Official Tmobile-Sprint merger discussion thread

[dro1984]

4 hours ago, dkyeager said:

It all depends on how your frame the competition and other questions. Traditionally there are four national carriers.  If you go by profit, there are two national carriers.  If you go by internet data, you need to have the national and regional wireless carriers, the sizable ISPs, and satellite internet and WISP providers.

Are you looking at urban or rural away from major highways?  Cheapest price or most competition throughout the country?  Is 5G actually important?  Will Sprint survive/thrive? How long?

This may be too many questions to ponder for most people.  Perhaps the lunatics are running the asylum. It should be ask as to why they allowed Verizon and AT&T to become so dominate without antitrust.

And I agree with you.   No objections.   But they now have been reviewing and re-reviewing it multiple times.  I don't get this at all.    The rules and the game keep evolving.   Again the DOJ line of "there is no magic number"  (of carries) seems to carry no weight anymore... 

[bigsnake49]

Walter Piecyk thinks that the increased concession demands by the DOJ will drive T-Mobile to abandon the merger. So what should Sprint do? Here are my suggestions to upper management:

1. Finish tri-banding all of their sites

2. Get in bed with the rest of the cable cos for small cell deployment

3. Host Dish's and Comcast's 600MHz spectrum holdings in return for capacity

4. Host Dish's midband AWS-3 nd AWS-4 holdings

5. Merge networks and spectrum with T-Mobile but not marketing and administration.

 

Now personally I think the merger will be approved. FCC/DOJ want Dish's spectrum put in use. It has been laying fallow for a long time. Here's how I think the merger will go down:

1. Dish and Private equity firms will form a wireless company Dish will contribute the spectrum and PE firms the cash. 

2. Sprint will sell Boost to Dish Wireless for let's say $3B

3. There will be not be any divestiture of spectrum

4. The New T-Mobile will host Dish's 600Mhz and AWS-3 spectrum right away for an annual fee

5. Dish network will acquire Sprint network assets and back office assets as they are decommissioned. That will allow them to then host Dish's AWS-4 spectrum and eventually their 600Mhz and AWS-3 spectrum

6. Dish will sell their 700MHz band E to AT&T

As you can see there are a lot of moving parts and so the negotiations are rather complex. Probably why the DOJ is taking so much time. 

 

 

[Tengen31]

Walter Piecyk thinks that the increased concession demands by the DOJ will drive T-Mobile to abandon the merger. So what should Sprint do? Here are my suggestions to upper management:

1. Finish tri-banding all of their sites

2. Get in bed with the rest of the cable cos for small cell deployment

3. Host Dish's and Comcast's 600MHz spectrum holdings in return for capacity

4. Host Dish's midband AWS-3 nd AWS-4 holdings

5. Merge networks and spectrum with T-Mobile but not marketing and administration.

 

Now personally I think the merger will be approved. FCC/DOJ want Dish's spectrum put in use. It has been laying fallow for a long time. Here's how I think the merger will go down:

1. Dish and Private equity firms will form a wireless company Dish will contribute the spectrum and PE firms the cash. 

2. Sprint will sell Boost to Dish Wireless for let's say $3B

3. There will be not be any divestiture of spectrum

4. The New T-Mobile will host Dish's 600Mhz and AWS-3 spectrum right away for an annual fee

5. Dish network will acquire Sprint network assets and back office assets as they are decommissioned. That will allow them to then host Dish's AWS-4 spectrum and eventually their 600Mhz and AWS-3 spectrum

6. Dish will sell their 700MHz band E to AT&T

As you can see there are a lot of moving parts and so the negotiations are rather complex. Probably why the DOJ is taking so much time. 

 

 

If the merger fails I would like to see Sprint get that spectrum. They need it no matter what people say. Also does hosting mean the owner Dish pays for the roll out of their spectrum?

 

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[RAvirani]

4 hours ago, bigsnake49 said:

Walter Piecyk thinks that the increased concession demands by the DOJ will drive T-Mobile to abandon the merger. So what should Sprint do? Here are my suggestions to upper management:

If I were in charge of Sprint and the merger fell through today, here are the changes I would make:

• Day 1 changes:
  • Drop the L800 Qrxlevmin to -128.  I don’t want users falling off L800 at -120 or -122 because:
    • L800 will almost always offer better speeds than CDMA at those signal levels.
    • This will reduce the reconnect time to usable LTE. 
    • The pocket 3G problem will be eliminated.  
    • VoLTE reliability will skyrocket.
  • Remove the per-site “VoLTE enabled” flag (which by the way is a big part of the reason Sprint is struggling to support older devices) and allow it on all sites and Magic Boxes.  This will allow software updates enabling VoLTE to be pushed to ISIM devices in a matter of weeks. 
  • Revert L2500 to Config 1 to both increase L2500 upload speeds and effective range. 
  • In markets where spectrum allows, split 8T8Rs into two 4T4R transmit chains and run 6 L2500 carriers.  Some markets such as Seattle already have this.
• Short-term changes (within the first 12 months):
  • Contact high-traffic venues (casinos, airports, stadiums, arenas, concert venues, underground train systems, convention centers, etc) and sign onto DAS systems. 
  • Begin buildout in high-roaming high-traffic areas such as ski resorts (e.g. Big Sky, MT and Sugarloaf, ME), rural tourist attractions (e.g. Mount Rushmore, SD and Yellowstone National Park) and large cities (e.g. Billings, MT and Chyenne, WY).
  • Identify and begin to close in-city coverage gaps by means of:
    • Implementing a verified coverage map to identify areas without LTE.
    • Allow T-Mobile roaming and possibly even AT&T roaming everywhere and focus on high-roaming in-city areas. 
  • Expedite the Massive MIMO rollout to stay at the front of the 5G race. 
  • Expedite the tribanding of any remaining single-band/dual-band/non-redundant Clear sites. 
  • Look to increase backhaul to high-usage sites.
  • Prioritize interband CA deployment.
  • Prioritize the implementation of dynamic NR UL and move NR to the PCC. 
  • Begin talks with Dish to host their 600 and AWS-4 spectrum.  This will at least double Sprint’s lowband capacity nationwide and give them greenfield lowband to deploy NR on. 
• Long-term changes (after the first 12 months):
  • Cut EVDO completely ASAP.  Run a 1x1900 carrier in L1900 guard bands and maintain the 1x800 carrier. 
  • Begin to replace 800 radios with NR/LTE/1x DSS-capable radios. 
  • Begin a rural highway buildout in areas where the most T-Mobile and AT&T roaming occurs.  The deployment will primarily be lowband.  This task is not as daunting as it seems for sites already exist that cover effectively every major highway in the United States.  The only thing to do will be to negotiate a reasonable lease. 
  • Open up an NR test drive program similar to the one T-Mobile ran for LTE and advertise it heavily. 

[RedSpark]

Bravo! 👍

I’ve been saying for a long time that Sprint needs to improve coverage where people spend time in transit: airports, bus stations, train stations. You can cover the most people that way, especially when they have idle time or need to use their device for travel purposes.

You’re right on the mark here.

[tyroned3222]

If I were in charge of Sprint and the merger fell through today, here are the changes I would make:

• Day 1 changes:
  • Drop the L800 Qrxlevmin to -128.  I don’t want users falling off L800 at -120 or -122 because:
    • L800 will almost always offer better speeds than CDMA at those signal levels.
    • This will reduce the reconnect time to usable LTE. 
    • The pocket 3G problem will be eliminated.  
    • VoLTE reliability will skyrocket.
  • Remove the per-site “VoLTE enabled” flag (which by the way is a big part of the reason Sprint is struggling to support older devices) and allow it on all sites and Magic Boxes.  This will allow software updates enabling VoLTE to be pushed to ISIM devices in a matter of weeks. 
  • Revert L2500 to Config 1 to both increase L2500 upload speeds and effective range. 
  • In markets where spectrum allows, split 8T8Rs into two 4T4R transmit chains and run 6 L2500 carriers.  Some markets such as Seattle already have this.
• Short-term changes (within the first 12 months):
  • Contact high-traffic venues (casinos, airports, stadiums, arenas, concert venues, underground train systems, convention centers, etc) and sign onto DAS systems. 
  • Begin buildout in high-roaming high-traffic areas such as ski resorts (e.g. Big Sky, MT and Sugarloaf, ME), rural tourist attractions (e.g. Mount Rushmore, SD and Yellowstone National Park) and large cities (e.g. Billings, MT and Chyenne, WY).
  • Identify and begin to close in-city coverage gaps by means of:
    • Implementing a verified coverage map to identify areas without LTE.
    • Allow T-Mobile roaming and possibly even AT&T roaming everywhere and focus on high-roaming in-city areas. 
  • Expedite the Massive MIMO rollout to stay at the front of the 5G race. 
  • Expedite the tribanding of any remaining single or dual band sites.
  • Look to increase backhaul to high-usage sites.
  • Prioritize interband CA deployment.
  • Prioritize the implementation of dynamic NR UL and move NR to the PCC. 
  • Begin talks with Dish to host their 600 and AWS-4 spectrum.  This will at least double Sprint’s lowband capacity nationwide and give them greenfield lowband to deploy NR on. 
• Long-term changes (after the first 12 months):
  • Cut EVDO completely ASAP.  Run a 1x1900 carrier in L1900 guard bands and maintain the 1x800 carrier. 
  • Begin to replace 800 radios with NR/LTE/1x DSS-capable radios. 
  • Begin a rural highway buildout in areas where the most T-Mobile and AT&T roaming occurs.  The deployment will primarily be lowband.  This task is not as daunting as it seems for sites already exist that cover effectively every major highway in the United States.  The only thing to do will be to negotiate a reasonable lease. 
  • Open up an NR test drive program similar to the one T-Mobile ran for LTE and advertise it heavily. 

Man, that would turn sprint around 360!!! Money money money is what I’m reading here lol

This is at least a 4 year process

 

 

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[Tengen31]

If I were in charge of Sprint and the merger fell through today, here are the changes I would make:

• Day 1 changes:
  • Drop the L800 Qrxlevmin to -128.  I don’t want users falling off L800 at -120 or -122 because:
    • L800 will almost always offer better speeds than CDMA at those signal levels.
    • This will reduce the reconnect time to usable LTE. 
    • The pocket 3G problem will be eliminated.  
    • VoLTE reliability will skyrocket.
  • Remove the per-site “VoLTE enabled” flag (which by the way is a big part of the reason Sprint is struggling to support older devices) and allow it on all sites and Magic Boxes.  This will allow software updates enabling VoLTE to be pushed to ISIM devices in a matter of weeks. 
  • Revert L2500 to Config 1 to both increase L2500 upload speeds and effective range. 
  • In markets where spectrum allows, split 8T8Rs into two 4T4R transmit chains and run 6 L2500 carriers.  Some markets such as Seattle already have this.
• Short-term changes (within the first 12 months):
  • Contact high-traffic venues (casinos, airports, stadiums, arenas, concert venues, underground train systems, convention centers, etc) and sign onto DAS systems. 
  • Begin buildout in high-roaming high-traffic areas such as ski resorts (e.g. Big Sky, MT and Sugarloaf, ME), rural tourist attractions (e.g. Mount Rushmore, SD and Yellowstone National Park) and large cities (e.g. Billings, MT and Chyenne, WY).
  • Identify and begin to close in-city coverage gaps by means of:
    • Implementing a verified coverage map to identify areas without LTE.
    • Allow T-Mobile roaming and possibly even AT&T roaming everywhere and focus on high-roaming in-city areas. 
  • Expedite the Massive MIMO rollout to stay at the front of the 5G race. 
  • Expedite the tribanding of any remaining single or dual band sites.
  • Look to increase backhaul to high-usage sites.
  • Prioritize interband CA deployment.
  • Prioritize the implementation of dynamic NR UL and move NR to the PCC. 
  • Begin talks with Dish to host their 600 and AWS-4 spectrum.  This will at least double Sprint’s lowband capacity nationwide and give them greenfield lowband to deploy NR on. 
• Long-term changes (after the first 12 months):
  • Cut EVDO completely ASAP.  Run a 1x1900 carrier in L1900 guard bands and maintain the 1x800 carrier. 
  • Begin to replace 800 radios with NR/LTE/1x DSS-capable radios. 
  • Begin a rural highway buildout in areas where the most T-Mobile and AT&T roaming occurs.  The deployment will primarily be lowband.  This task is not as daunting as it seems for sites already exist that cover effectively every major highway in the United States.  The only thing to do will be to negotiate a reasonable lease. 
  • Open up an NR test drive program similar to the one T-Mobile ran for LTE and advertise it heavily. 

Adding coverage to those areas your said was in planning before merger talks happened. Even possible to get to the same coverage att has. I would add another chance that needs to be made with Sprint, having to get a new sim card Everytime you get a new phone. That's just ridiculous. Doing that you get to go threw activation every time vs att, TMO and VZW pop in your sim from your old phone and your off.

 

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[RAvirani]

3 minutes ago, Tengen31 said:

Adding coverage to those areas your said was in planning before merger talks happened. Even possible to get to the same coverage att has.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk
 

I know. If you take a look at the sponsor maps, you can see all of the sites that were in planning. 

[Tengen31]

I know. If you take a look at the sponsor maps, you can see all of the sites that were in planning. 

I have already seen that [emoji38]

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[dkyeager]

For the very short term, they should bring up all the site equipment they have installed but not activated. Some has been sitting out there for six months or longer. But even this will require cash, which is their key issue. Same with increased backhaul.

Personally I like the tribanding of former Clear sites for it helps with in building coverage. Metro areas are also typically where the money is.

[kct1975]

 

 

 

Walter Piecyk thinks that the increased concession demands by the DOJ will drive T-Mobile to abandon the merger. So what should Sprint do? Here are my suggestions to upper management: 1. Finish tri-banding all of their sites

2. Get in bed with the rest of the cable cos for small cell deployment

3. Host Dish's and Comcast's 600MHz spectrum holdings in return for capacity

4. Host Dish's midband AWS-3 nd AWS-4 holdings

5. Merge networks and spectrum with T-Mobile but not marketing and administration.

 

Now personally I think the merger will be approved. FCC/DOJ want Dish's spectrum put in use. It has been laying fallow for a long time. Here's how I think the merger will go down:

1. Dish and Private equity firms will form a wireless company Dish will contribute the spectrum and PE firms the cash. 

2. Sprint will sell Boost to Dish Wireless for let's say $3B

3. There will be not be any divestiture of spectrum

4. The New T-Mobile will host Dish's 600Mhz and AWS-3 spectrum right away for an annual fee

5. Dish network will acquire Sprint network assets and back office assets as they are decommissioned. That will allow them to then host Dish's AWS-4 spectrum and eventually their 600Mhz and AWS-3 spectrum

6. Dish will sell their 700MHz band E to AT&T

As you can see there are a lot of moving parts and so the negotiations are rather complex. Probably why the DOJ is taking so much time. 

 

 

 

 

Personally I agree with everything you said, but I do think that there might be two [emoji3577] additional consessions...

 

2.....The DOJ will require Sprint will sell Boost to Dish Wireless for very little or nothing

 

4....TheDOJ will require the New T-Mobile to host Dish's 600Mhz and AWS-3 spectrum right away for free

 

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[Tengen31]

Personally I agree with everything you said, but I do think that there might be two [emoji3577] additional consessions...

2. The DOJ will require Sprint will sell Boost to Dish Wireless for very little or nothing

4. TheDOJ will require the New T-Mobile to host Dish's 600Mhz and AWS-3 spectrum right away for free

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

The price for Boost is already confirmed

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[bigsnake49]

3 minutes ago, kct1975 said:

 

 

 

 

Personally I agree with everything you said, but I do think that there might be two additional consessions...

 

2. The DOJ will require Sprint will sell Boost to Dish Wireless for very little or nothing

 

4. TheDOJ will require the New T-Mobile to host Dish's 600Mhz and AWS-3 spectrum right away for free

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

 

 

 

No and no. They will be on commercially favorable terms but not for free.

Edited July 1, 2019 by bigsnake49

[kct1975]

The price for Boost is already confirmed

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Noted

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[ingenium]

I would add another chance that needs to be made with Sprint, having to get a new sim card Everytime you get a new phone. That's just ridiculous. Doing that you get to go threw activation every time vs att, TMO and VZW pop in your sim from your old phone and your off.

This is now possible with eSIM phones (Pixel 3 and 3a and XL). You just sign in with your Sprint account during setup and that's it. Presumably we'll see eSIM on more phones going forward, now that the next (unreleased) Qualcomm chip is certified for doing eSIM without a separate chip.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[bigsnake49]

5 hours ago, ingenium said:

 

 

This is now possible with eSIM phones (Pixel 3 and 3a and XL). You just sign in with your Sprint account during setup and that's it. Presumably we'll see eSIM on more phones going forward, now that the next (unreleased) Qualcomm chip is certified for doing eSIM without a separate chip.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 

 

Sprint just needs to update or upgrade their back end systems so that you can just take your sim from one phone to another without having to get a new sim. It is ridiculous that they alone among the 4 national carriers subject you to all this rigamarole. eSIM will just make the whole thing irrelevant. 

[tyroned3222]

Deal between dish and TMO is done, but DOJ still not happy

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[Tengen31]

Deal between dish and TMO is done, but DOJ still not happy




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What is their problem?[emoji849]

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[dro1984]

Tyroned, I'm reading this same info, but not seeing the "DOJ still not happy part"?  Where are you getting this?     Can you link or post something?

[Tengen31]

Tyroned, I'm reading this same info, but not seeing the "DOJ still not happy part"?  Where are you getting this?     Can you link or post something?

I think he means the part where it says concerns

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[tyroned3222]

I think he means the part where it says concerns

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Yes, the DOJ is not like the 12.5 capacity access for dish. They would like it to be unlimited.. and they want more out of sprint/TMO


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[dro1984]

5 minutes ago, dro1984 said:

Tyroned, I'm reading this same info, but not seeing the "DOJ still not happy part"?  Where are you getting this?     Can you link or post something?

From CNBC: That’s received pushback from T-Mobile, which wants to limit Dish’s spectrum capacity to 12.5%, people familiar with the matter told Faber. Deutsche Telekom also wants to limit any strategic Dish investor to 5%, the sources added.    Ok... so what does this mean?    In the same article hints that the DOJ wants spectrum divestiture?    So right now, like Bigsnake said earlier, there is no spectrum divestiture right now?? 

 

T-Mobile, Dish reach divestiture deal, pending DOJ concerns: Sources 

Edited July 2, 2019 by dro1984

[tyroned3222]

From CNBC: That’s received pushback from T-Mobile, which wants to limit Dish’s spectrum capacity to 12.5%, people familiar with the matter told Faber. Deutsche Telekom also wants to limit any strategic Dish investor to 5%, the sources added.    Ok... so what does this mean?    In the same article hints that the DOJ wants spectrum divestiture? 

 

T-Mobile, Dish reach divestiture deal, pending DOJ concerns: Sources 

Tmo is only willing to allow dish access to 12.5 % of their capacity. Doj wants dish to have unlimited access to allow them to fully compete right out of the gates. And the DOJ want more from TMO/Sprint meaning more spectrum divesture imo

 

 

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[bigsnake49]

At his point if I am T-mobile, I would tell the DOJ to pound sand. Try to stop me!

[chamb]

2 minutes ago, bigsnake49 said:

At his point if I am T-mobile, I would tell the DOJ to pound sand. Try to stop me!

Charlie needs help.  Without Sprint and/or T-Mobile help, he will never make a network fly.  Nobody should have to GIVE him anything.