WiWavelength

If Robert and I constitute celebrities, then S4GRU really has become like a Star Trek convention. AJ

I have this recurring dream. You and I are both contestants on Jeopardy!, and the categories are: AIRPORT CODES, FRIED CHICKEN, STATE GOVERNMENT, CONSTRUCTION, NEW MEXICO, and FAMOUS ROBERTS. I am doomed. AJ

Lest anyone get too excited at the prospect of Sprint acquiring the PCS/AWS-2 H block, Sprint may have an ulterior motive for this filing to expedite auction of the spectrum. I believe that I have mentioned this previously, but, in order to take possession of the PCS G block, Sprint had to pay out of pocket approximately $750 million to relocate the BAS (Broadcast Auxiliary Service). This relocation also cleared the PCS H block. Thus, any PCS H block licensee (other than Sprint) will have to reimburse Sprint for a pro rated portion of those relocation costs. In other words, Sprint may just want to recoup a few hundred million bucks. AJ

Unfortunately, that would be impossible, as Dish's S band/AWS-4 spectrum has only its uplink (or downlink, as that has yet to be decided) but not both adjacent to PCS A-H blocks. Once Dish's spectrum is fully classified as AWS-4, it will be have its other paired link several hundred MHz away or go unpaired. Regardless, it will require a separate band/band class. AJ

That is true with CDMA1X/EV-DO but not with LTE. Like W-CDMA, LTE uses internal guarding within each carrier. For example, the occupied bandwidth of a 5 MHz LTE downlink is effectively 4.5 MHz (e.g. 300 subcarriers × 15 kHz spacing = 4.5 MHz), while the occupied bandwidth of a 10 MHz LTE downlink is effectively 9 MHz (e.g. 600 subcarriers × 15 kHz spacing = 9 MHz). So, the ratio of the occupied bandwidth to the internal guarding bandwidth is the same; the wider LTE carrier does not have an advantage. The only exception to this is the 1.4 MHz LTE downlink configuration. It does have a lower, less efficient ratio of occupied bandwidth to internal guarding bandwidth and is to be avoided, if at all possible. AJ

I interpret that to mean that the PCS/AWS-2 H block could at first be treated as its own band, then absorbed later into yet another superset band. To illustrate, PCS A-F blocks are band 2, PCS A-F blocks are superset band 25, PCS A-H blocks could end up as superset band 27. But, to expedite deployment, a PCS H block licensee could offer devices that initially include a separate duplexer for the PCS H spectrum. Then, once the superset band is established, a single duplexer would suffice, just as it is today for Sprint's band 25 devices. AJ

Idle state handoff is purely handset driven. During the active period in its slot cycle (typically once every 1.28 × 2² = 5.12 sec), if the handset finds a PN offset with better Ec/Io, then the handset switches over to that PN offset. AJ

Guys, are we talking idle state handoff or traffic state handoff? AJ

South Carolina was long a weak state for Sprint. Prior to the Sprint-Nextel merger, essentially all of South Carolina was deeded to Sprint affiliate AirGate Wireless. Furthermore, Sprint held only single PCS D 10 MHz licenses throughout the markets in the state, and that really restricted Sprint's capacity, especially EV-DO data capacity. I did a great deal of research on Sprint's spectrum holdings about 10 years ago. As part of my research, I created this map: http://people.ku.edu...reless/spcs.gif That is/was the bad news. The good news is that Sprint corporate controls all South Carolina markets now. And Columbia is no longer a single license 10 MHz market. Sprint has since acquired an additional 15 MHz of PCS 1900 MHz spectrum, thus now holds a total of 25 MHz of PCS A-F block spectrum in Columbia. For a lower tier top 100 market, Columbia has a very healthy amount of spectrum for CDMA1X, EV-DO, and, much later, additional LTE capacity. The remaining downside for you is that South Carolina remains low priority, likely because the state was such a meagerly run affiliate market for many years that Sprint did not develop much market share. AJ

Oh, it is not the geography. Robert knows that I am a geography guy (and he is one of the few people I have ever known who could school me in geography). It is the constant bickering in these threads that is comical, like a Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy elderly couple sparring at Luby's. AJ

What is wrong with the video? Those bros and hos are just about a complete cross section of all Sprint subs, right? Or is that just what VZW and AT&T subs think of all Sprint subs? AJ

It stands for "Oh, gee, an EVO. What, you think you're special?" AJ

Yep, using the ample BRS/EBS 2600 MHz spectrum for supplemental downlink is what I have long proposed. But the key problem with that plan is that it likely would require Clearwire to harmonize exclusively with Sprint, thereby cutting off Clearwire's wholesale business. AJ

One concern that I would have is that these signal strengths are not necessarily based upon the same metrics. For example, RSSI and RSRP are not directly comparable. But, for the moment, let us assume that both of the stated WiMAX and TD-LTE thresholds are based on RSSI. If so, then I think that I can explain the surprisingly high WiMAX threshold. Before I do, a little airlink tech summary may be in order. WiMAX uses OFDMA for both downlink and uplink. LTE uses OFDMA for downlink but SC-FDMA for uplink, while LTE Advanced returns closer to WiMAX with OFDMA for both downlink and uplink. WiMAX: downlink: OFDMA uplink: OFDMA LTE: downlink: OFDMA uplink: SC-FDMA LTE Advanced: downlink: OFDMA uplink: OFDMA The actual nature of these airlinks is not crucial to this discussion, so I will leave out most of the gory details. But, suffice to say, OFDMA is a bit more power hungry than is SC-FDMA. And that is why LTE uses SC-FDMA on the uplink -- it puts a lighter transmission load on power limited mobiles. Conversely, OFDMA puts a heavier transmission load on power limited mobiles, and that I believe is why Sprint configured WiMAX devices with a relatively high threshold -- it was an attempt to keep mobiles from using WiMAX in low signal situations in which the uplink would really sap their power management. Since TD-LTE uses the same SC-FDMA uplink as LTE does, TD-LTE will be similarly less power hungry than WiMAX is on the uplink (not to mention, mobile power management has gotten a lot better this year). And that should allow TD-LTE mobiles to operate to lower signal levels than WiMAX mobiles do. Now, before everything sounds like wine and roses, keep in mind that SC-FDMA has some drawbacks. It is not as versatile as OFDMA is and has lower max speeds than OFDMA does, especially as OFDMA allows for uplink MIMO. So, that is why LTE Advanced goes to OFDMA for its uplink. Love it or hate it, mobile WiMAX is/was in some ways just ahead of its time. AJ

Yes, Sprint purchased Centel in the early 1990s and changed the name of its Cellular 850 MHz assets to Sprint Cellular. But Sprint kept it for only three years, spinning off Sprint Cellular as 360 Communications (which was acquired by Alltel, then Alltel acquired by VZW). So, the Sprint Cellular heritage has become part of VZW. In contrast, what we call simply Sprint today is the legacy of Sprint PCS. PCS 1900 MHz licenses did not come into being until 1995. Following license acquisition at FCC auction and network build out, Sprint PCS launched its first markets in 1997. As such, current Sprint subs have, at most, 15 year tenure. AJ

As stated, the premium data fee is for premium data, not for 4G. Not to bust your chops, but that, too, is a bit of an exaggeration. Sprint PCS first launched service in 1997. So, at most, you have been a 15 year customer. AJ

Ah, that was your first mistake. Repeat after me: I will not ask questions at the Sprint store. I may go to the Sprint store to buy devices and accessories. But I will NOT ask questions at the Sprint store. AJ

And, indeed, everything may be "working fine." All carriers have dead spots within their respective coverage footprints. Short of constructing new cell sites just to fill where, for example, a building or a hill unexpectedly shadows usable signal, nothing will fix those spots. That sort of hyperbolic, negative attitude will not get much play here at S4GRU. Cincinnati may not be at the forefront of Network Vision, but it is on the schedule. Trust us. AJ

Send the wife and kids to bed first. AJ

I hate to imagine what might happen if thelasthallow finds out about this 5G Wi-Fi. AJ

I think this is what happens, for some reason, when you find a stranger in the Alps... AJ

Scott is riffing on nels0300's avatar of John Goodman's character in "The Big Lebowski." You can figure out the rest... AJ

No. SK Telecom is simply running in parallel an LTE 850/1800 network, much like Sprint will be running in parallel an LTE 800/1900 network. AJ

I think that I am doomed to use the Internet for the rest of my life. AJ

Man, that Cleveland-Puerto Rico rivalry is intense. I hope they meet up in the playoffs. AJ