Speaking during a roundtable at Mobile World Congress, Sprint executives have confirmed a few key moves for the carrier in the coming months.
First, it has decided to wait 4-6 months to make a final decision on its 4G strategy, which will be dependent on the rate of customers moving from EVDO to WiMax before deciding to stay with WiMax or deciding to roll out LTE. Related to the Network Vision initiative, the carrier has also confirmed the roll out of the CDMA 1xAdvanced as well as the replacement of its current T1-based backhaul solution for cellsites with a combination of microwave and fiber backhaul for greater capacity.
Finally, the confirmation of a new CDMA push to talk solution was elaborated on, with Bob Azzi stating that the new solution is an upgrade from the previous QChat solution and admitting that adoption of QChat was less than hoped for, with one of the main problems being in coverage differences. Sprint executives expect that the new solution will be an improvement over QChat with new features that they hope to draw customers, but did not specify which features would be included.
The CDMA 1X advanced allows simultaneous voice and data right? Any time frame on that rollout?
No, CDMA 1X advanced does not, in and of itself, allow for simultaneous voice and data. SVDO is what allows for simultaneous voice and data and is compatible with existing 1X networks as well as 1X advanced networks.
So what is the advantage to CDMA 1X Advanced?
From what I’m reading in Qualcomm’s 1X Advanced PDF, 1X Advanced and SVDO goes hand in hand. Every single device running CDMA 1X Advanced will be SVDO capable. Verizon will be switching to 1X Advanced as well, with some of their newest phones already using it. This will be the same for Sprint.
@ Phoneman The benefits of 1X Advanced: “The upgrade also includes the deployment of CDMA 1x Advanced, which Azzi said will reduce the per-minute costs and provide an estimated 20 percent to 40 percent improvement in capacity and performance.”
@ Vegas I could be wrong, but I don’t believe that Verizon has officially committed to deploying 1X Advanced.
If the consumers will get better devices by going the LTE route then I’m all for it.
Okay, so I guess the better question is, why do I care if Sprint goes to 1X advanced?
If there is no benefit to me directly, why is Sprint announcing it like it’s news or something?
If the end user won’t even notice when Sprint switches to 1X advanced, then why should the end user care that they are planning such a switch?
Moving to 1xAdvanced will free up spectrum that Sprint will then be able to re-allocate to 4G, either by selling it or assigning it directly.
The less spectrum that CDMA needs, the more power Sprint has to roll out 4G in more places… faster.
Oh okay. So it’s more of a long term thing then.
Question about Push to talk service. So are they evolving Qchat or abandoning it altogether and going with something new? I currently have a Qchat capable phone (Sanyo Pro 200). Should I expect the coverage to be better once they make the changes or will I have to purchase a new phone?
It’s not being abandoned, it’s being evolved. Your current QChat phone should still work as it currently does. Unless the next generation of QChat improvements can be implemented on current devices via firmware update you obviously won’t be able to take advantage of them nor the benefits of 1X Advanced. I seem to remember that Sprint expected some marginal increase in Rf performance on 1.9GHz due simply to replacing older, outdated antennas and base stations with new equipment. I doubt anyone can say for sure until the new equipment is actually in place and optimized for use.
@ DP
You said, “you obviously won’t be able to take advantage of them nor the benefits of 1X Advanced.”
What benefits are you expecting with 1X Advanced? I thought it was understood that there is no benefit to the end user?
Perhaps that is how YOU understood it…Here’s a presentation by Qualcomm on 1X Advanced: http://www.qualcomm.com/common/documents/presentations/four_fold_increase_in_voice_capacity.pdf
A four fold increase in voice capacity could potentially reduce failed or dropped calls in congested areas; or it can provide up to a 70% increase in coverage allowing for calls to be maintained in locations that they may have dropped before; or they can utilize some combination of the two.
I don’t know how you couldn’t consider that a benefit to the end user.
@ EP
Does Sprint have a problem with dropped calls or something? If they do, I have never experienced it, and I haven’t heard/read about it either.
So if nobody has this problem (and you would be foolish to stay with Sprint if you did have this problem) then what benefit will the end user see?
It seems like this is just a way for Sprint to make more money by cramming more users onto the same tower.
Every carrier has dropped or failed calls at some location at some point in time. The goal is for every user to have zero, which is not feasible financially at this point, but this is a tool which could, in theory, help reduce the issue. As mentioned previously, the 1X Advanced protocol also can provide up to a 70% gain in coverage. The benefit to the end user in that regard should be a no-brainer. You keep asking the same question despite having gotten an answer to that question. If you can’t see what the benefits are to end users it’s because you’ve chosen not to see it and that is on you.
@ EP
Again, I am not seeing any benefit to the end user here. You keep bringing up issues that nobody should be experiencing. If someone stays with a carrier that has coverage or dropped call issues, then that person is a moron.
I don’t have any dropped call issues and have coverage everywhere I have tried to use it. Assuming most people are in a similar situation (because, again, they would be a moron if they stayed with Sprint and didn’t have good service) then what benefit is there?
None. That is the correct answer.
Yes, Sprint might be able to cram more people on a tower and save some money. But that doesn’t benefit me in any way.
No, the correct answer is that there are tangible benefits, but like I said, you’ve chosen not to see them and that’s your prerogative. Sometimes people are oblivious to the obvious. As you’ve chosen to believe what you wish to believe facts be damned, this has become pointless. By all means be content believing that additional capacity and coverage provide NO benefit to the end user and I’ll just agree to disagree. Adieu.
@ EP
You keep dodging the question. Your only answer is “the question has already been answered.”
Again, if I have good coverage and don’t have a dropped call issue, then what benefit will I see? None. Is that wrong, or is that correct?
Does Sprint have a lot of customers complaining of coverage and dropped call issues? No. Is that wrong, or is that correct?
Again, I can’t see where the end users will see any benefit here. I can see where Sprint can pack more users onto a tower and save/make more money though.
Just as a clarification, I haven’t dodged anything. The answer to your question has been provided by myself and others. That answer is apparently beyond your comprehension though. As such, I feel no need whatsoever to continue in this discussion with you as nothing productive will come from it. So by all means, continue to believe whatever you wish to believe.
@ EP
Again, dodged the question. Just saying “it has already been answered” over and over is not a sufficient answer. Clearly, you have no answer.
Again, if someone doesn’t have coverage problems, and no issues with dropped calls, then they will not see any benefit from Sprint improving coverage or dropped calls.
And, again, if there is anyone with Sprint right now who has dropped call or coverage issues, then they are a moron for not leaving to another provider that doesn’t have those issues in their area.
It’s a sufficient answer for me. Clearly you can’t comprehend the answer so that’s solely on you.
@ EP
How many times are you going to post with no substance? You keep taking the time to post, I’d think you could have answered the simple question at least once in one of those posts.
Does it really take less energy and effort to say “it’s already been answered, you just don’t understand it, I’m done…” several times instead of just answering the question once?
We can all see the truth here, you have no answer. There is no benefit to the end user. If you don’t have coverage or dropped call issues, then improving coverage and dropped calls won’t do anything for you.
And, again, you’d be a fool if you stayed with Sprint even though you were having such issues. Not that Sprint is known for these issues anyway.
Switching to LTE on a lower frequency band- consumers would probably see immediate benefits. Better phones, better in building penetration, faster data, etc. But switching to 1X advanced won’t do anything for the end user. It will only help Sprint make money.
@ EP You’re still wasting time on this joker?!? LMao!!! Give it up, dude. You can’t make a blind man see.
Capacity is only ever an issue to the end user when it impacts them directly, otherwise they never think about it. Almost every carrier experienes capacity concerns somewhere on their network during peak periods and most of the time the operators are able to throttle users to reduce the capacity. The San Francisco Bay Area during the rush hour commutes are a nightmare for the carriers, think about the millions of people in transit all making phone calls. I have had service from every major carrier while in the bay area and experienced it to different degrees with each carrier. How long does it take from the time you hit Dial until you can hear the call actually connect? How long does it take someone calling you to do the same? Increased coverage doesn’t necessarily mean dropped calls instead what it means are fewer dead zones and zones with poor signal. Just walk around a major city like San Francisco or New York and you will understand exactly what I mean or drive from Sacramento to Chico. So maybe you do not live in an area where cellular congestion and tall buildings do not create a situation where service can be spotty in one location, walk a half a block in either direction and full strength signal returns.
@ Steven Goldfein
I live in a pretty big city with tall buildings, but I don’t have any of those issues. I have some issues with 4G coverage, especially indoors. But voice coverage is not a problem. So will I see any benefit when Sprint switches to 1X advanced?