red_dog007

Nothing to do anything about number of customers... How are they not on par with the big two? TMobile is crushing it for data in all the major markets. If TMobile can execute their 2017 coverage map goal, they will be on par with AT&T, which is considered to be in the same coverage league as VZW. So yes, TMobile will be in this club come 2018. https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/lte-comparison-map

And in terms of this, TMobile already does on many fronts. They constantly prove to be #1 in so many data tests. Verizon and TMobile are essentially #1/2 in terms of data speeds and they are the most constrained carriers in terms of spectrum. In terms of Coverage, TMobile continues to show us how they will be on par with VZW/AT&T soon and do continue to deliver with expanded coverage. TMobile is well on its way without Sprint to be equal to VZW/AT&T. So that is three strong nationwide carriers with Sprint still being a forth option if absolute total native coverage is less a concern. They are well on their way to provide fast speeds within existing coverage areas. Honestly, with a little stronger rural coverage and less dead zones TMobile will be the nations #2 carrier ahead of AT&T.

I also stated that they are raising prices for internet as well, and in TWC areas are actually reducing speeds. TWC was pretty much in an entire network upgrade with many areas done. Those done areas had access to speeds over 300Mbps, and now under Charter are being limited to 100Mbps. The areas in the process of upgrades are in limbo. People are fighting tooth and nail to keep their prices and higher speeds in these old TWC markets. Plus one of the many arguments of mergers is to reduce the cost of TV content due to greater bargaining power. Yet the first thing AT&T and Charter did was raise the cost of their TV content. This is also kind of the point I am making in a TMobile/Sprint deal that you pointed out. It will take time to merge the companies. Even more so for these carriers because they both are nationwide providers with greatly overlapping coverage. This will be capital taken out of CAPEX or still count towards CAPEX but used for merging purposes. While that happens, don't count on price decreases nor magically superior service. For Charter and TWC it has been 100% downhill 1yr later and they had no overlapping markets. DirecTV/ATT was fairly smooth due to nature of businesses, but there has been 0 savings here. The only way to save money is to bundle the services. TV services did not get cheaper at all outright for either DirecTV or UVerse customer. I was a DirecTV customer and my bills only continued to go up.

You would think this would be a easy merger for Charter to absorb TWC beings that they served different areas. But just Google it. Charter is raising prices in their own markets. Upgrades that TWC was conducting have been stopped. Charter is pulling back higher speeds / lower prices that TWC was offering in favor of their own slower more expensive offerings. Service quality is going down. Charter isn't meeting buildout obligations in the state of NY so are willing to take a penalty fee. They city of Lexington, KY is pressing Charter very hard right now due to poor service and high/increased prices. In this news report there is some revenue per customers here. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/08/charter-has-moved-millions-of-customers-to-new-and-often-higher-pricing/ You'd think more volume/customers = lower prices. But they are trying to increase revenue per customer. These mergers want you to think that more customers will lower prices, but when you are this big it is all about the money. They do the same thing for TV. "Oh, if we merge with another cable operator we have greater bargaining power to reduce the cost of channels" yet the first thing they do is up TV prices *looking at you AT&T/DirecTV! Sprint+TMobile will not lower prices at all. It will take a lot of time for the networks to fully merge together and redundant systems/towers removed, which will eat away at CAPEX. It will slow down all existing projects or completely stop them. And why even be concerned with buildout, being on par with VZW/ATT coverage? From TMobile's own reports/projections they should be on par with VZW coverage very shortly WITHOUT Sprint! And even with a spectrum disadvantage, they are practically #1 in terms of data speeds. There is a lot of spectrum out there to still be had for increased capacities if it was a real concern.

I don't think a merger will help consumers much. TMobile capex is $5b. Sprint might spend $5b. A merged company still could have $10b, but it will take years and a LOT of money to consolidate assets. There is going to be a lot of work, and a lot of money that will not go into making the network better, but making 2 networks 1. If you want to see a combined company make ProjectFi your carrier. Just look at some recent mergers. Charter is doing horrible. AT&T and DirecTV brought no value but just increased TV bills. Large acquisitions tend not to benefit the customers but more so investors and those on the board who get millions for making a deal happen. As an investor I can see the excitement, but not so much a customer.

Im supposed to be getting one due to lack of working MB. We shall see. Been a couple weeks since the dude said I'd get one.

So, made progress today on my MB. I decided to take it out of the box after it being in it for a couple weeks. After a couple days I noticed last night it is at 80%!!!! But damn, it's been there at least 12hrs at "Connecting LTE".

Seems like this was a long time coming. Not too surprising VZW is doing it. VZW should have made more clear on their LTE coverage map when you are not on native coverage, but if you check 3G or Prepaid it is clear where they roam. It isn't like these customers won't have an option. They will still have their regional provider who already provided their service.

Far as capex, cell site, blah. We have heard it all before. Real visiable action will be the sign. IMO Sprint is show us with Magic Box and MM deployments, so hopefully we can see expansion with Massive-MIMO, additional Macros, and and all three bands on all towers. If Sprint IS going to add 2000 sites, and they drop these around all of their Extend 3G/LTE roaming partners, those sites could go even further in terms of new coverage.

Im on the newer 2 for $110 unlimited, with $10 off with autopay. So $100. I get a work discount of $5/off per line. So $90 before taxes is my bill. Will the AAA discount stack? I hear its $5/off the primary line. And I remember a while back, Sprint was offering to pay for AAA, but I had already renewed my subscription a few months before. Are they still paying for AAA service?

Yeah, they might. This last unlimited plan, 2 for 100 with autopay including 10GB tether they did eventually allow current customers to switch over.

So, I hear there are more than 1 model out there? Is there an easy way to tell? Power brick maybe? My first MB has a 12V 5.5AMP power brick. The replacement MB has a 12V 5AMP brick.

Well, this is upsetting. Could be right. Port 22 is open, so a techs way in to check configs/logs. Call tomorrow and ask for a third one? It shouldn't have an issue connecting to a tower right? I have tried two towers and both boxes just time out. I tried my "old" MB today and it gave me an invalid SIM error so it was able to get deactivated.

Got a new MB the next freaking day! Dang Sprint! Really want peeps to have these. But... Same issue. Times Out at 20%. FML. Edit: The screen in now completely black, it appears unresponsive. AU-WiFi is broadcasting, I can connect but no internet. Is this a sign that it is doing it's thing, or that it's more messed up than my last?

It isn't all shinny. 2 lines went up $20 in price.

Another not uncarrier event. With 2 lines, Netflix costs $20/mo. Can't opt out of this "Netflix" fee.

You get a year warranty, so you got that. If you pay for insurance, you have that as well. Also, with how this has been an issue over many devices (and LG is getting sued), they will most likely just do it for free. My Nexus 5X was out of warranty and they fixed it for free.

So, I put in the RMA request this morning. Should get a new box in the next 3-5 days I guess. So, having my broken MB, it makes a WiFi signal called AU-WIFI. I can connect to it, but cause my box never gets a cellular signal the wifi off the MB has no internet. Is this wifi always there and can non-Sprint customers use it?

With TMobile standing up dual low-band antennas, you'll still be getting 700A if you can't hop onto 600. So that is good.

Well, someone said that they were told getting stuck at 20% could be a tower thing. So I will hold onto it for a little while. As far as the AU-Wifi. When the MB connects to the tower, is WiFi usable?

Would the MB have issues with certain towers maybe?

Mine's a paper weight

I'm trying to access an interface beyond the display. At the very least be able to read some logs. Doesn't require any fancy management tools with SSH open. Just the right authentication... Yesterday it was plugged in all night at the same window. Today I have been able to move it to a few new locations. It is at a new window doing the same thing for the night. Are a lot of these having problems?

So... Mine isn't working. 3 Windows, even outside this thing will not get past Device Initialization at 20%. I get roughly -100dBm throughout my entire house on B25. The WiFi stopped worked, I was able to get that back after several restarts, shutdowns and unplugging it. Log in, no internet there. Can't access the gateway. I ran a port scan, and only port 22 is open. Can't log in there either, tried a few basic standard default user/pass combos. Nothing. Under Other Information "SW Version" it does say "Waiting" and below that "60.6.35.0". Not sure if this is trying to pull an update or something. It's really disappointing that it isn't working. Having to send it back sounds like a bear. Another ideas before I have a very large and heavy paper weight?

I plugged mine in and it's stuck at 20%. Tried a reboot. Gets to 20%, stays there forever and times outs. It's next to wind, my phone gets roughly -100dBm on B25 there. Do I have a base unit? When I get home I'm going to unplug it for a minute and plug it back in. See if that helps. Also relocate it. Maybe that window is putting off some bad juju.