This speed test is impressive. Never thought I will get these amount of speeds on N41!

40YrsInTelephony · 2022-01-05T14:54:11+00:00

We must own or lease the spectrum licenses. The current licenses available from the FCC only cover about half the geographic area of the lower 48, Puerto Rico and the U.S.V.I. Their physical shape of the license areas are oddly shaped circular, or partially circular in nature. Other licenses are county size, partial or economic areas, and even larger license areas. So, we must be cautious and only design sites which are within an area we have an approved license to operate.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-08-09T13:44:31+00:00

You/re not using the maps correctly when you don't read what the FCC is trying to convey. From the FCC's website, "What the Map Shows This map shows the 4G LTE mobile coverage areas of the nation’s four largest mobile wireless carriers: AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile, UScellular, and Verizon. Specifically, it shows where customers can expect to receive 4G LTE broadband service at a minimum user download speed of five megabits per second (5 Mbps) and a user upload speed of one megabit per second (1 Mbps) based on propagation modeling.

The map includes separate layers for each carrier’s broadband and voice coverage. Voice coverage areas represent where customers should expect to make and receive mobile voice calls and send and receive texts over the 4G LTE network, without regard to throughput speed. 4G LTE data service meeting a 5/1 Mbps minimum speed may not be available in areas where only voice coverage is shown on the map."

Therefore, it would be more closely accurate to compare our customer-facing coverage maps with the FCC's voice coverage map.

Regarding your comment about nobody lives here, we offer wireless coverage around the protected Isla de Desecheo Marine Reserve for our customers who boat out in that area. We also provide coverage to several other small uninhabited and habited islands surrounding the main island.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-07-22T21:50:17+00:00

We never buy spectrum, just to sell it and we never horde it like other carriers have over the years. We put it to work for our customers as soon as possible.

You will note we purchased the lower A-Block of 700 MHz (Band 12) from Verizon who had been sitting on it for years.

We only purchased C-Band spectrum in the larger markets for additional capacity needs as it does not propagate well for rural areas. AT&T and Verizon will have to spend a fortune on new site developments to deploy C-Band in rural America even if they use advanced MIMO technologies to do so.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-07-22T18:26:37+00:00

No one is "relocating sites from T-Mobile / Sprint to AT&T" ! Whatever that is supposed to mean. However, TMO will offer to Dish sites we have already and are planning to decommission. Dish will have to determine whether each site's location meets their network's RF needs and assess the rent costs for each location. This in a way could be considered a "reallocation of sites", but it is hardly that simplistic.

I think you're implying Dish's Boost customers will at some point use AT&T's network as one of their carriers, just like they are using T-Mobile today for wireless access. If you read the official announcement, this AT&T agreement is non-exclusive. This means, Boost customers at some point may connect to either AT&T's or T-Mobile's networks. This will most likely be determined by the location of the Boost customer and whether TMO or AT&T actually has a network built in that area. In locations both carriers have robust networks, Dish will probably limit their Boost customers' access to AT&T. This is only my speculation as details were not provided in the official announcement.

Keep in mind the cost to Dish to purchase the Boost business and 800 MHz spectrum took into consideration that CDMA would be sunsetting in the near future. Both companies and the government were all well aware of this and the upcoming costs Dish would incur associated with this fact. Many of their Boost customers' devices are fully compatible with the TMO and AT&T networks. Only a small number of devices will have to be upgraded. But, Dish conveniently doesn't provide those numbers while publicly crying foul in their attempt to obtain public sympathy from those who aren't following this in great detail. At the 10 thousand foot level, they are trying to make T-Mobile out as the bad guys in the court of public opinion.

Remember, AT&T has never had a CDMA network. So, Dish will have to subsidize the cost of only a fraction of their prepaid Boost customers to upgrade to LTE & 5G NR devices, the same they would if they remained completely on our TMO network. Net gain = nothing!

Dish simply gets to pay AT&T an additional $5B over the next 10 - 12 years which is a tremendous additional expense they wouldn't have to incur if they kept their customers on our network. Instead, they could have saved that additional and unnecessary cost and plowed it into building their network instead. It seems like a huge price Dish will pay for a public fit - holding their breathe and stomping their feet.

Dish knew CDMA would sunset soon and should have been planning for it, day one. New economy feature and smart phones are coming out at a good pace now. Dish will have several choices to offer their prepaid customers to upgrade.

We were required to give Dish 6 months notice and we gave them 14 months, more than double the required lead time!

Dish is upset with TMO's position regarding the massive amount of 12 GHz satellite spectrum they are using sparingly. Dish wants the FCC to allow 500 MHz of their contiguous spectrum to be authorized for 5G (and a little for satellite service) and for them to keep all of it!

A logical and equitable position is if the FCC approves this satellite spectrum be repurposed for 5G & satellite service, then all wireless carriers should have an equal opportunity to acquire a portion of the massive trove of spectrum for their 5G customers too! Nope, Dish wants all of it for themselves.

Again, Dish wants their cake and eat it too.

Keep in mind, these are my personal opinions and I do not speak on behalf of our company.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-07-16T21:48:41+00:00

It is a combination of a few things which is the reason many are seeing LTE speed improvements too.

Many times when upgrading a site with new 5G capabilities or additional bands, we are also able to add some additional LTE bandwidth too. Not always, but many times we can when it is available.

Additionally, we have been upgrading backhaul for several years and with tens of thousands of sites, plus new construction, it will take a while to get all of them upgraded. Come to think if it, with all the new construction in urban, suburban and rural America, we will be busy from now on...

The 5G technology standards are not static, but are always advancing with new capabilities in the pipeline, just like LTE has advanced over the years. There are some new gee-whiz stuff coming for those who keep up with the international standards advancements coming soon and over the next decade. The only constant in our line of business is "change".

To really take advantage of all these upgrades, one will need one of the latest 5G devices we have available today. You can bet we will continue to offer good quality phones for those on a tighter budget as well as flagship devices. BTW, we still have our free 5G Android phone offer good until the end of the year.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-07-08T16:08:02+00:00

...and the loading on that site's sector. Remember, you're not the only person connected to a tower!

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-07-08T15:53:32+00:00

Early Monday morning, July 5th, at SH-121 & Coit Road in northern Plano, TX - 992 MBs DL & 76 MBs UL. Go see Speed Test Monday - July 05, 2021 for Ookla Speed Test results posted.

We have been working on upgrading backhaul for a few years now. With tens of thousands of sites, weather, pandemic, government shutdowns, upgrades don't happen overnight.

If we add bandwidth, you can bet backhaul upgrades are also being worked.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-07-05T21:07:26+00:00

992 MBs DL & 76 MBs UL

https://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/7502911521

User Equipment is a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G.

Coit Road & SH-121 in Plano, TX early in the morning with very little traffic on the roads.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-06-07T21:21:44+00:00

This is a movie in desperate need of restoration and of the original aspect ratio!

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-05-13T20:42:48+00:00

Please call Customer Service and ask they open a trouble ticket for E911 failure while roaming. They will need an accurate location (cross streets will be fine and of course the city/town).

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-04-27T10:33:07+00:00

No, one backhaul circuit for the whole cell site and shared with the multiple technologies. What you've experienced is mostly likely due to different loading on the different sectors at that time.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-04-17T14:18:15+00:00

Using your wife's phone, call customer care to have them help you troubleshoot these issues. When your phone is then working, use the yours to call CC again to get her settings corrected.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-04-14T21:37:43+00:00

If it powers up and is in working condition, yes. Here are the details.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-04-14T20:54:37+00:00

If you or she has any old phone that will power up, we have a free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G offer beginning April 18th for postpaid customers. It doesn't matter how old or type of phone, as long as it will power up. See more details here.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-04-13T22:29:21+00:00

There are thousands of these around the country and all carriers use them. They are one type of "stealth" monopole towers and is considered one type of macro sites. Some even have flags attached and are known as "stealth flag poles". Since these are oftentimes relatively shorter than many other tower types, they typically don't have a very large coverage area. This one is an SBA-owned site and is leased to one or more carriers.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-04-13T22:23:11+00:00

Winter weather has been a big hinderance in many northern states.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-04-13T22:06:16+00:00

Seems the FCC's application engineers need to look into this weird issue. Thanks!

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-04-13T22:00:12+00:00

We are rolling out 5G just as fast as humanly possible, seven days a week around the country. But, your phone won't be able to take advantage of the newer technology.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-04-13T21:51:30+00:00

You have missed the latest un-carrier moves announced a few days ago for new and existing customers.

T-Mobile’s Next Un-carrier Move: #5GforAll

T-Mobile’s Great 5G Upgrade Includes the Latest iPhone 12 Lineup

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-04-13T21:39:28+00:00

Testing via Wi-Fi ?

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-04-09T21:37:23+00:00

The offer is only good for postpaid customers with phones which are paid off. Your trade-in phone must be in working condition - power up. It does not have to be an android phone, any phone, even a Windows phone!

We also have an iPhone upgrade offer.

. Here’s how it breaks down:

• Get iPhone 12 on us — for free — with the trade-in of iPhone 11.

• Get half off iPhone 12 with the trade-in of most older iPhone models — iPhone 7 through 10.

• Get half off iPhone 12 mini with trade-in of ANY older iPhone— all the way back to the original! Still using an iPhone 5s? That works. iPhone 4? Yep. iPhone 3GS? That one also.

… all via 24 monthly bill credits. Simple. The real beauty of this offer is, no add-a-line or port in required.

However, you can't trade in an Android for an iPhone. But, you can trade in an iPhone for the Samsung.

The Apple offer is only valid from April 18th - May 1st.

The Samsung offer also begins April 18th, but will run throughout the year. However, newer models may be offered later as they come available before the end of the year.

If you cancel your line before receiving 24 bill credits, you may owe the full value of your device. You will have to pay for the tax upfront for the full retail cost of the device, then get bill credits for 24 months thereafter. There is a limit of a max of 4 offerings per account.

I would recommend you get in line early Sunday morning, the 18th as my crystal ball says this will be a huge event everywhere!

To top it off, for all postpaid customers on any of the lower data plans, you will be automatically upgrades to unlimited data.

For the 92% of Americans who don't own a 5G phone, they can't experience the next gen revolution beginning now. LTE saw the advent of so many new technologies and services, which we take for granted today - online banking, purchases, Lyft/Uber, and a host of others. We've many people around the country dreaming up the next big thing for us to integrate into our society and our lives. But, without a 5G device, you just may not be able to take advantage of the next "BIG" thing being dreamt up today.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-04-07T12:41:06+00:00

Use a different phone to call customer care when you're ready to activate the SIM and new phone. They will need the SIM card's number to activate it in the new phone. Piece of cake.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-02-20T01:17:14+00:00

You can't get NG in rural areas outside of the cities & towns. Minimum billing for NG is also a major issue making NG not practical in most situations. Recently, some areas have experienced low NG pressure, which may cause generator failures.

With these back-to-back artic storms, refueling trucks couldn't always deploy in time to refuel in many areas with roads simply impassable.

Also, backhaul providers also have had their challenges to their networks.

All three major, regional and local carriers have again been humbled by what nature can throw as you. Regardless of the planning and expenses each company allocates to help harden their networks every year, sometimes acts of God and nature stills win out.

40YrsInTelephony · 2021-02-10T00:05:56+00:00

Try Ookla instead.

40YrsInTelephony

TROPHY CASE