T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2

[Fraydog]

Looks like T-Mobile is trying to raise more capital for 700A purchases. How much more is left across the country?

USCC unused by USCC is the biggest amount left geographically but the most expensive purchase would be Leap 700 MHz in Chicago.

 

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[Deval]

USCC unused by USCC is the biggest amount left geographically but the most expensive purchase would be Leap 700 MHz in Chicago.

 

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Should be interesting to see how they are going to deploy it though. Cherry-picked sites or every rural PCS site will get it along with B2 LTE.

[Arysyn]

USCC unused by USCC is the biggest amount left geographically but the most expensive purchase would be Leap 700 MHz in Chicago.

 

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How much 700mhz spectrum is there in the Leap amount? Is it 5x5 or 10x10?

[Fraydog]

Should be interesting to see how they are going to deploy it though. Cherry-picked sites or every rural PCS site will get it along with B2 LTE.

From looking at Western Kentucky where B12 just got added, it appears to be on most sites.

 

Where I live, T-Mobile would have to do B4 expansion with no B12 yet. There's areas in IL where B4 sites have been added in the western part of the state. Nothing I have found yet around me, though. I would love to see sites added at Sparta, Steeleville, Marissa, Pinckneyville, and New Athens. The southwestern IL coverage hole is big.

 

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[ericdabbs]

How much 700mhz spectrum is there in the Leap amount? Is it 5x5 or 10x10?

 

Leap just owns the 700 MHz A-block which like all the other A-block licenses nationwide which is just a 5x5.  It doesn't vary between markets.

[WiWavelength]

Leap just owns the 700 MHz A-block which like all the other A-block licenses nationwide which is just a 5x5.  It doesn't vary between markets.

 

No, all Lower 700 MHz paired spectrum licenses are 6 MHz FDD -- because they correspond exactly with vacated UHF TV channels.

 

AJ

[ericdabbs]

No, all Lower 700 MHz paired spectrum licenses are 6 MHz FDD -- because they correspond exactly with vacated UHF TV channels.

 

AJ

 

Yes technically they are 6x6 blocks since that is what TV channels were allocated as but are commonly referred to 5x5 just because 5x5 is a standard LTE carrier size that is deployed.  Just like no one really cares that ESMR is technically 7x7 block but just that they know only a 5x5 LTE carrier can be deployed.

[WiWavelength]

Yes technically they are 6x6 blocks since that is what TV channels were allocated as but are commonly referred to 5x5 just because 5x5 is a standard LTE carrier size that is deployed.  Just like no one really cares that ESMR is technically 7x7 block but just that they know only a 5x5 LTE carrier can be deployed.

 

Be technically correct.  Bar none, it is 6 MHz FDD.  An operator could deploy two 3 MHz FDD carriers in a Lower 700 MHz block -- or disaggregate half of the license block to another operator.

 

AJ

[Fraydog]

On a more humorous note, T-Mobile thinks I'm in...

 

 

 

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[red_dog007]

St. Louis, Charlotte, Chicago, North Indian for 700A. That would be a serious penny from that $1 billion. Oh, can't forget Memphis.  Sprint isn't going to do anything with that license.  I'd imagine that some spectrum swapping might happen as well as part of deals, especially with King Street and Sprint.

 

Then they might use that to get some 700B+C where they can from the likes of King Street in Indiana, Illinois, and Wichita, KS area, CSpire in AL and TN, Bresnan and any LLC that is still holding out with money that is left after those big three (maybe four) markets are purchased for 700A. 

[Arysyn]

Thsnk you to those who responded to my question about the 700mhz amount here in Chicago. I've read online from people mentioning how valuable it is, but I was unsure of what placement in the spectrum bands this was in. Therefore I wasn't sure if it was 5x5 or 10x10. As Eric mentioned how people generally look at LTE spectrum amounts coincides with how I do. Not saying the exact amount isn't important, as Aj mentioned, it is. However, generally I think people are use to spectrum being mentioned in groups of 5x5, 10x10, etc.

 

I figured the Leap spectrum might have been 10x10, but now I know it is not. This does affect my thinking a bit, as even if T-Mobile were to get this spectrum, I believe they still ought to seek out for 600mhz spectrum in this area to complement that 700mhz. 5x5 of lowband spectrum just isn't enough for such a large and heavily populated market, considering T-Mobile's lack of other spectrum. Whereas Sprint only having 5x5 of lowband spectrum isn't as big of a deal since Sprint has alot of other spectrum. I think though if Sprint could get 5x5 of 600 mhz, that would be enough, but as to T-Mobile, I really think it is important for them to at least try for 10x10 of the 600mhz, not mainly to boost lowband spectrum, but due to them needing more spectrum in general.

[Fraydog]

St. Louis, Charlotte, Chicago, North Indian for 700A. That would be a serious penny from that $1 billion. Oh, can't forget Memphis.  Sprint isn't going to do anything with that license.  I'd imagine that some spectrum swapping might happen as well as part of deals, especially with King Street and Sprint.

 

Then they might use that to get some 700B+C where they can from the likes of King Street in Indiana, Illinois, and Wichita, KS area, CSpire in AL and TN, Bresnan and any LLC that is still holding out with money that is left after those big three (maybe four) markets are purchased for 700A. 

 

 

I forgot about Charlotte. That's going to drive the price up quite a bit. 

[anthony.spina97]

Man, T-Mobile doesn't even have 700 here in Charlotte, and they're still miles better than Sprint. I can only imagine how much they're network here will improve with 700.

 

-Anthony

[Deval]

Man, T-Mobile doesn't even have 700 here in Charlotte, and they're still miles better than Sprint. I can only imagine how much they're network here will improve with 700.

 

-Anthony

 

I wonder if it's the site density?

[Overstew]

I wonder if it's the site density?

From my experience, in most cases, it is.  Sprint's good at maintaining a signal (this is why their reliability scores always look good), but they need a lot more capacity either by densifying or rolling out a lot of B41 carriers.  They're already in the process of it via NGN, but T-Mobile has the highest amount of LTE towers out of the major four and their rural presence is low, which means they have even more in major metros.

[Deval]

"but T-Mobile has the highest amount of LTE towers out of the major four and their rural presence is low, which means they have even more in major metros."

 

I'm not so sure about that claim, as it doesn't make sense if you consider Verizon and AT&T's site density. 

[Overstew]

I'm not so sure about that claim, as it doesn't make sense if you consider Verizon and AT&T's site density. 

I meant, even if they have similar amount of towers, T-Mobile's are primarily focused in urban environments but AT&T/Verizon have them more spread because they also cover rural.  But I am also going off T-Mobile's superbowl advertisement that specifically says they have more LTE towers than Verizon. 

[EvanA]

 

 

that specifically says they have more LTE towers than Verizon.

May be true when you only count macros, but with Verizon's small cells included they are the clear density champion.

[danlodish345]

May be true when you only count macros, but with Verizon's small cells included they are the clear density champion.

sprint has vastly more spectrum then tmobile but the SMR spectrum is nationwide so sprint still has a advantage 

[cortney]

On a more humorous note, T-Mobile thinks I'm in...

 

 

 

It was just an early April Fool's joke. But this post isn't.

 

And in short they still suck for me. And the other three prevail.

[Fraydog]

Cortney,

 

Here's what T-Mobile would have to add where I live to be more in line with VZW.

 

Would have to be B4 since USCC has and doesn't really use the B12 license here. Forgive the crude illustrations.

 

 

 

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[Fraydog]

https://np.reddit.com/r/tmobile/comments/4d018k/reporting_my_experience_with_tmobile_and_others/

 

Really informative and well done post regarding T-Mobile, Viaero, Sprint, and US Cellular in Nebraska and specifically Omaha. Apparently Magenta is advancing on a real build out there. Also, the OP who started the thread had a very positive impression of Sprint's network in Omaha and Lincoln with USCC roaming working effectively in the rest of the state.

 

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[Mr.Nuke]

https://np.reddit.com/r/tmobile/comments/4d018k/reporting_my_experience_with_tmobile_and_others/

 

Really informative and well done post regarding T-Mobile, Viaero, Sprint, and US Cellular in Nebraska and specifically Omaha.

It is a decent post, but I don't buy this at all.

NOW OMAHA was entirely blanketed by T-Mobile LTE.

Apparently Magenta is advancing on a real build out there.

They've done nothing of the sort to my knowledge. They still run a protection network here. There haven't been any new permitted sites and literally they don't sell service here. So if you are on a T-Mobile tower you are a visitor to the city or someone who moved here and foolishly kept your T-Mobile service. He mentions having coverage inside Westroads Mall, but that is right next to one of their few sites here. Without digging through permits, based solely on T-Mobile's coverage map I think they have roughly 9 sites on the Nebraska side of the Omaha metro area.

Also, the OP who started the thread had a very positive impression of Sprint's network in Omaha and Lincoln with USCC roaming working effectively in the rest of the state.

Omaha is a market where they likely could beat Verizon in RootMetrics if they finished deploying band 41.

[Deval]

I meant, even if they have similar amount of towers, T-Mobile's are primarily focused in urban environments but AT&T/Verizon have them more spread because they also cover rural.  But I am also going off T-Mobile's superbowl advertisement that specifically says they have more LTE towers than Verizon. 

 

Yeah but I'm referring to total number of towers, regardless of location.

[danlodish345]

Yeah but I'm referring to total number of towers, regardless of location.

isnt tmobile doing a native foot print expansion everywhere they have spectrum licenses?