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

[WiWavelength]

You know, Stephen Bye is a real person you guys are talking about there...

 

I am not so sure.  His name is Stephen Bye, and he is leaving?  Frankly, it sounds made up.  You know, like Joe Mayo.

 

AJ

[RedSpark]

The reason the iPhone 6 is behaving poorly on Band 26 is because either Sprint or Apple, not sure which one, released a crappy Carrier Bundle in iOS 8.3 that causes the phone to drop off of LTE at a much higher signal level than it should. The iOS 9 betas have a much better carrier bundle that cause the device to hold onto LTE like it should, which the general public does not have access to, which is why most people's devices are having crappy RF performance. It's kind of like back when the Nexus 5 had that really amazing radio software that everyone clung onto even though there was a newer one out, because the new one messed up it's amazing RF performance. The only difference is us iOS users don't have that kind of freedom to just choose our radio software.

 

-Anthony

There's a new carrier bundle: Sprint 20.1

 

Does it address this?

[jamisonshaw125]

There's a new carrier bundle: Sprint 20.1

 

Does it address this?

No. That is the one that screwed it up lol

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6 using Crapatalk

[Arysyn]

Arysyn, I will say this politely but firmly. When you repeatedly misunderstand the difference between TDD operation in unpaired spectrum and FDD operation in paired spectrum, you have no business hatching pie in the sky plans for how Sprint should manage its spectrum portfolio. You lack the requisite knowledge to make those recommendations sensible and meaningful.

 

So, on this topic, quit while you are behind. Do not make me post the Jim Downey clip again.

 

AJ

I never claimed to be an expert on the differences between FDD and TDD, which is why I've been asking questions since my comments misunderstanding TDD.

 

Also, and perhaps I should have stated this among my mentions of Sprint selling PCS spectrum, in that I'm not saying Sprint should sell it right away or any time soon, but once the network is settled fine on band 41 and the important low band 800, which I'm hoping Sprint either gets more of somehow, or gets 600 mhz spectrum. I just don't see the need to put people on limited PCS in contrast to Sprint's vast band 41 when fully implemented.

[Dkoellerwx]

I never claimed to be an expert on the differences between FDD and TDD, which is why I've been asking questions since my comments misunderstanding TDD.

 

Also, and perhaps I should have stated this among my mentions of Sprint selling PCS spectrum, in that I'm not saying Sprint should sell it right away or any time soon, but once the network is settled fine on band 41 and the important low band 800, which I'm hoping Sprint either gets more of somehow, or gets 600 mhz spectrum. I just don't see the need to put people on limited PCS in contrast to Sprint's vast band 41 when fully implemented.

 

AJ might have to jump in, but I don't think there is any more SMR spectrum that Sprint can acquire.

 

Again, the network will never be able to solely rely on Band 41. It needs PCS and SMR for the areas that B41 cannot reach. AND - PCS is needed for a good voice experience until VoLTE becomes the standard (years away, if ever). 600 will not be ready for quite some time (if ever) and Band 26 alone is not adequate for a reliable network experience beyond the reach of B41.

 

I'm also not quite sure why you keep referencing Sprint's PCS holdings as "limited." In most major markets Sprint has at least 30MHz of PCS spectrum. The hold back from using that for LTE right now is the CDMA requirements. As more and more LTE handsets are out there, and VoLTE is rolled out, CDMA usage will be trimmed back, and you will see more widespread deployment of a second PCS carrier, and possibly a third if deemed necessary (and the antennas are capable?).

[anthony.spina97]

How is 8.4 beta doing with holding onto LTE?

It was doing amazing until Carrier Bundle 20.1 got pushed to it. Then it began to suck like 8.3 all over again.

 

-Anthony

[anthony.spina97]

There's a new carrier bundle: Sprint 20.1

 

Does it address this?

iOS 8.3 was released with a carrier bundle that was lower than 20.1, and that bundle wasn't very good. Then in the 8.4 beta there was a better carrier bundle that made LTE work almost flawlessly, but then carrier bundle 20.1 was released for 8.4, 8.3, etc. and then it all went to crap again.

 

-Anthony

[Deval]

On 9.0 Beta 2, the new carrier bundle is 20.5.9, and so far LTE attachment has been fine in this market.

[Arysyn]

AJ might have to jump in, but I don't think there is any more SMR spectrum that Sprint can acquire.

 

Again, the network will never be able to solely rely on Band 41. It needs PCS and SMR for the areas that B41 cannot reach. AND - PCS is needed for a good voice experience until VoLTE becomes the standard (years away, if ever). 600 will not be ready for quite some time (if ever) and Band 26 alone is not adequate for a reliable network experience beyond the reach of B41.

 

I'm also not quite sure why you keep referencing Sprint's PCS holdings as "limited." In most major markets Sprint has at least 30MHz of PCS spectrum. The hold back from using that for LTE right now is the CDMA requirements. As more and more LTE handsets are out there, and VoLTE is rolled out, CDMA usage will be trimmed back, and you will see more widespread deployment of a second PCS carrier, and possibly a third if deemed necessary (and the antennas are capable?).

Must be that here in Chicago has less PCS than in other areas, or that it is being used for voice, as I was told there are two separate 5x5 PCS carriers, which really isn't enough for a wide LTE use.

 

To note: I'm not thinking currently here, but rather a year or so ahead, when VoLTE hopefully will become standard, and that spectrum be used for LTE. From my experiences, particularly with T-Mobile, anything less than 15x15, or similar on TDD knowing it works differently than FDD, isn't enough to manage congestion.

[bigmachine]

You know, Stephen Bye is a real person you guys are talking about there...

 

Very true.

 

Mr. Bye I apologize for associating your good name with music from a 90s boy band.  That was low.

 

Keeping with the music theme, maybe we can get Taylor Swift to tweet San Bernardino County to get their rebanding done already.

[WiWavelength]

Must be that here in Chicago has less PCS than in other areas, or that it is being used for voice, as I was told there are two separate 5x5 PCS carriers, which really isn't enough for a wide LTE use.

 

To note: I'm not thinking currently here, but rather a year or so ahead, when VoLTE hopefully will become standard, and that spectrum be used for LTE. From my experiences, particularly with T-Mobile, anything less than 15x15, or similar on TDD knowing it works differently than FDD, isn't enough to manage congestion.

 

Arysyn, you really are becoming insufferable.  So, let us dispense with the bullshit, okay?

 

Because of the USCC spectrum acquisition, Chicago is Sprint's most PCS spectrum rich major market in the US.  See my article:

 

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-334-updated-sprint-uscc-spectrum-deal-sprint-gets-20-mhz-broader-in-the-city-of-broad-shoulders/

 

Forget any band 41 carriers for the moment.  In Chicago, Sprint is already running a 5 MHz FDD band 25 carrier in the PCS G block, a 5 MHz FDD band 25 carrier in the PCS B block, and a 5 MHz FDD band 26 carrier in the SMR X block.  That adds up to 15 MHz FDD -- the same LTE bandwidth that T-Mobile now provides in Chicago.

 

So, stuff your sorries in a sack, mister, over the bandwidth issue.  Sprint is doing just fine in Chicago.  And the LTE bandwidth does not all need to be in one carrier -- that is for the peak speed e-penis masturbators.  The capacity of three 5 MHz FDD carriers is the same as that of one 15 MHz FDD carrier.  Plus, returning band 41 to the discussion, Sprint has one or more 20 MHz TDD carriers on hundreds of sites in Chicago.

 

In the end, Arysyn, you need to stop arguing with your superiors that you are right due to some misunderstanding or technicality.  Much of the time, you are wrong -- again, because you lack the requisite knowledge.  But you can gain that knowledge here if you post less, listen more, and most importantly, learn.

 

AJ

[Dkoellerwx]

Must be that here in Chicago has less PCS than in other areas, or that it is being used for voice, as I was told there are two separate 5x5 PCS carriers, which really isn't enough for a wide LTE use.

 

To note: I'm not thinking currently here, but rather a year or so ahead, when VoLTE hopefully will become standard, and that spectrum be used for LTE. From my experiences, particularly with T-Mobile, anything less than 15x15, or similar on TDD knowing it works differently than FDD, isn't enough to manage congestion.

 

Chicago is ahead of most of the country on PCS spectrum. They ALREADY have 2 PCS carriers live -- equivalent to a 10x10 channel. Add in the 5x5 on SMR, and that's the equivalent of a 15x15 channel. When CDMA usage drops, and can be eliminated, they could be able to deploy 3, maybe 4 PCS channels -- equivalent to 15x15 or 20x20. In most other markets, Sprint has enough PCS spectrum to deploy the equivalent of 15x15. So your insistence that PCS is "limited" is just plain wrong.

[lilotimz]

Chicago is ahead of most of the country on PCS spectrum. They ALREADY have 2 PCS carriers live -- equivalent to a 10x10 channel. Add in the 5x5 on SMR, and that's the equivalent of a 15x15 channel. When CDMA usage drops, and can be eliminated, they could be able to deploy 3, or maybe 4 PCS channels -- equivalent to 15x15 or 20x20. In most other markets, Sprint has enough PCS spectrum to deploy the equivalent of 15x15. So your insistence that PCS is "limited" is just plain wrong.

Spirit equipment maxes out at two FDD lte carriers in multi rat configuration. Continuous spectrum will be key if sprint wants to refarm additional spectrum for pcs Lte. The pcs a-f carriers will most likely get expanded from 5-10 mhz when the time comes but that may not be possible in places where sprint does not hold 10-15 mhz contiguous.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[Fraydog]

The reason the iPhone 6 is behaving poorly on Band 26 is because either Sprint or Apple, not sure which one, released a crappy Carrier Bundle in iOS 8.3 that causes the phone to drop off of LTE at a much higher signal level than it should. The iOS 9 betas have a much better carrier bundle that cause the device to hold onto LTE like it should, which the general public does not have access to, which is why most people's devices are having crappy RF performance. It's kind of like back when the Nexus 5 had that really amazing radio software that everyone clung onto even though there was a newer one out, because the new one messed up it's amazing RF performance. The only difference is us iOS users don't have that kind of freedom to just choose our radio software.

 

-Anthony

Uploads are jacked on the 8.3 carrier bundles as well, they are at least on both Verizon and T-Mobile, I haven't tested out AT&T yet, but I bet theirs are messed up too.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dkoellerwx]

Spirit equipment maxes out at two FDD lte carriers in multi rat configuration. Continuous spectrum will be key if sprint wants to refarm additional spectrum for pcs Lte. The pcs a-f carriers will most likely get expanded from 5-10 mhz when the time comes but that may not be possible in places where sprint does not hold 10-15 mhz contiguous.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

 

What about high capacity sites that have 2 PCS antennas? Does that add support for another LTE carrier? (I know they are not being used for LTE at this time). Or is the limitation from something else.

[WiWavelength]

Spirit equipment maxes out at two FDD lte carriers in multi rat configuration. Continuous spectrum will be key if sprint wants to refarm additional spectrum for pcs Lte. The pcs a-f carriers will most likely get expanded from 5-10 mhz when the time comes but that may not be possible in places where sprint does not hold 10-15 mhz contiguous.

 

Absolutely true.  The good news is that, when the time comes for the CDMA2000 shutdown, Sprint holds 10-15 MHz FDD contiguous/adjacent PCS A-F block spectrum in almost every major market.  Another 10-15 MHz FDD band 25 carrier will be absolutely feasible.  See my 12 year old map:

 

I made that map when many of you were still in middle school.  And the other good news is that Sprint's PCS A-F block spectrum position has improved slightly since then -- via FCC auction and spectrum transactions.

 

AJ

[lilotimz]

What about high capacity sites that have 2 PCS antennas? Does that add support for another LTE carrier? (I know they are not being used for LTE at this time). Or is the limitation from something else.

Adding a second pcs radio and antenna set gives the ability to make some pretty interesting thought exercises.

 

One scenario I can think on the spot is they can shunt off all cdma carriers to second antenna and radio set and set the first antennas to LTE only. In lte only configuration sprints pcs rrhs across all three vendors support up to 4 FDD lte carrier in addition to 4x2 mimo because all 4 antenna ports on the radio and antenna is configured for lte instead of two ports for lte and two for cdma. In cdma only mode it's like over a dozen cdma carriers concurrently operating whereas in mixed rat it's 2 lte carriers + 4-6 cdma carriers.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[lbui]

AJ might have to jump in, but I don't think there is any more SMR spectrum that Sprint can acquire.

 

Again, the network will never be able to solely rely on Band 41. It needs PCS and SMR for the areas that B41 cannot reach. AND - PCS is needed for a good voice experience until VoLTE becomes the standard (years away, if ever). 600 will not be ready for quite some time (if ever) and Band 26 alone is not adequate for a reliable network experience beyond the reach of B41.

 

I'm also not quite sure why you keep referencing Sprint's PCS holdings as "limited." In most major markets Sprint has at least 30MHz of PCS spectrum. The hold back from using that for LTE right now is the CDMA requirements. As more and more LTE handsets are out there, and VoLTE is rolled out, CDMA usage will be trimmed back, and you will see more widespread deployment of a second PCS carrier, and possibly a third if deemed necessary (and the antennas are capable?).

David, does Sprint have CDMA estimated shutdown date? Verizon announced plans to shut theirs down right?

[lbui]

What would it take for Sprint to have seamless handoff between VoWiFi and VoLTE once they establish VoLTE? Is their codec (?) compatible? Is it just a software update that is sent out to towers/equipment? One has to wonder the impact the lack of seamless handoffs between WiFi calling and Sprint's nonexistent VoLTE will have on Project Fi customers.

[joshuam]

What would it take for Sprint to have seamless handoff between VoWiFi and VoLTE once they establish VoLTE? Is their codec (?) compatible? Is it just a software update that is sent out to towers/equipment? One has to wonder the impact the lack of seamless handoffs between WiFi calling and Sprint's nonexistent VoLTE will have on Project Fi customers.

 

Aren't all Google Fi calls voice over IP?

[WiWavelength]

Aren't all Google Fi calls voice over IP?

 

That was my understanding.  If so, VoLTE has no relevance to Project Fi.

 

AJ

[joshuam]

That was my understanding.  If so, VoLTE has no relevance to Project Fi.

 

AJ

 

The only time I could see a "hand off" issue is if you have a fringe wifi signal, and LTE takes a second or two to light up. Otherwise it should be seamless for the user...like making a Skype voice call or something similar.

[irev210]

The only time I could see a "hand off" issue is if you have a fringe wifi signal, and LTE takes a second or two to light up. Otherwise it should be seamless for the user...like making a Skype voice call or something similar.

 

I've switched off to using google voice dialer in hangouts and just use Sprint's data network.  Handoffs for the most part are excellent.  Even when I just have 3G, I can still make/receive calls just fine.

 

As far as I am concerned, Sprint's CDMA voice network is completely dead/obsolete.  I have no plans to ever use it again.

[WiWavelength]

I've switched off to using google voice dialer in hangouts and just use Sprint's data network.  Handoffs for the most part are excellent.  Even when I just have 3G, I can still make/receive calls just fine.

 

As far as I am concerned, Sprint's CDMA voice network is completely dead/obsolete.  I have no plans to ever use it again.

 

Hush!  Heresy!  No way is the Sprint network now that reliable in many metros -- despite anything that RootMetrics might say.

 

 

AJ

[chamb]

I've switched off to using google voice dialer in hangouts and just use Sprint's data network.  Handoffs for the most part are excellent.  Even when I just have 3G, I can still make/receive calls just fine.

 

As far as I am concerned, Sprint's CDMA voice network is completely dead/obsolete.  I have no plans to ever use it again.

I seriously doubt that you will have the reliability and quality of the Sprint CDMA voice network.  It may be fine for you, but it will not be fine for everybody.   I do agree that we are moving to a new system for handling voice calls, but it still will take some time to make it work as good as the present CDMA 1x system.  i am all for trying new things, but many people are not ready to rely on something that is still in a Beta environment.