bigsnake49

While handoffs work much better when both share the same network, it can be made to work between completely different networks. The device must be registered on both networks. In this case, most of the device handoff logic resides on the device itself. CDMA 1x and EVDO have the capability, but the CDMA vendors have chosen not to implement it.

The smart money is hiring smart consultants that tell them that there is no such thing as a spectrum shortage. There might be fragmentation of spectrum but no spectrum shortage. Between the 700 MHz that Verizon is giving up, their own AWS spectrum that they might have to give up, the refarming of spectrum and the absorption of Metro and Cricket, there will be plenty of spectrum for LTE. That's not even counting the Dish spectrum. Also don't give up on at least 10+10 MHz of the Lightsquared spectrum. It might take a while, but it will become usable again. Then we have incentive auctions and white spaces. That's why the smart money does not value Clearwire as much as some people here do.

Oh, yes, I'm well aware of the advantages and disadvantages of each band of spectrum, particularly when it comes to MIMO and handset real-estate. I'm also aware of the tradeoffs between capacity and propagation. AWS is perfectly good spectrum, but I think Sprint wants to limit their LTE supported bands to 3: 800, 1900 and 2500MHz.

Unless they plan to offer HDTV with all that spectrum, it is a total waste and would be counted against them if they were to bid or buy other spectrum or other companies. They might need another 10-20MHz or so in densely populated NYC or San Fran, but not in too many other places. I would rather they bought out Metro or Cricket or both and do some swapping of AWS spectrum for PCS spectrum with the holders of AWS spectrum. However, I think they want to wait until they either return to profitability or their stock recovers or both, so that they can buy either/both for cheap.

I think Sprint is praying like heck that somebody else buys Clearwire first and they get their money out of it. If they can get another 10-20Mhz of spectrum somewhere else, they would jump at the chance. They like PCS spectrum or near PCS spectrum. They might even settle for Dish spectrum. They don't like Clearwire period.

I don't think that Sprint has been buying Clearwire debt lately.

No, I don't think so.

Sprint should have never split with Embarq and should have merged with Alltel and TDS (parents of USCC). Not necessarily for their residential landlines, which are dying, but the business ones which are not. Not to mention the backhaul in a lot of places. But they thought that they could sidle up to the cable cos and sell them VOIP minutes, but looked what happened. They abandoned Sprint. I still think that Century link should merge with TDS and maybe Windstream and together should absorb Sprint. I also think that companies with residential landlines should offer them to utilities for their smart grid efforts (AMR, AMI).

As you said, the decision is financial rather than technical. If the roaming expense is smaller than building and running sites in rural areas, then you have your answer.

Wait, Sprint did not have first lien on the spectrum? If not, somebody should have been fired.

Sprint has been using Amdocs software for a little while. This is just additional functionality. Not everybody likes Amdocs from what I understand.

No such thing. EVDO cards are EVDO cards.1.25MHz channel width each. Neither Sprint nor Verizon are using EVDO Rev. B so no higher capacity cards.

I have personally never had a virus either on my PC's or my Macs. I also have had zero problems with iTunes. I try to keep things simple and try not to customize or manually change anything. There was a time when I wanted the computer set up just so with 3 different partitions and this and that. Meanwhile the programs had their own assumptions on where they wanted to be and where their data should go. So I have given up and let them have their way. Both the programs and I are much happier with the default setup.

If I can get my email/calendar/contacts synced and can stream internet radio at > 64kbps I'm a happy man. I would like websites to appear faster, but that's dependent on so many things: The website server speed, whether there's a CDN, the speed of the backhaul, the speed of the internet backbone, etc. BTW, when is the Sprint backbone going to 100Gbps? Verizon just announced they are!

I agree with you. Those leases cost money and they have not exactly been swimming in the dough. However, they could sublease them to other interested parties. I also agree with you on having more than 40 Mhz channels. The power bill alone for running more than 40MHz channel is going to be huge. Not to mention having to pay an arm and a leg for wideband amps.

Oh, look, AT&T is whining again: AT&T Inc. (T) Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson said Washington needs to figure out how to clear a regulatory logjam that’s hampering wireless growth and forcing companies to raise prices. The industry is waiting for the Federal Communications Commission to decide on Verizon Wireless’s proposed $3.6 billion partnership with cable companies, including Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) The review of that agreement, announced in December, is holding up related deals for spectrum by AT&T and others, Stephenson said. Enlarge image AT&T Inc. Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson said in December that the failed acquisition of T-Mobile USA - a deal AT&T abandoned amid regulatory opposition - would result in capacity constraints and higher prices. Photographer: Peter Foley/Bloomberg The popularity of the iPhone and other smartphones is putting pressure on existing networks, prompting wireless carriers to seek more capacity in crowded markets. The FCC has to sign off on each transaction, and its rate of decision making can’t keep pace with the industry’s evolving needs, he said. “The industry is just kind of stuck and we’re all sitting here watching Verizon-Comcast waiting to see what happens,” Stephenson said yesterday in an interview at Bloomberg headquarters in New York. “You have got to make sure we put spectrum in the market. They need to become liquid spectrum markets.” http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-11/at-t-ceo-complains-that-regulatory-logjam-stymies-deals.html

If I'm reading the tea leaves correctly, FCC will force Verizon to divest their 700MHz A&B blocks and their own AWS spectrum concentrated in the eastern part of the country. AT&T will be the recipient of most of the 700Mhz and AWS spectrum with T-Mobile and Metro picking up the rest.

It will only backfire on them if Sprint offers an alternative. Maybe in a year or two when they have their NV substantially complete.

I still think that their best chance is to offer data only packages for business/individuals for both fixed and mobile/nomadic access. They don't need retail access, they can do it over the net and maybe through Radio Shack. Combo desktop modem/MiFi type devices. They need to be part of NV, end of story.

Nothing different than using a 1900MHz femtocell except the interference problems extend to a larger radius. Interference cancellation and radiated power control has to be more sophisticated than the original airave.

Triumph of marketing over engineering .

Really, MetroPCS, Leap and USCC and a few others should merge and create a 5th national competitor. Maybe even get Sprint to host their spectrum.

Approximately 42Million customers.

I think it will be better if Sprint acquired them. Much easier to migrate them to Sprint's prepaid brands. Keep the PCS spectrum and sell/exchange the AWS spectrum to T-Mobile/Verizon. The other idea is to let them and Cricket become MVNO's of Sprint in exchange for their spectrum, with appropriate discounts, of course.

Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE) is discussing a merger of its T-Mobile USA unit with MetroPCS Communications Inc. (PCS) as it reviews options for the customer-losing business, according to people familiar with the matter. Deutsche Telekom is considering a stock-swap transaction that would give the German company control over the combined entity, which would be publicly listed, said two of the people, who declined to be identified because the talks are private. Other options include an initial public offering or an outright sale of T-Mobile USA, the people said, adding that Deutsche Telekom is also in talks with other companies. MetroPCS shares jumped as much as 29 percent in New York. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-09/deutsche-telekom-said-to-talk-to-metropcs-on-t-mobile-usa-merger.html How about Cricket becoming a preferred MVNO of Sprint in exchange for Cricket's spectrum? Sprint doing the same for Metro?