T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2

[derrph]

2.3M net adds. 843k post paid adds. Pretty good quarter for T-Mobile.

 

https://newsroom.t-mobile.com/news/t-mobile-delivers-industry-leading-customer-and-financial-growth-in-q3-2015.htm

No bad at all what so ever. I added to the line additions to see how the network is and based on what I've seen its really good compared to my sprint service. But I want to see updated maps of the 300 pop of coverage. Since it's finished so early.

 

With the map on their website that they are promoting is that with the extended lte and stuff?

 

 

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[mittenmitten]

2.3M net adds. 843k post paid adds. Pretty good quarter for T-Mobile.

 

https://newsroom.t-mobile.com/news/t-mobile-delivers-industry-leading-customer-and-financial-growth-in-q3-2015.htm

 

Does Sprint get to count their 3g and more roaming as native coverage? 

[Terrell352]

Sprint has been really quiet on Pop count. I wonder if it's 300 million yet?

[JosefTor]

I know Sprint used to over promise which got them burned, but I wish sprint would go back to listing targets and being more transparent with roll out plans. Everything is so secretive these days.

[irev210]

 

I do not believe that map.  It is wildly optimistic.  A project of that size is just not that easy.  Otherwise, Sprint or T-Mobile would have done it years ago.  No, some factor or another will keep T-Mobile from fully realizing that goal by the end of the year.  

 

The costs of adding thousands of new sites could prove too expensive, and funding could be scaled back.  Along similar lines, the timeframe required to add that many new sites could prove too short, extending the project by months or years.

 

On the other hand, if T-Mobile actually does cover the map as projected by the end of the year, it will be low density, low quality coverage.  Just toss up a site every 25 miles and call it a day.  That is what we call a superficial gesture.  It technically may fill in the map, but it will not fill in coverage in real world usage.  And I do not consider that a goal accomplished.

 

AJ

 

While I can't speak to the quality of the coverage, it's darn impressive they've covered 300MM pops by the end of October - any way you measure it.

 

All around, the stats are impressive.  While we can debate the quality of covering 300MM pops, the financials are what they are, and they're damn impressive.

 

Short recap:

• 30.3% service margin ($1.9 billion Adjusted EBITDA)
• $1.12 billion in capex
• $411 million in Free Cash Flow
• Just over 1 million NET postpaid adds
• Postpaid churn of 1.46%

 

I have no idea how T-Mobile does it but it's amazing they can add subs at this rate and keep churn under 1.5%.

 

Bottom line - this is a good thing.  If T-Mobile can do it, there is no reason why Sprint can't do it better given Sprint's far superior spectrum position.

[Ascertion]

As someone that's experienced T-Mobile's coverage, the maps are hugely optimistic, at least on handsets. LTE coverage with acceptable in-building conditions? Nope. No signal, not even Edge. Strong LTE signal outside, limited connectivity in homes? Nope, Edge/H+ only.

 

They also have some Edge only sites near me that displays as LTE on their coverage map. Not sure if they're delayed upgrades or what, but anyone can reach a map like that with false claims.

[joshuam]

Live stream of the call:

 

 

I switched 4 lines over to T-Mobile this past quarter, still have one on Framily on Sprint. I live in a band 12 market, and honestly never even see HSPA in all of central Maryland. I get solid coverage inside buildings. Sprint iPhones seem to really struggle with band selection, and so they drop to 3G and park there. Once Sprint wraps up band 41, I think they will finally be able to tune band 26 for coverage instead of capacity. But until then, their just isn't enough density in Maryland to make Sprint a viable option.

[kamiller42]

I'm going to monitor T-Mobile deployment up here. If the coverage and performance is adequate for our needs, we will commute all our lines to Tmo.

 

I know you mentioned it's a coverage issue, but it still seems strange (unsettling, awkward, etc) hearing such words from the admin of a Sprint based site. Will Sprint be able to deliver where TMo has? I never thought I would be formulating such a question. Times are a changin?

[joshuam]

Sprint...2.07% port ratio with Sprint.

 

"I would expect Sprint to post positive numbers for the quarter, they are doing a good job" - John Legere

[Ascertion]

I know you mentioned it's a coverage issue, but it still seems strange (unsettling, awkward, etc) hearing such words from the admin of a Sprint based site. Will Sprint be able to deliver where TMo has? I never thought I would be formulating such a question. Times are a changin?

From what I hear, Sprint only has roaming agreements with another EvDo carrier in SD, at least where Robert lives.

[Ascertion]

Sprint...2.07% port ratio with Sprint.

 

"I would expect Sprint to post positive numbers for the quarter, they are doing a good job" - John Legere

Massive improvement.  Last quarter, port ratio was 2.45%.

[derrph]

Sprint...2.07% port ratio with Sprint.

 

"I would expect Sprint to post positive numbers for the quarter, they are doing a good job" - John Legere

Code 10 is the sky falling?!?!?! John said something nice about Sprint...I can't...I just can't.

 

 

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[EvanA]

With regard to the 300mil pops claim, show me the money. Their maps certainly don't show 300mil pops of LTE, and neither do mapping applications like Sensorly.

[joshuam]

"Uncarrier 10" announcement on 10 november.

 

https://newsroom.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier-x-coming-november-10.htm

 

Theme: "We never hit pause"

[Ascertion]

With regard to the 300mil pops claim, show me the money. Their maps certainly don't show 300mil pops of LTE, and neither do mapping applications like Sensorly.

They must be counting roaming partners as native.  Their current coverage map is in no way accurate.

[EvanA]

"Uncarrier 10" announcement on 10 november.

 

https://newsroom.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier-x-coming-november-10.htm

 

Theme: "We never hit pause"

Sounds music related to me

[joshuam]

Legere: "The 300M pops does NOT include roaming. That is strictly 100% native T-Mobile coverage"

[smooth25]

I think it's video related since he said "coming to a theater near you" before.

 

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[joshuam]

CFO: "We have never had in-market roaming, so we don't have those costs like Sprint, which spent over over $500M last year to Verizon alone. Those cost savings are used in other areas."

[luvixuha]

CFO: "We have never had in-market roaming, so we don't have those costs like Sprint, which spent over over $500M last year to Verizon alone. Those cost savings are used in other areas."

Ouch.

 

In other news today, they are acquiring additional A-block spectrum from AB License Co.

 

 

Sprint...2.07% port ratio with Sprint.

 

"I would expect Sprint to post positive numbers for the quarter, they are doing a good job" - John Legere

No that's not 2.07%, that's 2.07x. For every 100 customers that go from T-Mobile to Sprint, 207 customers go from Sprint to T-Mobile.

Edited October 27, 2015 by luvixuha

[joshuam]

No that's not 2.07%, that's 2.07x. For every 100 customers that go from T-Mobile to Sprint, 207 customers go from Sprint to T-Mobile.

 

Doh...yes, not sure why I put %...lol

[derrph]

To prove the coverage John needs to tell his loyal customers to download sensorly and go map their areas.

 

Overall I'm impressed. My T-Mobile line is true to the coverage map for Columbus,OH. I don't have any indoor coverage issues. Slightly I'm intrigued with this new uncarrier event. I don't think I could even leave my Sprint service though.

 

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[S4GRU]

I know you mentioned it's a coverage issue, but it still seems strange (unsettling, awkward, etc) hearing such words from the admin of a Sprint based site. Will Sprint be able to deliver where TMo has? I never thought I would be formulating such a question. Times are a changin?

Sprint doesn't offer service in my area. I currently use AT&T. I'm trying both GoogleFi and Tmo to see which way I will end up switching our whole family. If at all.

 

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[smooth25]

CFO: "We have never had in-market roaming, so we don't have those costs like Sprint, which spent over over $500M last year to Verizon alone. Those cost savings are used in other areas."

How much native coverage could that amount of money achieve with at least b25/26?

 

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[WiWavelength]

CFO: "We have never had in-market roaming, so we don't have those costs like Sprint, which spent over over $500M last year to Verizon alone. Those cost savings are used in other areas."

 

Translation:  We have a lot of areas of "No Service" and prefer not to pay the roaming costs that would be incurred in those areas.

 

AJ