What to happen to Sprint's 800Mhz soon after Merger

[audiomusiclover]

Hi Everyone.  With the carrier merger agreement pending, I wanted to see what you guys think for us using the 800 MHZ band.  How will Sprint users be affected by the Dish purchase of Sprint's 800 MHZ as it will be pulled away I expect reasonably soon.  I am wondering once the merger deal is finalized and Sprint has to relinquish their 800 band, will that mean "so long" to broad ranging LTE coverage using a fairly new legacy Sprint phone?  Thanks. 

Edited July 31, 2019 by audiomusiclover
added word for clarity

[belusnecropolis]

No, it is New Tmo's for 3 years; after which dish will pay about $3.6B to buy with the option for Tmo to lease back for 2 more years.

[Tengen31]

No, it is New Tmo's for 3 years; after which dish will pay about $3.6B to buy with the option for Tmo to lease back for 2 more years.

So TMobile will be using it then?

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[Brad The Beast]

Dish is buying Sprint's 800MHz. 

[belusnecropolis]

1 hour ago, Tengen31 said:

So TMobile will be using it then?

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I think it will be the last holdout for CDMA 1xA. I don't see them taking the bandwidth offline and no sense buying n26 radios if it goes for sale. I think the two year is a safety valve in case too many folks still have CDMA phones/IoT devices.

[RAvirani]

I think it's unfortunate that the combined company is divesting 800. Having 5x5 L800 and 5x5 L700 would probably allow the combined company to use their 600 holdings exclusively for NR.

Additionally, Sprint could add 800 radios to T-Mobile's new 600 equipment without an antenna swap. A diplexer+RRH is all they would need. 

[Tengen31]

I think it's unfortunate that the combined company is divesting 800. Having 5x5 L800 and 5x5 L700 would probably allow the combined company to use their 600 holdings exclusively for NR.
Additionally, Sprint could add 800 radios to T-Mobile's new 600 equipment without an antenna swap. A diplexer+RRH is all they would need. 

To bad they can't or won't do network sharing on B26 so TMobile and Dish can both use it

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[dro1984]

16 hours ago, Tengen31 said:

To bad they can't or won't do network sharing on B26 so TMobile and Dish can both use it

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You guys are too much!   A little B26 goes bye-bye for a bunch of 600mhz.  And Sprint gets to keep 800 for 3 more years... are you really going to miss it that much?!      Way more useful and a lot more of it considering they can use some or all of Dish's 600 holdings as well as their own.     I'd say a divestiture was a foregone conclusion, but if that's all they had to give up (spectrum-wise) I'd say it was a great deal!     

Edited August 1, 2019 by dro1984

[Tengen31]

 

You guys are too much!   A little B26 goes bye-bye for a bunch of 600mhz.  And Sprint gets to keep 800 for 3 more years... are you really going to miss it that much?!      Way more useful and a lot more of it considering they can use some or all of Dish's 600 holdings as well as their own.     I'd say a divestiture was a foregone conclusion, but if that's all they had to give up (spectrum-wise) I'd say it was a great deal!     

I know what TMO has for B71. Just sucks to not have both. Especially in areas with no band 12 and for people whose phones don't have B71 but do have 26

 

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[dro1984]

20 minutes ago, Tengen31 said:

I know what TMO has for B71. Just sucks to not have both. Especially in areas with no band 12 and for people whose phones don't have B71 but do have 26

 

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By the time it becomes an issue, everyone should have new phones.    No Band 12/66 or 71?  That's old equipment in electronics age.   

When the transaction is complete,  I'm pretty sure T Mobile will offer special deals to those with older Sprint handsets.    I'm sure goal #1 will be to get everyone on the "efficient" part of the network to aid in closing down the Sprint side asap to help aid in refarming Sprint's.  You have to remember, Sprint doesn't even have VoLTE everywhere yet and probably won't now.  That network will be shut down / broken down into pieces as soon as possible from how T Mobile works.    Use Metro PCS as an example.         

Edited August 1, 2019 by dro1984

[RAvirani]

1 hour ago, dro1984 said:

You guys are too much!   A little B26 goes bye-bye for a bunch of 600mhz.  

Not having L800 will prevent the combined company from dedicating all of their 600 spectrum to NR in many markets. Running 600 RRHs in NR+LTE split mode reduces the maximum Tx/Rx diversity to 2x2 for both air interfaces. This is a big hit to lowband 5G performance. 

[Tengen31]

Hi Everyone.  With the carrier merger agreement pending, I wanted to see what you guys think for us using the 800 MHZ band.  How will Sprint users be affected by the Dish purchase of Sprint's 800 MHZ as it will be pulled away I expect reasonably soon.  I am wondering once the merger deal is finalized and Sprint has to relinquish their 800 band, will that mean "so long" to broad ranging LTE coverage using a fairly new legacy Sprint phone?  Thanks. 

Every Sprint phone from 2015 on has B12 which helps with T-Mobile coverage.

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[chamb]

11 hours ago, Tengen31 said:

Every Sprint phone from 2015 on has B12 which helps with T-Mobile coverage.

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IF T-Mobile ever allows Sprint Phones to roam on it.  I did not see it in two weeks of traveling through both cities and rural areas with poor coverage.  Maybe somebody else did??   I did roam on T-mobile quite often, but only on Band 2 or Band 4/66

[bigsnake49]

Just remember that they will have it for at least 3 more years and maybe for 5. That is a long time. Enough time for replacing all the phones that don't have bands 66 and 71.

[Tengen31]

IF T-Mobile ever allows Sprint Phones to roam on it.  I did not see it in two weeks of traveling through both cities and rural areas with poor coverage.  Maybe somebody else did??   I did roam on T-mobile quite often, but only on Band 2 or Band 4/66

I have only roamed on B2/66. Never 12 or 71. Under the merger they changes as Sprint customers become TMobile customers

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[JohnHovah]

It will be an exercise in growing pains.  I'm just hoping that we see some of that network synergy sooner rather than later with both pre merger entities acting as native coverage for one another during the transition period.  As of now I have never wandered onto a T-Mobile tower with any of my devices.  Lets hope they can do a broad spectrum 5g release. I'm holding out for the Note 10 5g and hoping they are able to integrate both chipsets for mm wave and repurposed existing spectrums.

[banananuts87]

You'd figure that the New T-Mobile has already planned on making use of 1900 PCS from day one, and made available to both customers rather quickly. As T-Mobile has a denser network than Sprint, I cannot imagine b26 being missed at all. 

Would've been nice to keep and combine with 700mhz exclusively for VoLTE, but with their amount of 600mhz, its a moot point. 

[Tengen31]

You'd figure that the New T-Mobile has already planned on making use of 1900 PCS from day one, and made available to both customers rather quickly. As T-Mobile has a denser network than Sprint, I cannot imagine b26 being missed at all. 
Would've been nice to keep and combine with 700mhz exclusively for VoLTE, but with their amount of 600mhz, its a moot point. 

VOLTE works on an bands. 2/25,12,71,66/4,41,26

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[banananuts87]

3 hours ago, Tengen31 said:

VOLTE works on an bands. 2/25,12,71,66/4,41,26

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I know that. My point was about using the 700/800 for VoLTE due to its consistency in buildings, rural areas so calls don't drop. 

[red_dog007]

On 8/1/2019 at 12:40 PM, dro1984 said:

You guys are too much!   A little B26 goes bye-bye for a bunch of 600mhz.  And Sprint gets to keep 800 for 3 more years... are you really going to miss it that much?!      Way more useful and a lot more of it considering they can use some or all of Dish's 600 holdings as well as their own.     I'd say a divestiture was a foregone conclusion, but if that's all they had to give up (spectrum-wise) I'd say it was a great deal!     

Well, TMobile still has a LOT of work to do in low-band. If the merger went through today and 800MHz was lost today, I'd take a serious hit in coverage, reliability and usability inside and outside the city because TMobile's 700 is extremely lacking.  This holds true for everywhere I travel in East TN. If 600MHz deployment is like their 700, it's gonna suck.  And in new coverage areas I visit like East KY, did they forget they own 700A there?  So many new sites that are rubbish and make for a horrible inconsistent experience because of the lack of 700.

If TMobile can't up beef up 600/700 by the time 800 is unusable, it's gonna not be great. If they have a ton of work in places I routinely go or visit, I can only imagine what the rest of the network is like.  

[dro1984]

6 hours ago, red_dog007 said:

... If the merger went through today and 800MHz was lost today, I'd take a serious hit in coverage, reliability and usability inside and outside the city because TMobile's 700 is extremely lacking.  ... If 600MHz deployment is like their 700, it's gonna suck.  And in new coverage areas I visit like East KY, did they forget they own 700A there?  

If TMobile can't up beef up 600/700 by the time 800 is unusable, it's gonna not be great. If they have a ton of work in places I routinely go or visit, I can only imagine what the rest of the network is like.  

Red_Dog, Your posts are usually good ... you've tought me a lot, so thanks... but I have to say this...  

1.  Merger has not gone through.  So no worries. 

2.  T Mobile  600 being deployed at a record pace as many on here have admitted to.  Give it time.  (Sprint would take years... just got Sprint 800 MHz in my area and how long has it been??)   It works for crap anyway.   

3.  Sprint doesn't give up  800 for 3 years as it was written.   They can also lease back, so I don't understand what the worries / issues are?  None of it can be deployed instantly. 

4.   T Mobile owns very little 700 MHz, (5 or 10 MHz? and I don't think it's nation-wide)  I think less than Sprint has 800 MHz... but they too are installing it as much as they can.       Sadly, at the rate of all the states suing them, blocking and so forth on purely political reasons... not even sure this will actually happen.   Now they're all crying that the FCC should/must open it up to public comment before their final vote .   With a year and a half into the review, and the millions of pages of material submitted, there is no need or  more review and re-review.    

Until then, .. your Sprint service should remain the same.   

Edited August 20, 2019 by dro1984

[red_dog007]

11 hours ago, dro1984 said:

Red_Dog, Your posts are usually good ... you've tought me a lot, so thanks... but I have to say this...  

1.  Merger has not gone through.  So no worries. 

2.  T Mobile  600 being deployed at a record pace as many on here have admitted to.  Give it time.  (Sprint would take years... just got Sprint 800 MHz in my area and how long has it been??)   It works for crap anyway.   

3.  Sprint doesn't give up  800 for 3 years as it was written.   They can also lease back, so I don't understand what the worries / issues are?  None of it can be deployed instantly. 

4.   T Mobile owns very little 700 MHz, (5 or 10 MHz? and I don't think it's nation-wide)  I think less than Sprint has 800 MHz... but they too are installing it as much as they can.       Sadly, at the rate of all the states suing them, blocking and so forth on purely political reasons... not even sure this will actually happen.   Now they're all crying that the FCC should/must open it up to public comment before their final vote .   With a year and a half into the review, and the millions of pages of material submitted, there is no need or  more review and re-review.    

Until then, .. your Sprint service should remain the same.   

Outside MetroPCS acquisition which gave TMobile some 700A, they started in earnest getting 700MHz like 5yrs ago now.  It doesn't matter if it is just 5 or 10MHz wide or that they don't have a 700A license that USCC holds.  It's the fact that they have many 700A licenses, have had it for many years now. Yet a lack serious deployment to cover their gaps, lack of deployment in totally new coverage areas, etc. 

Sure, TMobile is getting 600MHz up there and quick.  I expect them too.  Just like they did with 700. But will it be above and beyond 700s deployment and be closer to ATT/VZW/Sprints level of deployment where low-band is essentially on every tower or just end up being a sprinkling.  The 700 experience or lack there of, for me, does not instill confidence in complete and total commitment. 

The merger hasn't gone through, but when it does, 3yrs may not be enough with how many years TMobile has had with 700. Over those three years there is going to be loads of work at all levels for TMobile so who knows where resources are going to get diverted.

[dro1984]

2 hours ago, red_dog007 said:

Outside MetroPCS acquisition which gave TMobile some 700A, they started in earnest getting 700MHz like 5yrs ago now.  It doesn't matter if it is just 5 or 10MHz wide or that they don't have a 700A license that USCC holds.  It's the fact that they have many 700A licenses, have had it for many years now. Yet a lack serious deployment to cover their gaps, lack of deployment in totally new coverage areas, etc. 

Sure, TMobile is getting 600MHz up there and quick.  I expect them too.  Just like they did with 700. But will it be above and beyond 700s deployment and be closer to ATT/VZW/Sprints level of deployment where low-band is essentially on every tower or just end up being a sprinkling.  The 700 experience or lack there of, for me, does not instill confidence in complete and total commitment. 

The merger hasn't gone through, but when it does, 3yrs may not be enough with how many years TMobile has had with 700. Over those three years there is going to be loads of work at all levels for TMobile so who knows where resources are going to get diverted.

I agree.   Not sure how diligent they will be in providing a good 600MHz path and depth.   I do read on TMO News, that they are progressing with 700 deployment as well, but the main focus has been 600.      Do you think this merger will ultimately be completed?   

Edited August 20, 2019 by dro1984

[red_dog007]

1 hour ago, dro1984 said:

I agree.   Not sure how diligent they will be in providing a good 600MHz path and depth.   I do read on TMO News, that they are progressing with 700 deployment as well, but the main focus has been 600.      Do you think this merger will ultimately be completed?   

Im skeptical of TMo News because they list cities constantly.  ATL is like on half the update pages.  It's like a few sites get upgraded (we don't know extent of upgrade) so gets listed. Not like back when spectrum refarm, mimo or qam was changed in mass. 

With how far it is into it, I think the merger will happen.  Im split on it however.  I do like that we will get movement from Dish.  Whether they sell out in the future or not, it will be exciting to see Dish actually move forward with something.  I like Sprint's regional roaming agreements and the fact that I use them and support local business if you will.  I'm sure these will go away and will be missed.  I've never liked TMobile's 'no service' status on my phones when they could easily at least roam on a regional carrier. Whether prices go up or down, they won't be where we need them.  They won't go down to what we we think if fair. 

If the merger happens, once my phones get updated for TMobile VoLTE I think we'll switch to MintSim.  I pay $90/mo + tax for two lines and use ~12GB total.  It's way too much for essentially internet access, and most places we are on WiFi anyways.  I feel like all the carriers keep adding more and more features or limits to these plans that very few actually use to keep prices inflated.  Make you feel like you get a lot so are ok with it, even though you actually use a little.  

[ericdabbs]

On 7/31/2019 at 5:04 PM, RAvirani said:

I think it's unfortunate that the combined company is divesting 800. Having 5x5 L800 and 5x5 L700 would probably allow the combined company to use their 600 holdings exclusively for NR.

Additionally, Sprint could add 800 radios to T-Mobile's new 600 equipment without an antenna swap. A diplexer+RRH is all they would need. 

The small amount of 800 MHz which btw is still having issues along the Mexico border is not worth the headache.  Divesting the 800 MHz spectrum is a small price to pay to make the appearance that Dish has enough low band spectrum to compete as a wireless carrier.  The 600 MHz and 700 MHz spectrum are enough.  Tmobile plans to even lease some of Dish's 600 MHz spectrum to help create 20x20 5G carriers for markets that only have 15x15 or 10x10 carriers.