Conan Kudo

Most people like Google. Most don't like Verizon.

The CDMA network is gone, as of the end of the second quarter of 2014. All the information about the CDMA network and the CDMA->GSM transition pages are gone. The Unefon brand (which was used for CDMA in the past) has been relaunched as a GSM/UMTS operator. Iusacell is planning on launching LTE in the first quarter of 2015 now. It doesn't affect Verizon, since they switched Iusacell roaming to GSM/UMTS back in the fourth quarter of last year, like they did with Telus at the beginning of last year.

It's much more beneficial for SoftBank because Iusacell is a GSM/UMTS/LTE operator. If SoftBank takes a stake in it, then it can synchronize and expand procurement operations for network gear and devices between the two companies much more than it can with Sprint and itself.

That's beside the point. Google Fiber is a threat to TWC there. Also, if TWC/CMCSA is killed, then TWC will be incentivized to move faster on DOCSIS to compete against the specter of Google Fiber. TWC has lost massive share in Kansas City in Google Fiberhoods, and they don't want to see that happen in NYC. Comcast has the same fear in some of the places they operate against new fiber providers (C Spire, etc.).

Another key point to keep in mind is that T-Mobile's CAPEX is not expected to go down within the next 18 months. If it stays flat (as they've been saying for the last couple quarters), then it is effectively a capex raise compared to the business plan that T-Mobile pitched back in 2012. And T-Mobile is gradually growing its 700MHz footprint in order to have an alternative to the increasingly dicey 600MHz auction. Sprint itself underwent a massive 10 year program (that is just now nearing completion) to make its ESMR spectrum usable for cellular services. And T-Mobile is periodically selling bonds to refinance its debt and de-lever faster than it would organically. Of course, most people don't focus on this aspect of the bond raising. Sprint does this too (though much less often), and it is foolish not to do it, especially since both are not considered junk stock (meaning selling bonds isn't usually difficult). As both companies grow (yes, I do mean grow; I want to see Sprint eat Verizon's lunch!), we'll see the financials improve as the cost is spread across more customers and absorbed by higher total revenues.

Well, there are rumors that Google has been negotiating with NYC about adding it to the Google Fiber expansion, but we'll have to wait and see if anything comes out of that.

Yeah, I know, but FiOS and U-verse territories are unusual. They existed before the Gigabit fiber thing, and their motives are different (replacing existing copper lines). I'm talking about fiber deployments like EPB, Google Fiber, C Spire Fiber, et al, who exist for the purpose of being actually competitive.

The Doctor

General Practitioner

The CDMA network used to be bigger (ACS ran the network before merging its spectrum and towers with GCI's GSM/UMTS/LTE network to form the AWN joint venture), but most of it has been turned off to make room for UMTS and LTE. More of the ACS CDMA network is being turned off all the time, since ACS is now selling GSM/UMTS/LTE devices. The AWN CDMA network is basically a skeleton network that operates in a portion of ACS' wireline footprint. The other CDMA network in the state belongs to MTA (Matanuska Telephone Association), but only covers small rural areas. In fact, MTA has halted CDMA spending to focus on Verizon LTEiRA 4G deployment. MTA will also discontinue selling CDMA wireless service to customers in favor of using the Verizon Wireless brand with LTE-only service.

I think the difference this time is the threat of fiber internet service in several big MSO territories. I suspect that will speed things up considerably.

It's quite likely that DOCSIS 3.1 cable modems will also support DOCSIS 3.0 with 16 downstream channels and 8 upstream channels. So for that reason, waiting for DOCSIS 3.1 modems to roll out next year makes sense, because you'll still gain the advantages of a DOCSIS 3.0 16x8 cable modem, you'll just be more future proof.

Realistically, eight channels is likely to be the maximum that any DOCSIS provider will set up per user downlink on cable. And like smartphones, cable modems are driven by MSO requests. Very few (if any) DOCSIS providers requested modems with 16x8, so only one actually exists (Arris' modem). DOCSIS 3.1 will be different because it will pack more bandwidth into the same number of channels (or use fewer channels to provide the same bandwidth). And the spec was finalized earlier this year. It makes complete sense for DOCSIS 3.1 compatible cable modems to come out next year, because they know there will be demand for it.

Personally, I would recommend buying the T-Mobile ASUS TM-AC1900 router. It's basically an RT-AC68U for half the price. They'll sell it to anyone (just say you're a prepaid customer if they ask). I'll vouch for the RT-AC68U (which I currently use) as a totally fantastic router worth having. If you can swing the 25% accessories discount coupon (CLASSACC25) through T-Mobile telesales (sometimes you can, sometimes you can't), then you can get the router for $75 instead of $99. In either case, it's a bargain and definitely worth getting. I've stopped trusting Motorola modems since Arris took over. They've not been as reliable for me. I swapped out my Motorola SB6141 for a uBee DDM3521 at my home. My brother has had his Motorola SB6180 swapped out for a ZyXEL CDA30360 in his college apartment. We're now getting much better experiences on our broadband connections. I see that Time Warner (like Metrocast in my brother's college town) doesn't appear to support the uBee like Comcast does where I live now. So the ZyXEL (which is supported by Time Warner) would be a good choice. The ZyXEL modem+TM-AC1900 runs you ~$175 if you can't get the coupon to work. If you can get the coupon to work, it's only ~$155. The uBee modem+TM-AC1900 runs you $159 without the coupon. With the coupon, it's only $139. With new DOCSIS 3.1 cable modems coming out next year, it's worth holding onto your money for now and not spending it on a 16x4 Arris SB6183 that you're not going to get your money's worth out of, anyway.

Cement blocks

I thought Sprint roamed on Open Mobile? Claro hasn't been a CDMA/EvDO network in years (América Móvil converted it to GSM/UMTS after acquiring the network from Verizon in 2006).

You know as well as I do that waiting for solving the security problem isn't altruistic, it's simply good business sense. Especially in this day and age, people are increasingly aware of security problems and taking companies to task about it. And in an competitive environment, no one can afford to screw up like that. Of course, Comcast isn't in a competitive environment, so they don't care. I do think there are some interesting opportunities there. I didn't think about the Globalstar 2.4GHz spectrum, but you're right that it would be an interesting way to go about Wi-Fi powered small cells.