legion125

I'm intriuged, at least in Sprints case that this will free up a lot of spectrum that can be reallocated for better coverage and how Sprint will use it..

Looks like Sprint has signed an agreement with Simplexity to be an MVNE. Looks like this outfit also provides services to Clearwire and LightSquared. http://www.simplexity.com/simplexity-mvno-services-announces-multi-year-wholesale-agreement-with-sprint-to-offer-branded-data-and-voice-solutions/ Simplexity MVNO Services Announces Multi-Year Wholesale Agreement with Sprint to Offer Branded Data and Voice Solutions RESTON, VA – February 6, 2012 – Simplexity MVNO Services, a fully integrated Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE), has announced an agreement with Sprint whereby Simplexity will utilize the Sprint nationwide wireless network to offer third-party branded voice and data services. Simplexity MVNO Services is currently a Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE) providing a full suite of solutions to support Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) that have direct wholesale agreements with Sprint. Under this latest agreement, Simplexity will become a direct wholesale customer of Sprint to provide customized wireless offerings to its partners, which include national retailers, online retailers, OEMs, direct marketing organizations, CLECs and affinity groups. In addition, Sprint has authorized Simplexity to resell Sprint’s wholesale services making it even easier for MVNOs to access Sprint’s nationwide network. “Our newest agreement with Sprint enables Simplexity to provide its partners with even more options for customized wireless services,” said Terry Hsu, president of Simplexity MVNO Services. “We can leverage our infrastructure, scale, and industry experience to support MVNOs that have direct wholesale agreements with Sprint, and we can now utilize our own wholesale agreement to provide turnkey , branded wireless offerings for any of our partners. In either case, Simplexity can provide end-to-end solutions so our partners can focus on sales, marketing, and customer acquisition.” Simplexity’s industry leading MVNE solutions reduce the cost, complexity and time required to launch and operate an MVNO. Its proven platform enables any business or organization the ability to offer fully customized wireless services. Simplexity's solutions include sales and order acquisition, activation and provisioning, distribution and logistics, billing and subscriber lifecycle management, customer care, and management analytics. “Sprint is in the business of enabling wireless MVNO’s to grow their subscribers and revenues, while taking market share,” said Bill Esrey, vice president, Wholesale Sales – Sprint. “This agreement with Simplexity will expand the availability of options for companies seeking to provide quality voice and data wireless services to their customers.” olutions

Since MS is getting royalties from various OEM's for Android, I'm sure that's an additional pot available to throw money around to WP vendors..

Here's a report on the new GSlll. Expected to debut in May which would tie in nicely with Sprints LTE plans. It's reported to be only approx. 7mm thick with a 8mp camera and (Hopefully) a quad core processor. This phone will be the new beast on the block, especially sporting ICS. http://www.bgr.com/2012/02/06/samsungs-quad-core-galaxy-s-iii-reportedly-just-7mm-thick-set-to-launch-in-may/ Samsung’s quad-core Galaxy S III reportedly just 7mm thick, set to launch in May Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy S III will reportedly be one of the thinnest smartphones in the world when it is unveiled in the coming months. South Korea’s Electronic Times News on Monday cited unnamed sources in claiming Samsung’s upcoming flagship superphone will pack impressive specs into a case that is just 7 millimeters thick; the thinnest version of Samsung’s current flagship, the Galaxy S II, features a case that is 8.49 millimeters thick. The site also states that the Galaxy S III will feature an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front camera, a Super AMOLED Plus display and the Android 4.0 operating system. An earlier report claimed the Galaxy S III could launch as soon as April, but Electronic Times News claims the handset will hit store shelves in May. Recent rumors suggest Samsung’s Galaxy S III will feature a quad-core processor, a Super AMOLED Plus HD display, 4G LTE connectivity, 2GB of RAM and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Logged in this a.m. Site looks good and is responsive! Looking forward to interacting with everyone.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 5 February 2012 It will certainly be a carrier at a time doing the VoLTE transition, but I recall when the carriers where migrating from analog to digital the analog network was up for years before it was finally shut down, and it affected a only a few who stubbornly held on to their analog phones. I think we will hear more when Metro PCS and Verizon begin to take VoLTE seriously and see what their timelines say.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 4 February 2012 I think it will be ok, and more like the transition from analog to digital. Once VoLTE is out there will be an approx 3 year transition or maybe longer, so people that have older phones can fulfill contract obligations and then get a newer phone. Of course there are some who like hanging on to their phones forever, but eventually they will have to join the 21st century. I don't know if the carriers will make accommodations or not. When TV made the switch to digital most waited until the last minute before buying their converters or getting a new set. They just cried all the way to the store, but it got done.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 3 February 2012 Agreed. The thing I'm looking forward to is how Sprint will reallocate all the spectrum it uses for 2&3G. With voice & data being on LTE, Sprint can do a lot with bldg penetration and area coverage with this free spectrum in areas were those needs are weak. However, it looks like Sprint will be the last of the group transitioning over to it since it looks like Metro PCS, Verizon and AT&t will beat them by a year or two.Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 2 February 2012

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 2 February 2012 Here's some information on Qualcomm's new chip to satisfy the inner geek in us and this technology has been discussed in other threads and forums as being under development, now its a reality. This design allows the hand off from a GSM network to VoLTE and back. Obviously its a multi-mode single chip design that eliminates the need of another modem in the phone. This is a first step and I'm sure CDMA is not far behind. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57370121-64/qualcomms-snapdragon-on-track-for-voice-over-lte/?tag=cnetRiver Qualcomm's Snapdragon on track for Voice over LTE Qualcomm, along with Ericsson, has successfully completed a major hurdle that will enable Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE). The technology, called Single Radio Voice Call Continuity, or SRVCC, enables continuity of service by seamlessly switching to a WCDMA network when a consumer on a VoLTE call leaves the LTE network's coverage area, Qualcomm said. Qualcomm and Ericsson have completed the first voice call handover from an LTE mobile network to a WCDMA network using SRVCC. A Snapdragon-powered Ericsson device, using Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 3G/LTE multimode processor, will be on demonstration at Qualcomm's Mobile World Congress booth, Qualcomm said. Ultimately the goal is to have one less modem chip to worry about and therefore slimmer, less power-hungry LTE phones. And how is this achieved? An acronym-packed backgrounder is provided by Qualcomm. "SRVCC is the next logical step in...4G LTE voice...following the commercial launch of circuit-switched fallback technology (CSFB) on smartphones in 2011. Circuit-switched fallback technology (CSFB) allows a single radio in the handset to dynamically switch from an LTE data connection to a 3G connection when the user needs to make or receive a call. Similarly, SRVCC support enables a single radio in the handset to execute a seamless handover of a voice call from an LTE network to a 3G network." And SRVCC and CSFB allow both LTE and 3G network connections to be supported on a single chip. The upshot: no need for separate LTE and 3G radios and modems. And that means handsets with lower power consumption that are more compact--and have a lower component cost. "This new development eliminates the need for a second modem chip, thereby reducing the cost and even size of future 4G/LTE handsets. Clearly, this will make future high-performance smartphones more attractive to consumers," said Will Strauss, president of Forward Concepts.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 5 February 2012 With Verizon charging $299 for some of its high end phones, precedent has be set to allow increases in high-end phones. With that said, perhaps its time to consider leasing. You could get a good phone without subsidizing a phone for two years and keep up with the latest & greatest. For the phone wh***es"s out there, this could be a cheaper and elegant soloution. What do you think? http://gigaom.com/20...u-can-lease-it/

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 5 February 2012 I don't even make it to a gig. Problem being I don't stream since I don't have a good 4G data source to make it worthwhile. I use Wi-Fi at home and EVDO takes too long with the speeds I get.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 4 February 2012 CS reps 5 years ago had to keep the customers happy and "give the farm away" since churn was atrocious then. Today, with the elimination of fees and discounts, Hesse must be pretty confident that the iPhone will see them through this rough spot until NV is done. However, this new promotion being pushed to qualified customers to stay perhaps means that the masses are not has happy as Hesse would believe. In other forums a lot of long time Sprint customers are pissed about losing discounts and the poor network coverage and have threaten to leave. Perhaps they have and enough have left so now Hesse is getting nervous. The earnings call this week will be interesting to watch.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 3 February 2012 I think the average Sprint customer is getting fed up with the addition/raising of fees and loss of discounts,the massaging of how the plans are priced and the ending of the gold premier program. People are calling CS and the reps aren't budging on anything, so I'm sure they are taking their frustrations out with the polls. With pricing getting on par with the Big Two I wouldn't be surprise to see a bump in churn. The February 8th meeting will be interesting to see how Sprint will respond to this.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 3 February 2012 Just doing a quick glance of the offerings, I like it. You get all the benefits of a sprint plan but with the buffet style menu, you get to choose the voice/text/data allotments that fits your needs. Definitely not for the power user, but for someone who is in control consistently on how they use their phone and are budget conscience, it works.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 2 February 2012 The issue that needs to be addressed for me is what to do when your Android phone needs a soft reset when it starts acting stupid or locks up. From some comments I've read, the only choice for embedded batteries is a factory reset which at times is just inconvenient and is unacceptable to me at this point. Google, the OEM's and carriers (which is where everyone will be going to for support) will need to find a workaround for this for me to be comfortable.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 2 February 2012 Here's an analysis of the trend to have embedded batteries in phones. I like the positives of a cleaner & thinner design it entails, but there is a disadvantage of repairs and replacement of bad batteries that isn't fully supported by the OEM's or carriers. The article is a good read and a tad long. Go through it and share what you think. http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-57367017-251/its-time-to-kiss-that-removable-smartphone-battery-goodbye/?tag=cnetRiver

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 1 February 2012 I really hope Google steps in and gives some positive direction. Moto is getting a new CEO once the deal is done so this could be a good start. Plus since Sprint is openly cultivating a strong relation with Motorola, I would hope this would translate into Sprint getting some more high end phones. A better selection and line up is always good.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 1 February 2012 Here's what I thought was an interesting commentary. Moto committed last year to unlocking its bootloaders, and never fulfilled its promise. Although it is releasing a developers version of the RAZR, it still has not provided the code to unlock the bootloaders of its other phones. Do you think with the impending purchase by Google this will change? I'm curious because both Sprint & Motorola have promised a stronger relationship and if we start getting some high end phones, being able to modify it would make a lot of Sprintsters happy. http://www.phonedog.com/2012/01/31/has-motorola-burned-all-bridges-with-the-modding-community/

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 2 February 2012 Sprint seems to be concerned all the sudden about keeping customers. Funny since the past year was all about disaffecting everyone with the lost of discounts and premier status and adding the premium data fee.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 2 February 2012 Spectrum is becoming a political hot potato that no one wants to deal with. I know with the white space spectrum, the broadcast companies are loath to give that up so of course the lobbyists are being paid well to stall if not dodge the issue.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 2 February 2012 Agreed. I expect to see more promotions and hefty discounts on WiMAX devices by the time June rolls around.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 29 January 2012 Just over 5 years. For years we were with at&t which evolved into Cingular and re-evolved back to AT&T. I had great service at work and so-so at home, but the kicker was my wife had poor service at her job and had to go outside to make calls. Checked T-Mo's coverage and its maps were the same as AT&T's. So in order to keep familial peace we tried Sprint, since even in 2006, Verizon's prices were outrageous.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 29 January 2012 Yes, they are becoming more annoying. Once they post on a thread I just stay away from it until it gets back on topic.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 28 January 2012 Although true, I think AT&T is going to go out if its way to stick it to Sprint whenever possible since Sprint was the catalyst for the merger failing.

Migrated from Original Forum. Originally Posted 27 January 2012 Good article showing IMO the hypocrisy of AT&T and its spectrum dealings. http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-57367751-85/hey-at-t-quit-whining/?tag=cnetRiver