Report: Sprint consummates LTE network-sharing deal with LightSquared

[CubsFanForLife]

Per FierceWireless.

Report: Sprint consummates LTE network-sharing deal with LightSquared - FierceWireless

 

[Supersonic Mike]

Sprint has found a great way to ensure that I'll never subscribe. LightSquared is demonstrated to cause catastrophic interference with GPS, and it's worse for higher accuracy receivers, such as what's used for precision landing, and surveying.

LightSquared cellular network interferes with all GPS applications, latest tests show - Nextgov states that the impact might even extend to space operations.

Back to the Drawing Board: LightSquared Tests Disrupts GPS
LightSquared Flunks GPS Test | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

What's been missing from the discussion to some extend is how critical the timing portion of GPS is to everything in modern life, from things like ATM machines and using your credit card, to keeping the backbone of the internet working. I'm hoping to read a lot more on that in the final report of the GPS working group.

I'd expect that Sprint will never be allowed to build a LS tower on any military base, or other large federal installation. I wouldn't put it past spectrum management where I work to try to get anyone with a personal LS phone to keep it off and/or not bring it on site.

 

[NMherron]

Looks like Sprint knew about the work around when they were making the deal. Light Reading Mobile - 4G/LTE - LightSquared Offers GPS Olive Branch - Telecom News Analysis

This sounds like a big win in the long run for Sprint customers. But the next 12 months we will continue to struggle with very slow and painful WiMax rollout with Clearwire. I also read where Sprint is working with Qualcomm on dual-mode chipsets that will run WiMax and LTE in the same device. In about 18 months, sprint devices will just show 4G signal indicators and you won't know whether you're on LTE or WiMax. Kind of like how you can't tell if you're on EVDO or 1x on the EVO. Except for the painfully slow speed. difference! HA!

 

[Linkchomp]

Yeah, I'll be an old man by the time crapwire rolls 4g out

 

[NMherron]

Yeah, I'll be an old man by the time crapwire rolls 4g out

Yeah, you and me both! I just hope this deal with LS2 doesn't end up being Clearwire Revisited. if it's done right, this could be an awesome deal for us Sprint customers. If their LTE is rolled out the same way the WiMax has, then we all will be jumping ship in about 24 months.

Sprint, please, oh please, don't screw this one up! It's our last hope, and your last chance!

I still have to admit the thought of being on a remote mountain in Colorado camping and getting a 4G signal just sends thrills up my spine. Or driving to Iowa and streaming Netflix the whole way. Just get it right, Sprint. And fast! :-\

 

[Supersonic Mike]

The "fix" works except for "a small number of high-accuracy receivers", which includes most of the critical GPS systems, as opposed to the one in your car or phone. Surveying/Construction, farming, aircraft nav/landing systems, etc are still getting burned.

Also, I think almost all their phones will only be LTE, and not able to use their single satellite they have going. You definitely will NOT get 4G over a satellite.

 

[NMherron]

The "fix" works except for "a small number of high-accuracy receivers", which includes most of the critical GPS systems, as opposed to the one in your car or phone. Surveying/Construction, farming, aircraft nav/landing systems, etc are still getting burned.

Also, I think almost all their phones will only be LTE, and not able to use their single satellite they have going. You definitely will NOT get 4G over a satellite.

LS2 has said in previous articles that they will give access to all their whoelsale customers to do LTE via terrestrial only, LTE via satellite only, or both. I am wanting Sprint's deal with them to be for both. I know I'm just dreaming. Or at least through Sprint, sell us a satellite option. I don't mind paying for the hardware.

In fact, I think it would be pretty trick for them to come up with hardware for their satellite system to put an antenna on your car (or RV) that picks up the signal and then automatically rebroadcasts in the vehicle a wifi signal. That would be cool.

I'd be willing to pay a few hundred bucks for the hardware and an additional $20 a month for that. That way I can stream my radio apps, Netflix, surf the web, make reservations...do whatever...no matter where I go.

For those on the East Coast, this may not seem like a big deal. But for us folks in the rural West, this would be a dream come true!

 

[srkmagnus]

@NMherron, I can't even imagine how you guys in the midwest/rural areas feel without sufficient mobile coverage.

Sprint needs to deploy LTE right the first time around to make it successful. They did good with the WiMax, imo, but started to drop the ball towards the end of this year. This is kind of out of their control though, since the deal between them and Clearwire began to fall apart.

 

[Linkchomp]

Yeah, you and me both! I just hope this deal with LS2 doesn't end up being Clearwire Revisited. if it's done right, this could be an awesome deal for us Sprint customers. If their LTE is rolled out the same way the WiMax has, then we all will be jumping ship in about 24 months.

Sprint, please, oh please, don't screw this one up! It's our last hope, and your last chance!

I still have to admit the thought of being on a remote mountain in Colorado camping and getting a 4G signal just sends thrills up my spine. Or driving to Iowa and streaming Netflix the whole way. Just get it right, Sprint. And fast! :-\

I'm with you. Despite the problem I had with one store, I am still willing to stick with Sprint because I prefer to have my unlimited data and overall their cs is better.

From what it looks like, LS is in a better financial position than Clearwire, so hopefully this won't be another screwup.

Imagine being up in the mtns and being able to watch a movie Makes me want to go into tech mode lol

 

[Supersonic Mike]

Re: Report: Sprint consummates LTE network-sharing deal with Ligh

LS2 has said in previous articles that they will give access to all their whoelsale customers to do LTE via terrestrial only, LTE via satellite only, or both. I am wanting Sprint's deal with them to be for both. I know I'm just dreaming. Or at least through Sprint, sell us a satellite option. I don't mind paying for the hardware.

In fact, I think it would be pretty trick for them to come up with hardware for their satellite system to put an antenna on your car (or RV) that picks up the signal and then automatically rebroadcasts in the vehicle a wifi signal. That would be cool.

I'd be willing to pay a few hundred bucks for the hardware and an additional $20 a month for that. That way I can stream my radio apps, Netflix, surf the web, make reservations...do whatever...no matter where I go.

For those on the East Coast, this may not seem like a big deal. But for us folks in the rural West, this would be a dream come true!

Sorry man, but they can't provide high bandwidth of satcom the way they can with towers. Instead of the bandwidth being split among X users on one cell tower covering Y area, it's split among all satcom users covered by the satellite...

I'll be very surprised if a consumer phone with a satcom data option at a reasonable price comes out...

 

[NMherron]

Re: Report: Sprint consummates LTE network-sharing deal with Ligh

Sorry man, but they can't provide high bandwidth of satcom the way they can with towers. Instead of the bandwidth being split among X users on one cell tower covering Y area, it's split among all satcom users covered by the satellite...

I'll be very surprised if a consumer phone with a satcom data option at a reasonable price comes out...

Certainly a concern. They recognize that too. That's why their business model has 98% of the population being covered by terrestrial service. It will be interesting to see what the real world performance ends up being on the satellite after the terrestrial service gets completely built out.