Clearwire TDD-LTE Network to Serve 4G "Hot Zones" in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle and More

[S4GRU]

I definitely saw Chicago being one of the first TD-LTE markets. It's a spectrum constrained market for Sprint. I bet Sprint made it clear it wanted Chicago first.

 

Chicago is forecasted to be one of the first markets maxing out its new 5x5 LTE 1900 carriers. And it doesnt have much for options for additional LTE carriers in 1900. Sprint is counting on Clearwire in Chicago for the long term.

 

Robert via NOVO7PALADIN Tablet using Forum Runner

[ericdabbs]

I still think that a Dish/Sprint merger makes sense.

 

I don't know about a Sprint and Dish merger since I don't think the FCC would allow it since that would take out a competitor in the broadband space. I would much rather have a Sprint and Dish network hosting deal of Dish's LTE network and keep the companies separate. If Sprint were to make any acquisitions in the future, I would rather see them buy out Clearwire as well as attempt to buy out MetroPCS or Cricket.

[blkmiles]

Stock price is certainly low enough now. CLWR had two marks against it: the first was the sale of spectrum from Verizon and second was a cut from buy to hold from Jefferies. I've been reading that the spectrum VZ was selling was pretty bad even though it is in the 700Mhz A-B block. I don't know though how an analyst can change the rating before the Q1 financials come out. At least wait to view them first before making a cut.

[WiWavelength]

Chicago is forecasted to be one of the first markets maxing out its new 5x5 LTE 1900 carriers. And it doesnt have much for options for additional LTE carriers in 1900. Sprint is counting on Clearwire in Chicago for the long term.

 

Solid thinking.

 

Chicago and San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose are Sprint's two largest 20 MHz PCS A-F block markets. (Chicago has always been a PCS D block 10 MHz + PCS E block 10 MHz market. In the Bay Area, Sprint holds the PCS A block 30 MHz license but partitioned and disaggregated 10 MHz to the original AT&TWS a decade ago.) As you say, Robert, the 20 MHz PCS A-F block markets likely lack the option to deploy additional LTE 1900 carriers anytime soon. Thus, that both Chicago and the Bay Area are on Clearwire's TD-LTE launch list should come as no surprise.

 

Some of the other <30 MHz PCS A-F block major markets are as follows:

 

Houston

Miami

Baltimore

Minneapolis

Cleveland

Atlanta

Denver

Milwaukee

Tampa (25 MHz)

Cincinnati

Indianapolis

 

AJ

[WiWavelength]

If Sprint were to make any acquisitions in the future, I would rather see them buy out Clearwire as well as attempt to buy out MetroPCS or Cricket.

 

I disagree with respect to MetroPCS and/or Cricket (Leap) for at least two reasons:

• MetroPCS and Cricket hold much AWS 2100+1900 MHz spectrum. Sprint does not need the complication of integrating yet another band class nor migrating yet another subscriber base.
  
• MetroPCS' and Cricket's subs are frequently the dregs of the wireless consumer base. Sprint does not need more low ARPU, low commitment subs and certainly should not pay billions to acquire them. If Sprint wants to make a run at those largely low value subs, Sprint can do it through effective recruitment -- plan offerings and marketing -- not through acquisition.
  

AJ

[WiWavelength]

Solid thinking.

 

Chicago and San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose are Sprint's two largest 20 MHz PCS A-F block markets. (Chicago has always been a PCS D block 10 MHz + PCS E block 10 MHz market. In the Bay Area, Sprint holds the PCS A block 30 MHz license but partitioned and disaggregated 10 MHz to the original AT&TWS a decade ago.) As you say, Robert, the 20 MHz PCS A-F block markets likely lack the option to deploy additional LTE 1900 carriers anytime soon. Thus, that both Chicago and the Bay Area are on Clearwire's TD-LTE launch list should come as no surprise.

 

I might also add that Seattle, Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo are major markets that may be off the table for LTE 800 deployment (or limited to 1.4 MHz x 1.4 MHz LTE) because of their proximity to Canada and SMR 800 MHz cross border channel coordination requirements. So, those markets, too, may be prime candidates for the capacity offloading provided by TD-LTE 2600 "hot zones."

 

AJ

[Rawvega]

I might also add that Seattle, Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo are major markets that may be off the table for LTE 800 deployment (or limited to 1.4 MHz x 1.4 MHz LTE) because of their proximity to Canada and SMR 800 MHz cross border channel coordination requirements. So, those markets, too, may be prime candidates for the capacity offloading provided by TD-LTE 2600 "hot zones."

 

AJ

 

Is that also a consideration for any markets near the Mexican border?

[WiWavelength]

Is that also a consideration for any markets near the Mexican border?

 

Yes, the restrictions are not quite the same, but markets near the Mexican border -- San Diego, Tucson, El Paso -- will likely be limited to no greater than 3 MHz x 3 MHz LTE 800.

 

AJ

[ericdabbs]

I might also add that Seattle, Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo are major markets that may be off the table for LTE 800 deployment (or limited to 1.4 MHz x 1.4 MHz LTE) because of their proximity to Canada and SMR 800 MHz cross border channel coordination requirements. So, those markets, too, may be prime candidates for the capacity offloading provided by TD-LTE 2600 "hot zones."

 

AJ

 

Hopefully these markets near the Canadian border can launch at least a 3 MHz x 3 MHz LTE 800 carrier just like those on the Mexican border.

[WiWavelength]

Hopefully these markets near the Canadian border can launch at least a 3 MHz x 3 MHz LTE 800 carrier just like those on the Mexican border.

 

Doubtful. Along the Canadian border, Sprint has to coordinate SMR 800 MHz channel usage with not only Canadian public safety but also Telus Mike iDEN. And Sprint indicates that its available LTE bandwidth in those Canadian border zones will be less than 3 MHz x 3 MHz.

 

AJ

[ericdabbs]

Doubtful. Along the Canadian border, Sprint has to coordinate SMR 800 MHz channel usage with not only Canadian public safety but also Telus Mike iDEN. And Sprint indicates that its available LTE bandwidth in those Canadian border zones will be less than 3 MHz x 3 MHz.

 

AJ

 

Well that blows for those cities. Hopefully a 1.4 MHz x 1.4 MHz carrier is possible and is better than nothing.

[kkstp09]

are phones like the new iphone 5 going to be able to run on the new clearwire TD-LTE sites as well as the new Sprint LTE and CDMA sites anddddd all of the others for roaming (international)... seems like that would be quite the chip but yet extremely necessary.

[4GHoward]

Here is an overview of the Clearwire 4G Hot Zones for the Los Angeles Market.

 

 

Source: Undisclosed

[ericdabbs]

Interesting pic 4G Howard. Thanks for sharing. Its very hard to read the map and tell if my area is considered the high capacity or lower usage area. I would assume that it would be considered lower usage area.

[4GHoward]

Interesting pic 4G Howard. Thanks for sharing. Its very hard to read the map and tell if my area is considered the high capacity or lower usage area. I would assume that it would be considered lower usage area.

 

Which area are you looking at in the Los Angeles Market?

[ericdabbs]

Which area are you looking at in the Los Angeles Market?

 

I am interested in the Hacienda Hts, Rowland Heights, Whittier, La Habra area...but its hard to tell from these pics.

[9erHater]

are phones like the new iphone 5 going to be able to run on the new clearwire TD-LTE sites as well as the new Sprint LTE and CDMA sites anddddd all of the others for roaming (international)... seems like that would be quite the chip but yet extremely necessary.

 

Well, since the iPhone 5 is still vaporware, it's difficult to know what its magical qualities will be. But likely no for roaming at least, since there isn't an international standard for LTE frequencies yet. The problem lies more in the antennas than the chip. The Qualcomm chip can do either TDD-LTE or FDD-LTE, but needs multple antennas for the different bands. I've seen some articles that say the wifi antenna could also be used to also receive Clearwire's 2.5GHz band.

[MacinJosh]

Well, since the iPhone 5 is still vaporware, it's difficult to know what its magical qualities will be. But likely no for roaming at least, since there isn't an international standard for LTE frequencies yet. The problem lies more in the antennas than the chip. The Qualcomm chip can do either TDD-LTE or FDD-LTE, but needs multple antennas for the different bands. I've seen some articles that say the wifi antenna could also be used to also receive Clearwire's 2.5GHz band.

 

Wouldn't that make for interference issues with either Wi-Fi or Clearwire LTE not operating properly?

[ericdabbs]

Well, since the iPhone 5 is still vaporware, it's difficult to know what its magical qualities will be. But likely no for roaming at least, since there isn't an international standard for LTE frequencies yet. The problem lies more in the antennas than the chip. The Qualcomm chip can do either TDD-LTE or FDD-LTE, but needs multple antennas for the different bands. I've seen some articles that say the wifi antenna could also be used to also receive Clearwire's 2.5GHz band.

 

I am pretty sure that the iPhone 5 will NOT have the Clearwire 2.5 GHz LTE bands in them and will just have the 1900 MHz LTE bands. I am the positive that the iPhone 5S or the iPhone 6 will have the Clearwire 2.5 GHz LTE bands as well as the 800 MHz LTE bands. When 2013 comes around we should be paying attention to how Sprint plans to add the Clearwire LTE bands in the early to mid 2013 phone models.

[4GHoward]

I am interested in the Hacienda Hts, Rowland Heights, Whittier, La Habra area...but its hard to tell from these pics.

 

I was able to confirm that Rowland Heights, Whittier, and La Habra are high capacity and are likely to be part of the hot zones. I will try to get a zoomed in image of those cities for you.

[ericdabbs]

I was able to confirm that Rowland Heights, Whittier, and La Habra are high capacity and are likely to be part of the hot zones. I will try to get a zoomed in image of those cities for you.

 

Wow really????? Good news to hear. Thanks for the update. I look forward to seeing the zoomed in images.

[4GHoward]

Wow really????? Good news to hear. Thanks for the update. I look forward to seeing the zoomed in images.

 

Check it out!

 

[ericdabbs]

Wow thanks man. So I take it that the green dots mean that those towers will pretty much be get LTE and the red dots won't get any LTE love? Or does the red dots mean Clearwire plans to add LTE to them if costs permit? I am not too keen on what the green, red and yellow zones mean.

[9erHater]

Wouldn't that make for interference issues with either Wi-Fi or Clearwire LTE not operating properly?

 

I'm not a radio antenna engineer. I'm just telling you what I've read.

 

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2400875,00.asp

[MacinJosh]

I'm not a radio antenna engineer. I'm just telling you what I've read.

 

http://www.pcmag.com...,2400875,00.asp

 

I'll put the article on my list of to-do's and see what it says. Thanks.