How a Sprint Phone is Born

[badankles]

Great article from PhoneScoop: How a Sprint Phone Is Born (Phone Scoop)

Cool article describing how Sprint works with OEMs and how long they test a phone before launch day (almost a year). There's also a Roadmap diagram attached to the article, not sure how old, but if it takes them a year to work on each phone prior to launch, then they have a few good ones in hand.

Note Jellybean between 2012/2013 and 5.5" display/phablet in 2013. So for those looking for Galaxy Note 2, it won't be this year. <--- me

 

[BenChase7]

I saw this, too. I'm mostly looking forward to the phones that support LTE on 800MHz next year.

 

[badankles]

@BenChase7, then you saw the other Roadmap Synergies with NV indicating tri-band LTE, including 800mhz, in 2013/2014.

 

[BenChase7]

Tri-band LTE, as to include Clear's LTE frequencies, I assume? (Sprint 1900, Sprint 800, and Clear's 2500/2600)

 

[badankles]

Yep, that's what it shows.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Sweet. Tried checking this out at work but couldn't get the link to open from work pc.

 

[badankles]

@Mr. Ed, not sure why the link doesn't work for you. You can just go to Phone Scoop's site and look under their News page. The title of the article is same as title of this post, and dated "Friday".

 

[Mr. Ed]

@Mr. Ed, not sure why the link doesn't work for you. You can just go to Phone Scoop's site and look under their News page. The title of the article is same as title of this post, and dated "Friday".

Sorry, I was thanking you for posting it, the previous link I had would not work

 

[badankles]

Cool.

 

[drexappeal]

You know, seeing all the Sprint does to figure out which phones they'll have in the future, it kinda makes their lineup a little more disappointing, IMO...LOL. I understand their mindset, as far as "trends" are concerned, but if they really felt that "trends come and go," why the heck did they even bother trying out the EVO 3D? 3D is a "trend" that could very well come and go, and looks like it has gone for now (as far as phones are concerned), but they still pushed through with that after 1 year of whatever R&D they were going through? Oh well...it is what it is.

 

[simcha]

Wait... So from what that article is saying, if I buy a phone by the end of the year to use my last yearly upgrade, I will be locked into a phone that only does LTE at 1900. If I wait until January (when I no longer have the upgrade), I will have a phone that gets LTE on three bands?

That would mean that if I get an LTEvo, I'll be stuck with LTE on one crowded band while everyone else enjoys three bands to allow for extra bandwith for an entire 18 months.

Grrr....

 

[drexappeal]

Wait... So from what that article is saying, if I buy a phone by the end of the year to use my last yearly upgrade, I will be locked into a phone that only does LTE at 1900. If I wait until January (when I no longer have the upgrade), I will have a phone that gets LTE on three bands?

That would mean that if I get an LTEvo, I'll be stuck with LTE on one crowded band while everyone else enjoys three bands to allow for extra bandwith for an entire 18 months.

Grrr....

I read that part too and it does make sense, since the 800mhz spectrum for LTE just passed through the FCC this year:
FCC clears Sprint to run CDMA, 4G LTE on 800MHz iDEN airwaves -- Engadget

S4gru has a thread going explaining about the spectrums, but it still confuses me a 'bit:
WiMax ~vs~ TDD-LTE coverage at 2500Mhz - Sprint 4G Rollout Updates

As far as offering phones with the 3 band connection, I'm assuming that those phones won't be offered until next summer (at the earliest), since the 800mhz just passed through for 3g and lte support and the 1 year R&D that Sprint apparently goes through, that would mean early June 2013 would be the first phone offered that is "compatible" with the 3 band spectrum. Also, if we're to believe what engadget said in the article, 2014 is the target date for all of the towers to be activated for the 800 / 2500 band, so there's lots of time.

 

[badankles]

@drexappeal, good point with the 3D. Hey, at least they tried to be the lead. LOL
@simcha, the risk of being at the bleeding edge. Bummer. I'm with you. I'm looking to upgrade this coming December, too.

 

[EarlyMon]

Wait... So from what that article is saying, if I buy a phone by the end of the year to use my last yearly upgrade, I will be locked into a phone that only does LTE at 1900. If I wait until January (when I no longer have the upgrade), I will have a phone that gets LTE on three bands?

That would mean that if I get an LTEvo, I'll be stuck with LTE on one crowded band while everyone else enjoys three bands to allow for extra bandwith for an entire 18 months.

Grrr....

Wait... Upgrades expire??

 

[BenChase7]

Wait... Upgrades expire??

My understanding is if you still have one of the old, annual upgrades (i.e. from the pre iPhone days), you have till the end of the year to use it. Otherwise, no, upgrades don't expire.

 

[drexappeal]

My understanding is if you still have one of the old, annual upgrades (i.e. from the pre iPhone days), you have till the end of the year to use it. Otherwise, no, upgrades don't expire.

Yup. This is my understanding also.

 

[twospirits]

^ True i still have my Premier upgrade to use before the end of the year too.

TS

 

[EarlyMon]

I did not know that.

 

[drexappeal]

I did not know that.

Well, you already used yours on a great phone, so probably wasn't even a 2nd thought about it, while us other yahoos are still trying to figure out what phone we use our last upgrade on...LOL.

 

[badankles]

I've been holding onto my old leftover Premier upgrade for NV. Hoping for it to come about in December, or at least closer to coming about. I am chomping at the bit.

 

[simcha]

Yeah, what they said. Except I think I'm going to get the LTEvo on 9/1/2012.

 

[falconey]

Wait... So from what that article is saying, if I buy a phone by the end of the year to use my last yearly upgrade, I will be locked into a phone that only does LTE at 1900. If I wait until January (when I no longer have the upgrade), I will have a phone that gets LTE on three bands?

That would mean that if I get an LTEvo, I'll be stuck with LTE on one crowded band while everyone else enjoys three bands to allow for extra bandwith for an entire 18 months.

Grrr....

I think you are giving Sprint too much credit if you think their LTE build out will be completed by the time your next upgrade comes around regardless of what they say. I'm in one of the first release markets and I still think LTE being live is a dud. Personally I wouldn't worry about picking phones based on what radio bands they can handle, esp on Sprint's network or you will be one dissappointed customer.

 

[itswaycool]

Great article from PhoneScoop: How a Sprint Phone Is Born (Phone Scoop)

Cool article describing how Sprint works with OEMs and how long they test a phone before launch day (almost a year). There's also a Roadmap diagram attached to the article, not sure how old, but if it takes them a year to work on each phone prior to launch, then they have a few good ones in hand.

Note Jellybean between 2012/2013 and 5.5" display/phablet in 2013. So for those looking for Galaxy Note 2, it won't be this year. <--- me

Thanks. One interesting tidbit in the article is that all 2013 phones will be required to operate on 800, 1900, and 2500 frequency LTE with HD voice.

 

[badankles]

Thanks. One interesting tidbit in the article is that all 2013 phones will be required to operate on 800, 1900, and 2500 frequency LTE with HD voice.

It's their goal at the time of the slide. Not sure how old that slide is now, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Citizen Coyote]

Well, you already used yours on a great phone, so probably wasn't even a 2nd thought about it, while us other yahoos are still trying to figure out what phone we use our last upgrade on...LOL.

Yep, we're the Old Premier Club. Lots of Photon owners, although I wonder how many GS2 Epic Touch owners are in the same boat.