bsoft
join:2004-03-28
Boulder, CO | Leap + MetroPCS? Leap is a nice regional carrier around here (Colorado); they don't have great phones, but they do offer decently affordable mobile broadband ("Unlimited" EVDO for $40/mo; may throttle after 5GB) without a contract. They even have cheap USB EVDO sticks ($50 if I remember, with a $50 rebate if you keep service for 3 months).
My guess? MetroPCS. Both use CDMA2000, both are low-cost no-contract carriers, and both use the AWS band. There's also not a whole lot of territory overlap.
AT&T integration would require converting Leap's customers to GSM, and probably selling off their AWS licenses. That's not particularly attractive unless AT&T is just desperate to get subscribers. It's also possible that AT&T could continue to run Leap as an independent subsidiary, but then they're competing with their prepaid services and still operating redundant infrastructure.
Verizon integration is probably easier, since Leap's customers already have CDMA2000-based handsets. Still, Verizon probably doesn't have any interest in the AWS licences.
Sprint integration is possibly the easiest, since Leap already uses Sprint's network in a lot of areas. But Sprint isn't in the best shape after the Nextel merger and several quarters of subscriber loss.
T-Mobile would also have to migrate Leap's customers to GSM/UMTS, and despite the fact that T-Mobile uses AWS, Leap's AWS licenses aren't particularly valuable since T-Mobile already has more AWS spectrum than they currently need (20-40MHz in most areas). |
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patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
kudos:1
1 edit | said by bsoft:Verizon integration is probably easier, since Leap's customers already have CDMA2000-based handsets. Still, Verizon probably doesn't have any interest in the AWS licences. Very wrong.
see »www.phonescoop.com/articles/arti···9&p=1495
But Verizon will run LTE on their 1700, along with LTE on their 700. No plans to run CDMA on AWS/700. Nothing wrong with buying Cricket (except for the massive monopoly issue), push a new PRL to grandfathered Cricket users for them to use the 800/1900 Verizon network, then shut down CDMA on 1700 for LTE eventually. |
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bsoft
join:2004-03-28
Boulder, CO | Yeah, I realized that when I read the PhoneScoop article.
No one can seem to figure out what Verizon is going to do with their AWS licences, though, especially considering that they have (better) 700MHz spectrum. |
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iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
kudos:2 | reply to bsoft
Not sure about Boulder, but in Denver/Golden EvDO is Rev. 0 only and I've heard complaints of overloaded networks and texts that take hours to receive.
But yes, I'd bet on a MetroPCS-CricKet merger. |
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iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
kudos:2 Reviews:
 ·Comcast
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Verizon probably has more space on 1700 than on 700, and they'll need this space for deploying LTE in urban areas, where bandwidth is needed rather than coverage-to-the-boonies. 1700, like 1900, does well at this. 700, like 850, does better out of town. |
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