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Network vision & LTE rollout

Got some interesting insider news from a site I reference for Network Vision updates
( http://s4gru.spruz.com/ ).


iDen goes down:

Sprint 4G Rollout Updates - iDEN Decommissioning details emerge with NOLA work beginning after Mardi Gras



Thanks thats good to know seeing as I recently moved full time to the Chicago area...sometimes the 3g speeds I get out in Norridge are HORRID

This next one might be of interest to you, ORD84.


Network Vision update:

Sprint 4G Rollout Updates - Sprints Network Vision and LTE Deployment details emerge for Chicago
 
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Got some interesting insider news from a site I reference for Network Vision updates
( Sprint 4G Rollout Updates The Wall ).


iDen goes down:

Sprint 4G Rollout Updates - iDEN Decommissioning details emerge with NOLA work beginning after Mardi Gras





This next one might be of interest to you, ORD84.


Network Vision update:

Sprint 4G Rollout Updates - Sprints Network Vision and LTE Deployment details emerge for Chicago

Par for the course, Sprint isn't adding anything new to New Orleans but taking something away! Why I stick with Sprint is beyond me at this point.
 
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Do you have a phone that uses iden?

Seconded. This is actually good news, as it means Sprint will be freeing up bandwidth for an LTE rollout. I don't know why you're upset about this unless you still use a legacy Nextel device.

I have 20 technicians with Nextel devices. Now we have to move to Sprint Direct Connect. It is just a pain we knew was coming. But Sprint isn't repurposing the Bandwidth just yet. All this is is a cost saving move for them.
 
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This next one might be of interest to you, ORD84.


Network Vision update:

Sprint 4G Rollout Updates - Sprints Network Vision and LTE Deployment details emerge for Chicago

Nice thanks, Yeah if the network improves enough my parents may even jump ship from Big Red...nothing but issues with trying to get a new phone or their phones working right and Big Red ain't being too helpful...so like me they are considering going Yellow...

in other news I'm excited that there was something in that article on why LTE was taking so long to roll out, I'd be interested to know how they may force WiMax use on some users in the loop, how do you suspect they may try and do that? The WiMax reception in some areas (esp downtown in the Loop) is nonexistent so I'd be interested to see how they expect to do this with little to no reception...
 
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I have 20 technicians with Nextel devices. Now we have to move to Sprint Direct Connect. It is just a pain we knew was coming. But Sprint isn't repurposing the Bandwidth just yet. All this is is a cost saving move for them.

Sprint Direct Connect actually works pretty good... I just notice issues when bridging between iDEN, but that's to be expected.
 
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I'd be interested to know how they may force WiMax use on some users in the loop, how do you suspect they may try and do that? The WiMax reception in some areas (esp downtown in the Loop) is nonexistent so I'd be interested to see how they expect to do this with little to no reception...

It's a good question. I wrote the article, and even I was unclear how they planned to do that. The document that I had from Sprint did not mention how. This is what it said...

Alternative Theories for Blocking Relief in Frequency Constrained areas...
Wimax option: Would force dual mode phones using data to Wimax network. Would be useful in street level usage, not good for in-building. Creating a test which will utilize friendly phones.

However, this was only mentioned in the context of areas that cannot receive band-aid improvements ahead of Network Vision or in cells that are still over capacity after Network Vision (a.k.a - The Loop). And this is only listed as one of the possibilities Sprint may employ.

After receiving more information from internal sources since writing the article, this option is losing traction and will likely never be implemented.

I have received a lot of response from insiders since writing this article. I'm in the process of writing another article this evening with more specifics of how Samsung will be deploying Chicago Network Vision. It should be published late this evening.

We also have been given the full Network Vision engineering schedule and will be able to start announcing Sprint NV/LTE cities this week ahead of Sprint. Stay tuned to S4GRU.com for breaking Network Vision information.

Best Regards,
Robert Herron
Sprint 4G Rollout Updates
S4GRU.com
 
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Sprint Direct Connect actually works pretty good... I just notice issues when bridging between iDEN, but that's to be expected.
We have had pretty good luck with the Sprint DC since they have a new PRL. I am having a problem that I am hoping for help with. I have one phone left on Nextel because they can't get the number released to move to Sprint. It is a local number that I ported to Nextel 2 or 3 years ago. With the decommissioning
of Nextel towers and switching some over to Sprint I wanted to move that number to Sprint but was told do to marketing shares I can't move it to Sprint. Now what can I do if they shut down my local towers someday. I will not give up the number since I had it for 20 some years.
 
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FCC has rejected Lightsquared bid for LTE, hope Sprint has a plan B.

FCC to dash LightSquared's bid for LTE glory -- Engadget

Plan B for what?
Wayyyyy too many people keep thinking that Lightsquared is to Sprint's LTE what Clearwire is to Sprint's Wimax. This is not the case. Sprint is building its own LTE network and was going to host Lightsquared's LTE network on its Network Vision towers (in exchange for some $$ and access to Lightsquared's frequency).
With Lightsquared dead in the water, Sprint loses some potential income and potential future access to their frequency...that's it. They still have their own frequencies that they are hosting their own LTE network on.
 
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Plan B for what?
Wayyyyy too many people keep thinking that Lightsquared is to Sprint's LTE what Clearwire is to Sprint's Wimax. This is not the case. Sprint is building its own LTE network and was going to host Lightsquared's LTE network on its Network Vision towers (in exchange for some $$ and access to Lightsquared's frequency).
With Lightsquared dead in the water, Sprint loses some potential income and potential future access to their frequency...that's it. They still have their own frequencies that they are hosting their own LTE network on.
I agree with you to many people way over thinking this. Yes Sprint does outsource it's tower upgrade work ask any tower installer(I have talk to a few and also know some guys that do the work)and they will tell you that. But in some areas Sprint does it's own work and in some areas they outsource. Clearwire is just a contractor and so is Lightsquared. Sprint has said it is sticking with Clearwire for now in some areas and yes Sprint does have it's own spectrum to use. But it is not ideal for LTE to use that spectrum. The bandwidth needed to run LTE would be better to use another spectrum and in some areas it will be Cleaawire. Lightsquard was the Plan B. So no big lost for Sprint
 
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FCC has rejected Lightsquared bid for LTE, hope Sprint has a plan B.

FCC to dash LightSquared's bid for LTE glory -- Engadget

Yea, this really has no effect on Sprint's Network Vision and LTE upgrades. It will mean they lose a contract (aka $)... but it really has nothing to do with what Sprint is doing with LTE right now, at least for the foreseeable future. So, I wouldnt get too concerned about LightSquared. Don't worry... seems like alot of other people were/are confused about this too.


On another note, Sprint may get added capacity via Clear LTE... Clear is said to launch their LTE in summer 13. Clearwire: TD-LTE network to go live in June 2013 - FierceWireless http://s4gru.com/index.php?/blog/1/...-4th-quarter-2011-results-talks-about-td-lte/
So, Clear LTE launching, on top of the loss off LightSqared, could mean more wholesale customers (aka $$) for Clear to keep the ball rolling. Clear already started testing LTE in Phoenix..

So, Sprint LTE on 1900 mhz starting this summer (2012).. then more Sprint LTE on 800 mhz "shortly" after... then the following summer Clear/Sprint LTE on 2500 mhz. Might work out pretty good! Thats alot of spectrum available to Sprint.
 
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Yea, this really has no effect on Sprint's Network Vision and LTE upgrades. It will mean they lose a contract (aka $)... but it really has nothing to do with what Sprint is doing with LTE right now, at least for the foreseeable future. So, I wouldnt get too concerned about LightSquared. Don't worry... seems like alot of other people were/are confused about this too.


On another note, Sprint may get added capacity via Clear LTE... Clear is said to launch their LTE in summer 13. Clearwire: TD-LTE network to go live in June 2013 - FierceWireless
So, Clear LTE launching, on top of the loss off LightSqared, could mean more wholesale customers (aka $$) for Clear to keep the ball rolling. Clear already started testing LTE in Phoenix..

So, Sprint LTE on 1900 mhz starting this summer (2012).. then more Sprint LTE on 800 mhz "shortly" after... then the following summer Clear/Sprint LTE on 2500 mhz. Might work out pretty good! Thats alot of spectrum available to Sprint.
I'm not sure if you saw that some where or not but not all that spectrum is for LTE remember 3G I know people forget about that but it is the back bone to the voice network and Voice is always over data. it's all about load balancing and voice will always take priority over data in all the spectrum's. the 800Mghz is great for bandwidth but not distance and so on with the other spectrum's. So it will be a mix of Voice and Data is each spectrum. But each spectrum has it pro's and con's.
 
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I'm not sure if you saw that some where or not but not all that spectrum is for LTE remember 3G I know people forget about that but it is the back bone to the voice network and Voice is always over data. it's all about load balancing and voice will always take priority over data in all the spectrum's. the 800Mghz is great for bandwidth but not distance and so on with the other spectrum's. So it will be a mix of Voice and Data is each spectrum. But each spectrum has it pro's and con's.

I dont know, i may be misunderstanding you, but I'm 99.9 percent sure that there will be at least some Sprint LTE on all three.. 1900, 800, and 2500 mhz bands at some point.
 
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