Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread aka Sprint Spark

[cgardnervt]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Good point. Att & tmo have had their network issues in the past. Sprint has the money now to build up 2500 & 800 mhz.

Posted via Android Central App

They do and lets hope that they do it correctly. Att and Verizon on doing well because they both have a GOOD back bone for non-LTE users and they still offer a good LTE market. Verizon offers a much bigger one but thats what you pay for. Sprint has a few good LTE markets and a terrible 3G backbone. That is the main complaint from people.

 

[Slow_S10]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Ok consider me following this thread intently.

I am due for an upgrade on Aug first and I currently have a Galaxy SII (SGS2E4GT) that is really starting to get long in the tooth and is in desperate need of replacement. I really don't mind waiting up to a couple month for a good Tri-band phone to drop, but I would greatly prefer to know how long I have to wait. But I was already pretty much sold on the S4 so if they can get it bumped up to a Tri-band device I'll be the first one in line to get one.

I was just thinking it would be awesome if they released the S4 active as their first Tri-band device also, but barring that I'll certainly settle for a
"Re-released Sprint Exclusive Samsung Galaxy S4 Super AMOLED High Definition Epic 4g Tri-Band LTE Touch" or RRSESGS4SAMOLEDHDE4GTBLTET for short.

 

[HalizDad]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Huh?

Someone was speculating that each tower would be broadcasting all 3 frequencies at the same time and that the phone would switch from low to high frequency automatically and wanted to know when, or at what point that would happen...That's what prompted me to write "There will be triband phones, not triband towers". If Sprint can get the permits, 800Mhz in a city would work well, and 1900Mhz in an area like I live would work out just fine. Should be interesting, but honestly, my bated breath turned to morning breath a few years ago.

 

[Slow_S10]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Someone was speculating that each tower would be broadcasting all 3 frequencies at the same time and that the phone would switch from low to high frequency automatically and wanted to know when, or at what point that would happen...That's what prompted me to write "There will be triband phones, not triband towers". If Sprint can get the permits, 800Mhz in a city would work well, and 1900Mhz in an area like I live would work out just fine. Should be interesting, but honestly, my bated breath turned to morning breath a few years ago.

Well according to this graphic, Sprint is planning on doing just that, tri-band AKA Multimodal LTE towers.

source: Sprint turns on LTE TDD, allowing it to compete with AT&T and Verizon?s coverage and performance | ExtremeTech

 

[HalizDad]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Well according to this graphic, Sprint is planning on doing just that, tri-band AKA Multimodal LTE towers.
http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/extremetech-nv-future-640x353.png

source: Sprint turns on LTE TDD, allowing it to compete with AT&T and Verizon?s coverage and performance | ExtremeTech

Yes, and originally Sprint was going to deal with their backhaul issues using more microwave towers instead of fiber...If Sprint goes into tri-band towers, I'm outta' here. Reason? How long does it take your phone to go from 4G back to 3G? I'm not dropping a data connection every 3 seconds.

Edit: Actually, the second comment in the comments section of your link "nailed it"... "The before/after picture is a little misleading. The before picture is 800 Nextel, 1900 voice/3G and 2500 WiMAX. The after picture is 800 LTE/voice, 1900 LTE/3G/voice and 2500 TDD LTE. So they are utilizing all spectrum more efficiently, which tri-band phones can access. 800Mhz is what will likely turn around Sprint., They'll have competitive coverage with ATT/VZW when rollout is complete. 2500 will give them far more capacity. Getting enough backhaul to every cellsite is their challenge.

 

[Slow_S10]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Ha, trick question! I've never actually had 4G service!

But for what it's worth I'm not arguing about how crappy their current backhaul is or how slow their phones switch bands currently. Trust me I have been with Sprint for a long time and I know their service sucks. I was simply pointing out that the current plan is in fact to upgrade to tri-band towers.

 

[HalizDad]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Ha, trick question! I've never actually had 4G service!

But for what it's worth I'm not arguing about how crappy their current backhaul is or how slow their phones switch bands currently. Trust me I have been with Sprint for a long time and I know their service sucks. I was simply pointing out that the current plan is in fact to upgrade them to tri-band towers.

It's not just Sprint that has a slow handoff from signal to signal...Verizon is the same way. I've been with Sprint since 1998 myself, minus 9 months with Verizon. I have Wimax here, but no Wimax phone anymore. Their service doesn't suck, and I'm not hating on Sprint; I just wish they had planned for fiber instead of more microwave towers from the get-go. Yes. I was wrong...Hear that everyone? I was WRONG!!! Sprint is going to use tri-band towers...Just not the way some people were speculating...I'm still not sold on the idea, but, that's why there are 3 other carriers if needed. I'm not a fan-boi of any carrier as they all charge way more than any place else I've ever lived...(Europe and Asia)

 

[Slow_S10]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Trust me I really want Sprint to succeed too but I am definitely hating on them a little bit. My service is so redicliously bad, especially at work where I usually have a hard time even sending text messages. It's not like I live and work in the middle of nowhere either, I live in a fairly dense suburban area on the boarder of three large cities, and I work on a Military installation, which is one of the largest, if not the largest of it's kind in the world.

Honestly I probably would have dropped Sprint a long time ago but they managed to get me and my wife in a year long alternating upgrade cycle from back when Gold Premier Members could upgrade yearly. That means that either one of us is going to have to suck it up and keep a phone for three years (which would have to be me, since my wife's phones have yet to survive until she was eligable to upgrade), I have to drop $600+ to get a replacement phone off contract, or we can just suck it up and stay with Sprint for the forseeable future. And since for now I am going to choose that last option and be stuck with Sprint for a while, that is exactly why I am hanging out here hoping to hear some good news about a Tri-band phone. And yes while Tri-band phones aren't going to instantly solve all of Sprint's issues I would still like to have something ready to go for whenever they do get their upgraded network in place. As opposed to where I am now sitting on the sidelines envious of everyone who is actually getting 4G, or any decent service for that matter. I picked up the S2 with the promise of impending wide spread WiMax 4G in the very near future and they made it as far as one tower in our area and then killed the whole program. Now I can either pick up a normal S4 and be stuck with last generation's tech for the next two years or hopefully in the very near future pick up something even better that will actually continue to get better as Sprint's network grows and improves... but I can't wait forever!

 

[HalizDad]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Trust me I really want Sprint to succeed too but I am definitely hating on them a little bit. My service is so redicliously bad, especially at work where I usually have a hard time even sending text messages. It's not like I live and work in the middle of nowhere either, I live in a fairly dense suburban area on the boarder of three large cities, and I work on a Military installation, which is one of the largest, if not the largest of it's kind in the world.

Honestly I probably would have dropped Sprint a long time ago but they managed to get me and my wife in a year long alternating upgrade cycle from back when Gold Premier Members could upgrade yearly. That means that either one of us is going to have to suck it up and keep a phone for three years (which would have to be me, since my wife's phones have yet to survive until she was eligable to upgrade), I have to drop $600+ to get a replacement phone off contract, or we can just suck it up and stay with Sprint for the forseeable future. And since for now I am going to choose that last option and be stuck with Sprint for a while, that is exactly why I am hanging out here hoping to hear some good news about a Tri-band phone. And yes while Tri-band phones aren't going to instantly solve all of Sprint's issues I would still like to have something ready to go for whenever they do get their upgraded network in place. As opposed to where I am now sitting on the sidelines envious of everyone who is actually getting 4G, or any decent service for that matter. I picked up the S2 with the promise of impending wide spread WiMax 4G in the very near future and they made it as far as one tower in our area and then killed the whole program. Now I can either pick up a normal S4 and be stuck with last generation's tech for the next two years or hopefully in the very near future pick up something even better that will actually continue to get better as Sprint's network grows and improves... but I can't wait forever!

Fort Hood or JB Lewis/McChord?

 

[Slow_S10]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Naval Station Norfolk, VA

 

[TropicalSammich]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Well according to this graphic, Sprint is planning on doing just that, tri-band AKA Multimodal LTE towers.
http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/extremetech-nv-future-640x353.png

source: Sprint turns on LTE TDD, allowing it to compete with AT&T and Verizon?s coverage and performance | ExtremeTech

Soooo, back on track to the OP Topic regarding Sprint Phone Hardware, and not their network....

Someone a few posts back mentioned LG Tri-Band going through FCC, I would image this also to be the G2 being announced in August.

They did a great job with the Optimus G, so this one should be another great phone. They just need some Marketing capital with the likes of Samsung, and they would be selling a whole lot more.

Hopefully the Moto X will share some Sprint love, and be the second device with Tri-Band capability. Although it might be safe to say all new phones coming out will have Tri-Band period. Similar to when the made the switch from WiMax to LTE handsets, it was pretty abrupt, even with LTE not being deployed yet.

 

[Slow_S10]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

I'd like to think that pretty much every new device that comes out on Sprint from here on out will be Tri-Band. I don't see any reason that they wouldn't unless there are still a few devices that are already almost through the pipeline without it. But yeah I was also assuming that the Tri-band LG device is the G2, which from what I have heard is also supposed to be a fantastic phone.

I definitely wouldn't be opposed to getting a G2 but honestly I kind of already have my heart set on a S4. But like I said before I can't wait forever either.

 

[VW Maverick]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

I am hoping that Sprint's BOGO sale on the Galaxy S4 indicates they are trying to sell down their current stock to make room for the speculated Tri-Band version.

Mav.

 

[Slow_S10]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Good call! I didn't even think about that connection, but you're right that could be a good sign.

 

[VW Maverick]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Whatever occurs, it will be in the 4th Quarter which starts in September, so the waiting continues.
As I said, my upgrade is on Dec 1st so I have no choice.
Mav.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

 

[GiantJay]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Okay so Leo Laporte got me super excited for this phone today. He has seen and used the Moto X and even though he signed a NDA he gave some very obvious hints. He said some of the leaked specs are wrong and there are A LOT of features that haven't been leaked. Somebody called in about getting a phone today on the Tech Guy Show and he said I cant say why but wait until August 1st like 10 times. Then he bad mouthed Samsung and HTC its got me wondering. I personally expect it to be tri-band also.

Brought to you by Sprint and the letters GS and the number 4

 

[VW Maverick]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Now if the Moto X is indeed a Tri-Band Phone, that would nearly be the best of all worlds.
Hope it is true. Keep us up to date.

Mav.

 

[lilotimz]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

The Sprint Moto X actually has went through the FCC and is Band 25 (PCS) only.

https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/repo...rame=N&application_id=425753&fcc_id=IHDT56PB2

 

[Slow_S10]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

Aww. I was kind of hoping it might have been. Although I am still intrigued to see what features have not been announced yet.

Also worth noting the S4 is only $100 for new activiations through Amazon. That's Possibly another good sign that they are trying to clear some more of them out.

 

[VW Maverick]

Re: Official Sprint Tri-Band LTE Phone Discussion Thread

The Sprint Moto X actually has went through the FCC and is Band 25 (PCS) only.

https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/repo...rame=N&application_id=425753&fcc_id=IHDT56PB2

That link sends me to a weird place.
I won't be surprised if there is no Tri-Band Moto X upon release.
Google and Motorola most likely want to reduce any carrier differences to keep costs down.
Just my $.02

I know Samsung is on for one Tri-Band phone and I am hoping it is a GS4.
Time will tell.

Mav.