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marioc21

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Posts posted by marioc21

    Marcelo Claure, Town Hall Meetings, New Family Share Pack Plan, Unlimited Individual Plan, Discussion Thread

    in General Topics

    Posted

    I honestly can't remember the last time I dropped a call with Sprint. I used to frequently have dropped called with Verizon in my area (i'm sure it's improved, i've been with Sprint for several years now). But switching to Sprint for me at the time, was a big improvement. 3G speeds were still decent compared to Verizon at the time, and I had access to WiMax once that launched (Baltimore was the first market).

     

     

    I agree on the name change, but I'm not sure SoftBank is the best name. Could be confusing as to why a "bank" owns a cellular carrier. Remember, we gotta keep in simple for the stupid people...lol

     

    I think Softbank USA would be fine.  But I also like Spark as a brand name.  Spark Wireless, anybody?

    • Like 3

    Softbank news: The Sharp Aquos Crystal is stunning and U.S. bound

    in Sharp

    Posted

    And we have our official announcement.  Press release below.

     

    http://finance.yahoo.com/news/sharp-first-aquos-smartphone-comes-130000254.html

     

     

    Highlights:

     

    • Harman’s LiveStage™ provides a more lifelike headphone listening experience by adding dimension to the sound
    • Clari-Fi™ technology improves digital sound quality by restoring all types of compressed digital music
    • Clip Now, which takes screenshots with one swipe and saves them with an embedded URL for easy sharing
    • 8MP rear-facing and 1.2MP front-facing cameras
    • Crystal clear HD Voice
    • Embedded 2,040mAh battery
    • 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1.5GB (RAM) and 8GB (ROM)

    Also, brings that App Pass that was in WSJ story.  $4.99 per month. Give you access to "hundreds" of curated apps. Plus a $5 month credit for in-app purchases.

     

    And the price is not too bad.  $0 down and 24 payments of $10 on Sprint.  If Virgin Mobile or Boost is your flavor it will $149 on either one.  No availability date announced for Virgin or Boost yet.

    • Like 3

    Network Vision/LTE - Richmond & Southern Virginia Markets

    in Markets

    Posted

    Even though it's way north of richmond I'm glad and excited to see a tower on 800 in the richmond market. I hope they make it to chesterfield soon so I can ditch my airaive. All the trees and lack of towers really takes a toll on the signal.

     

    We should see some in Chesterfield soon.  My phone keeps hitting 1x800 in more places.  I know on hull street rd there are some as well as along Powhite.  

    • Like 1

    Sprint Reportedly Bowing Out of T-Mobile Bid (was "Sprint offer" and "Iliad" threads)

    in General Topics

    Posted

    Not exactly a merger related article here, but still interesting for the pure speculation of it.  Maybe Sprint could get some competition if they don't announce this merger soon.

     

     

     

    Billionaire Carlos Slim's move to pare his telecom empire in Mexico is raising questions about what his intentions might be north of the border.

    His América Móvil SAB AMX.MX -0.33% said last week that it would sell assets to cut its market share in Mexico to below 50% from about 70% to avoid a regulatory crackdown. The cash he might generate in the process could give him a sizable war chest to expand overseas.

    The company's TracFone unit offers prepaid-mobile service and is the fifth largest U.S. wireless provider, selling service under seven brands, including the Straight Talk brand sold at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT +0.63%

    TracFone continues to grow via a string of acquisitions of small, prepaid carriers and provides Mr. Slim with a brand and a U.S. foothold should he choose to expand. The business now rents space on networks from big carriers like AT&T Inc. T +0.39% andSprint Corp. S -1.25%

    Some analysts wonder if he might bid for a carrier like No. 4 U.S. provider T-Mobile USInc., TMUS +0.81% which is preparing for a merger with Sprint that would face high regulatory hurdles.

    "A more meaningful entry into the U.S. with the acquisition of [T-Mobile] could make strategic sense," UBS UBSN.VX -0.61% analyst John Hodulik said. He projects Mexican asset sales would yield more than $15 billion for Mr. Slim. That cash also could go toward expanding his telecom businesses in Brazil or Europe.

     

     

    http://online.wsj.com/articles/carlos-slim-will-he-go-shopping-in-the-u-s-telecom-market-1405722201

     

    As I said this is simply pure speculation from WSJ, but there isn't any real news on the merger front so enjoy. 

    Sprint and T-Mobile To Jointly Bid in 600 MHz Auction

    in General Topics

    Posted

    Another day another story about Softbank/Sprint lining up financing for the merger. However, this one had a new nugget of information. It seems Sprint and T-Mobile are working on a joint venture to bid in the upcoming 600 Mhz auction independent of the merger itself. Not too many other details were disclosed.

     

    Spectrum Venture
    Sprint is asking banks for about $20 billion, while SoftBank is seeking a similar amount, one of the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private information. The funds will also be used to refinance some of T-Mobile’s borrowings, to fund operations, and in an auction of wireless airwaves, the people said.
    Sprint and T-Mobile plan to bid for that spectrum together through a joint venture that is independent of the takeover, the people said.
    ...

    Sprint and T-Mobile are also currently structuring the joint venture that will bid for a block of 600 megahertz airwaves to be auctioned by the U.S. government next year, the people said. The venture would be led by a separate management team and one of the two companies would have ultimate responsibility for the spectrum, one of the people said.
     

     

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-14/sprint-said-to-plan-for-lengthy-review-of-t-mobile-deal.html?cmpid=yhoo

    So I guess the basic idea is that one company would control the spectrum but lease it to the other? Not sure how else it would work.

     

    And now FierceWireless joins the party. 

     

    http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/report-sprint-t-mobile-form-jv-bid-600-mhz-incentive-auction/2014-07-15?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Editor&utm_campaign=SocialMedia

    Network Vision/LTE - Richmond & Southern Virginia Markets

    in Markets

    Posted

    so once 3g is 100% they will add 4g to those towers also.

    Yes. Once it's 3g accepted it basically means Sprint is just waiting for high speed backhaul at that tower. It will get 4g lte. It's just a matter of when. Could be tomorrow or 6 months from now. Just depends on the broadband provider.

     

    Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

    • Like 1

    Sprint Schedules 2Q 2014 Earnings Release

    in General Topics

    Posted

    I always get heart palpitations the day before simply because I'm anxious to hear how they did. Since it's 3 weeks away though my guess is that they lost customers overall but they loss less than the previous quarter. We''l probably get 20 more LTE cities, an announcement of reaching 240Million+ customers with LTE. There will probably be 2 or 3 new Spark markets added to the list too.

     

    Sprint usually schedules their earnings calls about a month after quarter close.  Doesn't really portend any good or bad news.  But, I would expect to them to say that they hit the 250 Million pop number they've been touting for a couple of quarters now.  

    Sprint Testing New Data Plan Options

    in General Topics

    Posted

    The network and coverage has to be way better IMO for unlimited to be dropped. Maybe a few years from now Sprint would be in that good of a place, otherwise, I don't see the logic.

     

    The more I think about it, the more I think these shared data plans should not be implemented nationwide. Not because I'm a fan of unlimited but because I think Sprint can't afford to lose customers by dropping unlimited. Now if Sprint had Verizon-esque coverage, this conversation would be different. That said, I'm on a shared data plan right now and I hate it.

     

    I'm with Robert on this.  Don't see unlimited going away.  Sprint is just going to make you pay for it.  And the cost of unlimited can raised as needed in the future.  

    • Like 2
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