Oh, OK. So, I would assume that this would have necessitated a firmware update at some point in order to enable and Sprint has had those released to the affected handsets by now, correct?
Is the thinking here to expand the G block into the C block but without necessarily setting up another 5Mhz carrier somewhere else in the PCS band?
I ask this becuase early on Sprint sold some 5MHz BW only LTE devices. Without a 5Mhz carrier somewhere in the PCS band those devices will be SOL.
That's not exactly what I was referring to. What I mean is that Samsung also usually sells an "officially unlocked" version of their flagship. This variant typically supports AT&T and T-Mobile (albeit sometimes only partially). What I am wondering is if they will sell an unlocked variant of the S7 that could be used on all four (or maybe just 3) carriers that you could get directly from Samsung or their resellers.
It's not that simple. My guess is that T-Mobile withholds approval of band 12 on a handset until they can test and validate it can handle the various cartwheels it needs the device to turn in order to be compliant with some of their concurrent operating agreements.
You can read more about what those devices have to do in order to be compliant here: http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/ApplicationSearch/applAdmin.jsp?applID=9040203#attachments (click on the Engineering Statement)