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"What I Learned at Sprint..."


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Here's an article that came out of Sprint's reporters visit to HQ last week. A few nuggets regarding NV deployment strategy, LTE roaming involving the RCA, wifi offloading, small-cells and other stuff.

 

What I Learned at Sprint…

 

 

APRIL 16, 2012 | Sarah Reedy

 

10:50 AM -- Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S)'s game of catch-up on Long Term Evolution (LTE) will be hard-won, but the carrier is confident in the progress it has made and the technology evolution it has laid out with Network Vision. (See Sprint Sets Due Date for iDEN's LTE Rebirth and Sprint to Fully Support HD Voice in 2013.)

 

That's what I took away from spending two days at the operator's headquarters in Overland Park, Kan., last week. The visit included briefings from top execs across Sprint's network, engineering, handset and sales divisions, as well as from its vendor partners Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC), Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) and Samsung Corp. , a visit to a cell site in nearby Olathe, a tour of its labs (sans devices) and some hands-on time with its newly announced LTE smartphones. (See Photos: Inside Sprint's Network Vision .)

 

...

 

Sprint is sticking to its plans to cover 123 million PoPs covered with LTE by the end of the year and 250 million by the end of 2013. President of Network Operations Steve Elfman reiterated the company lines: that initial launches will come in mid-year in Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio with the first devices -- out of 15 planned this year -- launching at the same time, but he also noted that the LTE network will cover most of the WiMax footprint this year and subsume it next year.

 

Sprint's deployment strategy includes starting in small towns like Kankakee, Ind., its first cluster to go live, where it has the right zoning and leases and it's rural enough to not disrupt a lot of people in the testing phases. Then, Sprint VP of Development & Engineering Iyad Tarazi said, it will creep its way into the major city nearby, as with Waco working towards Dallas and Forth Worth and Kankakee moving into Chicago.

 

...

 

Azzi also said Sprint will have more information on its earnings call about how it's working with the Rural Cellular Association on LTE roaming and, in general, on how it will be "highly competitive to the big two," AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Verizon Wireless .

 

...

 

The carrier plans to stick with unlimited on LTE, but it's hoping to encourage more of its customers to use Wi-Fi with a network client it built with Smith Micro Software Inc. (Nasdaq:SMSI) and Birdstep Technology ASA (Oslo: BIRD) that automatically defaults to Wi-Fi when available or chooses the best network, WiMax or CDMA, on Android devices. (See Sprint: Still Unlimited on 4G LTE Smartphones.)

 

...

 

 

 

http://www.lightread...&doc_id=219824

 

What I found interesting was the NV tower deployment strategy of starting in a small town suburb to a major market and then basically "creeping" construction into the major market. Also, the bit about speaking more about future LTE roaming with the RCA during the financial call next week. It's got my interest peaked. I'll be tuning in to hear what Hesse has to say on the 25th.

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Thanks for the post. I didn't see anything new that we didn't already know, except for possibly this:

 

Azzi also said Sprint will have more information on its earnings call about how it's working with the Rural Cellular Association on LTE roaming and, in general, on how it will be "highly competitive to the big two," AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Verizon Wireless .

 

I wasn't aware of any new announcements regarding the RCA. This is good news, and I eagerly await this info.

 

And this quote brought a huge smile to my face:

 

"LTE will come quickly," Alves said. "We can set expectations that this will be a national service before most customers would upgrade their phone again."

 

Robert

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Thanks for the post. I didn't see anything new that we didn't already know, except for possibly this:

 

 

 

I wasn't aware of any new announcements regarding the RCA. This is good news, and I eagerly await this info.

 

And this quote brought a huge smile to my face:

 

 

 

Robert

 

I'm glad to hear this too. I've been hoping that something productive comes out of their membership in the RCA. I know it was a marriage of convenience against AT&T/TMO at first but they should try to take advantage of it. If they can work out roaming/network sharing deals with smaller carriers great.

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Here's some photos from that same reporters tour.

 

http://www.fiercewir...cell-site?img=0

 

This is the same exact site (KC60XC009) at Black Bob Park in Olathe, KS that AJ visited when he filed this article for S4GRU!

 

Robert

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Too bad AJ couldn't get the grand tour like the other reporters.

 

Don't expect to see S4GRU invited to Overland Park any time soon. AJ is now guilty by association. :lol:

 

There really is no strategy to start in a small market and creep into the urban area. They just ran their initial testing in less populated areas.

 

Agreed. However, anecdotally it appears to be deploying this way looking at completed NV site maps. Except in LA, where it is right in the middle of the market.

 

Robert

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Agreed. However, anecdotally it appears to be deploying this way looking at completed NV site maps. Except in LA, where it is right in the middle of the market.

 

Robert

 

I wonder if Ericsson has the biggest advantage in the NV project since Ericsson manages Sprint's network.

 

Alcatel Lucent and Ericsson both won hardware contracts with Verizon and AT&T so they already have a lot of hardware on the ground - it seems like Samsung would be the most disadvantaged. Apparently Samsung is a leader in Asia but I wonder how difficult it is for them to get going in a new market.

 

I wonder how much competition there is between the three of them in terms of deployment schedule.

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I wonder if Ericsson has the biggest advantage in the NV project since Ericsson manages Sprint's network.

 

Alcatel Lucent and Ericsson both won hardware contracts with Verizon and AT&T - it seems like Samsung would be the most disadvantaged.

 

I wonder how much competition there is between the three of them in terms of deployment schedule.

 

Anecdotally, this seems to be the case. I can't believe I used the term "anecdotally" back to back. :lol:

 

Robert

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This is the same exact site (KC60XC009) at Black Bob Park in Olathe, KS that AJ visited when he filed this article for S4GRU!

 

I am shocked that Sprint did not show off Network Vision in Olathe by taking reporters to see the completed site "down by the tracks."

 

feotmr.png

 

AJ

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Phil Goldstein at Fierce Wireless is a little bit behind the times:

 

"Presumably, this cell site will receive the hardware and software cards necessary for LTE, since Kansas City has been named as one of Sprint's first LTE markets."

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/slideshow/touring-sprint-network-vision-cell-site?img=2

 

AJ

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I am shocked that Sprint did not show off Network Vision in Olathe by taking reporters to see the completed site "down by the tracks."

 

AJ

 

And then head off to the Mall for a Cinnabon! What a missed opportunity!

 

Robert

 

 

Phil Goldstein at Fierce Wireless is a little bit behind the times:

 

"Presumably, this cell site will receive the hardware and software cards necessary for LTE, since Kansas City has been named as one of Sprint's first LTE markets."

 

http://www.fiercewir...cell-site?img=2

 

AJ

 

I saw that. I just shook my head when I read it.

 

Robert

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And then head off to the Mall for a Cinnabon! What a missed opportunity!

 

Robert

 

I have always wanted to try Cinnabon.

 

Sent from Joshs Evo Shift using Forum Runner

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I have always wanted to try Cinnabon.

 

Your ants would love a Cinnabon.

 

AJ

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What ants? I slaughtered them all. :)

 

 

 

Poor birds :(

 

Are you an animal racist, Josh?

 

AJ

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Are you an animal racist' date=' Josh?

 

AJ[/quote']

 

I hate bugs and love animals. Bugs are gross.

 

I'm not an animal racist.

 

Sent from Joshs Evo Shift using Forum Runner

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I hate bugs and love animals. Bugs are gross.

 

I'm not an animal racist.

 

Sent from Joshs Evo Shift using Forum Runner

 

So the ants....aerosol can and a lighter the solution?

 

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2

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So the ants....aerosol can and a lighter the solution?

 

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2

 

Not in the kitchen pantry!

 

Sent from Joshs Evo Shift using Forum Runner

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Don't-- it's insidious! Part of the reason I still run 35 miles a week.

 

I can't run hardly half a mile. :( I'm so out of shape again. I need to lose weight fast. Of course i won't be able to run after that. Bad knees now.

 

Sent from Joshs Evo Shift using Forum Runner

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