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

[Ascertion]

Upgrading all gmos

 

 

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I wouldn't expect Sprint to announce that. [emoji28] Usually Marcelo's "hyped" announcements are lack luster.

[Hmight]

I wouldn't expect Sprint to announce that. [emoji28] Usually Marcelo's "hyped" announcements are lack luster.

 

I guess he's too busy giving out free stuff to the poor, and not giving out $5 ice cream cones to his customers. 

 

What a shame! sac.

[RAvirani]

Im thinking this might be it..

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/12/technology/free-broadband-initiatives-for-poor-and-rural-areas-with-eye-on-future.html

Does this suggest a Sprint rural expansion?

[clbowens]

Does this suggest a Sprint rural expansion?

That's a good question.  Free broadband for poor and rural areas...except Sprint's rural coverage is not very good.

[bretton88]

That's a good question. Free broadband for poor and rural areas...except Sprint's rural coverage is not very good.

The answer is contained in the NYT article. Claure was pretty clear this would require no network investment.

[RAvirani]

The answer is contained in the NYT article. Claure was pretty clear this would require no network investment.

That's a bit disappointing...

[Trip]

The answer is contained in the NYT article. Claure was pretty clear this would require no network investment.

 

Not sure why the headline used the word "rural" then because unless I've missed something, none of the services discussed in the article seem to actually improve rural broadband availability.  Of course, that would be NYT's fault and not Sprint's, but still.

 

- Trip

[Deval]

It's depressing the serious lack of empathy and common sense in people today.

 

Marcelo makes an announcement trying to help the underprivileged and instead everything imploded with people calling it a mistake and a waste of money.

 

Damn Sprint for actually trying to help some folks, right?

[BlueAngel]

It's depressing the serious lack of empathy and common sense in people today.

 

Marcelo makes an announcement trying to help the underprivileged and instead everything imploded with people calling it a mistake and a waste of money.

 

Damn Sprint for actually trying to help some folks, right?

If T-Mobile did it however...

 

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[derrph]

It's depressing the serious lack of empathy and common sense in people today.

 

Marcelo makes an announcement trying to help the underprivileged and instead everything imploded with people calling it a mistake and a waste of money.

 

Damn Sprint for actually trying to help some folks, right?

If T-Mobile did it however...

 

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I think it's a great what they're doing. The blessing here is they have the spectrum to do so all while giving back to enhance students educational opportunities. Unlike another carrier who has a tight squeeze on spectrum who would be praised to the top of the highest mountain for being caring and giving to the underprivileged.

 

 

 

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[Deval]

The Reddit thread makes me so sad reading through it.

[kg4icg]

What I find funny is no one noticed T-MOBILE selling off 1.4 million prepaid subs to tracfone.

[marioc21]

Well, here's the spectrum sale/lease announcement. $3.5 billion initial sale/leaseback. 

 

http://seekingalpha.com/pr/16631213-sprint-corporation-announces-private-placement-offering-wireless-spectru

A couple of paragraphs about what pieces they're selling. 

 

 

The Issuers’ directly owned subsidiaries will acquire a portfolio of FCC licenses and a small number of third-party leased license agreements (the “Spectrum Portfolio”) from subsidiaries of Sprint, which comprise a portion of Sprint’s 2.5GHz and 1.9GHz spectrum holdings, representing approximately 14 percent of Sprint’s total spectrum holdings on a MHz-pops basis.

 

The Spectrum Portfolio is currently utilized by approximately 77 percent of all of Sprint’s 2.5GHz enabled sites and approximately 33 percent of Sprint’s 1.9GHz enabled sites. The Spectrum Portfolio will be leased back to Sprint Communications Inc. pursuant to a long-term lease agreement, the rental payments for which are sufficient to service the Notes. Based on an independent third-party valuation, the central value of the Spectrum Portfolio as of June 30, 2017, based on the various assumptions and limitations set forth in the valuation report, is approximately $16.4 billion.

 

[Ascertion]

The Reddit thread makes me so sad reading through it.

I figured I'd chime in here. Sprint does not have enough B41 live nationwide and they also have the least amount of cell towers/coverage. I feel like in their financial predicament, they should really focus on the upgrades instead of giving away service to users that aren't going to pay for it. I'm surprised AJ hasn't chimed in on this yet, considering his stance on people that have device subsidies.

[tybo31316]

Well, here's the spectrum sale/lease announcement. $3.5 billion initial sale/leaseback.

 

http://seekingalpha.com/pr/16631213-sprint-corporation-announces-private-placement-offering-wireless-spectru

 

A couple of paragraphs about what pieces they're selling.

 

So does this mean that Sprint is using its spectrum as collateral for a loan?

[Deval]

I figured I'd chime in here. Sprint does not have enough B41 live nationwide and they also have the least amount of cell towers/coverage. I feel like in their financial predicament, they should really focus on the upgrades instead of giving away service to users that aren't going to pay for it. I'm surprised AJ hasn't chimed in on this yet, considering his stance on people have device subsidies.

 

Coverage is relative, plenty of it to go around here where I live, work, and play.

[marioc21]

So does this mean that Sprint is using its spectrum as collateral for a loan?

 

Effectively, I suppose.

[tybo31316]

Effectively, I suppose. Except once the transaction is complete they won't own the spectrum anymore. They're doing a sale/leaseback. So they're selling some of the spectrum they have rights to for cash up front and then leasing the spectrum back from the buyer. Then they'll pay monthly lease payments for the term of the lease. The lease payments will have a certain amount of interest built into them.

Is it Softbank creating a leasing company like they did to handle the phone leases?

[dedub]

aren't they selling it to themselves?

 

sounds like taking a loan on your 401k

[Ascertion]

Effectively, I suppose. Except once the transaction is complete they won't own the spectrum anymore. They're doing a sale/leaseback. So they're selling some of the spectrum they have rights to for cash up front and then leasing the spectrum back from the buyer. Then they'll pay monthly lease payments for the term of the lease. The lease payments will have a certain amount of interest built into them.

It's actually a smart move. What exactly binds the new owner from just leasing it to somebody else? Contract?

 

This sounds similar to what T-Mobile did when they sold their cell towers off a year or two ago and started leasing them.

[marioc21]

It's actually a smart move. What exactly binds the new owner from just leasing it to somebody else? Contract?

 

This sounds similar to what T-Mobile did when they sold their cell towers off a year or two ago and started leasing them.

 

I actually misread the news release.  Sprint is transferring ownership to three subsidiaries created and by Sprint. They in turn are issuing notes backed by the spectrum holdings that Sprint is transferring. So Sprint still effectively owns the spectrum. 

[marioc21]

aren't they selling it to themselves?

 

sounds like taking a loan on your 401k

 

Pretty much. I misread the details of the news release.  Sprint is transferring the spectrum to three subsidiary companies that Sprint itself will own. 

[tybo31316]

I actually misread the news release. Sprint is transferring ownership to three subsidiaries created and by Sprint. They in turn are issuing notes backed by the spectrum holdings that Sprint is transferring. So Sprint still effectively owns the spectrum.

Good anything that can get them working on bringing band 41 to more sites.

[marioc21]

Is it Softbank creating a leasing company like they did to handle the phone leases?

 

No, it looks like Sprint is doing this on their own. Unless Softbank winds up buying the Notes. 

[Scott]

According to this Reddit thread, starting Friday you can add unlimited data (with mobile optimized streaming) to any tablet for $20/month on autopay ($25 without) if there's an active phone line on the account. 5GB of mobile hotspot included.