WiWavelength

I do not "Like" your posts -- or generally many posts, for that matter. But I have to "Like" this one -- because you are spot on target. With handsets, we are carrying mini super computers in our hands and pockets. Firmware makes a world of difference. I wish that my objective/subjective FCC OET uplink power analysis could tell the whole RF story. Yet, it does not. In the end, with a multi operator capable handset, it feels like a game of Whac-A-Mole. Per hardware and/or firmware, it has better RF performance on one operator, lesser another. Or vice versa. AJ

I hate to break it to you, but did you not notice the winking smiley emoticon? "Lose/loose" has become an S4GRU and Internet epidemic for several years now. And we like to make fun of it, have done so for several years now. AJ

You misspelled that. It is "loose too much money." AJ

Unless/until Sprint ends contract subsidy, we do not know. But several possibilities exist. On the soft side, Sprint probably would allow legacy contract subsidy plans to continue grandfathered past their contract expiration -- just with no further subsidized upgrade eligibility. Sprint might offer legacy credits to users of those plans who lease or buy devices on Easy Pay, since those programs function much like contracts that tie the users to Sprint. Or Sprint could opt for the hard line. It is unlikely that Sprint would force legacy contract subsidy plans to select new plans at contract expiration -- though SERO and similar plans could get eliminated. However, it is possible that Sprint could go cold turkey and not offer any legacy credits. In other words, stay on your legacy contract subsidy plan. Pay more/less/same as current plans -- that depends upon your situation. But the device cost is entirely on you. BYOD, lease, Easy Pay, or full price. We shall see... AJ

No. S4GRU does not host speed test threads. Unless for diagnostic or experimental purposes, speed tests are a big waste of data usage. AJ

Maybe he is Emmitt Smith... http://deadspin.com/the-nfl-s-los-angeles-derby-is-a-shameless-repulsive-s-1749262328 AJ

Alright, you asked for it, New York City. Here you go... AJ

Just FYI, we need to be careful going forward with our use of the term "unlocked." Likely, few would confuse it with an international unlock. But many Sprint variant handsets now can be domestically unlocked -- once certain criteria are met. While it is possible that a domestic unlocked handset might lose LTE roaming capability, we have no evidence of that at this time. So, the class of handsets in question about LTE roaming is the one that I have referred to as "unlocked, third party." That is not a very elegant description. Perhaps "non operator branded" would fit the bill better. However, we should not say "unlocked" just to refer to Sprint compatible handsets purchased directly from Google, Motorola, etc. AJ

I see the ISP charge on my credit card statement every month. Consumers already pay for their Internet access -- and so do content providers. But you act as if content providers are not paying for their Internet access to serve consumers. That is patently untrue. They are paying for their Internet access much like the rest of us. Do you really think that a Spotify data center, for example, has a magically free connection to the Internet to deliver streams to consumers? This is an open and shut case. Both sides already are paying for their Internet access. They do not need to pony up more money for neutral access or preferred access. That is called extortion. AJ

They look like this... http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/390-how-much-of-the-900-mhz-band-being-used/?p=4182 AJ

Seriously, who are you? Has former SBC CEO Ed Whitacre retired to Phoenix? Ain't no way they're gonna use "mah pipes" for free. http://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2005/10/5498-2/ Your envy of Big Content, which often is ephemeral -- see the likes of AOL Instant Messenger and MySpace, is ridiculous. Your desire for Big Cable/Carrier/Operator to make end users pay once for service but to make Big Content pay multiple times to deliver and zero rate data also is ridiculous. Whatever, hey, you get free candy out of the deal, so you are placated. AJ

I like to plant seeds of doubt and uncertainty. AJ

You were speed testing while driving across the Missouri River bridge on I-64? Somebody, alert the Missouri Highway Patrol. We have an inattentive driver. Not to mention, you were speed testing. AJ

Yes, this truly has been a "Scarsdale Surprise." AJ

Not sure. But VZW band 13 is 10 MHz FDD -- and often has 10-20 MHz FDD backing it on band 4. In that situation, coverage may be more important than capacity. Sprint does not have such luxury, since both band 25 and band 26 typically are limited to 5 MHz FDD. AJ

Not surprising. Those are basically equivalent RF figures between the two airlinks. For further reference, read my article on The Wall. RSSI vs RSRP. AJ

Base station power/gain may be configured for capacity, not coverage. AJ

Yes, I am an S4GRU god. Thank you for acknowledging my deity. AJ

Your mother has an iPhone 6 Plus? It does not support band 12. This is not band 12. AJ

It can be either. WCS A/B blocks are each 5 MHz FDD. AJ

Because it is LTE Roaming+, the data roaming setting should not need to be enabled to access it. I would be curious, though, to see what MCC-MNC and band Nex-Tech is using. It could be dual broadcasting a Sprint MCC-MNC and using MFBI. Unfortunately, your mother has an iPhone and gathering that info is not as easy as opening SignalCheck Pro. AJ

Yes, my opinion is that the 2015 Moto X, while good, is not quite as strong an RF performer as the 2014 Moto X. AJ

I will remind everyone that this T-Mobile thread at -- wait for it -- Sprint 4G Rollout Updates exists solely at the pleasure of the staff. It does not exist so that common characters repeatedly can sing the praises of T-Mobile or troll for Magenta. For those reasons, this thread has been taken down before, and it can be taken down again. If so, the usual suspects can go off to T4GRU, TmoNews, HowardForums, or elsewhere. AJ

And, yikes, for band class 1 CDMA1X, that would mean a lot of inter license, inter frequency hard handoffs around Fredericksburg. For that area, band class 10 CDMA1X should be a godsend, since it not only is low band but also uses the same SMR 476 carrier channel assignment across nearly all license boundaries. AJ

In 5/10/15 MHz FDD spectrum block allocations, CDMA2000 long has used 0.625 MHz FDD guard bands at the top and bottom of each block. CDMA2000 did not require 0.625 MHz FDD guard bands, but there was no way around them. If you do the math in 5/10/15 MHz FDD spectrum blocks with 1.25 MHz FDD CDMA2000 carriers, guard bands must be 0.625 MHz FDD. The only alternative is zero -- not feasible. So, that is what you are seeing with the 0.6 MHz FDD guard band at the bottom of the PCS A block. That spectrum always has been reserved as a CDMA2000 guard band. Now, keeping the same guard band, a 5 MHz FDD LTE carrier has replaced up to four 1.25 MHz FDD CDMA2000 carriers or filled fallow spectrum. AJ