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

[Rocket87]

This was posted in a reddit thread by an employee in the returns dept. These are the guys you want to talk to. They helped me out.

 

 

And I agree, this process has not been smooth. I had an over $600 balance on my bill before I even got the return kit. Everything is good now and that dept helped out.

While agree the give back system has been rough for people that mail its a breeze in store where we sign off on the trade in. Ive seen no problems so..... tldr support your local stores

 

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[WiWavelength]

Good work.  Nice data collation.

 

I will have further comment when I have more time later this afternoon.  And as much as I respect RootMetrics' methodology, its scale appears arbitrary and capricious, always pegged to 100, not truly comparable across different timeframes or markets.

 

Here is my later afternoon follow up about RootMetrics...

 

This is not to criticize anyone, but many of you lack solid understanding of statistics and how they potentially can be misleading.  These are the types critical thinking questions that you should ask yourself when you view RootMetrics scores.

 

Why is the scale always relative to 100?  Why are the typical results compressed into the 90s?  Is that to assuage the operators who finance much of RootMetrics testing and to make those operators mostly look good?  I suspect so.

 

Are the results from one market directly comparable to another?  For example, is a 97 in New York the same as a 97 in Kansas City?  I doubt it.  Does each market have different expected values, thus is judged upon different raw score conversion scales?

 

Are the results from one timeframe directly comparable to another?  For example, is a 97 in New York in 2H 2015 the same as a 97 in New York in 1H 2015?  I doubt it.  Does each timeframe have different expected values, thus is judged upon different raw score conversion scales?

 

So, here are some takeaways...

 

John Legere outwardly may attempt to discredit RootMetrics testing.  However, that -- as is modus operandi for Legere -- is for public show.  Behind the scenes, you know that he asks his team why T-Mobile purports to be on top, yet it does not come out on top in RootMetrics results.

 

Clearly, RootMetrics is not perfect.  But it is the most objective and comprehensive wireless network testing we have.  The rankings it produces can be viewed as fairly accurate snapshots of network performance in given markets at given timeframes.  If Sprint is ranked last in a given market during a given timeframe, for example, then Sprint probably is last there in network performance.  Still, we should examine how tightly clustered those rankings are.  The differences may not be meaningful -- they may be compressed or exaggerated.  And we should not compare rankings to those from other markets and/or other timeframes.

 

Now, if RootMetrics wants to refute anything that I have written, I welcome it.  Inform us.  The more transparency, the better.  That has been an S4GRU founding tenet.

 

AJ

[Deval]

How dare you bring experience and knowledge to the discussion. That will have no place on the internet.

 

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LOL 

[Steve Dean]

Thank you for the information AJ. 

 

For Rootmetrics to be more accurate, a collection of multiple data points across the US in one half year cycle instead of one point (city), then reviewing the historical data from previous cycles may be best.  Set a mean score of historical data points of x (say fifty), then see how new scores influences the mean score. Every time a new cycle starts, recalculate the mean score from the previous data, then add the new data points.

 

Wash, rinse, repeat....

[WiWavelength]

Thank you for the information AJ.

 

You are welcome.  But be careful not to deem it factual information.  I do not have all of the answers.  Maybe none of the answers.  Mostly, I have critical thinking questions on this matter.

 

And I can understand potentially why RootMetrics has normalized to a 100 point scale.  Just like inflation causes $1000 not to be worth the same value in real money from one year to the next, for example, 10 Mbps may not be worth the same value from market to market or timeframe to timeframe.  If RootMetrics let the scale extend infinitely, then a 125 score a year from now might not be perceived by end users in a given market as better performance than a 100 score right now -- because expectations change and grow.

 

It is a sticky wicket.  That is why I stress further analysis of the statistical results...

 

AJ

[utiz4321]

I think root metric is best though of as relative comparison of the service level between the carriers in a given location and timeframe. You can't generalize anything beyond this carrier provides a somewhat better average experience in this metro. It that limited use root is a good tool, but for nothing else.

 

 

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[Arysyn]

From reading some of these latest posts, it really seems like Sprint is slipping. I don't blame those longtime Sprint employees who've been in the company from before the Softbank takeover, other than those in retail and customer service who are not helpful to customers, though many of them typically don't stay around in those jobs for very long anyways.

 

I know most people here blame the old Sprint board for many of Sprint's problems in the past, which I agree for the most part. However, I've read alot of blame also put on Dan Hesse, despite those blaming him also admitting the board made the mistakes of not voting for some of his ideas, which those ideas are generally supported here.

 

I'm not trying to be negative towards anyone about it. However, it really seems that Dan Hesse shouldn't be blamed at all for what the board did against his wishes during the time he was CEO. Furthermore, it isn't right to associate that board under the moniker of the "Dan Hesse era", since it seems the board during that time had quite different operating methods than did Dan Hesse himself. Essentially, that board dragged Dan Hesse down, for which it isn't fair to blame Dan Hesse.

 

Now, I don't know everything that went on during that time, other than what I remember reading about here on S4GRU and elsewhere. Yet, if anyone could give me examples of bad decisions he himself made, I'll acknowledge it. In the meantime though, all I have heard of him and his decisions are generally positive. For instance, the Metro PCS idea and wanting band 41 on every tower are two very good ideas he had.

 

I'm led to believe if Dan Hesse got band 41 on every tower and had it done way before now, it could have led to carrier aggregation being implemented sooner. If that had happened the ratings would be better by now. Of course, there are other possible improvements made to Sprint had Dan Hesse been CEO for longer than he was, instead of being so quickly replaced by Marcelo Claure.

 

By the way, I think Marcelo has done a great job regarding getting new customers in with more streamlined rate plans, along with what I believe to be one of the best ideas any wireless CEO has had in regards to rate planning, which is the addition of leasing. Although on the network side of things and media/public Relations, there just isn't enough being done, or at least being said about the plans of those things to be done. I definitely give Marcelo credit for being professional, much more so than John Legere, but it certainly would help for Marcelo to speak more to the press/public.

 

Ultimately though, it isn't so much about Dan Hesse or Marcelo Claure which has me wondering about Sprint. It is Masa and Softbank. They were the big, new hope for Sprint when they bought Sprint's majority shares. That was the time to make the big moves to win people over. Not just changing CEOs and fixing a few rate plans. Now, there are alot of questions regarding Sprint which remain vastly unanswered, according to the articles I've been reading. Those mostly have been about Sprint's finances, though I really want to be reading more about Sprint's network. Hopefully there will be very soon, including the one network complaint I do frequently about even here, which regards Sprint's network holes.

[Arysyn]

Sprint's strategy chief, Michael Schwartz, resigns :

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2015/10/15/sprint-strategy-chief-resigns.html

[Ascertion]

Ultimately though, it isn't so much about Dan Hesse or Marcelo Claure which has me wondering about Sprint. It is Masa and Softbank. They were the big, new hope for Sprint when they bought Sprint's majority shares. That was the time to make the big moves to win people over. Not just changing CEOs and fixing a few rate plans. Now, there are alot of questions regarding Sprint which remain vastly unanswered, according to the articles I've been reading. Those mostly have been about Sprint's finances, though I really want to be reading more about Sprint's network. Hopefully there will be very soon, including the one network complaint I do frequently about even here, which regards Sprint's network holes.

I honestly believe Dan Hesse did a decent job, but what he was not good at was retaining current customers. When Marcelo took over, he said Sprint was losing thousands of customers on a daily basis!  While T-Mobile continuously added subscribers via their Uncarrier moves, Dan didn't react hardly at all.  Marcelo has been better than Dan in that department, but Dan was getting upgrades to whichever sites were easiest to get upgrades to, rather than Marcelo's stance which was prioritize problem areas, which definitely was a good move, no doubt.  Sprint's board shot themselves in the foot when they denied Hesse the MetroPCS takeover, and opted to go initially to WiMax, instead of holding out for LTE.  But with their behemoths of B41 spectrum, it was hard to wait.

[Jones]

 and opted to go initially to WiMax, instead of holding out for LTE.  But with their behemoths of B41 spectrum, it was hard to wait.

Also required by law to use the spectrum or be forced to relinquish control.

 

I wonder if the lower performance figures are related to the "optimization issue" noted by Sprint in the Las Vegas report. Maybe it could also be more customers using the network - which if true would mean the performance will likely continue to decline until the planned infill sites are fired up.

[cortney]

http://www.rootmetrics.com/us/rsr/orlando-fl/2015/2H

 

Sprint's doing good in Orlando, technically tied with AT&T and beating them slightly overall and calling. One carrier is steadily declining and offers the worst overall, calling, and texting experience. 

[bucdenny]

Pretty good article regarding Sprint speeds on iPhone6s.  The site also quoted s4gru.  http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2493136,00.asp

[tybo31316]

http://www.rootmetrics.com/us/rsr/orlando-fl/2015/2H

 

Sprint's doing good in Orlando, technically tied with AT&T and beating them slightly overall and calling. One carrier is steadily declining and offers the worst overall, calling, and texting experience.

I was in Orlando on Sunday and Monday. Sprints network there is the best Sprint experience I've had. The areas I was in was blanketed with band 41. At Universal studios SCP showed 2 carriers of band 25 and 2 carriers of band 41.

 

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[Terrell352]

I was in Orlando on Sunday and Monday. Sprints network there is the best Sprint experience I've had. The areas I was in was blanketed with band 41. At Universal studios SCP showed 2 carriers of band 25 and 2 carriers of band 41.

 

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So they finally got the second carrier of band 25 at universal up eh? They needed that bad because b25 is literally useless there. I wonder how it is now?

 

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[Terrell352]

http://www.rootmetrics.com/us/rsr/orlando-fl/2015/2H

 

Sprint's doing good in Orlando, technically tied with AT&T and beating them slightly overall and calling. One carrier is steadily declining and offers the worst overall, calling, and texting experience.

That's how Sprint is in most of Florida rootmetrics. Great call, great text and okay or bad data performance. Orlando regardless of not being #1 in speed is lucky because band 41 is all over the place in Orlando more so than Tampa, Daytona, and possibly Miami or Jacksonville and it shows. Sprint is pretty solid in most of Orlando. Second tier cities like Kissimmee, St Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Sprint Hill, Sarasota, Tallahassee are left capacity restrained though. I wish something was done about that sooner than next year but hopefully these areas get much needed attention soon.

 

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[Josh]

This was one of the reasons Dan Hesse was trying to push for the metro merger, they owned spectrum in the entire state of FL & would've brought paying customers... but metro & DT made out with the way they did the reverse merger & DT got a way to exit easily whenever they eventually do.  

 

Hindsight is always 20/20 (sometimes even better) lol, but it would have made the economics work better in favor of sprint, now t-mobile has the momentum & sprint has to hope they run out of steam sometime soon!  I still believe in this company's potential more than the other 3, and that is the major reason I have stayed even though the other 3 have space on the watertower across from my house... I better be right.

[RedSpark]

Sprint's strategy chief, Michael Schwartz, resigns :http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2015/10/15/sprint-strategy-chief-resigns.html

Wondering what this means.

[lilotimz]

Wondering what this means.

Out with the old guard and in with the new. Marcelo has been pretty much firing people and reassigning jobs left and right since he took over.

 

No one is safe from his touch if you do not show excellence and dedication to the cause. You're either with him or against him (and gone).

 

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[RedSpark]

Out with the old guard and in with the new. Marcelo has been pretty much firing people and reassigning jobs left and right since he took over.

No one is safe from his touch if you do not show excellence and dedication to the cause. You're either with him or against him (and gone).

Sent from my LG-H790

Seems to be the case. On paper (http://newsroom.sprint.com/executive-team/michael-schwartz.htm), he seems like a very qualified person for the role, but perhaps his skill set or traditional mindset didn't align with Marcelo's new vision for the company.

[Arysyn]

What is odd about this resignation, is there wasn't an announcement of a replacement along with this. Perhaps there will be within the next few days, though based on Sprint's recent history of these, it just seems a bit unusual for there not to be an announcement of the replacement along with this resignation.

[tybo31316]

So they finally got the second carrier of band 25 at universal up eh? They needed that bad because b25 is literally useless there. I wonder how it is now?

 

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The network was still bog down. I was able to make phone calls and text with no problem. Data was very slow. I was able to do Google searches and load websites. As far as video it was a no go. Luckily they had xfinity WiFi which was running at good speeds.

 

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[sbolen]

What is odd about this resignation, is there wasn't an announcement of a replacement along with this. Perhaps there will be within the next few days, though based on Sprint's recent history of these, it just seems a bit unusual for there not to be an announcement of the replacement along with this resignation.

It usually takes a while to find executives. It's not like Sprint will put the job on Monster.com and have a glut of applicants.

 

 

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[bigsnake49]

Some experiences from driving across the country on i-80, I-25,  US-287, I-20, I-55, I-10. AT&T had no service outside the cities on I-80 for vast stretches of I-80, I-25, US-287 in CA, NV, UT, WY. Much better on US-287 in TX, I-20, I-55, I-10. Sprint through, I assume Verizon, had them covered much better. But overall, I am disappointed in both carriers' performance on the nations highways. It is shameful.

[Mr.Nuke]

What is odd about this resignation, is there wasn't an announcement of a replacement along with this.

It isn't odd at all.

[davidtm]

This is good news...

 

Sprint to deploy 4G LTE service in 279 New York City subway stations

 

http://www.androidcentral.com/sprint-deploy-4g-lte-service-279-new-york-city-subway-stations

When I was in NYC last week, I did get service in some of the larger/busier mid-town subway stations, but I do not  remember that it was LTE. Maybe it's different this week (now that I'm back home!)