Official Tmobile-Sprint merger discussion thread

[dewbertdc]

3 minutes ago, Paynefanbro said:

I can confirm that I'm able to connect to Sprint Band 41 and Band 26 by forcing those bands. However, because I'm using an unlocked Android phone T-Mobile won't allow me to use domestic roaming data. I can only make calls. 

Interesting - the folks on that sub were saying that VoLTE wasn't working for them when they forced those bands.  Can you share engineering mode or SCP screenshots?   I'm intrigued.

[clbowens]

Looks like T-Mobile didn't get a lot of 3.5Ghz spectrum.  Only 8 licenses in six counties:

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-20-1009A2.pdf

[PhillipJames89]

10 minutes ago, clbowens said:

Looks like T-Mobile didn't get a lot of 3.5Ghz spectrum.  Only 8 licenses in six counties:

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-20-1009A2.pdf

Shentel bought some. I wonder if tmobile will acquire it or if Shentel will keep it for fixed broadband

[Paynefanbro]

1 hour ago, dewbertdc said:

Interesting - the folks on that sub were saying that VoLTE wasn't working for them when they forced those bands.  Can you share engineering mode or SCP screenshots?   I'm intrigued.

Now it's saying "Not registered on network" when I attempt to make calls on Band 26. I guess it was a fluke earlier.

[Trip]

1 hour ago, PhillipJames89 said:

Shentel bought some. I wonder if tmobile will acquire it or if Shentel will keep it for fixed broadband

They do want to offer (or do offer, not sure if it launched yet) a fixed broadband service. 

- Trip

[ingenium]

Their 2018-era FCC merger filings indicated that they were going to unify the RANs with MOCN as part of the transition, so hopefully that is still the plan.  If the rumors of network integration being "complete" by the end of this month are true, we'll know soon enough.

Sprint sites have begun broadcasting the Clearwire PLMN (311-490, the same one that T-Mobile broadcasts for Sprint roaming). Even my Airave has it, whereas it didn't a month or so ago. I'm pretty sure the reports on reddit showed T-Mobile customers using this PLMN on Sprint. So my assumption is that this is the PLMN for the merged network.

We've seen other signs of true MOCN, such as T-Mobile neighbors showing up while connected to Sprint in some areas (for me this is only in rural areas. It doesn't happen in Pittsburgh for example, where Sprint has the better network). The phone only scans neighbors that the tower asks it to, so the tower is specifically asking the phone to check on the T-Mobile neighbors and report back signal strength and quality. Normally this is used so the tower can determine if it should do a handoff. I haven't seen it handoff from Sprint to T-Mobile directly (and can't get a NSG log to confirm it's a real handoff), but I know others have seen it happen. So it's definitely a sign that they're close to having active handoffs between both networks, which would effectively merge them.

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[stlman314]

6 hours ago, dewbertdc said:

T-Mo just issued a press release touting its N41 deployment.  Here's the list of cities/towns they've deployed to so far:

California

• Citrus
• La Puente
• Los Angeles
• Paramount
• San Fernando
• Willowbrook

District of Columbia

• Washington D.C.

Florida  

• Azalea Park
• Holiday
• Progress Village
• Westchase

Georgia  

• Atlanta
• Gainesville
• Mableton
• North Atlanta
• Winder

Illinois  

• Bellwood
• Calumet City
• Chicago
• Chicago Heights
• Glendale Heights
• Hanover Park
• Ingalls Park
• Northlake

Indiana  

• Merrillville

Maryland  

• Towson

Massachusetts  

• Holbrook
• Waltham

Michigan  

• Bangor
• Decatur

Minnesota  

• Maplewood

Missouri  

• Jennings

New Jersey  

• Camden
• Cliffside Park
• Fort Lee
• Hasbrouck Heights
• North Arlington
• Palisades Park
• Paterson
• Roselle
• Totowa

New York  

• Copiague
• East Williston
• Freeport
• Garden City
• Garden City Park
• Harbor Isle
• Hempstead
• Island Park
• Lindenhurst
• Long Beach
• Malverne Park Oaks
• Middle Island
• Mineola
• New York
• Plainview
• West Hempstead
• Williston Park

North Carolina  

• Clemmons
• Kernersville
• Pineville
• Stallings
• Statesville
• Winston-Salem

Oregon  

• Aloha
• Newberg
• Sherwood

Pennsylvania  

• Braddock
• Colwyn
• Darby
• East Lansdowne
• Kerrtown
• Meadville
• Philadelphia
• Rankin
• Yeadon

Texas  

• Dallas
• Houston
• Nassau Bay

Virginia  

• Bailey's Crossroads
• Bull Run
• Highland Springs
• Lake Barcroft
• Newport News
• Sudley
• Tysons Corner

Washington   

• Geneva
• Oak Harbor
• Snohomish

https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/5g-speeds-supercharged-for-millions-more-people

 

Going to see if the Missouri one is active. Think it is STL city though. I know where the n41 antenna is on near there. But I notice it didn't have the other n41 locations on here.

[RAvirani]

7 hours ago, dewbertdc said:

Washington   

• Geneva
• Oak Harbor
• Snohomish

https://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/5g-speeds-supercharged-for-millions-more-people

There is only one N41 site in Snohomish - that's funny.

[JimBob]

Analyst: T-Mobile is now worth no less than $172 per share (current price: $118)

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4371958-t-mobiles-new-price-target-offers-upside

[Dkoellerwx]

7 hours ago, javon23 said:

Maybe a dumb question 
I upgraded to the Note 20 Ultra assuming that the antennas would be tmobile. The phone still shows "Sprint by Tmobile". 
In the article it references million of Sprint customers needing to shift to T-Mobile 5G. Is the Note 20 Ultra future proof or am I still technically on Sprint's dying network and need to switch to a more compatible device in the near future? 

The S20 Ultra is about as future proof as a device can be at the moment. It should be pretty much locked to T-Mobile. You'll be fine.

[PedroDaGr8]

There is only one N41 site in Snohomish - that's funny.

Snohomish isn't exactly a bustling metropolis. :-D For the downtown area, a single N41 tower is more than enough.

 

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[javon23]

1 hour ago, Dkoellerwx said:

The S20 Ultra is about as future proof as a device can be at the moment. It should be pretty much locked to T-Mobile. You'll be fine.

Thanks!

[RAvirani]

2 hours ago, PedroDaGr8 said:

Snohomish isn't exactly a bustling metropolis. 😄 For the downtown area, a single N41 tower is more than enough.

 

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Agreed, but I definitely wouldn't go as far as to say Snohomish is "covered" by n41. There are a lot of residential areas that remain uncovered by n41, some even by T-Mobile LTE. 

[mdob07]

I found T-Mobile M-MIMO gear in Carbondale Illinois today, it wasn't yet live so not sure what bandwidth they'll deploy here. I'll have to check in Marion while I'm here and see if I find anymore. They are definitely needing more capacity around here. Im glad to see that they are deploying outside of major metro areas, though Carbondale does have Southern Illinois University.

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[dewbertdc]

16 hours ago, ingenium said:

Sprint sites have begun broadcasting the Clearwire PLMN (311-490, the same one that T-Mobile broadcasts for Sprint roaming). Even my Airave has it, whereas it didn't a month or so ago. I'm pretty sure the reports on reddit showed T-Mobile customers using this PLMN on Sprint. So my assumption is that this is the PLMN for the merged network.

We've seen other signs of true MOCN, such as T-Mobile neighbors showing up while connected to Sprint in some areas (for me this is only in rural areas. It doesn't happen in Pittsburgh for example, where Sprint has the better network). The phone only scans neighbors that the tower asks it to, so the tower is specifically asking the phone to check on the T-Mobile neighbors and report back signal strength and quality. Normally this is used so the tower can determine if it should do a handoff. I haven't seen it handoff from Sprint to T-Mobile directly (and can't get a NSG log to confirm it's a real handoff), but I know others have seen it happen. So it's definitely a sign that they're close to having active handoffs between both networks, which would effectively merge them.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
 

Interesting stuff - the only place I know nearby that has no native T-Mobile service but a strong Sprint signal is my office in the basement level of a large office building (there's a Sprint DAS there).  I may have to find an excuse to go in some day soon to see if my phone connects down there.

[red_dog007]

22 hours ago, PhillipJames89 said:

Shentel bought some. I wonder if tmobile will acquire it or if Shentel will keep it for fixed broadband

Well they bought it under Shenandoah Cable Television, LLC so TMobile won't be getting it.  Shentel last year bought a 2.5GHz license for fixed wireless.  Likely what they are gonna do with CBRS.

[red_dog007]

23 hours ago, clbowens said:

Looks like T-Mobile didn't get a lot of 3.5Ghz spectrum.  Only 8 licenses in six counties:

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-20-1009A2.pdf

I'm not surprised with this.  Or VZW outcome.   Really only need those 40MHz in urban markets. Im a bit surprised with Dish though. They bought a license in almost every single county averaging 17.5MHz ownership. They went freaking nationwide.  Why the heck wouldn't they use these millions of say deploying their network.  They are still more interested in making a slick portfolio but not deploying it. I wouldn't be surprised if in the next 5 years Verizon buys Dish or even sooner. 

[clbowens]

interesting.  I'm sitting in my house, where I've always had good Sprint coverage.  All of a sudden, my phone now says no service available.  Something about unable to connect to T-Mobile.  I wonder what they are doing.

[gr8nuguy]

4 hours ago, clbowens said:

interesting.  I'm sitting in my house, where I've always had good Sprint coverage.  All of a sudden, my phone now says no service available.  Something about unable to connect to T-Mobile.  I wonder what they are doing.

My phone did that a few days prior to picking up lte 600

[though]

8 minutes ago, gr8nuguy said:

My phone did that a few days prior to picking up lte 600

Meaning it now prefers it over 41/25/26?

[gr8nuguy]

1 hour ago, though said:

Meaning it now prefers it over 41/25/26?

Band 41 then T-Mobile then band 26 here (at least on my phone)

[iansltx]

Saw some B25 neighbors when checking SCP this evening. Judging by signal levels, they were Sprint sites. My phone was still preferring T-Mobile sites, and switching to B25 still showed as Sprint, but *something's* happening.

[RedSpark]

According to Field Test on my iPhone 11 Pro, I'm now picking up the following at home here in DC:

LTE Neighbor 0

Band 12 (-68 nbr_rsrp)

LTE Neighbor 1

Band 41 (-80 nbr_rsrp)

LTE Neighbor 2

Band 41 (-98 nbr_rsrp)

LTE Neighbor 3

Band 41 (-101 nbr_rsrp)

--

No Band 25/26.

[Trip]

I've been seeing T-Mobile neighbor cells for weeks (months?) now.  They come and go though; it clearly checks for them, but then stops checking and reverts to Sprint bands.  Maybe to enable roaming if needed?  I often see US Cellular sites in the neighbor cells when I'm in that region as well.

- Trip

 

[Tengen31]

According to Field Test on my iPhone 11 Pro, I'm now picking up the following at home here in DC:

LTE Neighbor 0

Band 12 (-68 nbr_rsrp)

LTE Neighbor 1

Band 41 (-80 nbr_rsrp)

LTE Neighbor 2

Band 41 (-98 nbr_rsrp)

LTE Neighbor 3

Band 41 (-101 nbr_rsrp)

--

No Band 25/26.

You're connected to B12+41 CA?

 

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