ericdabbs

interesting Clear has recently pulled their retail Kiosks from a couple of malls in Salt Lake City. Don't know if this is related or not.

Good.  NO need to waste money on selling Clearwire services via retail.  Those guys are just eating up unnecessary cash instead of putting it into building the network.

AJ, looking forward to seeing your spreadsheet on this information and your thoughts.  I counted and there are 57 Center Frequencies in that screenshot that I can connect to.  I wonder if you can detect any trends as to Clearwire's thinking with their frequency and bandwidth Wimax deployment.

Believe me I will jump off of Wimax onto LTE as soon as the Note 3 comes out .  I can't take this phone anymore.  The stock rom on the Photon is still buggy on Gingerbread and was left out in the cold to die .

Why? Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the uplink is from 1910-1915, which is right in the middle of the rest of the PCS block. And the downlink of 1995-2000Mhz is bordered by the PCS G below it and Dish's spectrum (2000-2020 Mhz) above it? Why would we call it AWS instead of PCS?

I don't know.  Blame the FCC for the names they give it?   AWS spectrum is usually allocated to 1700/2100 but yet the new convention seems to call all the new spectrum AWS for Advanced Wireless Services.  I am just guessing it is called AWS since that is the purpose of the spectrum.  Maybe they are calling it AWS since LTE/HSPA+ is considered an advanced wireless service.

Yes, indeed, I did mean TDD.  When typing out FDD and TDD a dozen times a day for free, I am bound to transpose them accidentally on occasion.

 

As for 5 MHz TDD WiMAX carriers, I have found only one, and that was via my spectrum analyzer.  It is interesting to know that many others exist.  However, that could be highly market and spectrum dependent.

 

Cutting back WiMAX carriers to 5 MHz TDD and refarming for TD-LTE may not be necessary.  If a market already has any 20 MHz TDD contiguous blocks of spectrum available, then Clearwire is already set for now.  Conversely, because of the potentially fragmented nature of leased EBS spectrum, cutting back to WiMAX 5 MHz TDD carriers may accomplish nothing in the way of freeing up contiguous spectrum.  

 

AJ

Here is a snapshot of the Wimax carriers that can be accessed on the Moto Photon.  Looking at the BRS/EBS chart, it appears that there are a decent amount of 5 MHz TDD carriers in the BRS band with a few 10 MHz TDD carriers in BRS.  

I wonder if Clearwire's plan going forward is to utilize the BRS spectrum whereever possible to deploy one or two 20 MHz TDD carriers of TD-LTE and use the EBS spectrum to sustain their Wimax network with 5 or 10 MHz TDD carriers.

Yup, it should've been June 30th or end of H1... They've totally missed it. But there is a July 10th press event in NYC, which should have a lot to do with LTE launch, and MetroPCS integration. 

It could be about the LTE progress and the MetroPCS integration update but reports are saying it could also be talking about the release of some new handsets.  I am curious to see what Tmobile has lined up for the event.  I love that Tmobile was able to buy some excess spectrum from US Cellular to bolster their holdings in those areas.

Has Tmobile met their LTE goals of covering 100 million pops by 1H 2013.  So far no official word from Tmobile.  Maybe they are behind a bit?

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/t-mobile-silent-its-mid-year-lte-deployment-progress/2013-07-01

I think goes in with exactly what some of you were iDen phones were seeing where calls didn't work then later it was No Service on the display:

 

"The end of the network didn’t come with flip of a switch, but rather with the dispatch of software code, Sprint network chief Bob Azzi said Monday. Just after midnight local time in the U.S., an initial script was sent to stop calls from working on the network and then over a few hours another set of code turned off the actual radios at more than 20,000 remaining Nextel sites. That process rolled with the time zones every hour as the clock struck midnight."

 

Source:  http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/07/01/sprints-nextel-network-is-finally-no-more/

Interesting.  So this seems to imply that the radios were remotely shut off so that it would stop broadcasting the signal.  I know Sprint still needs to send folks out to turn off the power, remove T-1 backhaul and cabinets for the OPEX savings but if this means that CDMA 800 can be launched faster because the 800 MHz signal all over the US is no longer being broadcasted then this is good news.  I still think it will be a few weeks before we see a large acceptance of 800 CDMA sites but I am hope I am wrong.

Now, if any of those carriers currently are or will be cut back to 5 MHz FDD, then the WiMAX spectrum utilization drops accordingly.

 

AJ

Do you mean 5 MHz TDD?  I know from looking at my Wimax engineering menu on the Photon (phone dialer ##DATA# then go to "Wimax" -> "Center Frequency" and "Bandwidth") there are a ton of 5 MHz TDD carriers listed.  I think it would be wise for Sprint and Clearwire to start consider configuring the Wimax network on cell sites to use 5 MHz TDD carriers so that it lowers the Wimax spectrum utilization and free up more spectrum for TD-LTE.  Since Sprint has started updating the terms and conditions for Wimax users, this would be a good step in the right direction.  Hopefully there would be planning to ensure the relocation of Wimax network would free up 20 MHz of contiguous spectrum for TD-LTE.

Link please.

I think Sprint wanted Dish to comply to similar terms to the Lightsquared spectrum hosting agreement where Dish would pay Sprint to host their spectrum but Sprint would also have the ability to purchase capacity on that spectrum.  So if you understand the Lightsquared agreement then you can assume that the proposed terms would be similar for a Dish and Sprint hosting agreement.  I don't think there is an article that specifically explains the exact reason the talks broke down.  People on this forum just speculate that Ergen didn't want to comply to some reasonable term that Sprint was requesting since it wasn't favorable to Dish.

I think these are multimode 700/AWS now with RRU. 800/1900 is where their CDMA stuff is that's separate. Verizon has so much funding, who knows what next lol...

What would be nice is if we can see the FCC document that shows what band classes these Verizon RRUs support to confirm that is multimodal 700/AWS.

I would think the first round of Clearwire LTE markets would be ones that have a ton of Network Vision upgraded sites.  I would think that Sprint/Softbank would want to build the TD-LTE on Network Vision sites.  I expect Chicago,  Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, LA, SF Bay, NYC, etc to be included in the first round.

Sprint announced two Windows Phone 8 from HTC and Samsung...HTC 8XT and Samsung ATIV S Neo

http://newsroom.sprint.com/news-releases/sprint-plans-summer-launches-for-first-two-windows-phone-8-smartphones-to-feature-truly-unlimited-4g-lte-htc-8xt-and-samsung-ativ-s-neo.htm?previousArticle=11059&nextArticle=11057&gotoArt=%2Fnews-releases%2Fsprint-plans-summer-launches-for-first-two-windows-phone-8-smartphones-to-feature-truly-unlimited-4g-lte-htc-8xt-and-samsung-ativ-s-neo.htm

Not to hijack the thread. But quickly, I figured out how to display my signal strength without having to install anything from cydia! Yayyyy!

 

 

*note this is on my i5. Not the iDevices running ios7.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

Would u care to share with us wat you found and how to do it?

Sent from my HP Touchpad using Tapatalk 2

Couldn't resist.

 

Is Gob Bluth doing a magic show nearby?? 

Can sprint get more US cell spectrum. Especially their 800/850 spectrum

Why would sprint want the 850 mhz spectrum? Im sure that sprint already owns all of the 800 mhz esmr spectrum in those areas.

Sent from my Motorola Photon 4G using Tapatalk 2

I am curious if Verizon plans to follow Sprint and ATT and upgrade its network equipment to install RRUs up next to the panels instead of ground mounted radios.  I mean if they have to upgrade anyways to add AWS LTE and other things to be LTE-Advanced compliant, I don't see why Verizon wouldn't invest the capital in infrastructure to do so. 

I am curious if Tmobile's approach with the Ericcson AIR panels (radio+antenna combined) is the future of wireless antenna deployment.

I don't know but maybe they want to take the Wimax down and have Clear turn it in to lte?  If sprints letting you upgrade early Id do it!!!

That is exactly what Sprint wants to do.  With the chances of Sprint buying out Clearwire entirely very bright now,  the next step is to begin planning to deploy TD-LTE on a wide scale the way that Sprint intended the Wimax footprint to look like.  This means that the 2.5 GHz spectrum in contiguous blocks need to be freed up from Wimax to deploy TD-LTE.  

I think with these Wimax changes in terms & conditions it really only affects those who bought Wimax phones in 2012 and prepaid.  I know most people that bought Wimax phones in 2011 like myself plan to upgrade to LTE phones sometime before the end of this year.

Looks like Verizon plans to start refarming PCS spectrum for LTE sometime in 2015.  I wonder how many towers will they add LTE on PCS spectrum.

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/verizon-start-refarming-pcs-spectrum-lte-2015/2013-06-27

I am going to guess that early 2014 is more likely when the H block will be auctioned since the FCC is very slow on dealing with these things.

I think if all the carriers will be getting the LG Optimus G 2, I don't see why Sprint will be left out of the party.  The LG Optimus G was only sold on AT&T and Sprint but I expect Verizon and Tmobile to jump into the party especially if its like the Galaxy S4 (5 inch, 1080p display) but has the Qualcomm S800 chip.

Woo hoo

 

can someone now post a pic of the Softbank Mascot peeing on Ergens head. lol

 

Come on FCC, make the cycle complete.

Get R. Kelly to be the Softbank mascot...haha. J/K.  Thank Dave Chappelle for the idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vJ4zrB41mg

It sounds like a done deal for Sprint.   Can Clearwire move up the meeting date?

Believe me you are preaching to the choir.  I mentioned that in a previous post earlier today. I was hoping they can bump up the meeting date to Tuesday, July 2nd.  It still would give all the appropriate parties a week notice which I think is sufficient.

I really like the sliding spectrum screen solution T-Mobile proposed.  More info here...

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/t-mobile-proposes-sliding-spectrum-screen-rule-600-mhz-auction/2013-06-25

So do I.  Tmobile is proposing separating the 600 MHz spectrum into 5 MHz blocks for auction.  I really hope all of the TV broadcasters give up their 600 MHz spectrum and take the FCC payment to free up more spectrum for wireless. 

I agree with maximus1987 in that Verizon and ATT should only be allowed to bid on one 5x5 block and that is it.  Sprint, Tmobile and the remaining smaller carriers should only be allowed to bid on the rest of the 5x5 blocks.

I wish Clearwire can reschedule the vote on July 8th to move up the meeting to next week like July 2nd.  Is there any point of waiting until July 8th if Dish is withdrawing their tender offer?

I wasn't really sure where to ask this, but I suppose this is as good as any, as it pertains to TD-LTE. What is the time frame of this equipment hitting Sprint's towers? I know their aren't tri-band phones just yet. Is this part of Network Vision 3.0? Because I know Clearwire supposedly has thousands of sites ready but hasn't lit them up, from what I have read around here. Now that SoftBank is most likely for sure buying Sprint (pending FCC approval, which I have no doubt they will get) will they ramp up TD-LTE deployment?

I think you have some of your facts wrong.  Currently Sprint is in charge of the 800 and 1900 MHz LTE build out and Clearwire is in charge of the 2500 MHz LTE build out.  The merger of Sprint and Softbank does not impact the TD-LTE deployment by itself. Softbank/Sprint has not officially bought Clearwire yet so they don't have control of Clearwire operations of where Clearwire has been deploying its TD-LTE equipment.  My guess is that the 2,000 or so TD-LTE sites that Clearwire has upgraded thus far are an overlay of its Wimax network. 

A vote for Clearwire is scheduled for July 8th and right now Sprint has the higher bid over Dish.  If the vote is in favor of Sprint then Clearwire will be officially a part of Sprint.  At that point Sprint will have complete control over Clearwire's strategies.  But as of now they both still operate independent of each other until the takeover of Clearwire is official. 

My guess is that even after the Sprint/Clearwire merger is closed, it will take a quarter or 2 of coordination between Clearwire and Sprint now with Softbank funding to come up with a strategy on the TD-LTE deployment over Sprint's footprint nationwide.  I don't expect TD-LTE to be deployed on all 38,000 Sprint towers but I do expect Softbank/Sprint will want to expand the TD-LTE footprint besides the current Wimax footprint especially to large markets that did not get Wimax so it provides 2500 MHz LTE capacity relief in those metros.  I know that would have been Sprint's aspirations for Wimax to expand to more major markets had Clearwire not run out of money in 2011.