Sprint not participating in the 600 MHz auction (report)

[Arysyn]

To be clear, the FCC is not tasked with ensuring that a certain spectrum band or airlink technology is deployed on every site within a given network. Since we are using band 41 as an example, the FCC would have no problem with Sprint never densifying its network. Band 41 is already widely deployed -- substantial service -- across hundreds of markets.

 

Even Clearwire WiMAX deployment was fine. It may not have provided the ubiquitous user experience originally intended, but it covered much of numerous metro areas -- and perhaps more importantly -- brought WiMAX license protection sites to many secondary and tertiary cities years before they would see any LTE.

 

In the eyes of the FCC, that is a win. None of the above qualifies as spectrum squatting. Now, Magentans may say that Sprint is not "using" its BRS/EBS spectrum in many locations. But the same could be said of T-Mobile with its PCS and AWS-1 holdings. That mid and high band spectrum does not come with any geographic buildout requirements.

 

And true, dyed in the wool Magentans do not want Sprint to have a denser network with band 41 everywhere. T-Mobile could not compete with that density and bandwidth. So, if they claim that Sprint is BRS/EBS "spectrum squatting," they are just taking potshots at Sprint.

 

AJ

I'm not certain of the details behind this, and I'm not defending these claims, but one of the things I've heard said alot is that had Sprint not used band 41 spectrum for something back in the days when Sprint chose to use it for WiMax, that Sprint would have lost those licenses. However, that is something I've heard but can't verify.

 

Despite that, if this is the case, then I don't think it is fair for Sprint to have had that stipulation placed on them, whether it was by the FCC or a spectrum leasing agreement. Although, I haven't really looked into it past what I've heard, just giving my opinion based on that.

 

With that said though, I also hear Magentans using it as a way to blame Sprint, with the claim that they wasted resources on an inferior technology to LTE, despite LTE not being ready yet. I also hear claims from some people suggesting that Sprint should have stuck with WiMax and built it out nationwide. Yet if Sprint had done that while the other carriers using LTE, it would have been more difficult for Sprint to get device manufacturers to support it with their own WiMax devices.

 

Just a few thoughts I had about what I've heard, which is partly the reason why I end up thinking differently about these things, especially when I hear unfair talk about certain things.

[Fraydog]

The T-Mobile fans can claim all they want that Sprint hasn't properly utilized 2.5 ghz. Squatting is much harder to prove. If anything, the 2.5 ghz spectrum has been utilized over a much wider geographic area since Sprint purchased Clearwire.