Sprint made the announcement of LTE

[rawvega]

Sprint has very little 800MHz spectrum from Nextel/iDEN. They are going to run CDMA voice on it for sure. If deployed right, they could have just enough spectrum for one or two small LTE TDD channels.

Highly doubtful. That 800MHz spectrum is paired. For all intents and purposes, paired spectrum means FDD, not TDD. The most suitable spectrum for a TDD LTE deployment would be 2.5GHz spectrum that Clearwire has. Of course, they have so much of it that they also could divide it up and use it in an FDD configuration if they so chose. At this point, everything is just guesswork. It should be interesting to find out more on October 7th.

Some more info on LTE spectrum bands:

LTE Frequency Bands and Spectrum Allocations :: Radio-Electronics.Com

 

[NMherron]

True. But Sprint can run channels as low as 2.4 mhz for LTE (like MetroPCS) . But that would make for some pretty lame 4G performance. But there is not a lot of 800 MHz spectrum available, especially since Sprint wants to deploy voice there too.

Sprint is purportedly in talks with Dish Network over a deal similar to LightSquared. This would be good as Dish has large 2000 MHz holdings and a small 700 MHz holding. A combined 700/800 network would give Sprint a decent low frequency showing and make it a little more usable.

 

[tompro53]

The problem people don't realize about using LTE its expensive for the carriers main reason why AT&T, Verizon, & T-mobile don't have unlimited plans anymore with Sprint going LTE you can kiss your unlimited plan goodbye atleast with Wimax its cheaper so unlimited plans would stay.

 

[rawvega]

True. But Sprint can run channels as low as 2.4 mhz for LTE (like MetroPCS) . But that would make for some pretty lame 4G performance. But there is not a lot of 800 MHz spectrum available, especially since Sprint wants to deploy voice there too.

Actually 2.8MHz (1.4MHz up/1.4MHz down), but yes your point remains; that would make for less than stellar 4G performance. With Sprint only having 14MHz of 800MHz spectrum and planning to deploy CDMA on it soon along with having to also support iDEN on that spectrum until ~2013, I don't see LTE being deployed there anytime soon. What will be interesting is what happens when iDEN is finally retired once and for all and LTE-A is available which allows for carrier aggregation of disparate spectrum bands.

Sprint is purportedly in talks with Dish Network over a deal similar to LightSquared. This would be good as Dish has large 2000 MHz holdings and a small 700 MHz holding. A combined 700/800 network would give Sprint a decent low frequency showing and make it a little more usable.

That indeed could be an additional chapter that Hesse was talking about in regards to their announcement. I also am curious to see what finally happens to the 700MHz D-block. There are those in congress who want to allocate it directly to public safety and build out a nationwide network. However, given the current economic climate in Washington, I can't imagine the government footing the bill for a wireless broadband network with an 11 digit price tag would be a very popular idea. On the other hand, if that spectrum were to go to auction, it could come to Sprint at an attractive price if VZW and at&t are barred from bidding. All speculation, of course. I'm anxious for October 7th though...

The problem people don't realize about using LTE its expensive for the carriers main reason why AT&T, Verizon, & T-mobile don't have unlimited plans anymore with Sprint going LTE you can kiss your unlimited plan goodbye atleast with Wimax its cheaper so unlimited plans would stay.

Yes, LTE equipment is currently more expensive than WiMAX gear at this stage. However, that's not really the reason why unlimited has gone away with the other carriers. I mean, you mention T-Mobile, but they don't have LTE and never have any formal plans to migrate to LTE which shoots your theory down. The bigger reason is spectrum, or lack thereof. It's getting harder to provide unlimited data usage when wireless spectrum is such a finite resource regardless of the air interface. Clearwire and therefore Sprint, have a copious amount of spectrum in the 2.5GHz band which is allowing them to keep unlimited usage...for the time being.

 

[NMherron]

LTE does use 20% more energy compared to WiMax. And six months ago the hardware was more expensive. However, due to economies of mass production, LTE component prices are dropping fast. Its believed that LTE components will be cheaper than WiMax in about 6 months or so.

Most likely once the hardware costs go down enough, it will likely offset the WiMax energy efficiencies. So in the short term it is accurate to say WiMax is less expensive. But in the long term it will not be more expensive to run LTE.

If Sprint does ever drop unlimited, it will likely be because their 3G network is so overwhelmed. And that problem is because of backhaul.

 

[tompro53]

@rawvega
T-mobile doesn't have LTE yes that's true, but if you remember AT&T and T-mobile are still going to merge together as of right now and AT&T has LTE so T-mobile got rid of their unlimited plan ahead of time.

 

[rawvega]

Along those lines, also consider that at&t did away with unlimited data plans 6/7/2010. As of today, 8/1/2011, they still don't have an LTE network that's available for consumer use, so that still doesn't jibe with LTE, in and of itself, being the cause for unlimited data plans going away.

 

[NMherron]

Along those lines, also consider that at&t did away with unlimited data plans 6/7/2010. As of today, 8/1/2011, they still don't have an LTE network that's available for consumer use, so that still doesn't jibe with LTE, in and of itself, being the cause for unlimited data plans going away.

Great point. And AT&T hasn't even begun to tap their 700MHz LTE spectrum. They should have plenty there for the first few years, at least.

 

[tompro53]

Along those lines, also consider that at&t did away with unlimited data plans 6/7/2010. As of today, 8/1/2011, they still don't have an LTE network that's available for consumer use, so that still doesn't jibe with LTE, in and of itself, being the cause for unlimited data plans going away.

It's called thinking ahead they know it would be expensive for LTE when they applied it so they cut unlimited plan so people would pay more so that money would go towards LTE.

 

[NMherron]

The problem people don't realize about using LTE its expensive for the carriers main reason why AT&T, Verizon, & T-mobile don't have unlimited plans anymore with Sprint going LTE you can kiss your unlimited plan goodbye atleast with Wimax its cheaper so unlimited plans would stay.

I came across this graphic today on dailywireless.org.

Interestingly, the least expensive networks in the world for consumers both were 4G LTE networks in Japan and Sweden. And the most expensive was in the United States. Go figure.

 

[tybo31316]

LTE is only going to get more and more expensive. Hopefully the Sprint/Clear/Lightsquared trifecta can change that with their spectrum resources. I believe if done properly the trifecta can take the coverage and speed crown away from verizon and provide a lower cost to customers therefore causing verizon and att to lower prices to compete as customers deflect from the big 2. But I guess we will have to sit back and watch as this whole thing unfolds.

 

[BlackHawkA4]

I came across this graphic today on dailywireless.org.

Interestingly, the least expensive networks in the world for consumers both were 4G LTE networks in Japan and Sweden. And the most expensive was in the United States. Go figure.

Yo bro, I want WiBro. F LTE and WiMax. WiBro son!

 

[NMherron]

LTE is only going to get more and more expensive. Hopefully the Sprint/Clear/Lightsquared trifecta can change that with their spectrum resources. I believe if done properly the trifecta can take the coverage and speed crown away from verizon and provide a lower cost to customers therefore causing verizon and att to lower prices to compete as customers deflect from the big 2. But I guess we will have to sit back and watch as this whole thing unfolds.

Its not that LTE is going to get more expensive. LTE is going to get cheaper. But you are right that AT&T and Verizon are going to do everything it can to raise data rates and make more money. The Big 2 want nothing more than to drive the medium-sized carriers out of business or relegate them to the sidelines. In a duopoly situation they can dominate and charge whatever it wants. This is what is happening in Canada.

But under this scenario, data rates will go up. All of them. They are going to treat a GB the same no matter which network it is consumed on. Its not an LTE thing.

In fact, LTE is much more spectrum efficient than 3G EVDO and HSPA. You can get more data through per MHz of spectrum. A lot more. They will be happy to move users to LTE. It will cost them far less per GB.

But they are trying to find any way possible to gorge the most money as possible from its customers. That's why they outmaneuvered Sprint on purchasing Alltel and T-Mobile. They couldn't let Sprint get a leg up! If Sprint became a larger more solid competitor, then the big guys would have to match Sprint's offerings and would have to give up some of that profit.

 

[rawvega]

Clearwire adding LTE is official now: Clearwire Announces Intent to Add LTE to Its Network to Accelerate Wholesale Business (NASDAQ:CLWR)

 

[tybo31316]

Clearwire adding LTE is official now: Clearwire Announces Intent to Add LTE to Its Network to Accelerate Wholesale Business (NASDAQ:CLWR)

Its great that clearwire is going LTE-Advanced. Also its even better that they chose TDD-LTE with china and india which has 2 of the largest wireless companies in the world. So Im sure it will not be hard to land good devices and apple has said that they are interested in making a TDD-LTE iphone.

 

[tmiw]

I know that it'll probably be at least another few years before San Diego gets Sprint LTE, but this makes me almost want to delay upgrading my phone. :-\

 

[NMherron]

Its great that clearwire is going LTE-Advanced. Also its even better that they chose TDD-LTE with china and india which has 2 of the largest wireless companies in the world. So Im sure it will not be hard to land good devices and apple has said that they are interested in making a TDD-LTE iphone.

Agreed about TDD. Good move. At first I thought it said LTE Advanced, but they actually said LTE Advanced-ready. Jargon.

But either way it's a good move.

 

[Linkchomp]

Its not that LTE is going to get more expensive. LTE is going to get cheaper. But you are right that AT&T and Verizon are going to do everything it can to raise data rates and make more money. The Big 2 want nothing more than to drive the medium-sized carriers out of business or relegate them to the sidelines. In a duopoly situation they can dominate and charge whatever it wants. This is what is happening in Canada.

But under this scenario, data rates will go up. All of them. They are going to treat a GB the same no matter which network it is consumed on. Its not an LTE thing.

In fact, LTE is much more spectrum efficient than 3G EVDO and HSPA. You can get more data through per MHz of spectrum. A lot more. They will be happy to move users to LTE. It will cost them far less per GB.

But they are trying to find any way possible to gorge the most money as possible from its customers. That's why they outmaneuvered Sprint on purchasing Alltel and T-Mobile. They couldn't let Sprint get a leg up! If Sprint became a larger more solid competitor, then the big guys would have to match Sprint's offerings and would have to give up some of that profit.

And let's not even forget about AT&T's vicious campaign to purchase T-Mobile and become the dominant GSM carrier in the US with the biggest subscriber base. And they claim they want to bring services to more customers and improve infrastructure. I'd say bollocks if you ask me.

 

[Drzfr3shboialex]

Its LTE, and then clearwire is doing LTE advanced

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