S4GRU

With a solid LTE network, Sprint should have no problems maintaining truly unlimited smartphone data for a long time...even with partners, MVNO's and prepaid divisions. Especially considering the deep spectrum resources that Sprint can exploit in Clearwire. However, unauthorized tethering will likely start being cracked down on. AT&T now sends messages to users devices when they are doing unauthorized tethering. I expect Sprint to first crack down on heavy unauthorized tetherers, and will likely then move on to crack down on all unauthorized tetherers if they have to. Using LTE as an unlimited home ISP is not going to be allowed by any network. We don't have enough spectrum to do that except in probably rural and remote tertiary markets. The people who have enjoyed that in the past just need to be happy for the years they were able to do that. It's just a luxury that will not be sustainable in the future. Robert

What part of LTE do you think is mostly hype? You seriously think LTE speeds are going to plummet to less than 100kbps like EVDO??? The reason why EVDO was not upgraded the past two years was because Network Vision was coming. Sprint tried to not upgrade EVDO only to turn around and upgrade it again in only two years. Most think that was a mistake now. But that issue is not directly transferrable to their LTE deployment and network. Where did you hear that Sprint is feeding Network Vision/LTE sites with T1's? Not here. We have been reporting through articles and our forums that Sprint is upgrading to fiber/microwave/AAV backhaul in Network Vision. If Sprint connected LTE to T1 lines, it would be limited to 1.5Mbps speeds. Because that's what T1's max out at. However, the live LTE sites being reported about now are pushing 20Mbps+. Sprint has a clear plan for additional LTE capacity, that is way better than AT&T has, and even better than Verizon has all things considered. Robert

Unfortunately I get them inconsistently. It would be nice to get them weekly. hint, hint, cough, cough Robert

house odds

I'm OK with the optimizer concept that Sprint is deploying. Because you can turn it off. However, I was addressing the mandatory part that was commented above. In the case of a pre-paid plan, I guess mandatory bothers me less. However, even Republic Wireless doesn't have mandatory WiFi usage through device control. There is just consequences for using too much data. I think I would prefer that for prepaid plans too. I think it's the Libertarian in me. Robert

Sprint never announced Little Rock would receive 4G WiMax deployment. Not in June 2010, not ever. If you were told that at a Sprint store, you were given inaccurate information. Sprint never planned to take 4G WiMax nationwide on every site. However, Sprint is planning to take LTE nationwide, including Little Rock. Robert

There is a site on E Belt Line on the roof (of what appears to be a bank), across from the IHOP. It is scheduled to start work in June. 4G LTE should be live by Mid July at this site. There is a site to the north near Keller Springs and Marsh that where the 4G LTE is schedule to be live in Mid June. And the site to the south near Marsh and Green Valley will not have 4G LTE until Mid September. However, I am not recommending anyone to plan on using the LTE network for the home usage. I believe Sprint is going to crack down on tethering in the near future on the LTE network. They will not have the capacity on it to be a home ISP for folks. If you are not a heavy user (like less than 20GB), then you will likely slide under the radar. But the days of 100GB+ tethering will have to come to an end. There is no harm in trying. I'm just trying to prepare folks for the day, though. I don't know if they will crack down now on tethering as LTE comes online, or if they are going to wait and see how it shakes out down the road, but it is coming. Unlimited data is going to be a smart phone feature only. Robert

Seeing some trends here. Robert

I dislike the thought of mandatory anything. I think the wireless carriers need to contract roaming deals with WiFi offloaders like Towerstream. And in a case like that, I wouldn't mind if my device WiFi roamed automatically onto a network that is equal or better than the Sprint LTE network. Robert

AT&T is just broadcasting with a mega phone to their customers that they are raising data rates, which is plain stupid! AT&T customers won't care why prices are going up (even if they believe AT&T's lies), they just will care that they are going up. And their customers will see their competition is not going up in price. AT&T is speaking out of both sides of their mouth, they are quietly on the side trying to tell customers through tech media that prices aren't really going up, because they are raising data allotments, so in fact, prices are going down (per GB). But with the mega phone they are blasting the FCC for causing them to raise prices. And as irev210 points out above, that is contradictory in every way. If you are spectrum constrained and have to raise prices to curb usage to stay within your spectrum allotment, why would you raise the data caps with price increase? This has nothing to do with Tmo or the FCC or spectrum. This is a move to increase revenue...period. And AT&T is hoping with a little smoke and mirrors, customers will think that the "revenue increase" that AT&T is trying to pry out of their pockets can be blamed on the FCC. But I don't think it's going to work. AT&T is stupid. It's just going to cause customers to look at the competition again. Robert

Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I need to add an update to this article. When I originally wrote the first completed draft of this article, it did not include any info about Northeast Iowa at all. It was only about the Chicago market based on documents we seen. However, just prior to publishing, I was contacted by a source about Network Vision equipment deliveries that were occurring in several communities in NE Iowa and St. Cloud, Minnesota. At that time, not knowing as much about NV deployment as I do now, I made the assumption that Network Vision was beginning in those markets. We have since learned that NV Equipment deliveries (especially by Samsung) are happening far, far in advance in many locations. NV Equipment deliveries have very little bearing on the actual NV schedule. Also since the date this article was published we have seen national NV schedules and local NV schedules. We know definitively that even though equipment has landed in NE Iowa for Samsung to use in the future, NV has not begun in that market. Planning, permitting and design are not even complete in that area. There will likely not be any NV deployment in any of the Iowa markets until 2013. Minnesota will start sooner, though. This point is one of the reasons why we no longer publish anything anymore based upon verbal communication, but only on things we see ourselves. Sorry for the confusion and disappointment this causes. Robert

What is your nearest cross street in 75006? Robert

Uhhhh...no. Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

Apollo Mission Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

Thanks for the posting. In the past, it's been the conference call where the details have come. Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

There are things I like about Samsung devices. There are things I like about HTC devices. However, I would consider any OEM for a flagship device, if it had the specs and build quality I'm looking for. Especially if the price is on point. Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

Looks like they are just starting NV at some sites in Waukegan. Three of them are scheduled to start NV in May. The rest look like August. The May sites will have 3G come live pretty quickly. The 4G LTE will come live later (like all the Chicago market). Although it appears the schedule may have slipped a little by a week or two. Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

stand pat Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

date tree Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

I think we should take it one step further and all just talk like Yoda. Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

house warming Robert via Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

Shows you how up to date I am on Clearwire...LOL. Robert - Posted from my E4GT with ICS using Forum Runner