MagnusOchncap

AT&T is also deploying LTE on band 4 (AWS, 1700/2100MHz; same as Verizon and T-mobile). GigaOm last year speculated that AT&T will also deploying LTE on bands 2 (PCS, 1900MHz) and 5 (cellular, 850MHz). The current iPhone 5 GSM A1248 supposedly supports the bands, according to FCC documents. And AT&T will likely also roll out LTE on the WCS frequency (2300MHz). Just got FCC approval to do so (http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/att-scores-aws-23-ghz-wcs-spectrum-lte/2012-12-19). GigaOm: http://gigaom.com/2012/09/13/whats-att-planning-hidden-specs-unearthed-in-the-gsm-iphone-5/ ExtremeTech: http://www.extremetech.com/electronics/136199-iphone-5-a-confusing-mess-of-network-support

Sprint should still be on track. I imagine the next phone release on Sprint, after the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4, will have tri-band support. Both phones have been in development for a while, and 800Mhz LTE is still pretty rare. There are many 2500/2600Mhz LTE networks world wide, but only a few 800Mhz LTE networks in Europe (with more to go live over the next few years). I'm sure 800Mhz support is built in to most baseband modem firmwares going out the door right now. So we're probably looking at the next big announcement for tri-band support.

Indeed. I was still hoping to see a phone support tri-band out sooner than later. Especially with the Galaxy S4, which according to Samsung can support up to twenty different LTE bands. /le sigh

Yep, it's a numbers game. They've got to be able to say we cover xxx markets. Sad too. Still don't see AT&T LTE in some central areas of Portland, where it has been operating for six months.

The HTC One is close to my ideal phone, but sadly does not have tri-band LTE support. I'm holding out for such a device. Looks like the Galaxy S4 won't have it either. Maybe the next Motorola device, if it graces the Now Network...

Shawn, yes, the original GSM A1248 supports LTE on the AWS band. I believe all of the Canadian LTE networks are on the AWS band, and iPhone 5 has been running LTE up there since release. :-) http://www.imore.com/iphone-5-splits-two-models-one-us-gsmlte-another-cdmalte-and-everybody-else

Keeping my fingers crossed that the Portland-metro market gets turned on by mid-year.

Worth it. LTE-Advanced with tri-band carrier aggregation and unlimited smartphone data? Yup. Cannot get that anywhere else at any price.

The whole X Phone rumor is bizarre. Customizable hardware? I don't know how that can scale for manufacturing. They'd practically be making sixty-odd different models. My guess is that some 'sources' are misconstruing interchangeable back covers for 'full customizability.' Like the old Nokia candy bars. Unless Guy Kawasaki is ineptly trying to stir the rumor pot. http://androidandme.com/2013/03/smartphones-2/motorolas-guy-kawasaki-is-either-teasing-the-x-phone-or-totally-messing-with-us/ I do hope Sprint works out a better relationship with Motorola. But now since Googlerola is responsible for the handsets, I'd imagine them to snuggle up to Sprint for their tier 1 handsets. I'd love a quad-core, 1080p screen, and 3300mAh battery powered device running stock Android, with tri-band LTE of course. :-)

I get the impression from friends and clients that Sprint is the only tier 1 discount carrier. Obviously Oregon (and the Willamette Valley specifically) is a microcosm compared to the national consciousness, but I continue to see lots of people here move from T-mobile to Sprint (and from AT&T to Verizon). And I rarely hear about bad Sprint stories around the Portland-metro. Just their slow speeds, and the not-good-at-all WiMax Clear partnership. However, I do agree their customer service has been hit-or-miss. Picked up a Palm Pre on launch day, and lived through six months with it (ugh). Had a great experience closing the account and transferring the number out, getting out of the ETF too. Then six months after that got hit up for $99 to compensate Sprint for a non-existing Airave unit they claimed I received. Took weeks to resolve that, but a CSR manager eventually apologized. -_-

T-mobile will continue to have coverage issues inside of metro areas (AWS and PCS frequencies have measurably worse indoor signal strength, in my experience) and a very old rickety and creaky rural 2G EDGE network. Pfffft. I'd rather have Sprint's tri-band national LTE-Advanced network (with carrier aggregation across the EMSR, PCS, and BRS/EBS bands). That will absolutely rock. Plus, Sprint-uh-Bank will be the only American carrier with devices using native 800Mhz LTE. That will be great for both equipment (handsets and network headends) and roaming economies of scale. Most European countries next big LTE networks will be on 800Mhz (http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/europes-lack-800-mhz-digital-dividend-spectrum-reins-lte/2013-02-18). I can imagine Sprint-uh-Bank acquiring some regional European carriers because of those economic synergies.

Just happy to see Sprint-uh-Bank going forward. Economies of scale will probably net some nicer phones in the coming years (and hopefully less unique one offs like the Evo line).