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So confused about Network Vision
I've seen a lot of news articles about it, and they're not consistent, due to the changing landscape with Lightsquared.
So, as I understand it, they are going to re-farm the SMR spectrum for CDMA, and then split the PCS for LTE and CDMA.
What I can't figure out is how they are going to have any room for the LTE up in the PCS band with all those iPhones, which, AFAIK, don't have the SMR band.
Also, does Sprint have enough PCS spectrum nationwide to be able to split it between LTE and CDMA 1x/EVDO Rev.A?
Does Network Vision include consolidating tower sites and base stations with CLEAR's WiMAX and eventually LTE networks, or are they cutting them off completely and just doing their own LTE looking forward 5 years?
Are they going to expand their coverage? Right now, they rely extremely heavily on Verizon for coverage, but with SMR CDMA, they theoretically should be able to seriously expand their coverage.
I want Sprint to do well, since they are the only carrier that will innovate with plans, like with Republic, Ting, VM, Boost etc, but at the same time, their network is so bad, that those plans don't really matter anyways. Hopefully NV will help that.
I usually support government regulation, but It is unfortunate that the government over-regulated and killed the AT&T/ T-Mobile Merger The best explanation of the pricing nutiness in the industry. Why Sprint and T-Mo will always suck.
The only way to end the pricing insanity is to eliminate contracts and subsidies.
I want Wifi calling on AT&T. If you text while driving, you're an idiot. End of story.
Sprint has the G block of PCS just sitting there doing nothing. They will also have room for voice and lte in the 800smr. No need to have evdo in 800smr as it would go unused.
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Originally Posted by digiblur
Sprint has the G block of PCS just sitting there doing nothing. They will also have room for voice and lte in the 800smr. No need to have evdo in 800smr as it would go unused.
I thought they are going to put EVDO in the SMR so that they will have better in-building data penetration? I know that they are doing CDMA 1x, so why not EVDO too?
Also, why is the G block unused now? Why isn't it running more EVDO channels? That makes more sense now though, that they have a full 10mhz of psudo-greenfield spectrum to deploy on, which, if they had 10mhz of spectrum they are currently using in a market, and LTE is twice as spectrally efficient, they would triple their capacity, double if they had 20mhz.
I thought they are going to put EVDO in the SMR so that they will have better in-building data penetration? I know that they are doing CDMA 1x, so why not EVDO too?
Sprint may or may not deploy EV-DO 800. That remains to be seen. Much depends on the culmination of both the 800 MHz rebanding effort and the iDEN shutdown. However, if Sprint is able to clear sufficient SMR 800 MHz spectrum to deploy LTE 800 (5 MHz x 5 MHz configuration) sooner rather than later, then there really is no need for EV-DO 800.
Originally Posted by GSMinCT
Also, why is the G block unused now? Why isn't it running more EVDO channels?
The PCS "G" 10 MHz block is not part of the original PCS 1900 MHz band plan. It is 1910-1915 MHz x 1990-1995 MHz and is contiguous with upper end of the traditional PCS 1900 MHz band.
The PCS "G" block was not auctioned; it was awarded to Sprint Nextel as compensation for SMR 800 MHz spectrum lost as part of the 800 MHz rebanding effort. So, unlike traditional PCS spectrum, it has not been licensed and available for the last 10-15 years.
Furthermore, because it is an extension of the original PCS band, the PCS "G" block requires a different CDMA band class. CDMA band class 1 covers the original PCS A-F blocks, while CDMA band class 14 is a superset that covers PCS A-G blocks. Many Sprint branded handsets released during the past two years or so do support CDMA band class 14. But the iPhone 4S, for example, does not, if I recall the FCC OET filings correctly. Regardless, CDMA band class 14 capability is a contingency that will not be necessary.
I thought they are going to put EVDO in the SMR so that they will have better in-building data penetration? I know that they are doing CDMA 1x, so why not EVDO too?
Also, why is the G block unused now? Why isn't it running more EVDO channels? That makes more sense now though, that they have a full 10mhz of psudo-greenfield spectrum to deploy on, which, if they had 10mhz of spectrum they are currently using in a market, and LTE is twice as spectrally efficient, they would triple their capacity, double if they had 20mhz.
No point in EVDO in the 800SMR band since just about all the phones will support LTE there. They could have put EVDO in the g block but most of the phones would not use it. No point since in most areas they still had room on the pcs band to add more carriers.
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Originally Posted by WiWavelength
Sprint may or may not deploy EV-DO 800. That remains to be seen. Much depends on the culmination of both the 800 MHz rebanding effort and the iDEN shutdown. However, if Sprint is able to clear sufficient SMR 800 MHz spectrum to deploy LTE 800 (5 MHz x 5 MHz configuration) sooner rather than later, then there really is no need for EV-DO 800.
How big is the SMR spectrum? SMR LTE would be great, with MIMO it would be almost as good as Verizon's, at least in the areas that Sprint deploys it.
What was the rebanding on the SMR spectrum? And I'm guessing that block will be all LTE, and the specific Sprint LTE phones will thus have support for it?
Based on all that, is CLEAR out of the picture in a few years?
Originally Posted by WiWavelength
You need to stop repeating this. Your opinion on the matter is under informed, unduly colored, or both.
AJ
How so? Their network is legitimately terrible right now. NV is supposed to improve signal strength and add sites, and deal with the data issues, but right now, they have only just begun that. That, and their native footprint is atrocious. With the SMR spectrum actually used for something useful, shouldn't they be able to build out quite a bit and actually be a third national player like AT&T and Verizon?
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That, and their contract side is pathetic. They try to sell themselves as if they are AT&T or Verizon, when they are clearly not. They should just close their doors there. The interesting part about Sprint is the wholesale/MVNO. Ting is very interesting, as is Republic, and Virgin and Boost are good cheap options for the right crowd.
As far as I'm concerned, unless they shape up on the contract side, Sprint's future is wholesale/ their own MVNOs.
Network Vision is great in principle. I just don't know if they have the money to pull everything they want off. I am of the opinion that Sprint should deploy LTE on SMR all the way with VoIP and PTT. I just don't know if the PTT solutions will be ready by 2013. Honestly PTT over LTE should be at the same testing point as VoLTE. Someone messed up on that regard.
The SMR spectrum is beachfront property that Sprint needs to use if they ever wish to compete with Verizon and AT&T.
Does anyone know of cities near St. Louis where Network Vision is implemented already? I'd like to get a potential test area for Sprint's network performance post-Network Vision a little closer than Kansas City.
Does anyone know of cities near St. Louis where Network Vision is implemented already? I'd like to get a potential test area for Sprint's network performance post-Network Vision a little closer than Kansas City.
Their voice network is decent but their data network...... not so much.
As Network Vision progresses, the EVDO cards they take out of the just deployed areas will be distributed to other areas, beefing up their EVDO network. People in areas that had Nortel equipment should be especially thankful, since Nortel EVDO cards are hard to find.
Originally Posted by digiblur
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