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pyroscott

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Blog Entries posted by pyroscott

  1. pyroscott
    Sprint Nextel revealed their second quarter 2012 corporate earnings in a conference call to their investors today and S4GRU was covering for news on Network Vision.
    Network thinning of the iDEN network is complete, taking 1/3 of Nextel towers off air. The Nextel network was built to support 20 million subscribers, but was only supporting 4.4 million subscribers, so it could easily be thinned without [much] noticeable change in street coverage. Sprint also converted 60% of the Nextel subscriber loss into their Sprint subscriber base. Interestingly, they stated that Verizon has been the biggest poacher of subscribers leaving Nextel, grabbing 50% of former subscribers in the last 4 1/2 years. In that same timeframe, Sprint has grabbed 25%, AT&T 20% and T-Mobile 5%.
     
     
    On the Network Vision topic:
    4 additional cities will launch, including Baltimore, by the end of August.*Edit* Cities were disclosed VIA press release following the conference call. They are:
    Baltimore, MD Gainesville, GA Manhattan/Junction City, KS Sherman-Denison, TX  
    Over 2,000 sites are currently online with 12,000 sites to be online by the end of the year
    Network Vision towers are seeing 10-20% additional voice minutes usage per tower, overnight after activating Network Vision. This will equal roaming savings for Sprint, and ESMR will only increase that savings.
    CEO Dan Hesse confirmed that Sprint will be releasing the Motorola Photon Q "in the very near future." It will be a QWERTY slider "with robust business and consumer features." It will also be sporting world phone capability.
    Several hundred Network Vision sites are waiting for backhaul, and will turn on when the backhaul is installed, several hundred more sites have birds nesting on them and Sprint won't be able to turn them on until the birds leave, according to the conference call.
    Sprint sold 1.5 million iPhones during the quarter, even though other carriers saw slowing of sales with rumors ramping up that the new iPhone would support LTE. 40% of the iPhone sales were to new customers. They also stated that iPhone customers require less customer support and are expected to churn less than customers on other phones.
    Mr. Hesse confirmed that Sprint is not looking to change plans in the near future.
    Things are looking up for Sprint. This quarter saw their highest ARPU and their lowest churn rate to date. They posted a larger loss than Q1, but beat their revenue goals for Q2. For more detailed financial information, check the source link below.
     
    Source: http://investors.spr...spx?iid=4057219
    http://finance.yahoo...-141200985.html -Thanks to S4GRU sponsor marioc21 for finding this link!
  2. pyroscott
    by Scott Johnson
    Sprint 4G Rollout Updates
    Thursday, March 29, 2012 - 12:47 PM MDT
     
    When Apple first released the iPhone in 2007, they introduced a technological renaissance. The iPhone ushered in the “smartphone era” bringing phone technology to an entirely new level. Since the iPhone release, the iPhone has seen some technological advancement along the way, but not to the degree of changing the industry.
     
    The next iPhone is not only expected to introduce LTE capability to the line, but it may also be a true world phone, connecting to nearly every network technology. There could potentially be a single iPhone model that could be activated on nearly any carrier with the swap of a SIM card. Many carriers will undoubtedly impose a SIM lock, to keep the phone on their carrier, but it has the potential.
     
    Many technologies, one tiny chip
     
    At the heart of this advancement is the Qualcomm MDM9615 from Qualcomm’s GOBI line. This multiple device modem (MDM) chip supports both voice and data over LTE (FDD and TDD)as well as connecting to EV-DO Rev A and B, HSPA+, dual carrier HSPA+, and TD-SCDMA. With the added support of voice over LTE this phone could also be one of the first to support VoLTE.

     




    All this in the tiny iPhone form factor
     
    The MDM9615 will pair with Qualcomm’s WTR1605 and PM8018 integrated circuits to combine multiple mode and multiple band connectivity, low power consumption, and small footprint. The WTR1605 is Qualcomm’s first wafer level radio transceiver and will allow LTE FDD, LTE TDD, CDMA, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA and GSM connections. The PM8018 will provide efficient power management at the wafer level. The only sticking point for Apple is how to fit all the antennas, PA's and filters for all the different bands into the iPhone without significantly increasing the size. This may keep them from being able to introduce a “world” phone and have to settle for regional or carrier specific models with the components to support the bands the carriers use.
     
    But will it retain Apple’s iconic battery life?[float right][/float]
     
     
    First generation LTE chips are energy hogs, which may be why Apple opted to skip the addition of LTE to their iPhone 4S. The 28nm MDM9615 may be just what Apple was waiting for in order to retain their small form factor and still give outstanding battery life. Not only will the 28nm chip have a reduction in size, but when paired with Qualcomm’s Power Optimized Envelope Tracking (Q-POET) the chip will see further enhanced power efficiency and heat management.
     
    What we know
     
    As of this point, Apple is only reviewing potential components for their next iPhone, but the fact that they are reviewing these specific components leads many to believe that they will utilize the components to their maximum potential. Apple generally is leak proof, which means that we will have to wait until an official announcement until we have confirmation of what will be included in the newest installation of their iPhone line. The combination of these chips may not even see the Apple device first. An Android OEM may be already working on this and introduce a phone with the wide capabilities possible with this chipset.
     

     



    Sources: Qualcomm (2) Simonblog Engadget AppleInsider
    Baseband RF Photo courtesy of Barklay's Research
  3. pyroscott
    by Scott Johnson
    Sprint 4G Rollout Updates
    Wednesday, March 28, 2012 - 10:44 AM MDT
     
    Fear not Sprint iPhone fans, Sprint will not be left out when the next iPhone model is released. There has been speculation that Apple may only manufacture LTE enabled iPhones to AT&T and Verizon after the iPad with LTE connectivity was only released for those carriers. While he didn’t come out and confirm that Sprint would be receiving a LTE iPhone, Sprint Nextel CFO Joe Eutenuer went on record saying that "we will not be disadvantaged" when it comes to selling the iPhone, adding that Sprint has the same contract as AT&T and Verizon for selling the iPhone.
     
    This contract that the carriers have also does not have LTE coverage requirements, so even if the iPhone is released earlier than expected, Sprint shouldn't be excluded due to less LTE coverage than the AT&T or VZW. This comes as good news for current customers who have held off their purchase of an iPhone because the 3G speeds in their area are lagging and they are prefer a 4G WiMax handset.
     
    If you build it, he will come
     
    [float right][/float]There is still no guarantee that the new iPhone will support LTE, but all signs point to the next generation iPhone boasting LTE connectivity. AT&T made the decision to move away from their HSPA+ 3.5G network and aggressively push LTE. Sprint also made the decision to aggressively rollout a LTE network, instead of continuing with Clearwire’s WiMax. Possibly the most telling sign was when the new iPad was announced to have LTE connectivity.
     
    Thanks to Sprint’s “Network Vision” plan, there will be plenty of LTE towers for iPhone fans to consume unlimited data at 4G speeds. By this Fall, when the iPhone is speculated to release, Sprint will have LTE service in nearly all major markets and will be starting work in many other markets. Sprint’s Network Vision is expected to have 100-120 million POPs covered by LTE by the end of the year. And you know you will get all the latest LTE deployment info here at S4GRU.com!
     
    Sources: Nasdaq SprintFeed Fierce Wireless
  4. pyroscott
    by Scott Johnson
    Sprint 4G Rollout Updates
    Monday, April 2, 2012 - 12:29 PM MDT
     
    Microsoft entered the modern era of smartphone operating systems with the release of their Windows Phone 7 (WP7) platform. The first WP7 handsets went on sale October 21st 2010 with Sprint receiving their lone WP7 offering 5 months later with the HTC Arrive. The HTC Arrive suffered from slow sales numbers and Sprint brass quoting a poor “user experience” for returns of the device. There was recently evidence that Sprint may have rejected a follow-up to the Arrive, the HTC Maaza, when a tester prototype phone showed up for sale on ebay.
     
    The WP platform still has not gained as much as a 5% market share as Microsoft continues to lose market share. Ratings giant Nielsen saw such a small market share for WP that they did not even include WP as a separate platform and inserted their statistics in the “other smartphone” category.
     

     
    Even though the HTC Arrive has failed to generate a whole lot of buzz at Sprint, many of the consumers who purchased the device think very highly of it. The user rating of the HTC Arrive currently stands at 4.6 out of 5 stars and 91% of those who purchased the phone would recommend it to a friend. This stands out in comparison to the highly vaunted Apple iPhone 4S which currently boasts a 4.4 rating out of 5 stars with 86% of consumers who would recommend it to a friend. Windows Phone fans at Sprint are so passionate that they have started a petition to Sprint to procure more WP devices that currently has over 2,400 signatures.
     
    Partnership with Nokia gives Windows Phone a partner committed to the OS
     
    Microsoft began their campaign to gain ground on the US smartphone market by announcing that they would partner with one of the largest phone makers who has been longing for a reentry into the US market. On February 11th 2011, Nokia announced that they had established a partnership with Microsoft to make their mobile platform the primary operating system for Nokia phones. In Nokia, Microsoft found a partner to not only build flagship devices that are designed to pull the most possible functionality out of the WP operating system; they also found a partner to help them market the phones and operating system. Nokia is set to release the first LTE enabled phone running the Windows Phone operating system on April 8th in the form of the Nokia Lumia 900 on AT&T’s network for a mere $99.99.
     
    Customers are unfamiliar with the operating system
     
    Microsoft has learned from the past, while the operating system may be able to compete with the likes of iOS and Android, unless the sales staff can highlight the strong points of the OS, is familiar with the phone and has incentive to sell the phone over other models, the phone will not sell in the quantities they desire. This is why Nokia is spending upwards of $25 million to provide the Lumia 900 to AT&T for “company use” allowing the sales staff to trade in their iPhones and Androids in exchange for a free Nokia Lumia 900. This move will allow the customer to see the phone as more desirable because the sales staff always seems to have the “cool, cutting edge” phones. Additionally, this will extend the sales staff’s familiarity with the OS well beyond the training that AT&T provides them.
     
    Microsoft has also given AT&T sales staff a financial incentive to sell WP models. A $200 million program has been initiated by Microsoft, through AT&T to pay a $10-15 commission for every windows phone that an employee sells to a customer. If the AT&T test bed pays off in increased sales of WP handsets, the promotions will likely spread to other carriers like Sprint when they begin receiving shipments of their WP flagship later this year.
     
    Customers want apps on their smartphone
     
    As it stands, the Windows Phone Marketplace has about 65,000 apps, this number pales in comparison to the nearly half a million apps in iTunes and nearly as many in Google Play. Even more concerning, is the lack of some of the most popular apps. Pandora, Bump, Skype, Dropbox and Google Maps are all missing from the WP platform trumping an argument that WP has quality apps and not merely a large quantity of apps.
     
    Microsoft and Nokia have contributed $12 million each to develop a mobile app development program. They also plan to spend $10 million on an advertising campaign to promote the competitors of the top apps that are absent from the WP Marketplace. Apps also tend to cost more on the WP Marketplace than other app stores due to the developers needing to charge extra to make up for smaller sales numbers since the OS has such a small portion of market share. Without apps, the platform will have a tough time catching on with customers, and without customers, the platform will have a hard time attracting developers.
     
    Advertising can make consumers more receptive to Windows Phone
     
    The Nokia Lumia 900 is reported to be the benefactor of a $100 million “hero” advertising campaign. It is not known how Microsoft, Nokia and AT&T will split up the advertising costs, but that much money will certainly bring customer awareness up for the operating system and for Nokia’s brand recognition. Sprint customers will no doubt see these ads and become more familiar with WP and Nokia (should Nokia build a device for Sprint’s network) so when a WP device is released on Sprint’s network, it will also benefit from the ad campaign.
     
    Another Windows Phone flagship is rumored for a late 2012 release to capture sales during the holiday season, with another “hero” advertising campaign; this could bring Sprint and Verizon customers into the fold nicely if it is a Nokia model released on all three carriers.
     
    Consumer perception must be that Windows Phones are “flagship” devices
     
    Many would-be buyers of WP7 handsets such as the HTC Arrive could have been turned off by the combination of lackluster stats and lower price and confused the device with a mid-tier offering. If someone were to compare AT&Ts offering of Samsung handsets today, you would see the Galaxy Note coming in at $300, the Galaxy SII coming in at $200 and the Focus Flash at $1, there is also a newly released Focus S at $200.
     
    The Nokia Lumia 900 would have no such comparisons, and even at a lower price, could be perceived as a flagship at a value price. The Windows Phone OS has been designed to run smoothly on less system resources. The dual core processors, large amounts of memory and larger screens of the Android competition tend to wash out the stats of the Windows Phone lineup. That shortcoming is being remedied with the next WP offerings it seems. Sprint is set to receive a WP with a Qualcomm MSM8960 dual core 1.5GHz and LTE connectivity
     
    [float right][/float]One of the best ways for an operating system to gain new customers is by “smartphone envy.” Friends, family and coworkers tend to show other people some of the more advanced features that their phone has and some of the best apps. In order to spur this type of referral, Microsoft needs to gain market share, and quickly. Windows phone will gain functionality with the release of Windows 8, which will tie the phone OS and PC OS closer together.
     
    The OS can also gain significant ground by integrating further with the popular XBox 360 platform, but they can't afford to lose any ground on Android and iOS. By infusing money into different methods of marketing and into application development, Microsoft is hoping that they can sell handsets and gain market share. They won’t continue throwing money at the platform if it never catches on, but thanks to the moves that they have made, most notably bringing Nokia on board, they may just have the right recipe. They will undoubtedly watch carefully what happens with AT&T as a “test bed” when they start planning their marketing campaigns for Sprint and Verizon.
     
    Maybe someday Windows Phones will “sell themselves” as Android and Apple phones seemingly do, requiring smaller marketing budgets, but for now Microsoft and Nokia need to launch a full scale marketing attack on the market to secure their place in the future.
     
    Sources: Android Authority WPCentral betanews phonenews
  5. pyroscott
    by Scott Johnson
    Sprint 4G Rollout Updates
    Sunday, April 1, 2012 - 2:00 AM MDT
     
    Sprint Nextel joined the Rural Cellular Association (RCA) in April 2011, the reasons for joining at that time could have been motivated by the proposed AT&T purchase of T-Mobile and increasing their lobbying power with the RCA. Recently though, Sprint has been working towards partnerships with other RCA members on network sharing and spectrum hosting arrangements to increase their LTE coverage footprint.
     
    Roaming agreements are crucial to regional carriers and smaller nationwide carriers alike. Without nationwide roaming agreements, regional carriers cannot offer a competitive product. Smaller nationwide carriers like Sprint cannot compete with the likes of AT&T and Verizon without roaming agreements that extend their network over a similar footprint. When roaming agreements extend to advanced technology, it vastly benefits both the carriers and the customers.
     
    When Lightsquared’s nationwide LTE network dissipated in the wake of GPS interference issues, so did the LTE plans of several regional carriers. These carriers had seen an opportunity to gain LTE connectivity for their customers without the need to use their own spectrum. They also would have avoided trying to work with device manufacturers to procure equipment that will work on their spectrum, which is often fragmented among different bands or resides on different band classes from on which LTE is currently being deployed. AT&T and Verizon have recently come under fire for using band classes that are not interoperable with the other 700mhz frequencies for which these regional carriers hold licenses, prompting the FCC to look into addressing interoperability concerns. This lack of interoperability would significantly increase the price of a 700mhz LTE device for other smaller carriers. The carriers lack the spectral resources to deploy LTE on other bands without refarming spectrum and affecting their legacy services. The spectrum is unable to be refarmed at this point because the carriers still need to maintain 3G and voice services on those bands to provide acceptable service to their customers.
     

    Sprint's Projected LTE Coverage at completion of Network Vision in early 2014.
    Enter Sprint, with their nationwide spectrum holdings and flexible Network Vision equipment. With RCA President and CEO Steve Berry pushing members to cooperate on LTE deployments, Sprint is possibly the most attractive partner for regional carriers. Sprint’s Network Vision technology can allow regional carriers to continue providing access to their legacy services while adding LTE to their lineup. Sprint could also enter into an agreement with carriers similar to how Lightsquared was going to partner with Sprint. Sprint could provide the spectrum and equipment to broadcast 1900mhz LTE from the regional carrier’s towers as they upgrade their existing equipment in exchange for usage credits. 
    With spectrum hosting and roaming agreements, Sprint's footprint could look more like the RCA's collective footprint.




     
    A unified RCA, partnering on LTE through network sharing and spectrum hosting arrangements could provide service covering 95% of the United States and give AT&T and Verizon wireless a major competitor. It could also provide access to advanced technology to rural customers who otherwise lack many of the internet connectivity options that those living in urban areas have enjoyed for years.




     
    Sources: Wirelessweek (2) Photos courtesy of RCA
  6. pyroscott
    Scott Johnson
    Sprint 4G Rollout Update
    Saturday, March 24, 2012 - 4:14 PM MDT
     
    What would you do to get a $20 per line discount on your monthly bill? Would you pay full price for your cellphone? That is what Cole Brodman, T-Mobile’s Chief Marketing Officer would like to see happen. In fact, T-Mobile already offers a discounted plan for customers who forego a subsidy on their device. This works out fairly well for T-Mobile’s GSM customers who want to use an unlocked international or AT&T phone instead of T-Mobile’s subsidized offerings, but will it catch on with other carriers? Will customers who have grown accustomed to inexpensive upgrades suffer sticker shock at the prospect of a $650 replacement for their cellphone?
     
    If you think about it, the customer is probably better off using the unsubsidized route, unless they buy one of the highest subsidy phones as soon as they are eligible, every time. Carriers are also protected because they have nothing to lose if the customer walks away from their contract, only an ETF to gain. The only catch is that carriers are more likely to retain their customers if they offer an upgrade 4 months prior to the expiration of the contract, in exchange for a new 24 month contract. Carriers and many customers are addicted to this retention method and it would likely take an industry-wide effort to change the way business is conducted.
     
    [float right][/float]The customer would win with the increased competition among cell phone manufacturers. If the manufacturers are forced to compete with each other on price, we would likely see prices drop thanks to bargain brands like ZTE and Huawei. Currently the cell phone carrier just adds a different subsidy to the cheaper priced cell phones. Prepaid plans already use this model, but they tend to get the older and cheaper models instead of the flagships to reduce the sticker shock and upfront cost to their customers.
     
    [float left][/float]T-Mobile is currently offering unsubsidized plans under the “Value” line of plans. An individual value plan with unlimited minutes, text and data (with 2GB of high speed data) currently will run $59.99 plus applicable fees and taxes per month. A comparable plan from the “classic” line with the subsidized handset will cost $79.99. T-Mobile even offers interest free loans that tack on a payment to the monthly bill if a customer elects to not pay the full price up front. $20 per month adds up to $400 over the 20 months that customers normally wait for their next upgrade. The only catch with this plan is that you still sign a 2-year contract, something that customers who buy their phone outright usually detest. It has been noted by T-Mobile sales staff that customers do not understand the difference in plans and customers who receive a subsidized phone complain that there is a lower priced plan and want to be switched over.
     
    [float right][/float]A $480 savings on a 2-year agreement trumps almost every device subsidy. The iPhone 4S currently retails for $650, but sells for $199 with a 2-year contract equaling a $450 subsidy which comes close, but not quite. Even the Samsung Galaxy Note only commands a $350 subsidy. Ironically, the HTC Titan retails at $549 and sells for $0.01 making it the most subsidized handset. It is quite possible that a good chunk of that subsidy comes from Microsoft, in an effort to gain market share at the cost of their own profit.
     
    [float left][/float]Ending carrier subsidies might be seen as a step towards the wireless carrier becoming a "dumb pipe" or the carrier being nothing more than the provider of minutes and data bytes, with no customized services. U.S. carriers have resisted becoming dumb pipes because carriers wouldn't see the end user profits from their additional services and it will inspire less brand loyalty. Carriers have already lost a lot of revenue thanks to iTunes and Google Play, among others. The carriers used to offer their own multimedia offerings to increase their revenue, but much of that is now going to Apple and Google, thanks to the trend towards carriers becoming dumb pipes for smartphone users.
     
    So what do you think? Would you like to see Sprint follow T-Mobile’s lead and reduce prices in exchange for dropping subsidies? Or does Sprint need to keep subsidies to continue the smartphone welfare? Using the customers that choose the cheaper handsets or keep their handset past their upgrade date to offset the higher subsidy on the iPhone or other high subsidy handsets.
     
     
    Source HotHardware T-Mobile Phonearena
  7. pyroscott
    Scott Johnson
    Sprint 4G Rollout Update
    Sunday, March 25, 2012 - 5:00 AM MDT
     
    Every Evo ever released on Sprint’s network has been manufactured by HTC. Does this necessarily mean that it is exclusive to HTC? The “Droid” line of Verizon phones have been manufactured by Motorola, HTC and Samsung. Would Sprint consider extending the Evo name to another handset maker as Verizon has done?
     
    Sprint and Evo
     
    [float right][/float]The Evo “franchise” has defined Sprint’s Android line of phones since the HTC Evo 4G burst onto the scene and redefined the way we look at smartphones. The mere fact that Sprint still sells the device nearly 2 years after its release is telling of how great a handset it is. HTC followed up the success of the Evo 4G with the HTC Evo Shift 4G, a slider phone with a physical keyboard. The HTC Evo 3D is seen by some as the successor to the original Evo, but others see it as a whole different offering, due to its inclusion of 3D camera and glasses-free 3D screen. The final smartphone in the Evo series is the smaller, lighter, world phone, the HTC Evo Design 4G. HTC also produced a tablet with Evo badging, the 7 inch HTC Evo View 4G.
     
    Verizon and Droid
     
    [float left][/float]
     
    Similar to Sprint's Evo line, the “Droid” line of phones has defined Verizon’s high-end Android powered phones. Some argue that the Droid line has been watered down with a steady stream of Droid badged phones hitting shelves. There have been 15 “Droids” released starting with the Motorola Droid in October 2009. This amounts to a new Droid every 2 months on average. Motorola has accounted for nearly 75% of the models, but HTC (3) and Samsung (1) have also provided Droid branded models to Verizon.
     
     
    My-Touch
     
    T-Mobile’s “my-touch” line, while not known as high end phones, but more of a family friendly line, has seen models from HTC and LG. Even Huawei is rumored to be manufacturing a my-touch model for T-Mobile’s network.
     
    Samsung Galaxy
     
    [float right][/float]One might say that the Evo branding is HTC’s brand, similar to how Samsung has used the “galaxy” branding. Samsung has released “galaxy” smartphones, tablets and even android powered media players. The difference is that Samsung’s use of the galaxy badge has extended across carriers and, as seen with the media players, extended to non-wireless carrier electronics. The Evo brand has stayed with Sprint, with no “Evo” branded electronics being released (other than an international GSM version of the Evo 3D) which makes it appear to be Sprint exclusive.
     
    What does the Evo future hold?
     
    What can we expect from Sprint’s Evo line moving forward? Many think that the HTC Jet will be the next in the Evo line, but it has been rumored on this very site that HTC may abandon the Evo name to consolidate their product line. With the original Evo and Evo Shift getting “long in the tooth,” will Sprint find successors from any willing manufacturer to refresh their iconic line with a slab and slider? What manufacturers should Sprint consider, and would those manufacturers be willing to shed their own brands and assume the Evo branding? Should Sprint let the Evo name ride off into the sunset if HTC abandons the line? There are a lot of questions surrounding the name “Evo,” but we could see at least a partial answer on April 4th when HTC and Sprint announce their most recent collaboration.





  8. pyroscott
    Scott Johnson
    Sprint 4G Rollout Update
    Friday, March 23, 2012 - 3:14 PM MDT
     
    Many Sprint fans were put off by the downgrade of the “S” stock and remarks of Craig Moffett of Bernstein Research released Monday morning. Moffett claimed a looming bankruptcy risk on the horizon thanks to mounting debt, Network Vision costs, and smaller channels of spectrum for their LTE network.
     
    On top of all that, Moffett claimed that the LTE iPhone, which Sprint executives claim will secure the future of the franchise, could bring disaster for Sprint. By Friday, Shing Yin of Guggenheim Securities came out reiterating his company’s “neutral” rating on Sprint, downplaying the skepticism of Moffett and claiming that Sprint’s fledgling LTE network would handle the pressure of the LTE iPhone.
     
    Moffett’s stance
     
    Moffett wrote that there is “little margin for error” for the newest carrier to offer Apple’s iPhone. He believes, along with many more, that the next generation of the Apple iPhone will contain LTE connectivity. He is not convinced that Apple will manufacture a version specifically with Sprint LTE connectivity, and if they do, it will prove disastrous for Sprint.
     
    There are several notable arguments that can be presented here. Sprint is way behind Verizon and AT&T in their LTE rollout. Also, AT&T and Verizon are using larger chunks of spectrum for LTE which will serve higher data speeds and more customers than Sprint. Further, AT&T and Verizon are also better positioned to continue to provide iPhone users with sufficient speed as data growth grows in the future.
     
    Yin’s counterargument
     
    Yin believes that Sprint will surely see an iPhone that will be capable of LTE connectivity. He believes that Sprint officials would not have committed to a deal of that magnitude with Apple in 2011 if they were going to get a handcuffed version the following year.
     
    As far as lack of capacity, he expects the network will be underutilized initially, making up for a smaller LTE carrier, noting that only 5% of Verizon’s postpaid subscribers converted to LTE handsets even though Verizon has been inundating customers with an advertising campaign built on LTE and offering double data for LTE capable phones. Yin also brought up the fact that Sprint was able to convert about 10% of their postpaid customers to WiMax devices actually selling more WiMax devices in a year than Verizon sold LTE.
     
    Customers will buy iPhones regardless
     

    4G LTE is not likely the only technological addition to the next generation of iPhone. After the incremental upgrades on the iPhone 4S, customers were left dreaming of what could be included in the iPhone 5. Even though many customers expressed disappointment that the iPhone 4S wasn’t a generational change, it still broke iPhone single day sales records by 66%. The sales for a generational change in the iPhone could smash the sales record of the 4S. 
    Unless current policy is changed, Sprint has something that AT&T and Verizon are unable to offer new customers, unlimited data. Whether the data comes from 3G or 4G, new Sprint iPhone customers will be treated to an unthrottled “all you can eat buffet” of data. The “truly unlimited” offering by Sprint could even convert AT&T customers with grandfathered unlimited plans thanks to AT&T’s adoption of throttling its unlimited customers.
     
    Many customers are unfamiliar with 4G data and what it means to them
     
    Despite all the advertising and promotion of 4G LTE, many customers still do not know what it is and how it applies to them. Verizon sales staff may be able to promote that they offer the largest LTE network or that they are the exclusive offering of LTE in that city, but the iPhone has a wide demographic of buyers, many upgrading to their first smartphone. Initially, these new smartphone customers will not notice or care about 4G speeds, they will be overwhelmed with learning all the new features and will use less data than experienced smartphone users, putting less strain on the network.
     
    What it all means
     
    Sprint is definitely in a state of transition. They are in the middle of a great balancing act, between Network Vision, impending debt payments, and life support to Clearwire. If Sprint can execute Network Vision, they will streamline their entire organization, bringing network maintenance costs down, enhancing coverage, and providing customers 4G LTE technology. Sprint will become more profitable and can focus their attention on expanding their LTE offering on additional spectrum and maintaining a positive user experience.
     
     



     
    Photos courtesy of cases.com and redmondpie.com.
     
    Sources: http://blogs.barrons...od=yahoobarrons, http://blogs.barrons...e-lte-prospect/, http://www.readwrite...d_1_million.php
  9. pyroscott
    by Scott Johnson
    Sprint 4G Rollout Updates
    Saturday, March 17, 2012 - 8:59 PM MDT
     
     
    S4GRU.com already broke the launch date of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus this weekend, and now we know that it won’t be the lone device slated to hit store shelves on April 15th. The same sources of our GNex story have also revealed that the LG Viper, Sprint’s other LTE smartphone unveiled at CES, will be ushering in Sprint’s LTE era at a Sprint store near you on April 15th.
     

    You may recall the revealed stat sheet for the Viper, 4 inch 480x800 screen, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, and Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread (surely to be upgraded to 4.0 soon). The Viper will also be sporting the Qualcomm Gobi MDM 9600 for juggling the various data connectivity methods (LTE, EVDO, 1x). As with the Galaxy Nexus, the LG Viper will ship with the LTE radio turned off to save battery life. When more LTE sites come online, Sprint will enable LTE self-discovery, as early as June. LTE self-discovery will allow the phone to intermittently search for LTE, and if it is unavailable, it will turn itself off to reduce battery drain. 
    It's more "bloat"ed than the Nexus, but tolerable
     
    Those worried about excessive bloatware on the non-Nexus offering by Sprint will be pleased to see the Viper coming preloaded with only Smart Device Manager, Sprint ID, Sprint Zone, Visual Voicemail, NFC, and Google Play. Those interested in Sprint’s application offerings such as NASCAR Mobile, Sprint Football Live, Sprint Music Plus, Sprint Navigation, Sprint TV and Sprint’s NBA Application will be free to download them at will.
     
    While the LG Viper doesn’t have the hefty stat sheet of the Galaxy Nexus or the rumored stats of devices on the horizon, it also doesn’t have the same hefty price. The LG Viper is expected to come in at a noticeably less steep price tag than the Nexus.


    4G photo courtesy of intomobile.com


  10. pyroscott
    by Scott Johnson
    Sprint 4G Rollout Updates
    Thursday, March 15, 2012 - 12:51 PM MDT
     
    The 7 inch form factor for the tablet PC was largely understated up until the Kindle Fire’s release last year. There were the expensive high end Android offerings from Samsung, Dell, Acer, Toshiba and HTC as well as the Blackberry Playbook. The inexpensive end was headlined by the Kindle Fire, Barnes and Noble Nook and Lenovo. Sales were underwhelming, until the Kindle Fire caught everyone’s attention and sold millions of units. Now, we have what may be shaping up to be a faceoff between iOS and Android in the 7 inch tablet market. The idea of an offering smaller than the 10 inch tablet may have been dancing in Apple and Google’s heads prior to the Fire being released, but it would seem that they didn’t pull the trigger on those plans until after seeing how the $200 Kindle Fire did in the marketplace.
     

    Apple is rumored to be releasing a tablet in a size between the 3.5 inch size of the iPod touch and the 9.7 inch iPad. Some say that the reasoning behind Apple’s puzzling move to ditch the numerical model designation of the new iPad is so that they can simplify the tablet line and release an iPad mini, with naming conventions similar to their line of iPods using generations instead of numeric model numbers. Current rumors have Apple releasing a 7.85 inch tablet with a price point under $300 for the base model. The bezel is also rumored to be shrunk down to increase the portability of the unit. Apple rarely makes bad decisions when it comes to what components to insert in their devices, so it is safe to say this would be a device of “the highest quality.” We could see this “iPad mini” as early as 3rd quarter 2012.
     

    Situated on the opposite end is the latest offering in Google’s Nexus line of devices. It was recently confirmed by industry sources that Asus will manufacture a 7 inch Android tablet with the Nexus designation. This tablet would see a price point between $150 and $250 and be constructed of premium components. Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt was quoted stating that the tablet would be “of the highest quality.” This tablet is rumored to be hitting shelves as early as May, giving it a slight head start on its competition from Apple.
     

    Another competitor in the game will be Samsung, which has built a reputation for releasing high quality devices. They may have something in the works that would integrate the “S Pen” stylus present in the Galaxy Note and the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet they revealed at CES 2012. Samsung would be smart to recognize the trend in the 7 inch tablet market and keep their offering in the $300 or less range if they want to be competitive. They have to be careful with this as they don't want to undercut sales of their Galaxy Note phone/tablet.
     

    The last competitor in this battle for 7 inch tablet supremacy could come from Nokia. With Microsoft bringing their Windows Phone 8 integration of phone and desktop operating systems to market this year, it would only make sense that they would include it on tablets as well. If they intend on moving into contention with Android and iOS, they can’t afford to miss a “battle” as this could turn out to be. To be competitive in this battle, they would be wise to offer a 7 inch tablet in the under $250 price range. Given the ability of WP 7.5 to run fast and smooth on hardware that appears on paper to be underwhelming, they should be able to hit that price point.
     

    This summer is looking to be a battle of heavyweight 7 inch tablets at a price lower than we may be used to for high end, well outfitted tablets. Will they see the sales numbers they are looking for? Or did the Kindle Fire snap up all the budget-minded tablet buyers, leaving these tablets out in the cold? If you were in the market for a 7 inch tablet, which tablet would interest you the most?
     
    Sources: Digitimes Rethink Wireless
  11. pyroscott
    by Scott Johnson
    Sprint 4G Rollout Updates
    Tuesday, March 13, 2012 - 2:00 AM MDT
     
    Most of us have at least heard of NFC, the Google Wallet app, or the capability to use our NFC enabled phone as a wireless payment system, but do we know the power and uses of Near Field Communication? NFC has endured a slow start, with very few devices that contain the communication chip, but Sprint seems to be giving it a boost by including NFC on all its LTE handsets. Sprint’s director of consumer product marketing, Trevor Van Norman has said that “it is in our best interest to push the service” and he is right, as use of the payment system can bring in additional money for the carrier. Outlook is rosy for this technology, and its ability to facilitate payments, with Juniper research predicting that NFC payments will hit $74 Billion by 2015.
     
    Near field communication was evolved out of other work and accepted as an ISO standard in 2003. The way it works is that when two devices are brought within 4 cm of each other, the devices will begin to communicate if they are both powered, or the RF signal from the powered device will power the unpowered RFID and begin communication. This allows a NFC enabled cellphone to communicate with any compatible RFID tag, powered or not. This opens doors well beyond mobile payments.
     
    Most tech-savvy consumers are familiar with the “QR code” or quick response code. This allows someone to scan a barcode with their cell phone camera to display information or direct the smartphone to a URL. NFC can be used in a very similar way; in fact, the LG Tag uses this capability as a marketing point even though all NFC phones are capable of it. A store could stick a NFC tag on their entrance and allow patrons to “check in” with Foursquare or Facebook. Posters can have NFC RIFDs to allow those who are interested in more information easy access to predetermined information that will be passed to the phone or automatically load a website into the phone's broswer for even more information. The tags could also be used in such places as landmarks, art galleries and museums to allow access to more information on what is being viewed. Since the tags are relatively inexpensive and require no power other than what the reading NFC device provides, it can be adopted quickly once more devices contain NFC.
     
    A small RFID can also be placed on Bluetooth devices to instantly connect a Bluetooth accessory to a phone without needing to pair them. It can configure another faster method to transfer files, like WiFi, since NFC is not a very fast means of transport. Pictures and video can even be displayed on a NFC enabled television from the phone by simply holding the phone to the RFID in the television.
     
    The possibilities for this technology are grand, but will it be adopted for more than mobile payments? Mobile payments will most likely drive the train for this technology to be widely accepted for all its various uses. Even Apple is rumored to be including NFC in its next iPhone, which seems to be the last hurdle for a technology before it is truly accepted.
     





    Sources: Mashable, ars technica, Appolicious.com, Juniper Research, Light Reading


  12. pyroscott
    by Scott Johnson
    Sprint 4G Rollout Updates
    Thursday, February 23, 2012 - 4:09 AM MST
     
    The Kindle changed the way many of us purchased and read books. Amazon may have seen the way iTunes and iPods changed the way consumers purchased their music. Consumers were moving away from physical CDs and towards digital media that could be delivered electronically without the trip to the store or even the trip to Amazon.com to have the CD shipped to their house.
     
    Amazon created an ecosystem, complete with free 3G on certain models to access their purchased books in “the cloud” at any time. Now the Kindle Fire has thundered in and added music and video to its arsenal. Amazon has carefully built an app store, mp3 store and instant video streaming to add to its digital bookstore. Amazon also modified the open sourced Android platform to give consumers a user friendly interface that brings their digital content delivery to the front line. Then Amazon changed the way electronics were sold by selling their Kindle’s and Kindle Fire’s at or around cost.
     
    The result of their work was a tablet that some analysts estimate sold 5-6 million units in Q4 2011. Analysts also estimate that Amazon generates $136 in revenue from their app, music, video and book stores per Kindle Fire. Furthermore, possibly due to the simplicity and ease of use, Fire users purchase over two and a half times the apps than other Android tablet users.
     
    Developers are loving the Fire, the current fastest growing platforms for developers is the Kindle Fire and Windows Phone platforms. Amazon has done what the wireless carriers, and Google to a certain point, have struggled mightily to do with their digital marketplace. They have even introduced Amazon Prime, which gives subscribers access to a Netflix-like video streaming service, a Kindle book lending library, and free two day shipping on all their Amazon.com orders. All of this makes the wireless carriers attempts to generate revenue from their digital media marketplaces look like a failure.
     
    What's next for the Popular Kindle Fire Series?
     
    Amazon is rumored to be placing orders with Foxconn for a 10 inch Fire. Could this be a sign of things to come? Citigroup’s Taipei-based hardware research analyst Kevin Chang believes “an Amazon Smartphone will be launched in 4Q12.” With their ability to sell units at a low profit margin or even a loss and make money on content delivery, they could be a major player in the low end smartphone market.
     
    On the major carriers, the subsidy could easily bring an Amazon Fire Phone to free on contract. The prepaid world would be another market that Amazon could exploit. Prepaid carriers thrive on the low end and low cost smartphones. The app store would likely still see plenty of use, but with a smaller screen, the amount of books and video purchases could tail off.
     
    There is no question that Amazon has built their platform into a success. They have designed a marketplace that is easy to use, motivates users to buy additional content and wraps nicely into their existing business promoting users to buy household goods from their online marketplace. While Amazon has a Kindle app, music app, app store etc., they don’t work nearly as well as standalone apps as they do when they are all wrapped into one user friendly package. Amazon could remove itself from the device building industry and license the “Fire” platform to device companies like HTC or LG to build devices while still retaining the content delivery profits. They would most likely need to remove the traces of Android from their new operating system, or work out a patent licensing deal with Google for use of their version of Android.
     
    Could Amazon boldly become a Quasi-Wireless Carrier?
     
    Still another option for the retail giant would be to purchase large amounts of mobile data from wireless providers or wholesalers and bundle it with the digital delivery to provide “free” downloads of music or video. There is already a cost difference between SD and HD digital video; the additional bandwidth cost could be built right into the price of the video. It wouldn’t be the first time that they provided free data for downloading purchased content.
     
    Several models of Kindle have included a 3G radio for downloading books onto the device (but any other data usage was limited to WiFi only.) They could even start a MVNO with their device lineup. Customers of Amazon are normally looking for a bargain from a reputable name; just the Amazon name behind a prepaid or postpaid MVNO would sell plans thanks to their clout in the marketplace.
     
    Whatever direction Amazon decides to travel, they have struck success with a first generation device. This is a very difficult thing to do with the competition level as fierce as it is today. Apple owns the tablet market currently, but Amazon has certainly inserted itself near the top of the Android platform and has shown that their Fire platform is a major player in the tablet market.
     

     
     
    Sources: ReThink Wireless, ReThink Wireless, AllThingsD, IntoMobile.com
     
    Photos courtesy of CBS interactive and PC World.
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