ericdabbs

Anyone try this out?

I just think its silly that each US carrier has to have their own variant of the same exact model.  I just think its overkill especially now that LTE phones can contain many LTE bands in the same phone.  I am pretty sure that Verizon/Sprint/Tmobile/AT&T want their own variants to promote all their bloatware which is absolutely unnecessary.  Would be nice to see all US carriers be able to support all the different LTE bands out there especially the superset ones.

I finally got to use the International Value Roaming add-on during a 1 night layover in Toronto, Canada. It was great, I just turned on my data and after enabling a few options on my G2 (Settings -> Roaming -> Allow international data and allow GSM data) I was able to connect to Rogers Wireless via 2G (GSM spinning circle icon). My mobile network setting on my phone was set to "Global" and it was great for the most part except at 1 point, I was connected to Telus network which uses CDMA and I was connected to 3G at point. Little did I know until later that by doing that I was connecting to 3G outside of the International Value Roaming program and when I checked my account it was dinged $36.36 and it was due to the phone connecting to Telus's 3G network. I called Sprint to ask them about that and they credited me the $36.36 on my account.

So my warning is when you are using the 2G data outside of the country, please ensure the mobile network setting on your phone (Settings -> Mobile Networks -> GSM/UTMS) is set to GSM/UTMS to ensure you don't accidentally connect to CDMA/EVDO. I mean I should have known that going in regardless but for some reason I didn't think I would connect to a CDMA network.

Overall I was very happy to be able to use my data outside of the US without penalty and hope they continue to expand their country list. In fact because of the IVR program, I was even able to call an Uber to take me to the supermarket to get my beloved Ketchup/All Dressed potato chips =). However Tmobile just always finds a way to 1-up the competition by allowing full 4G access in Canada and Mexico which really makes it attractive but 1 step at a time.

It would be hard to strike a deal since Sprint won't be able to offer roaming to any potential partner due to CDMA/GSM incompatibility. Maybe LTE roaming, but LTE is still a new thing in most Mexican major cities with very few phones supporting it and Sprint has yet to announce VoLTE.

 

 

It's Marcelo's move. This is actually a good incentive from T-Mobile...too good to ignore.

I was more leaning towards the data speeds.  I could care less about the calling. I can't count the number of times when I was travelling internationally where i needed the phone calling more than the data.  

Speaking of Canada, the new  Tmobile "Mobile Without Borders" program looks to be really good.  If Hopefully Sprint steps up and tries to does the same thing eventually.

http://gizmodo.com/t-mobiles-us-phone-plan-is-expanding-to-canada-and-mexi-1716739953

Is this still the case with Canada? I'm going there this weekend and it would be great to use my phone there. What's the number for international sprint support. Anyone have any experience with Toronto and Ontario in general? Will I get a roaming indicator or will it look like native coverage?

Are you asking about calling or data?  If its data, then Canada is not yet supported under the IVR plan.  Hopefully by the Q2 earnings call Sprint will release a decent update of new IVR markets hopefully most first and second world countries so that it can be even useful for most folks.

Has anyone seen any 800 MHz RRUs being put up in the NV sites in the LA/OC county from the SB County restriction zone in anticipation of quick fire up once the rebanding is finished in August?  I have been trying to keep an eye on NV sites that currently just have 1900 MHz RRUs but I haven't seen it yet.  I hope Sprint is going to start deploying crews to put up the 800 MHz RRUs on the NV sites that are in the SB country restriction zone.

My wife and I have been holding onto our G2's as they have been excellent phones and we don't really want to go to a bigger size of the G3/4. A 5.2" Nexus would be a dream come true especially if it includes all the roaming LTE bands and CA.

I am in the same boat as you man in terms of having the G2 currently and looking to upgrade.  Since my 2 year upgrade isn't up until Oct, this will probably be my first time I am looking at buying a Nexus device this time.  I am hoping it does stay true to the 5.2 inch screen and hopefully it comes with a USB type-C port.

When do you guys think Sprint will announce more markets?  Hopefully by the Q2 earnings CC they will announce a lot more markets added.  Too bad it will be after my vacation is over 

I'm much more concerned about the battery life rumored for the new nexus 5. Still under 3000.

 

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Agreed.  TBH the Nexus 5 battery should be above 3000 maH.  I could care less about an extra 0.1 or 0.2 mm thicker to have a beefier battery.  A 3300 maH battery would be nice.

I am hoping that the rumors are true about a Nexus 5 (2015) with a 5.2 in screen.  It will be awesome if it can maintain the screen size as my LG G2.  Hoping it will be packed with a USB Type-C port and quad HD screen.  A fingerprint sensor would be nice to really get Android Pay up and running.

If these maps are correct, why is AT&T/Verizon even allowed to participate in the auction? Looks like they still have a ton of 700mhz in reserve...I guess to starve the competition?

Absolutely.  Verizon and AT&T want to not only own the low band spectrum for the coverage aspects but they want to build capacity using low band as well to really starve Tmobile and Sprint on both fronts.  Why would AT&T and Verizon let off the gas pedal when they can continue to stick it to the smaller 2 carriers.  This is why I think Verizon and AT&T should only be allowed to a single 5x5 block of 600 MHz spectrum each to help with economies of scale for equipment and chipsets but they certainly don't need a ton of low band spectrum that they have not only 700 MHz but 850 MHz as well.  So in that sense I don't want to see Verizon and AT&T to not participate in the 600 MHz auction because they can be helpful on that front but certainly should be limited.

Unfortunately Sprint hasn't added Portugal which I will be going there next month.  Hopefully Sprint releases some more markets later on this month and that way I can give some first hand experience.

You've said sprint might buy it but with the need for 2.5, I don't think - and hope - they won't buy it or other 700a

 

 

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Maybe its better if Tmobile hears that Sprint would consider buying some 700A just so that Tmobile would speed up the process.  Of course Sprint shouldn't actually buy any 700A spectrum.  The need for 2.5?  Sprint already has the 2.5 spectrum.

Good thing the 700a buildout deadline is 1q2017 (I think).

I hope TMO waits it out to stick it to the speculators. They got millions of adds with no lowband anywhere; they'll be fine with ONLY 190mil lowband plus small cells.

 

 

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Wait it out?  HA...they need 700 MHz spectrum now.

I went back to check gusherb's post, and am not sure if gusherb is referring to Sprint's network or T-Mobile's network. I'd agree about T-Mobile's network being plenty dense here in Chicago, as their main problem is severe lack of spectrum around here. Although Sprint needs more towers around here, as evidenced by the complaints of there being plenty of holes in their network around here.

 

The good news though, is that Sprint actively is upgrading their network here with more towers and fully developed LTE Advanced. Whereas T-Mobile is not doing anything to seek more spectrum here, other than removing 5x5 HSPA from AWS, replacing it with LTE, which as I've been told by some people here on S4GRU, won't do much good for areas where currently are hit hard in speeds with enough congestion to make LTE operate around 1mbps.

 

By the way, these are not throttled speeds. This is happening throughout a major portion of Schaumburg during the evenings through 5pm to around 11pm. So, while Chicago will be limited to 15x15 LTE, plenty of other markets much smaller than Chicago have 20x20 LTE on AWS and around 5x5 LTE on 700. Some areas have even more AWS LTE, 25x25 or more.

I am sure Tmobile has been eyeing to snatch up the Chicago 700 MHz A-block from Leap (AT&T) but I am sure AT&T has been asking for a huge premium for that market.  There is only so much AWS spectrum swapping that Tmobile can do with the other major carriers.  I think at this point Tmobile needs to accumulate more spectrum, hence 700 MHz A-block market additions and 600 MHz auction.

And this needs to change for Sprint.  Definitely send Network Issue reports everywhere there is a weak spot on the Sprint Zone app to get their attention.  I have certain areas which I know are weak and now I try to send Network Issue reports on the Sprint Zone app.  Whether that works or not ...who knows.  Hopefully it gets the attention of somebody.

Put it this way...Sprint has had unlimited data forever and everyone in the US knows it but yet Sprint has been struggling the last few quarters despite this even though its been slowly improving.  Marcelo knows that the Sprint LTE network is far from complete and is not yet ready to compete with the big 2.  As long as Sprint has the capacity to support unlimited I don't see them taking it away especially with the addition of small cells and densification of the 2.5 GHz network.

The Firstnet project has been in discussions for years since the 700 MHz auction in 2008, hence why there is a dedicated reserved block of 700 MHz for Firstnet use. This is why the govt has been busy trying to raise a ton of money in spectrum auctions to fund it so that it can eventually be built. It will be nice to have a unified public safety system and network in the 700 MHz band so that all the different emergency services don't have to relay information the old fashioned way since they all have their own unique communication system. Personally I would love to see all public safety in the US move to Firstnet and eventually vacate the 800 MHz spectrum to be reused for other purposes but it is wishful thinking on my part.

Sprint expands the Sprint free international data roaming to 22 countries now (up from 15) to include Colombia, Denmark, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Paraguay and Sweden

http://newsroom.sprint.com/news-releases/sprint-expands-free-data-roaming-to-colombia-denmark-honduras-ireland-italy-paraguay-and-sweden.htm?previousArticle=11875&nextArticle=11873&gotoArt=%2Fnews-releases%2Fsprint-expands-free-data-roaming-to-colombia-denmark-honduras-ireland-italy-paraguay-and-sweden.htm

Current list of supported countries for Sprint International Value Roaming program

North/Central America

• Mexico
• Costa Rica
• Panama 
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Nicaragua

South America

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Paraguay
• Chile

Europe

• Russia
• Denmark
• Germany
• Ireland
• Italy
• Spain
• Sweden
• United Kingdom

Asia

• Japan
• South Korea

Oh wow, that is a long post.

 

I promise to break my posts down a bit more from now on. I apologize.

DUDE!!! TL;DR.  Learn to summarize and not drag on and rambling off topic.  To be honest your last long post was talking more about Sprint and NOT about Tmobile which is the point of this thread.  Not to trying to jump on the hater bandwagon but I think we all understand here at S4GRU that Sprint still has some major work to do and is nowhere near done....hence Marcelo's "Next Generation Network Plan" but its just going to take some time.

Two years ago their network seemed like a ghost town around here. HSPA+ was never congested anywhere in the summer of 2013.

I think many many Sprint customers jumped ship over to them as well as some VZW users. A lot of AT&T users around here have been with them since at LEAST the Cingular days (we were originally with them since Cellular One) and aren't going anywhere.

 

Going up to 15x15 probably won't be as good an improvement as some might hope for. I'm curious myself to see just how much an added 10 MHz helps considering things are already overloaded. Wouldn't be surprised if they had to start refarming PCS in the next year or so like they did in Bloomington, IN where B4 was only 5x5, with an added 5x5 B2 layer.

They really need to buy the 700 A-block license from Leap (AT&T) in Chicago to help expand coverage and adding more capacity with another 5x5 LTE block.

Sprint is now deploying 800 mhz equipment in the San Diego / Southern CA region in the IBEZ in anticipation of Mexican holders clearing out enough spectrum for a 1x800 in the immediate future. LTE 800 is far off though (into 2016). 

Do you happen to know if Sprint is also deploying 800 MHz equipment in the OC region in anticipation of the SB county rebanding effort of finishing.  I think Sprint should be doing this effort concurrently to ensure the 800 MHz network for 1x and LTE is as quick as possible.  Thus far I haven't seen Sprint deploy 800 MHz equipment in any of their OC county NV sites.

"In addition, we're seeing the ramp up in average download speeds as we expanded coverage of the 2.5 gigahertz LTE deployment. And we're in the process of enabling 2x20 TDD carrier aggregation within the 2.5 gigahertz plan which will further improve the speed and capacity of the network.

"

 

Oh yes.

I was curious about the 2x20 TD-LTE carrier aggregation part.

Anyone planning to get the G4 based on what was announced?

Looks like a new 8T8R site is now live in downtown LA. For the first time this morning I've been connecting to a weak B41 signal from a Sprint site (around -118 dbm) in my office. I normally connect, and stay connected, to a Clearwire site.

 

Unfortunately, it's creating a poor data connection, as I'm now bouncing between this new 8T8R signal, the Clearwire B41 signal, B25 and 3G. And the 8T8R site is not too fast, only about 1.5 mbps DL. Hopefully this will change shortly as they optimize it and have it play nicely with the Clearwire sites. Up until today, downtown LA (primarily from Bunker Hill, down through the financial district, and towards LA Live/Staples) B41 has been served by all Clearwire sites.

I'm having the same exact issue in Burbank.

Have you guys tried to switch the band priorities on your phone.  Maybe for the time being, switch B41 priority to be lower than B25 until things get smoothed out.