RedSpark

Other companies already had backhaul in place as directed by forward thinking management. Other companies had better permitting departments having more capable executives/management. Other companies had (and have) adequate funding to do what needs doing. Sprint Zone is our recourse for reporting issues, but I hope Sprint still keeps that Top Ten **** List for its worst performing sites: http://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-how-to-fix-sprint/

That makes sense. If it resulted in cost savings as a result of ending unnecessary leases was one thing I was considering, but what you're saying makes sense.

So much for those Sprint chainsaw ads: Sheathe your sword, NAD tells Sprint to halt its 50% off ads

All about Sprint's 5G Demonstration in Santa Clara, CA Sprint Demonstrates 5G at Copa América Centenario Awesome!

So it's funding or equipment shortages?

That would be awesome... and it's the kind of thing Masa would do to sneak up on the competition like that. If so, Marcelo and Tarek have held a complete poker face this whole time.

Just posted: Paving the Road to 5G By Dr. Jonn Saw, CTO, Sprint

Isn't it too late for that? I don't see SoftBank listed on the Auction Website: http://wireless.fcc.gov/auctions/default.htm?job=auctions_home 5/12/2016 PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 16-503) 99 Applications to Participate in the Forward Auction (Auction 1002) of the Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction Deemed to Be Complete. Link: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-16-503A1.pdf Attachment A: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-16-503A2.pdf Attachment B: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-16-503A3.pdf Perhaps SoftBank is bidding as a different-named entity? Marcelo (CEO) and Tarek (CFO) have repeatedly said on multiple occasions that Sprint wouldn't be participating in the 600 MHz Auction... Of course, that leaves the window open for SoftBank to participate. It's still a mystery to me why Sprint signed onto that effort with T-Mobile to boost the Spectrum Reserve if Sprint didn't wind up participating in the auction after all.

It follows on this news from May 16th: Sprint Names Exec Creative Director to Run New In-House Agency Go Sprint Go!

If it's due to a shortage of funds, SoftBank needs to send some of those billions in proceeds it got from the AliBabba sale over to a holding vehicle for Sprint to access. If it's due to permitting delays, then Sprint should put it towards cases of whiskey and watches.

It's got to be due to a shortage of funds or permitting delays.

This I agree with... and it showed in Sprint's 1st Half 2016 RootMetrics results for Washington DC in the "Network Speed" category: http://www.rootmetrics.com/en-US/rootscore/map/metro/washington-dc/2016/1H However, Sprint did really well on "Call Performance" and "Network Reliability", so I guess there's hope once they get those sites upgraded with Band 41. What's the hold up in DC as far as site upgrades? Permitting? Limited Funds? Or are other markets more of a priority?

It's not just speed, but signal propagation that the 8T8R antennas are also better at.

Right, but the newer 8T8R equipment has much better signal propagation and performance than the older Clear equipment. 3xCA is going to happen early next year, but there would be immediate performance gains from swapping the old gear out, even with the existing site density (which needs to be densified with small cells and other macro builds).

8T8R antennas have much better performance through Advanced Beamforming. John Saw blogged about this: To make a real difference, Sprint has to get 2.5 GHz on the rest of its footprint (remaining 30%: Source: Quarterly Investor Update (Page 6)), get 8T8R on as many towers as possible ASAP, get users upgraded to at the very least Triband devices, and even better 2xCA or 3xCA devices ASAP: Source: Quarterly Investor Update (Page 5) Honestly, if Softbank dropped the proceeds of the Alibaba sale at Sprint's feet now (Now $10 Billion), that would really help Sprint out on all of the above.

Sprint has to get those panels switched out as soon as possible if it wants to see its RootMetrics performance improve in NYC (and in other cities). The old Clearwire gear doesn't support 3xCA either.

Do you have a link to where he said that? Interested to read more about that.

Sprint has this info I'm sure. Super proprietary no doubt.

Hopefully the densification increases the time devices spend on Band 41 and 2xCA (and 3xCA eventually). However, Sprint also has to push out more Triband Devices and CA-Capable Devices to users. The numbers for these were on Page 5 of the recent Quarterly Investor Update for Q4 2015: It's not just the network. It's the devices too. (Some of which Sprint can't control... looking at you Apple for the "non-CA capable" iPhone SE)

Good points. John Saw blogged about this here:

The graph associated with that news article shows how much progress sprint has made in two years: Sprint was definitely in a rough patch in 2014.

Anybody here planning on going to the 5G Demo at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA tomorrow? If so, can you take pics/vids?

Going Broke Slowly: A Guide to Sprint’s $33 Billion Debt Dilemma http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-01/going-broke-slowly-a-guide-to-sprint-s-33-billion-debt-dilemma Sprint is hit pretty hard in this piece. Of course Moffett puts in his two cents.

In many cases for those other carriers, the backhaul was already in place because the investment was made a while ago. Sprint didn't make a similar investment in backhaul way back when (under Forsee, etc.)... so here we are. One of my favorite expressions: "If we don't change direction soon, we'll wind up where we're going". Hopefully Sprint kicks things into high gear this summer.

I am too! Hopefully the iPhone 7 has 3xCA support. It would be a real let down if it doesn't. I imagine it would have it though. iPhone SE as Triband. iPhone 6s as 2xCA. iPhone 7 as 3xCA.