RedSpark

Wasn't aware of this. Has anyone asked Günther about it?

What's the issue with the S8? It supports all of Sprint's network bands and is an HPUE device. True, it's not Gigabit on Sprint, but Sprint hasn't widely deployed its Gigabit network as far as I know. Using an HTC U11, which is Gigabit on Sprint, wouldn't have made a significant difference I imagine.

Sprint Expands in Southern California with 78 New Retail Stores Creating More Than 550 Jobs http://investors.sprint.com/news-and-events/press-releases/press-release-details/2017/Sprint-Expands-in-Southern-California-with-78-New-Retail-Stores-Creating-More-Than-550-Jobs/default.aspx

That's good news. We could definitely use some of those here.

Networks are never finished. They continually improve with new technology, but this PC Mag report shows Sprint's performance disparity, and it's not by a little bit. They used Galaxy S8's, and that's what the performance was. Hopefully the next report is better. We'll see what Marcelo says at the next Earnings report call, but it's got to get better than this.

It's unclear how much is really happening network-wise. When I look at the excellent maps here and see changes, that's encouraging, but it's a bit painful honestly to see how many areas still have 3G towers or no 800 MHz/2.5 GHz deployed. This isn't a short term fix. A tremendous amount of work remains to be done. Magic Boxes aren't shipping until late summer per the status page. (https://www.sprint.com/content/Sprint/sprint_com/us/en/shop/services/magic-box/status.html) The AIRAVE 3 has yet to be officially announced, and I'm sure it will help substantially once deployed. Combine that with Marcelo's CapEx remarks that seem at odds with what's actually happening. It almost seems like this MIMO press release was designed to counter the PC Mag Results, even if Günther's trip there was planned well ahead of time. It just feels a bit stalled out. I can't describe it.

Sprint and Samsung Test Massive MIMO Technology in South Korea http://newsroom.sprint.com/news-releases/sprint-and-samsung-test-massive-mimo-technology-in-south-korea.htm "During field testing in Suwon, Massive MIMO Samsung radios, equipped with vertical and horizontal beam-forming technology, reached peak speeds of 330 Mbps per channel using a 20 MHz channel of 2.5 GHz spectrum. Capacity per channel increased about four times, cell edge performance increased three times, and overall coverage area improved as compared to current radios." And.... "In cities across the U.S., Sprint plans to deploy Massive MIMO radios with 128 antenna elements (64T64R) using its 2.5 GHz spectrum to increase capacity up to eight times. In March, Sprint was the first U.S. carrier to debut Gigabit Class LTE on a live commercial network in New Orleans. There Sprint used three-channel carrier aggregation and 60 MHz of 2.5 GHz spectrum, in combination with 4X4 MIMO and 256-QAM higher order modulation, to achieve Category 16 LTE download data speeds on a TDD network. With Massive MIMO radios using 64T64R, Sprint has the ability to push capacity beyond 1 Gbps to reach 3-6 Gbps per sector." Sounds great.

I never understood Sprint's strategy in doing this, unless the long term plan back then was for a merger with T-Mobile.

T-Mobile finished ahead of Sprint (but not by much at all) in Kansas City: http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/technology/article156990849.html Still a commendable performance by Sprint given funding limitations.

Perhaps the long term play to merge with T-Mobile factors in: why spend money on something you'd get to use after the merger? T-Mobile focuses on 600 MHz. Sprint focuses on 2.5 GHz. Merger creates a spectrum behemoth.

Marcelo was asked the question straight out and this is the answer he gave. I understand the desire to maintain a certain company position, but I agree with you that he's stretching credibility in his remarks.

It's easy to forget that WiMAX was supported by some heavy hitters like Intel, Google and Comcast. Even Apple was on the path to a WiMAX iPhone. Qualcomm had a competing standard, and it allegedly bribed Apple not to do it: https://www.theverge.com/2017/1/17/14303910/qualcomm-allegedly-bribed-apple-wimax-iphone-ft-complaint So that's where things are.

Despite what he said, Marcelo really put the brakes on things as far as CapEx and put his regional managers in the position of justifying each requested dollar. Marcelo discussed this at this conference: Sprint's CEO Marcelo Claure Presents at J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Telecom Conference (Transcript) $S http://www.seekingalpha.com/article/4075474 Phil Cusick I guess, it’s only four years, I apologies. Seems like longer, so, and yet, we really haven’t seen that big push with capital and now you are talking about doubling CapEx this year. Is that enough? Is it -- can you really drive the business faster or is there still level of capital constrains that you feel like which don’t have the money to really drive as fast as we like? Marcelo Claure So that’s a huge misconception. We have never had a capital constrain as it relates to spending CapEx. What -- we were always challenge with, I says, is there really a need to spend as much as everybody else to create a great network experience and I think that’s a huge misconception of the industry that you set up a cap and I have seen even in -- within my team, you set up a CapEx budget and then people fight hard to go spend that money. And in many cases without need or they go by gear or they try to do unnatural things in order to basically hit that CapEx number. Marcelo continued with additional comments. Definitely worth a read. So that explains things in-part I guess. Fresno isn't high on the list.

Hopefully things continue to improve in Milwaukee: http://newsroom.sprint.com/news-releases/sprint-illuminates-milwaukee-with-hundreds-of-network-enhancements-38-new-stores-and-sprints-1million-project-to-connect-milwaukee-public-schools-students.htm Network improvements sound good, but I'm still not convinced that more points of retail presence are necessary. Takes away from CapEx funds in my opinion.

Yeah, it's working for me on iOS.

Seems like My Sprint Mobile is working again.

Sprint's CFO specifically responded to this: http://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/sprint-cfo-robbiati-600-mhz-spectrum-past ---- That—and not a lack of cash—is why Sprint opted not to participate, Robbiati said during an investors conference. “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.” ---- Ultimately, not participating freed up funds to pay off debt and deploy current Spectrum holdings.

T-Mobile is rolling out 600 MHz Spectrum this summer: https://newsroom.t-mobile.com/news-and-blogs/t-mobiles-new-600-mhz-network-rollout-begins-this-summer.htm Even though the FCC set a 39-month repacking plan for the 600 MHz airwaves recently sold at auction to give TV broadcasters time to move off that spectrum onto other channels, this seems very quick. I remember when Tarek Robbiati explained Sprint's decision not to participate in the auction: http://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/sprint-cfo-robbiati-600-mhz-spectrum-past ---------- “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.” 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.” --------- Is T-Mobile running ahead of schedule or was this deployment schedule expected all along?

That would be interesting to know. I'm looking forward to the "Hey DC" graphic.

Sprint's Regional Market Twitter Feeds. For example, Salt Lake City, Utah: https://twitter.com/Sprint4Utah/status/874299656355946496

There isn't a Gigabit network deployed anywhere yet I don't think. New Orleans, maybe? This review for the HTC U11 said this: http://www.pcmag.com/news/353698/htc-u11-is-sprints-first-gigabit-phone "At launch, the U11 will be the fastest phone on Sprint's network, but the carrier isn't playing up the U11's gigabit capabilities because it hasn't built out much of that network yet. Gigabit speeds will roll out over the next 12 months, at which point there will be several Sprint phones on the market capable of running at maximum speed, Sprint execs told me." If I had to choose between HPUE or Gigabit LTE right now, give me HPUE. Just Apple doing what it does best. Leaving stuff out for the next upgrade.

Have a look at how Google handles updates: https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/4457705?hl=en Pixel Phones: Android Updates: Pixel phones get Android version updates for at least 2 years from when the device first became available on the Google Store. After 2 years, we can't guarantee more updates. Security Updates: Pixel phones get security updates for at least 3 years from when the device first became available on the Google Store, or at least 18 months from when the Google Store last sold the device, whichever is longer. After that, we can't guarantee more updates.

Definitely worth watching: https://twitter.com/marceloclaure/status/874353924135845889

Software updates take time to come down the pike... The Samsung Galaxy S8 is currently running Android 7.0 When is it receiving an update? Who knows... The HTC U11 was released with Android 7.1.1

Yes! It's back up! https://www.sprint.com/en/shop/offers/free-unlimited.html?ECID=vanity:1yearfree