WiWavelength

And I would like to see evidence that T-Mobile can sustain its cut rate offerings long term. Will investors be content for T-Mobile to be the way low ARPU operator? AJ

But still larger than an iPhone... AJ

No need to worry anymore. There is no roaming available. AJ

Maybe, maybe not. SoftBank is not the key -- except possibly for obtaining funding. Remember, the current executive team did not oversee the merger nor the first few years of Sprint Nextel. That was under Gary Forsee. What Sprint leadership has learned since then is the need to "yank the Band-Aid off" as soon as possible. Yes, it may hurt more right away, but it will get better much sooner. For far too long, Sprint tried to coddle the iDENites, hoping to retain them. But they saw the decline of iDEN as Sprint's fault -- a post hoc fallacy -- when it was actually the Nextel management decisions coming home to roost plus the inevitable decline of an outmoded technology. The iDENites claimed that they must have PTT, so Sprint tried to appease them. But in the end, most of them churned out of spite to operators, ironically, with poor PTT solutions. Basically, the iDENites got with the times. Had Sprint told the iDENites "Sorry, but iDEN lifespan is up -- it is going, going, gone," petitioned the FCC to allow CDMA2000 operation in SMR 800 MHz shortly after the merger, and shut down iDEN a good 3-4 years earlier, then the outcome of the merger could have been very different. As a result, Sprint has since grasped that a drawn out strategy, trying to ease the pain slowly, just magnifies the pain later. There is your explanation... AJ

The exclusion of AWS would mean loss of W-CDMA for millions of T-Mobile subs and loss of LTE for all T-Mobile subs. Any Sprint-T-Mobile deal would be predicated on regulatory approval of the retention of most/all AWS. AJ

"iPhone?" That must be a *make or break* first date question for a lot of you guys. AJ

To bring this back around to the titular discussion, if a T-Mobile acquisition or partnership is in the offing, one tip off to watch for would be the inclusion of band 4 AWS LTE in the upcoming round of 2014 Sprint flagship level handsets. AJ

If the MetroPCS sub conversion over to the T-Mobile network is as successful as expected and CDMA1X 1900 use declines dramatically, maybe then T-Mobile will consider selling off some excess PCS to Sprint, much as I suggested over a year ago. http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/entry-326-newco-needs-to-drop-some-of-the-pcs-from-metropcs/ It is just a stereotype, but every stereotype starts with a kernel of truth. The nickname is not "GhettoPCS" for no reason. AJ

But that is my point. You stated that MetroPCS CDMA2000 would be incrementally refarmed to LTE. However, if nearly all of that CDMA1X is in PCS and T-Mobile has no present plans for band 2 LTE 1900, then the incremental refarming has no practical application. On CDMA2000, MetroPCS has greater roaming coverage than even T-Mobile postpaid does. So, I doubt that supplemental AT&T roaming would be the answer. That would be awkward for converted MetroPCS subs to have greater overall coverage than existing T-Mobile subs do. AJ

Thus, your evidence supports my point. AJ

Nearly all iMessage??? Wow, you iPhoners are cliquey. AJ

And if so, that means T-Mobile will have to shell out the cash to subsidize low rent MetroPCS subs. Good, good, make magenta pay... AJ

I will be interested to see how T-Mobile handles the handset swap situation with low rent MetroPCS subs. And roaming could be a sticking point. By switching away from CDMA2000, MetroPCS subs will definitely lose overall roaming coverage, both in market and out of market. Back to LTE integration, since each CDMA1X carrier occupies only 1.25 MHz FDD, do not expect to see much refarming until MetroPCS CDMA2000 goes away completely. This is particularly true since nearly all MetroPCS CDMA1X is in the PCS band, and T-Mobile has made no moves about doing band 2 LTE 1900. AJ

The ease of T-Mobile-MetroPCS integration has been due to two factors: it is limited to LTE so far, and the two operators share AWS as their LTE band. The eventual CDMA2000 changeover will be more painful. AJ

Do you mean e/CSFB? Both SVDO and SVLTE are now basically out of the pipeline. Also, I see that you removed your statement about the speed/ease of T-Mobile-MetroPCS integration. I was going to address it, but have you retracted it? AJ

Divest T-Mobile's AWS? You must be kidding. No, that would not happen. AJ

Damn, you got me. But I make no bones about my personality, record, and identity. How about you? If you think that you can rightly equivocate AT&T-T-Mobile with Sprint-T-Mobile, well, keep swinging. You might eventually make contact on one of these pitches. AJ

People, the constant references to the Canadian wireless industry troika are growing tiresome. You need to respect the difference between correlation and causation. If the domestic wireless industry were to consolidate to three national operators, would that lead to the same conditions as in the Canadian wireless industry? Okay, if you think so, provide some substantive analysis! Your simplistic assessments are not sufficient. Again, correlation versus causation. Also, how is competition in the domestic wireless industry with four national operators that great? If four is so much better than three, why are Sprint and T-Mobile both so far behind and scrambling to keep up with the dominant duopoly? AJ

I appreciate the thoughts. However, you did not really address the assignment. You just described some perceived shortcomings of Sprint. But that is not an "anti competitive behemoth." No, an "anti competitive behemoth" uses acquisition and regulation to ensure its own success and thwart effective competition. AJ

No, 1xRTT is an airlink, like LTE. It does not matter whether it is on Cellular 850 MHz (band class 0), PCS 1900 MHz (band class 1), or SMR 800 MHz (band class 10) -- it is still 1xRTT. But I prefer the CDMA1X terminology, as in CDMA1X 1900. AJ

Oh good, I am glad that "GinaDee," my spokeswoman, is here to articulate clearly my views on various technical and regulatory matters. AJ

Consider it done. The H is O... AJ

You are jumping to conclusions. I have not made a statement for or against the rumored acquisition. But what I do take issue with is people who automatically oppose the idea simply because they love magenta. Additionally, I challenge you to show how Sprint-T-Mobile would be or become an "anti competitive behemoth." It would still be smaller in subscribership than both VZW and AT&T. It would not have any Baby Bell monopoly territories. And it would lack the quarter century of Cellular 850 MHz spectrum and network deployment bought up by the Twin Bells. AJ

At all T-Mobile events, Legere takes the stage to the music of Jan Hammer. This has been confirmed, right? AJ

No, he would be better suited as the "Hair Apparent." Snazzy. Or should I say, nifty. AJ