Sprint Corporation merging Boost and Virgin Mobile.

[metsfan99]

Overnight, my lg f3 downloaded an update to android. What i noticed is that when you go into my account / deals, it says see what current phone deals are for boost mobile.

Were any other Boost apps part of the update? There's another thread from a weeks ago where another poster reported getting a few Boost Mobile apps as part of their update.

 

[jmatherly411]

Let's just hope that Sprint Freedom keeps the $35 and upgrades their slow internet.

Sprint is currently network visioning every site with new panels, base station cabinets, remote radio units, and upgrading old T1 backhaul to fiber optic. A fully network visioned Sprint site will have the radio units mounted behind the panels/antennas instead of on the ground, doing this alone gives you about a 20% signal gain in voice, 3G EVDO, and 4G LTE. Once a site has the new backhaul (fiber) 4G LTE will be turned on, I see an average of 15Mbps on LTE on my GS3. Not only will you get LTE but 3G speeds will significantly get better from download and upload speed to the latency as well. On 3G here I get about 1.65Mbps download with a 65ms ping, a substantial improvement. Lets hope they keep the $35 dollar a month plan, I don't personally see them tampering with the plans much.

 

[mikeca]

I've seen the tower nearest my house upgraded on the tower itself as I have gotten a better signal at my house (and you can tell the wires are going in behind the antennas). No LTE yet though and I'm guessing there are backhaul problems. I'd estimate they have been working at this tower approximately 20 days over the past 3 months or so. Very strange but the sigal has impoved for sure. Call quality also seems clearer (but then again I purchased a way better phone, moved to the Desire from the Rise) so not sure if that's the reason.

 

[metsfan99]

Boost basically has only one monthly plan, which is unlimited, and the monthly rate depends on what type of phone you have, so I would expect the plans to be similar to Virgin's pricing. If they went to all unlimited plans they would lose a lot of customers. Wishful thinking, but it would be nice if they carried over Boost's shrinking payment feature to all the plans they do have.

 

[jmatherly411]

I've seen the tower nearest my house upgraded on the tower itself as I have gotten a better signal at my house (and you can tell the wires are going in behind the antennas). No LTE yet though and I'm guessing there are backhaul problems. I'd estimate they have been working at this tower approximately 20 days over the past 3 months or so. Very strange but the sigal has impoved for sure. Call quality also seems clearer (but then again I purchased a way better phone, moved to the Desire from the Rise) so not sure if that's the reason.

If you see boxes (RRUs) behind the panels that's Sprint's equipment, do not get them confused with AT&T because they have done the same thing but they only use one RRU only for LTE and its usually mounted beside the LTE panel. On Sprint you will see only one panel for each sector of the site and at least two RRU's per sector. More than likely the tower nearest your home has seen all the hardware upgrades (new panels, RRUs, OptiPlex cabling, new basestations) and has been using the new hardware giving you the better signal. Look for the legacy panels to be removed within 60 days, once the new backhaul is pulled to the site you will see LTE and faster 3G speeds.

 

[mrnyjet]

Were any other Boost apps part of the update? There's another thread from a weeks ago where another poster reported getting a few Boost Mobile apps as part of their update.

Btw, i am also a mets fan.
So far, when i click on it, it takes me to vm site. But, who knows how much longer. I expect them to drop the vm name just for royalty payment reasons. Consolidating all prepaid under boost , like att will do under cricket , would be smart move. What plans and what costs are the relevant unanswered questions.

 

[mrnyjet]

Boost basically has only one monthly plan, which is unlimited, and the monthly rate depends on what type of phone you have, so I would expect the plans to be similar to Virgin's pricing. If they went to all unlimited plans they would lose a lot of customers. Wishful thinking, but it would be nice if they carried over Boost's shrinking payment feature to all the plans they do have.

Like to see them offer a "walmart" plan like t mobile with 5gb of full speed data plus 100 talk minutes.

 

[vmforlife]

There is a great deal of "Speculation" in this article. As someone previously noted, "Sources" were reporting this information. We won't know what is actually true unless and if it comes to pass. I'd not be surprised to see "Sprint Freedom", but we'll see if they can or even want to revive "Nextel".

I also agree that any proposed merger/acquisition between Sprint and T-Mobile will do more than raise eyebrows at the FCC and other branches of the US Government, which has been allowed to get VERY powerful in the last decade or two and especially in the last six years. Net, net, I don't think we should hold our breath on a combo Sprint/T-Mo. Big brother will squash it before it gets going, or soon after.

 

[m-cman]

They haven't squashed the Comcast / Time-Warner merge yet and that is much closer to a monopoly...

 

[mrnyjet]

They haven't squashed the Comcast / Time-Warner merge yet and that is much closer to a monopoly...

if you think a merger between t mobile and sprint is bad, then this cable merger is worse. They use the verizon model: charge a lot more, give you a lot less.

 

[RealFastOne]

They haven't squashed the Comcast / Time-Warner merge yet and that is much closer to a monopoly...

I live in a large (not huge) metro area where Time-Warner just gobbled up (but not yet integrated) their major competitor. This leaves us with ATT U-verse and the satellite dish networks as the only options.

I sincerely hope that the FCC stops this merger, and that they would squash a Sprint and T-mobile merger as well.

Sprint combining Virgin Mobile and Boost is probably a good thing, and that they will do their best to retain existing customers.

 

[mogelijk]

They haven't squashed the Comcast / Time-Warner merge yet and that is much closer to a monopoly...

It's too soon for them to squash it, since it was just announced. Instead, they will wait for the merger to be finalized and exactly what the conditions are; for example, whether Comcast actually sells off some regions that account for about 3 million customers.

Comcast will argue that they and Time Warner aren't actually competitors -- they don't both offer cable service in any city, instead their competitors are actually satellite, U-verse, and Verizon Fios.

OTOH, the FCC has noted they have concerns, such as a combined Comcast/Time Warner being so large that they will be able to bully content providers. I'm sure this line will receive even more scrutiny because of the number of channels Comcast owns (the NBC/Universal channels).