all” on the network buildout and deployment.

Forget “getting better everyday”, perhaps Sprint’s new rallying slogan should be “once and for all”!

Very interesting to learn about that Quality of Experience ranking tool he referenced.

Taking all of the bloat of the business needed to happen, merger or not. Now that progress has been made on that, Sprint is in a position to execute a new network strategy efficiently.

Exactly!   Now if only we see follow through with the attitude portrayed in the call.

And +1 for using "cathartic."

[bigmachine]

9 hours ago, gusherb said:

I'd like to see densification take place everywhere they currently have native coverage, and build out new coverage into parts of metro areas that have been developed over the last decade.

This would be a smart strategy.  I would add:  Concentrate initially on densely populated areas with good ROI potential.  Generate a great reputation in those markets and combine it with great marketing. 

It’s basically borrowing a page from the T-MOBILE playbook. 

Then, when the cash starts flowing, build out the rest of the network.

[JThorson]

27 minutes ago, bigmachine said:

This would be a smart strategy.  I would add:  Concentrate initially on densely populated areas with good ROI potential.  Generate a great reputation in those markets and combine it with great marketing. 

It’s basically borrowing a page from the T-MOBILE playbook. 

Then, when the cash starts flowing, build out the rest of the network.

While good idea I bet people will say Sprint just copied T-Mobile and that will not help them. 

[jroepcke51]

50 minutes ago, JThorson said:

While good idea I bet people will say Sprint just copied T-Mobile and that will not help them. 

Now I agree with you. However if they just put 25, 26 and 41 on as many towers as possible and make a good to great experience ubiquitous, they should be just fine.

[gusherb]

1 hour ago, JThorson said:

While good idea I bet people will say Sprint just copied T-Mobile and that will not help them. 

It's really not like they can do anything different than TMO. TBH I want them to follow what TMO did as far as network improvement goes. What they've been doing has been different from TMO's strategy and it has failed left and right. People are not gonna let Sprint live things down for a long long time and that's just the way it's gonna be. Ultimately in the long run, rebranding with a new name will help this. 

[kg4icg]

5 minutes ago, gusherb said:

It's really not like they can do anything different than TMO. TBH I want them to follow what TMO did as far as network improvement goes. What they've been doing has been different from TMO's strategy and it has failed left and right. People are not gonna let Sprint live things down for a long long time and that's just the way it's gonna be. Ultimately in the long run, rebranding with a new name will help this. 

1

Can't do what T-Mobile did, 2 different types of networks. Plus Sprint did a total network rebuild, T-Mobile at first did add ons after getting money from AT&T and then start on partial rebuild.

 

[gusherb]

20 minutes ago, kg4icg said:

Can't do what T-Mobile did, 2 different types of networks. Plus Sprint did a total network rebuild, T-Mobile at first did add ons after getting money from AT&T and then start on partial rebuild.

 

I think that goes without saying, what I mean is Sprint can follow TMO's ability to approach the situation efficiently and get things done quickly. 

[Fraydog]

18 hours ago, WiWavelength said:

No. Why?  Build out places where most people will not go anytime soon, if ever?  And if most people think that they might, for example, go to Wyoming, they are gullible and/or stupid.  I would rather that Sprint not go "chasing stupid"-- even if that might move the needle in perception.  Instead, focus on being the best that Sprint can be in places where most people already are most of the time -- and that largely is within the established footprint  

AJ

No offense but if that's the case, and that is truly what Masa is thinking, he should divest himself of Sprint somehow. 

Fortunately I'm confident Masa will take a longer term approach.

[derrph]

Now I agree with you. However if they just put 25, 26 and 41 on as many towers as possible and make a good to great experience ubiquitous, they should be just fine.

Agreed. The network would be more consistent. Whereas T-Mobile just slaps b12 on a 2g tower with the signal going in one direction and calling it coverage.


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[bigsnake49]

One thing that Marcello talked about is that the small cell strategy while successful in some areas was not as successful in others and that basically forced the pivot to traditional macro sites.

“The last year and a half, two years have been a great learning experience. We’ve tried to disrupt the way networks get built. We’ve been successful in certain areas and, to be fair, we haven’t been successful in others,” he conceded. “So we’re going to go toward a more traditional network build-out. Our friends at the tower companies I think are going to be very happy.”

http://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/sprint-s-claure-tower-companies-going-to-be-very-happy-our-capex

Edited November 9, 2017 by bigsnake49

[clbowens]

While T-Mobile goes on about their business:  https://newsroom.t-mobile.com/news-and-blogs/t-mobile-more-than-doubles-lte-advanced-coverage.htm

[danlodish345]

well now that the merger is dead...sprint has no choice but to improve its network....

[WiWavelength]

40 minutes ago, Fraydog said:

No offense but if that's the case, and that is truly what Masa is thinking, he should divest himself of Sprint somehow. 

Why?  Just because you say so, that argument does not fly with me.  You need to support your position with reasoning or evidence.  What is then is the crucial connection between Masayoshi Son and an geographically expansive Sprint network?  His only experience with SoftBank is on the small island nation of Japan, for Pete's sake.

AJ

[JThorson]

9 minutes ago, WiWavelength said:

 His only experience with SoftBank is on the small island nation of Japan, for Pete's sake.

AJ

What did Pete ever do to you? 

[WiWavelength]

1 minute ago, JThorson said:

What did Pete ever do to you? 

Pete is an ignorant slut.

AJ

[radem]

4 minutes ago, JThorson said:

What did Pete ever do to you? 

 

1 minute ago, WiWavelength said:

Pete is an ignorant slut.

AJ

Are you saying that Son drinks Pete's Sake?  If so, I need to try some of that. 

[Fraydog]

13 minutes ago, WiWavelength said:

Why?  Just because you say so, that argument does not fly with me.  You need to support your position with reasoning or evidence.  What is then is the crucial connection between Masayoshi Son and an geographically expansive Sprint network?  His only experience with SoftBank is on the small island nation of Japan, for Pete's sake.

AJ

Masa Son is the chairman of both SoftBank and Sprint. He sets the capital budget of both companies, he has said as much to investors meetings numerous times. 

Under his ownership Sprint hasn't set forward a large geographic expansion and he has controlled Sprint for four years. The evidence on the table, as of now, shows he is not much to care about it. 

Now if there is a reversal of policy, I will be the first to credit Masa for making changes to Sprint's policy. That said, other competitors serve a larger geographic region and all have more connections. Now I'm not saying Masa Son has to have Sprint cover every square mile of America with B41. I am saying Sprint could make modest improvements with B26 and not lose money on rural areas. And even in small towns, triband deployment will make sense in a lot of cases given the cost of that deployment will decrease over time. 

Given that competition is as fierce as it is, Sprint simply can't afford a weak front. If I wanted to distill my argument to one sentence that would be it. If you think Sprint can slack on rural and grow to 65-75 million customers, that's fine. That's your opinion. I have my opinion and have stated the facts I have to back it up. Henceforth my respectful disagreement.