S4GRU

I give up. Your post is blank! Robert

No. Apple tests their devices in Apple labs. Robert

I think the device in the lab now is a flagship phone. I don't think this "thing" fits the bill. Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

Cells come in the following sizes: Macrocell Microcell Picocell Femtocell Macrocells are the normal sized cells fed from towers. Usually a 1/2 mile or more in radius. Microcells are smaller. Picocells are smaller still. Femtocells are the smallest, usually planned for a single space or small building. Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

lending hand Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

I read that last night. Although I wont say it is impossible, I will say it hasn't been on the lab schedules. I'm not convinced yet. Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

No release 10 until next year. The upgrade involves no hardware changes. Robert

to S4GRU. Thanks for joining. Hope to see you around the forums! Robert

It may be. However, that conclusion would just be anecdotal from context. But a good deduction. But I have not seen anything specifically identifying a date that LTE would stop being blocked by Sprint from discoverability by LTE devices. However, in some markets, like Boston, it can't go live before the cores are online. And currently, Boston is scheduled for the core to come live on May 18th. Could be a coincidence. We should know soon enough. Robert

Blackstone??? And greater than 5%??? Blackstone is known to either come in and chop up a company for its assets, or in some cases (like Hilton), they come in on undervalued companies and sit on them a long time and play operator. Interesting. Could be very good or very bad. For some reason, I think this has more to do with spectrum assets. And most likely Clearwire spectrum. But you can't really buy out Sprint without Sprint's permission or control of Sprint. Although they cannot take more than 20% control of Sprint...at least initially. My thoughts are extremely preliminary, but my head is reeling!!! Robert

Yes...relative to what other top end flagship devices of this caliber have sold for from competitors (Verizon especially), it seems like the price point on these is designed to move. Giving them away is just hyperbole, don't over read into it. Especially when you take into consideration the discounts that are coming out from 3rd party sellers at Pre-Order, well, it's quite stunning, actually. I don't know what Sprint pays for the device. But what I do know is it seems Sprint is using the EVO as a hail mary to keep OG EVO customers. And they need them to stay to make their cash flow projections. So, it all makes sense. I just am surprised the discounts are starting out the gate. Heck, even before the gate opens. As for the number of LTE sites and when they are coming online, that pretty much is a known commodity around here. We talk about it all the time. However, Sprint is not selling their LTE network to any one really. They don't push LTE marketing much at all. They are mostly just marketing the devices at this time. Sprint is just trying to master under promise, over deliver. If customers are assuming they are going to have ubiquitous LTE coverage as soon as they get their device, then that is counter to what Sprint has said publicly over and over again. And given the blunders of WiMax deployment, I think that most customers are cautious and pessimistic about LTE deployment, and not given to grand visions of wall to wall LTE coverage when they activate their new EVO's. Or even soon. Unless, perhaps, if they live in a market with active NV deployment. And then they won't be disappointed for long. If Sprint is leaking info to us covertly, which I doubt, but if they are, it is rather genius. To give information through a third party to help coimmunicate to customers what is going on and help build excitement, but still giving themselves breathing room in case there are delays...well, it's a very smart idea. However, I'm not sure I would ever give Sprint quite that much credit to pull it off. Robert

That's exactly what AT&T did here in New Mexico when they took over Alltel. The day AT&T took over billing, they sent notifications to all their Alltel customers they inherited a 60 day notice. It said that they needed to migrate to an AT&T device in 60 days if they wanted 3G service. AT&T then turned off 3G EVDO Alltel network in 60 days. Alltel customers were pissed. In the circles I talked to, most left. They were so turned off by AT&T's very first communication with them. AT&T didn't care about the Alltel customers. Any that they kept were just gravy. AT&T only bought the divested portions of Alltel to make sure Sprint didn't get it, and to pick up some more spectrum. Robert

If HTC was able to do the update on the devices before shipping them out, then it's possible that LTE sites that are "On-Air" may stop being blocked on the 18th. Otherwise, I think the LTE block will likely remain until the EVO LTE OTA comes out. It will be interesting to see this all unfold. Robert

Now the order status has changed yet again:

Just got this update to my EVO LTE order:

They are betting everything on it. Sprint has to retain a very high percentage of those OG EVO customers coming off contract. If they retained EVO customers at the same rate as Nextel customers, that would be very, very bad. Cash flow, cash flow, cash flow is what Sprint is banking all their plans on. Any deviation to that could be catastrophic. Is anyone else shocked at the EVO pricing? They are doing everything they can to give these suckers away, practically. For the hottest device of the year to date. Amazing. Robert

Report back should you find any sites live with LTE. Would love to update our maps accordingly. Thanks! Robert

It's a bug in IP Board. It will stay there until I add a new article. Supposedly the new IP Board upgrade will make this problem go away. However, I will not have time to implement the upgrade for a few weeks. Robert

Yes, as Josh explains above, Sprint is moving to RRU's in Network Vision. Placing the radio directly behind the antenna. In field testing, the signal gain for doing this is approximately 20%. However, the gain is highly variable depending on the coax that was used at the legacy site and the length of the run. A newer site with a short coax, the gain could be as low as 3% to 5%. At an old boomer (with a 500' run), the gain could be 30% to 40%, possibly even more. Robert

Multi-mode components is a stretch. However, it does appear to be true they will be the first to deploy integrated radios (combined RRU/Panel assemblies). They are quite stellar to look at the mockups from Ericsson below. Those are so hot, I would hang them in my living room! Robert Source: http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/359-integrated-radios/