S4GRU

There is a possibility that they will unblock prior to the launch. We just now know what the drop dead date for that is. Robert

patch quilt Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

I just pass my old tablet on to one of my four kids. I don't sell anything. I'm a gadget hoarder. Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

The only LTE device I'm missing at this point is a Viper. If they are only $200 cash, maybe I should look into getting one? It'd be great for the radio performance test. Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

This is my first post on my 32 Gig'er. First impressions are good. I may write my own review comparison article with the EVO. The screen is amazing and nothing like I was expecting. Much better than the Galaxy Nexus and seems similar to the EVO. Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

by Robert Herron Sprint 4G Rollout Updates Wednesday, June 27, 2012 - 12:59 PM MDT The next market in our Network Vision/LTE deployment schedule update series is...South West Florida. South West Florida has yet to be announced by Sprint, but is expected to be announced in the near future. Perhaps around the time of the first market launches. The Sprint South West Florida market encompasses all of the Sprint native coverage in Manatee, Sarasota, Lee and Collier counties. Including the Sarasota/Bradenton area, Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda, Ft. Myers/Cape Coral, Bonita Springs and Naples. Sprint's Network Vision OEM Ericsson is scheduled to begin mobilizing with its subcontractors in early August. Completed Network Vision sites should start coming online before the end of September. South West Florida Market Launch It was Sprint's original plan to launch markets when they reached 50% of sites converted to Network Vision. However, it has now been determined that Sprint will move up launches sooner than 50% completion in several markets. This is likely to maintain a Mid 2012 launch in markets that have already been announced. However, in an unannounced market like South West Florida, we don't know if they will resume pushing back market launches to 50%, or if they will now settle on a 40% completion to be the new normal for market launches. If Sprint waits for 50% completion to launch this market, it would make the launch approximately Mid December (should the OEM stay on schedule). If they plan on a 40% market completion for launch, that would be Mid November. You may think that 40% - 50% site completion is not enough to launch LTE service, but it would provide pretty good coverage. Even Verizon doesn't launch on all sites in a market initially. Usually less than 50%, then filling in with more and more sites every few months. Anticipated Sites Complete at Market Launch. According to the Network Vision schedules that S4GRU has reviewed, if Sprint launched the market in Mid November, these are the anticipated sites that would likely have LTE complete at that time. This would provide fairly good LTE coverage over many parts of the market. Schedule details and the bottom line We currently do not have a date that Sprint will formally "launch" LTE service in South West Florida. It is difficult to try to pick a date now this far out, but we will take a stab at it. In looking at the schedule as of today, it would indicate a November or December market launch (going on a 40% - 50% completion for launch). But there is no way to know if Ericsson and their subcontractors will actually hit their schedule dates this early in the deployment for this market. We will be able to gauge better after a few months of production. Ericsson will only need to hit a production rate of 30 sites per month to stay on schedule. This is a pretty low rate and should be able to be achieved. If properly prepared and equipped and if backhaul is ready timely, this market shouldn't have problems staying on time. But time makes fools of us all! S4GRU has examined the schedule in great detail in this market and sees that most of the sites will be complete by March 2013. However, there may be a few sporadic sites that will linger past the completion. Photo of Bonita Beach provided courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. NOTE: S4GRU Sponsor Members can track regular updates of Network Vision sites completed nationwide. Completed sites are shown in an interactive Google Maps interface. Information about sponsorship can be found here: S4GRU Sponsorship

*rolls eyes* Robert

Never did Sprint say any of these markets were launching together, or that Baltimore would launch in conjunction with any specific city. Each of these market deployments is completely independent of each other. I'm actually they announced five for July 31st. I was expecting Kansas City to possibly be held back also with Baltimore. All of these markets were slated for a Mid 2012 launch. Mid 2012 is roughly Memorial Day to Labor Day. If Baltimore is not launched by the first week of September, then it can be called late. As we mentioned in our article, it is no surprise that Baltimore is not launching. Alcatel/Lucent doesn't even have their first LTE site up and running in the market yet. Robert

Philadelphia is in the Second Round. No one is happy unless their market is first. And I don't mean to single you out, but do you know how many comments that I get like this every day? Network Vision, when you consider how large the scope is involving every single site and replacing and reconfiguring every piece of equipment...heck, replacing the entire Sprint network. It is enormous, and how fast they are going to do all of it, in less than 24 months from now, well, it's the most ambitious wireless project in American history. Much larger and more ambitious than Verizon's LTE deployment. And there is a roadmap to get there. And it has to be put in an order. Some of that order was determined by Sprint, some of that was determined by how fast things can happen in a certain market, like permitting/zoning and backhaul upgrades. There is so much that goes into making a schedule. It is not just Dan Hesse sitting back picking winners and losers. Robert

Sprint is targeting 40% for launches. However, with these markets, I think they have just drawn a line in the sand because they didn't want to launch late. Most of these markets will be in the 30% to 35% range by July 15th based on an educated guess on the best production they can produce between now and launch. Robert

I think people will take issue with your comment. The comment is problematic for several reasons. 1. Clearwire did not start WiMax in the largest markets first. They had to practically be forced by Sprint to switch to the largest markets when the EVO was preparing to launch. There were SO MANY complaints that Sprint/Clearwire were not upgrading the largest cities initially. They didn't even finish them all before they stopped deploying WiMax in early 2011. 2. These are all large cities. Dallas, Houston and Atlanta are among the largest cities in our country. 3. New York and Los Angeles have already begun Network Vision and LTE. They are working on them. However, these markets are so large, that they will take more time to be ready for launch. Should they wait to launch very large cities even longer until the most worthy of large cities are ready? Of course not. The bottom line is, they should launch every market as soon as possible. And they are very interested in launching every market. However, Sprint's deployment order makes much, much more sense than Clearwire's did with WiMax by every measurable standard. Robert

If anyone should be fired for the failed merger, it is AT&T's Stephenson. However, I kind of like him where he is at. Because he is a complete idiot. I love his quotes how he is going to punish his subscribers for the failed merger. Priceless. Robert

Wow. Hmmm... Or should I say, Humm??? Robert

I was in no way inferring that Albuquerque should be in front of the Norfolk area, only that we are envious. However, the Sprint Albuquerque market includes the entire State of New Mexico and El Paso, Texas. I think the populations of both Sprint ABQ market and Norfolk market are pretty similar in size. That being said, most of the equipment being deployed now is ready for LTE 800. There will be one LTE 800 5x5 LTE carrier, just like on 1900. However, Sprint is planning more than one LTE 1900 carrier in markets that have the spectrum to support it. Also note that Sprint does not have enough 800 spectrum in all markets to deploy a 5x5 LTE 800 carrier. In some they may only be able to do a 3x3 on 800. And in a few cases, none at all. The border areas are problematic for 800 LTE. But Sprint and the FCC have recently announced they are working with Canada and Mexico governing authorities to work out these issues for deployment. Robert

Memphis Status: LTE Launched/NV Upgrades Complete/Difficult Sites Remaining NV Sites Accepted = 100% LTE Sites Accepted = 99% LTE Launched = April 18, 2013 Original Scheduled Completion = February 2013 Complete = May 2014

by Robert Herron Sprint 4G Rollout Updates Wednesday, June 27, 2012 - 10:09 AM MDT Speculation is over. Sprint is going to stop blocking LTE connections and launch service in 5 of the 6 announced markets on July 15th. LTE service will be live, on or before July 15th in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio. However, Baltimore is an announced market that is not listed in this new release. It is not shocking to S4GRU readers that Baltimore is not quite ready yet. We are tracking the completed sites in all Sprint markets, and we know that none of the completed Network Vision sites in the Baltimore market even have LTE live yet, as we mentioned in our recent Baltimore schedule update article. Good news for you LTE device holders in these announced markets. Anyone want to hold a nerd riot in celebration on the streets? Source: Sprint

This one will be worth listening to, I have a feeling. I will be in Denver on my last day of vacation. I may need a writer to step forward to cover this call for S4GRU. Robert via Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

Grizzly Bear Robert via Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

I am planning a radio performance comparison article between three new LTE devices and three WiMax devices being tested in various strong signal and mid signal and edge of service conditions. Robert via Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

Collectively, we make one helluva super nerd! Robert via Galaxy Nexus using Forum Runner

Now it says, Out for Delivery. That's pretty darn fast, seeing how it just was initially processed 8 hours ago in Louisville. Robert

I said "previous Avatar." Robert

I agree. However, this is the very first Non-WiMax market to start LTE deployment. So you folks in SE Virginia must be happy about that. We here in the Albuquerque market are envious. Robert

That could work. I guess an OG Epic and a Photon are all I really need for the comparison test. Any more devices than that would just be too many devices. Robert