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Merging

Rumors are also swirling about a Sprint/TMobile merger, too. Interesting to see what happens next.
 
I hope we don't lose our shrinkage. The only thing keeping me with Boost is the price of the service. I'd never consider switching to Virgin Mobile.
 
I made this originally as a throwaway account, but I want to give my thoughts on why I think this would be a bad idea...

After working for SPG (Sprint Prepaid Goods) I've learned a lot about how the company works. In the past year we've had a lot of changes, everything ranging from network to sales, to products, to restrictions, to just about everything. I've learned that Sprint does not deal with changes all too well. For example, they announced LTE for my area a long time ago, we've been told about it for nearly 2 years now. We were told it'll be done by the middle of 2013, then when August came around they told us the end of 2013...3 days ago my Sprint Rep told me that they're expecting it for April of this year. The dates keep changing, customers who bought LTE phones were told by us that it would be out by now and now they're complaining. All because Sprint couldn't give us a truthful answer.

This is just 1 example, but probably the most important one that effects customers and dealers. Just imagining a company wide change that would force everyone to change policies, names, etc it would create problems for a while and could draw some customers away.
 
Slickyy said:
I made this originally as a throwaway account, but I want to give my thoughts on why I think this would be a bad idea...

After working for SPG (Sprint Prepaid Goods) I've learned a lot about how the company works. In the past year we've had a lot of changes, everything ranging from network to sales, to products, to restrictions, to just about everything. I've learned that Sprint does not deal with changes all too well. For example, they announced LTE for my area a long time ago, we've been told about it for nearly 2 years now. We were told it'll be done by the middle of 2013, then when August came around they told us the end of 2013...3 days ago my Sprint Rep told me that they're expecting it for April of this year. The dates keep changing, customers who bought LTE phones were told by us that it would be out by now and now they're complaining. All because Sprint couldn't give us a truthful answer.

This is just 1 example, but probably the most important one that effects customers and dealers. Just imagining a company wide change that would force everyone to change policies, names, etc it would create problems for a while and could draw some customers away.
Click to expand...


But changing and re-branding is exactly what Sprint needs.
From top to bottom, inside and out.
Sprint needs to change the way they do business and the way they market there business.
T-Mobile has made it cool to be prepaid, Sprint has treated prepaid as there dirty little redheaded step children for a long time.
 
Slickyy said:
I made this originally as a throwaway account, but I want to give my thoughts on why I think this would be a bad idea...

After working for SPG (Sprint Prepaid Goods) I've learned a lot about how the company works. In the past year we've had a lot of changes, everything ranging from network to sales, to products, to restrictions, to just about everything. I've learned that Sprint does not deal with changes all too well. For example, they announced LTE for my area a long time ago, we've been told about it for nearly 2 years now. We were told it'll be done by the middle of 2013, then when August came around they told us the end of 2013...3 days ago my Sprint Rep told me that they're expecting it for April of this year. The dates keep changing, customers who bought LTE phones were told by us that it would be out by now and now they're complaining. All because Sprint couldn't give us a truthful answer.

This is just 1 example, but probably the most important one that effects customers and dealers. Just imagining a company wide change that would force everyone to change policies, names, etc it would create problems for a while and could draw some customers away.
Click to expand...

Its not Sprint's fault for the delay in LTE rollout, but the vendors (Ericcson, Lucent, and Samsung) and the ISP's who provide backhaul to Sprint's sites. LTE can't be turned on and go live until upgraded backhaul (fiber) is installed at the site, the new panels and radios have more than likely been installed. But you won't see a increase in your 3G data or LTE until fiber is pulled.
 
jmatherly411 said:
Its not Sprint's fault for the delay in LTE rollout, but the vendors (Ericcson, Lucent, and Samsung) and the ISP's who provide backhaul to Sprint's sites. LTE can't be turned on and go live until upgraded backhaul (fiber) is installed at the site, the new panels and radios have more than likely been installed. But you won't see a increase in your 3G data or LTE until fiber is pulled.
Click to expand...
It is sprints fault, if they can't deal with the vendors they use then why can t mobile? t mobile has been in the lte upgrade game a very short time compared to the other 3.

sprint should have gone to another vendor or figured out a better plan, that is what you pay them money for.

If I own a restaurant and I tell my customers sorry the food sucks the vendors I deal with are not supplying my needs will they understand? or will they tell me (with their lack of business) I need to fix the problem.
 
new optimus said:
It is sprints fault, if they can't deal with the vendors they use then why can t mobile? t mobile has been in the lte upgrade game a very short time compared to the other 3.

sprint should have gone to another vendor or figured out a better plan, that is what you pay them money for.

If I own a restaurant and I tell my customers sorry the food sucks the vendors I deal with are not supplying my needs will they understand? or will they tell me (with their lack of business) I need to fix the problem.
Click to expand...

What people don't know is that T-Mobile has been "quietly" upgrading their sites to fiber backhaul for the past 3 years. So all that has to be done is install the LTE equipment and flip it on. Sprint on the other hand is not only deploying a 4G LTE network, but installing new panels, remote radio units, and base stations for 1x RTT voice, 1x 800 voice, 3G EVDO, and LTE at every Sprint site. Once it is all complete the network will essentially be brand new. What other vendors are there to go to? Ericsson, Alcatel Lucent, and Samsung are being used to install the new hardware with Nokia doing the Sprint Spark roll-out. Its not an easy task thousands and thousands of sites all ongoing network vision upgrades. The three main vendors are not supplying upgraded backhaul to Sprint's sites but incumbent ISPs or municipal broadband providers. T-Mobile has had to deal with the same delays, but didn't make any announcements about LTE roll-out when they started "quietly" on fiber backhaul. If T-Mobile came out 3 years ago and announced "Hey we are rolling out LTE on our network." 3 years later I believe people would be complaining because 3 years and only at 209 million POPS is pretty slow, but they come out looking squeaky clean because they didn't make any announcements about LTE 3 years ago. Sprint has deployed LTE to 200 million pops in just a year and half, you do the math. Sprint has been rapidly deploying LTE as fast as they can.
 
jmatherly411 said:
What people don't know is that T-Mobile has been "quietly" upgrading their sites to fiber backhaul for the past 3 years. So all that has to be done is install the LTE equipment and flip it on. Sprint on the other hand is not only deploying a 4G LTE network, but installing new panels, remote radio units, and base stations for 1x RTT voice, 1x 800 voice, 3G EVDO, and LTE at every Sprint site. Once it is all complete the network will essentially be brand new. What other vendors are there to go to? Ericsson, Alcatel Lucent, and Samsung are being used to install the new hardware with Nokia doing the Sprint Spark roll-out. Its not an easy task thousands and thousands of sites all ongoing network vision upgrades. The three main vendors are not supplying upgraded backhaul to Sprint's sites but incumbent ISPs or municipal broadband providers. T-Mobile has had to deal with the same delays, but didn't make any announcements about LTE roll-out when they started "quietly" on fiber backhaul. If T-Mobile came out 3 years ago and announced "Hey we are rolling out LTE on our network." 3 years later I believe people would be complaining because 3 years and only at 209 million POPS is pretty slow, but they come out looking squeaky clean because they didn't make any announcements about LTE 3 years ago. Sprint has deployed LTE to 200 million pops in just a year and half, you do the math. Sprint has been rapidly deploying LTE as fast as they can.
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hence my comment, it is sprints fault.
I understand/know t mobile has been upgrading the backhaul for quite some time sprint could have/should have started upgrading years ago as well. these carriers that fail to invest in the network piss me off. They take your money and pocket it instead of making the network better for all/more subscribers.
This applies to cable/internet companies as well.
 
I think Sprint has done a great job in a short amount of time. Softbank has really lit a fire under there butts
 
new optimus said:
hence my comment, it is sprints fault.
I understand/know t mobile has been upgrading the backhaul for quite some time sprint could have/should have started upgrading years ago as well. these carriers that fail to invest in the network piss me off. They take your money and pocket it instead of making the network better for all/more subscribers.
This applies to cable/internet companies as well.
Click to expand...

Sprint has invested in its network, look back a few years ago. Sprint has deployed CDMA 3G EVDO and was the first to roll out 4G WiMax. WiMax was suppose to be the standard for 4G, but was kicked to the curb once LTE was established as the 4G standard since then the WiMax build out has ceased. Sprint is now playing catch up deploying LTE on the 1900 PCS band this is a little bit more difficult because 1900MHz doesn't go as far as Verizon's LTE on the 700MHz spectrum, Verizon hasn't installed LTE on all their sites, on the other hand Sprint currently in the works of doing so. Sprint also has Clear's 2.5 spectrum as well which will help out a lot in large metro areas for capacity. Sprint has one up on the other providers and that is large amounts of capacity. I know I am sounding like a Sprint fanboy but I'm not, I'm trying to give credit where credit is due. Network Vision upgrades where I live are about 90% complete and I can tell a HUGE difference in voice coverage, quality, and faster data speeds on their LTE network. Sprint's voice coverage footprint will essentially double possibly triple once 800MHz goes live in rural areas which will help get people off of roaming. Bottom line it all takes time no matter if its Verizon, ATT, or T-Mobile, Sprint may have gotten a little over their heads (I agree) saying LTE will be complete by 2013 but they are only a few months behind their original schedule. Eventually you will see both Verizon and ATT doing network modernization and streamlining their networks.
 
jmatherly411 said:
Sprint has invested in its network, look back a few years ago. Sprint has deployed CDMA 3G EVDO and was the first to roll out 4G WiMax. WiMax was suppose to be the standard for 4G, but was kicked to the curb once LTE was established as the 4G standard since then the WiMax build out has ceased. Sprint is now playing catch up deploying LTE on the 1900 PCS band this is a little bit more difficult because 1900MHz doesn't go as far as Verizon's LTE on the 700MHz spectrum, Verizon hasn't installed LTE on all their sites, on the other hand Sprint currently in the works of doing so. Sprint also has Clear's 2.5 spectrum as well which will help out a lot in large metro areas for capacity. Sprint has one up on the other providers and that is large amounts of capacity. I know I am sounding like a Sprint fanboy but I'm not, I'm trying to give credit where credit is due. Network Vision upgrades where I live are about 90% complete and I can tell a HUGE difference in voice coverage, quality, and faster data speeds on their LTE network. Sprint's voice coverage footprint will essentially double possibly triple once 800MHz goes live in rural areas which will help get people off of roaming. Bottom line it all takes time no matter if its Verizon, ATT, or T-Mobile, Sprint may have gotten a little over their heads (I agree) saying LTE will be complete by 2013 but they are only a few months behind their original schedule. Eventually you will see both Verizon and ATT doing network modernization and streamlining their networks.
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I know my comments come across as hostile to sprint, but that is only because we are talking about sprint, I am not happy with the way any (even t mobile, though I do like where they are trying to go) carrier has handled network upgrades, and even more they want new subscribers but they don't seem to care the network can not support all of them.

For example all have (at one point or another) did the look how fast we are, and have 60+ mb/s down but in real world very few if any actual subscribers can/do get that.:p
Right now t mobile has fewer total subscribers on the LTE network and so they have fast consistent speeds but if they dont keep improving everything the congestion alone will kill those speeds. Sprint is seeing that now as well and it does not help that they still need to get infrastructure in place.
 
new optimus said:
I know my comments come across as hostile to sprint, but that is only because we are talking about sprint, I am not happy with the way any (even t mobile, though I do like where they are trying to go) carrier has handled network upgrades, and even more they want new subscribers but they don't seem to care the network can not support all of them.

For example all have (at one point or another) did the look how fast we are, and have 60+ mb/s down but in real world very few if any actual subscribers can/do get that.:p
Right now t mobile has fewer total subscribers on the LTE network and so they have fast consistent speeds but if they dont keep improving everything the congestion alone will kill those speeds. Sprint is seeing that now as well and it does not help that they still need to get infrastructure in place.
Click to expand...

That is why Sprint is deploying "Spark" which covers their tri-band LTE in 800, 1900,and 2500 spectrum. The reason why Sprint is seeing congestion on the 1900 LTE network is because not all of the sites are completed yet in a given location meaning LTE capable phones will attempt to acquire the signal from a site that is live with LTE. Once more sites come online in a given area the congestion should be taken care of, Sprint's LTE network isn't oversold or even at capacity. Once Sprint re-farms the Nextel 800 spectrum nationwide Sprint can start opening up more channels on 1900 for LTE. Right now LTE is on a 5x5, later down the road 10x10 can be deployed. Im not saying every market will see 10x10 as spectrum is taxed in certain area of the United States.
 
new optimus said:
Right now t mobile has fewer total subscribers on the LTE network and so they have fast consistent speeds but if they dont keep improving everything the congestion alone will kill those speeds.
Click to expand...

T-Mobile is showing that they are going to invest in their network by buying band 12 lte spectrum in 23 large markets that Verizon was just sitting on and not planning to use. Finally owning some <1ghz spectrum could be the first step towards a better network.
 
So; We all know that VM phones right now can't work on Boost's network...same the opposite way also. If/when they do merge, do VM phones all of a sudden work in Boost freq.'s & vice-versa? And what happens to the present customers of each...How does everyone here see the payment matrix's pan-out?

Peace,
Sox
 
soxtober05 said:
So; We all know that VM phones right now can't work on Boost's network...same the opposite way also. If/when they do merge, do VM phones all of a sudden work in Boost freq.'s &amp; vice-versa? And what happens to the present customers of each...How does everyone here see the payment matrix's pan-out?

Peace,
Sox
Click to expand...


Not a whole lot will change.
They will still have the 55 dollar unlimited plan as well as some of the VM plans and everything will be re-branded
 
soxtober05 said:
So; We all know that VM phones right now can't work on Boost's network...same the opposite way also. If/when they do merge, do VM phones all of a sudden work in Boost freq.'s & vice-versa?
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Boost and Virgin Mobile use the same network already - they both connect to Sprint towers. The inability to use each others phones is policy, not technical.

My guess is when they merge you will be able to use current Boost and Virgin Mobile phones with the combined carrier (Sprint Freedom).
 
kate said:
Boost and Virgin Mobile use the same network already - they both connect to Sprint towers. The inability to use each others phones is policy, not technical.

My guess is when they merge you will be able to use current Boost and Virgin Mobile phones with the combined carrier (Sprint Freedom).
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Guess we'll just have to wait for them to raise the curtain between the cubicles and the CSR's start talkin' to each other...:rolleyes:
 
I am excited about the idea of Sprint and T-Mobile becoming one. I think that could only help the network in terms of footprint.

I am concerned however about the merger of Boost and Virgin. I don't think Boost or Virgin customers would be happy changing their policies. Maybe they will compromise in a good way. But it's also possible it might be in a bad way. I would be happy if they changed both policies to this format of three choices:

$35/mth 300 min unlitmited data and text;
$45/mth 1200 min unlimited data and text;
$55/mth unlimited everything with shrinkage;

But what are the chances of that?
 
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