RedSpark

That is an ignorant thing to say on at least two counts.  First, 3 dBm is 2 mW.  So, that is something.  But, second, that is not what you actually intend.  You really mean 3 dB, not 3 dBm.  And you still think that 3 dB is "nothing"?  Is the difference between two scoops of ice cream and four scoops of ice cream "nothing"?  Is the difference between $100 and $200 "nothing"?  Is the difference between 60 mph and 120 mph "nothing"?  Those are all 3 dB differences.

 

AJ

When Paul is in the new "man on the street" commercial, he says Sprint's reliability is now within 1% of Verizon, based on recent data from Nielsen. How big/comparable is this difference relative to your statements about dB?

Meanwhile, in large parts of the Metro system in Washington DC, Verizon (and all the other carriers) still lack LTE.  I think the completion date for that is like 2020 or something now.  And given Metro's record, I won't expect to see it before 2025.

 

- Trip

Check out the WMATA Reports here: http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/general_manager/gm_plan.cfm

Customer Accountability Report (http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/general_manager/performance/CARe.pdf?) dated June 30th, item #4:

 

Actions: Publish schedule detailing when tunnel segments are activated for telecom providers to offer cell service

 

Status: Issue activation plan to public summer 2016.

 

So we'll see.

I would hate to see what happens when the battery dies on the flying COW.  Another Chick-Fil-A commercial of COW's falling from the sky? 

Would a Goodyear Blimp be a better solution for a flying COW?

No.  Do you lose coverage when you are moving 70 mph in a car?

 

AJ

I guess not!

I was assuming it was fed by some kind of wireless backhaul (probably not wired) that would require it to be in a certain orientation.

AT&T wants to put cellular network equipment on drones, flying COWs (cell on wings)

http://www.theverge.com/2016/7/13/12171974/att-cell-drones-flying-cows?utm_campaign=theverge&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

They'll need one heck of a stability system on the drone right if it's sending out signal, right? Will you lose coverage with a wind gust that moves it?

Doesnt mention roaming. Hmmm

Perhaps the same roaming terms apply?

The video quality limits? I don't remember that as part of the old unlimited.

 

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

They aren't enforced with strict bitrate limits on the existing unlimited plans. For this new plan, there are explicitly stated bitrate limits for audio and video content.

Sprint does video optimization on existing unlimited plans. See the Terms & Conditions: https://sprint.com/legal/open_internet_information.html

Does Sprint employ any type of data compression or optimization on the Sprint network today?

Yes, Sprint deploys network optimization capabilities for video and web traffic on the Sprint Wireless Network. Intent is to improve overall user experience and increase network efficiency. Optimization helps improve page load times and reduces video stalling. The optimization technology provides for the elimination of wasted data transmissions that result from lack of coordination between applications, network, and device, for example stopping transmission of video after a customer has stopped viewing it. It also matches media transmission quality to the capability of the device viewing the media.

What specific types of optimization does Sprint employ?

Video optimization is deployed for RTSP and HTTP video traffic and all HTTP web traffic. Video optimization is always deployed and active on the Sprint network for all identifiable video traffic.  Although the purpose of the optimization techniques is to improve overall video viewing experience, it is possible that some users may experience minor discernable reductions in image quality when viewing video traffic on certain devices.  These reductions should generally be offset by improvement s in load times and reductions in video stalling and other experience improvements.  Sprint’s video optimization uses four basic technologies:

• Video Delivery Synchronization: Delivers video "just in time" to the mobile device. Intent is to eliminate network waste associated with transmitting video that isn't watched.
• Quality Aware Transcoding: Matches video quality with network conditions in real time. Optimizes video for the bandwidth available to the user. Intent is to minimize or eliminate annoying video stalling. Similar in concept to the optimization techniques already employed by sites using adaptive streaming.
• Video Transcoding: Transcodes video with intent to optimize the video experience for the user while efficiently using network bandwidth. Provides for the elimination of video waste using techniques like replacing less efficient video codecs with more efficient ones. Optimizes video for the mobile device the customer is using.
• Intelligent Caching: Caches optimized video in the network with the intent of eliminating delay associated with internet video sites.

Some streaming video applications employ adaptive bitrate protocol to stream video. These applications automatically and continuously monitor the available bandwidth and adjust the streaming video bitrate to current user conditions. Depending on available bandwidth, users may notice differences in video streaming quality as the application adjusts the video streaming bitrate to account for changing channel conditions.

What specific types of web optimization does Sprint employ?

Web optimization is deployed for all HTTP web traffic and is always deployed and active on the Sprint network for all identifiable web traffic. Although the purpose of the optimization techniques is to improve overall web viewing experience, it is possible that some users may experience minor discernable reductions in image quality when viewing web traffic on certain devices.  These reductions should generally be offset by improvement s in load times and other experience improvements.  Web optimization uses three basic technologies:

• Caching: Caches web pages to help avoid delays associated with retrieval of the same internet content multiple times.
• Text/Binary Compression: Lossless compression of data and binary files using standard compression techniques supported by HTTP-compliant browsers.
• Image Compression: JPEG and GIF compression designed to reduce the size of images while maintaining no user perceptible loss of quality

Right I know that. I'm saying just from the basis of coming out with newer plans around the time Verizon made their announcement officially minus the rumors.

 

What really sets these new plans apart from the current full blown unlimited for $75?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6s+ using Tapatalk

The audio/video optimization.

It just seems like an unlimited price decrease. I'm trying to figure out what the trade-offs are. I'll switch to this if it doesn't mean I'll lose my tethering.

 

Also how did you find this? It's not on their homepage and not on their newsroom site.

Some friends of mine in Boston told me about it and sent me the link.

Does it offer 3GB of tethering? I never knew how much I'd use tethering until I got it.

Doesn't appear to on the surface. Anyone here from Milwaukee or Boston?

Wait so if I'm reading this right music and video is free now? Outside of that it seems as though that little announcement Verizon made about carry over data and being able to use data past your limit without being charged a overage has Sprint and Tmobile a little shook because this is the fastest I've seen them react to anything.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6s+ using Tapatalk

Verizon's Safety Mode data is at 128kbps.

This isn't that.

Well this is new: Unlimited Freedom Plan

$60/Month for Line 1

$40/Month for Line 2

$25/Month for Lines 3-10

 

No more worrying about running out of data or surprise overage charges. With Sprint’s Unlimited Freedom Plan, you get two lines of unlimited data, talk and text for only $100/mo. Or, you can get one line for just $60/mo. All while on the Sprint Network.

Enjoy unlimited optimized streaming videos and music, and unlimited 4G LTE data for everything else. (Streaming may be optimized with video streams at up to 480p+ resolution and music streams at extreme quality – at up to 500kbps)

 

Streaming may be optimized with video streams at up to 480p+ resolution and music streams at extreme quality (at up to 500kbps). All while on the Sprint Network. Data deprioritization applies during times of congestion. Other monthly charges apply.** Offer available for limited time in Milwaukee and Boston.

I wonder what's happening here with this:

Sprint, Ericsson mum as time apparently winds down on milestone network outsourcing pact

I would love to see those Verizon/Sprint porting ratios...

Marcelo spoke quite assertively about these metrics not too long ago in response to a Verizon executive: https://twitter.com/marceloclaure/status/751135579161571329

Last time I was in Cross County mall only B25/26 super congested, needs more density.

Time for some of those CommScope small cells to be deployed there: http://www.commscope.com/NewsCenter/PressReleases/CommScope-to-Provide-Sprint-with-Small-Cells-for-In-building-Wireless/

EDIT: He beat me to it!

Once they started doing the two for one deal on the Samsungs that pretty much killed the resale value.

I imagine Sprint had to do this in order to move them out the door. If they were actually selling well, Sprint wouldn't have had to.

But I knew the resale value of a Samsung phone was a lot lower than an iPhone before they started Galaxy Forever.  Shouldn't they have know that before they started it?

I'm sure Sprint made some assumptions on paper going forward and had a range of sustainability factors for the program.

Once the actual reality/execution sufficiently deviated from those assumptions/factors, Sprint pulled the plug.

The resale value of a Samsung is not as high as an iPhone. They were probably losing money on them.

If Sprint killed the program after just 4 months, the resale projections must have been way lower than what Sprint anticipated.

Given his knowledge and experience from Brightstar, Marcelo probably swooped in there and pulled the plug on the program himself.

This didn't take long. Must have not done well for the bottom line

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/sprint-quietly-drops-galaxy-forever-upgrade-program-after-just-four-months/2016-07-07

You can still do annual upgrades on Galaxy Devices by paying a $5/month Early Upgrade Fee for 12 Payments. (This fee was reduced from $10/month.)

As you can see in these FAQ's, this applies to Leases and Monthly Installments for Galaxy Devices.

End of an era....

Ottendorfer seems like he loves to talk a lot about network, and what is possible with the Sprint spectrum, very optimistic guy. Saw in the other hand likes to keep it short and simple, and only comes out when RootMetrics or any other publication release a positive Sprint article. 

I agree. I do wish both of them directly engaged with users on Twitter.

There is some really cool info in there. How he discussed the microwave network, moving the dial on low/mid/high band up past 11 and sharing about the tests. Good to have an intelligent hand on the network with lots of experience. They were soaked in a tad of corporate speakvaguetry. S is still holding the cards tight; but good to see the C suite meeting some press. Maybe it is just the utility of the internets, but it seems like this kind of interview happens more often than it used to. Watching Dan work to get an answer out of the buzzwords was amusing; "The telecom market loves acronyms" -asks specific plans about acronyms. I like that guy. Thanks for the share.

 

PROTIP: If you are having trouble with the gentleman's accent in parts like I unfortunately did, do not turn on CC seeking clarity. My laptop is covered in diet soda after drink-lolwuting at the attempted caption. ymmv

What this video tells me is that Günther Ottendorfer (COO, Technology) and Dr. John Saw (CTO) should be on Twitter to engage with people about Sprint's progress and to take feedback.

Neville Ray (T-Mobile's CTO) is on Twitter (https://twitter.com/nevilleray) and actively engages with customers about network questions, issues and feedback. Have a look at his Tweets/Replies, and it's clear that customers like engaging with him, and that he likes engaging with them.

Sprint needs to put these "C suite" people out front so that we as customers can engage with them.

I like that he said and I quote "There will be 4x carrier aggregation"

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

Dr. John Saw, Sprint's CTO has previously said (November 17, 2015):

Our new LTE Plus network using LTE Advanced technology is a significant differentiator for Sprint and our customers. It’s also the foundation on which we will roll out more LTE Advanced capabilities such as 3/4/5-channel carrier aggregation, higher order MIMO and more advanced beamforming, seamless WiFi integration and more.

Fantastic interview with Günther Ottendorfer, Sprint's COO of Technology, about 5G and what lies ahead for Sprint's network densification plans: