RedSpark

Hopefully the S10 launches with VoLTE enabled... I’ve had a good experience with VoLTE on my iPhone XS in the DC area so far.

If this has any bearing on things...

https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/sprint-cfo-robbiati-600-mhz-spectrum-past According to the prior CFO (Date: November 30, 2016): “We did not participate in the 600 MHz (auction) not because we didn’t have money at the time, or we were under-resourced for it,” he said. “It is simply spectrum that is spectrum of the past. The world is moving toward high-capacity wireless data networks, and in that world the best and most efficient spectrum that is needed for that… is mid-band spectrum, the spectrum that we have, the 2.5 GHz spectrum.” Assuming he's being truthful here, Sprint's non-participation in the auction wasn't due to a lack of money. Robbiati also noted that the TV broadcasters’ airwaves currently up for grabs may not be available for several years. The FCC has issued a 39-month repacking plan for that spectrum, enabling the broadcasters to move to other airwaves while their former spectrum is reshuffled for wireless use. “Why invest in 600 MHz spectrum if that spectrum doesn’t really cater for the future, and also it’s spectrum you cannot deploy for four years?” Robbiati asked rhetorically. “And it doesn’t have an ecosystem in support as widespread as 2.5 spectrum, which is the largest ecosystem in the world.” Based on T-Mobile's progress on 600 MHz to date, he seems like he was incorrect on this.

I don't know if Sprint will go out of business, but without a substantial cash/capital infusion from Banks/Bonds/SoftBank, it seems Sprint will be relegated to being an Urban 5G Carrier with essentially the same 4G footprint it has now (subject to roaming agreements) unless any of those native coverage expansion projects are still happening. (Are they?) Personally, I don't support the merger because I want to preserve competition in the postpaid carrier space, and I believe having only three carriers with a combined Sprint/T-Mobile is insufficient for doing that. Of course, Sprint's decision to not participate in the 600 MHz auction has put it in the position of trying to deploy 2.5 GHz nationwide economically, which sounds eerily similar to what Sprint has said about its competitors' deployments of MMwave: https://www.lightreading.com/mobile/5g/sprint-says-no-to-mmwave-yes-to-mobile-5g/d/d-id/739592 Sprint's CTO said Wednesday that he is not sure that using millimeter waves to deliver 5G services is a practical economic use of the high-band spectrum and that Sprint will be focusing on using its existing bandwidth to deploy 5G, at least initially. "What is the cost to deliver a bit over millimeter waves? Where is the business case on that?" John Saw asked at the Citi conference in Las Vegas.

Here’s the timeline on Sprint’s lawsuit against AT&T’s use of “5G E”: https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2019/02/19/at-t-will-move-faster-than-hoped-on-sprint-5g.html

So if this merger fails to go through, SoftBank is in a real fix. In its effort to merge with T-Mobile, Masa wound up having to relinquish Sprint being the majority owner of the combined entity... and now it's facing the reality of spending much more than it would have had to spend on deploying 5G nationwide than if it had some 600 MHz spectrum to help with it.

Marcelo laid it on pretty thick: https://www.kcur.org/post/clouds-gathering-over-sprint-t-mobile-deal-opposition-gets-louder#stream/0 ...... "It's impossible to compete," Claure said. He painted a bleak picture of Sprint if the merger fails to go through, saying it won't be able to offer service to rural customers and will only build a limited 5G (next generation) network. "Unfortunately, as you know, Sprint doesn't generate any cash flow," Claure said. "And if we gotta build this network on our own, we need to spend between $20 billion and $25 billion. We're going to have to go to the banks, we’re going to have to go to the bond markets." .... He’s painting a grim picture, but $20-25 Billion from the Banks/Bond Markets seems doable given SoftBank’s ownership. I’m not getting the fear factor here. Why SoftBank/Marcelo had Sprint completely pass on the 600 MHz auction to leave it all for T-Mobile is beyond me, especially since one of major justifications Marcelo is making for the merger is that Sprint lacks nationwide low-band spectrum. As I imagine it, Sprint’s $20-25 Billion figure would be less if it had the deployment efficiencies of 600 MHz spectrum. T-Mobile spent $7.99 Billion on 600 MHz: https://www.t-mobile.com/news/tmobile-spectrum-auction-win Sprint could have afforded this, or ar least fraction of it for a nationwide footprint. Now we’re hearing $20-25 Billion. Sprint boxed itself into deploying 2.5 GHz nationwide, which is much more costly, or merging with T-Mobile.... and it chose merging.

Yup: https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/sprint-cfo-robbiati-600-mhz-spectrum-past Sprint pushed for a larger Spectrum Reserve in the 600 MHz Auction, alongside T-Mobile/Dish: https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/t-mobile-sprint-and-dish-push-for-40-mhz-spectrum-reserve-600-mhz-auction As far as collusion goes, I have my suspicions there was, and I do believe Sprint’s ensuring a reserve and then bowing out of the auction was a long risky play for a T-Mobile Merger.

Believe him? https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/congress-challenges-t-mobile-sprint-merits-merger While Claure said Sprint is “no longer in dire financial straits,” he told lawmakers the company cannot upgrade its network on its own because it lacks low-band spectrum and capital. Claure testified that Sprint would need up to $25 billion to build a 5G network as a standalone company, and without positive cash flow the company would have to take on more debt and raise prices to pay off that debt.

House Energy & Commerce Committee Hearing on Wednesday: https://energycommerce.house.gov/committee-activity/hearings/hearing-on-protecting-consumers-and-competition-an-examination-of-the-t Legere’s Written Testimony: https://energycommerce.house.gov/sites/democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/files/documents/LegereJ_Testimony2.pdf Marcelo’s Written Testimony: https://energycommerce.house.gov/sites/democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/files/documents/ClaureM_Testimony.pdf ........ House Judiciary Committee Hearing on Thursday: https://judiciary.house.gov/legislation/hearings/state-competition-wireless-market-examining-impact-proposed-merger-t-mobile-and

5G can be a real differentiator for Sprint. Hopefully it’s a rapid and wide deployment.

Dr. Saw bringing the hashtag heat... Good on him for doing this! There’s inherent brand value in 5G for Sprint that’s worth protecting.

Another interesting article: https://www.mobilesportsreport.com/2019/02/super-bowl-53-smashes-wi-fi-record-with-24-tb-of-traffic-at-mercedes-benz-stadium/ Very detailed stats on Wi-Fi usage and the “take rate”. Verizon also implemented Wi-Fi offloading: “autoconnect in play”

Here’s Dr. Saw’s take on Sprint’s lawsuit against AT&T:

Anyone at the auto show? I hope we see Massive MIMO at more event venues. It made a huge difference at the Super Bowl. Link: https://newsroom.sprint.com/sprint-scores-for-big-game.htm In fact, several massive MIMO sites carried on average 80 percent of the data traffic inside the stadium.

Good on Sprint for protecting the integrity of what 5G is, and for protecting its own brand value. AT&T pulled these shenanigans once before with “4G” on the iPhone 4s. Link: https://www.macworld.com/article/1165768/ios_5_1_update_brings_4g_label_to_iphone_4s_on_atandts_network.html

Plan ahead! 😀 2020: South Florida, Hard Rock Stadium, Super Bowl 54 2021: Tampa, Raymond James Stadium, Super Bowl 55 2022: Los Angeles, Los Angeles Stadium, Super Bowl 56 2023: Glendale, University of Phoenix Stadium, Super Bowl 57 2024: New Orleans, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Super Bowl 58

Here’s Sprint’s stats: https://newsroom.sprint.com/sprint-scores-for-big-game.htm

Sprint is likely aware of the tower load through Glance and other network tools, but it could be a good idea to report the issue in the My Sprint App. If the local network team can make a case for Massive MIMO and there’s available funds, it’ll likely get upgraded at some point. Unless there’s a merger, in which case it could get eventually deprecated in favor of the T-Mobile gear.

Aside from upgrading to Massive MIMO, what’s the solution here? Another fill-in site?

I’m asking specifically about the 800 MHz rebanding. Would another carrier have been able to get public safety entities off of 800 MHz faster than Sprint has/did? If you ask me, Sprint should have participated in the 600 MHz auction. T-Mobile has been rolling that out at an incredible pace... and Sprint could have done the same. Of course, one of Sprint’s justifications for the merger is that it lacks low band spectrum.... go figure.

What would another carrier have done differently? As for 2xCA, that’s a good question.

https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/102012121602372/800 MHz Monthly Report for FEB 1 2019 replacement.pdf Some substantial progress on the 800 MHz front.