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Sprint's Battle With iPCS Could Impact WiMax
iPCS wins some, loses some, but remains a thorn in Sprint's side...
Sprint's battle with a midwest CDMA affiliate named iPCS probably isn't what the struggling carrier needs right now. Just last week iPCS managed to force Sprint to shutter their Nextel network in eighty one markets where iPCS operates. Earlier this year iPCS also filed suit to stop Sprint's plan to create a national mobile WiMax business, aka New-Super-Mega-Ultra Clearwire. This week an Illinois court blocked iPCS's effort, though Telephony Online reports the fight is far from over, and iPCS could block deployment in any of their markets such as Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

81 markets to be sold

Spent will just sell off those 81 markets to someone else and be done with it. If they sell them they're not operating, managing or anything else. Time to spin off Boost and keep the network.

Does anyone know how long this contract between Spent and iPCS is for?

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: 81 markets to be sold

said by hottboiinnc4:

Spent will just sell off those 81 markets to someone else and be done with it. If they sell them they're not operating, managing or anything else. Time to spin off Boost and keep the network.

Does anyone know how long this contract between Spent and iPCS is for?

Good question. Most affiliate deals have time limits and they also have opt-out clauses by either party at certain milestones(with the appropriate contracted buy out provisions). But in none of the links here today does it mention what those contract terms may be.

But I did find some mention of the agreement with Sprint in their Annual Report filed with the SEC:
»ir.ipcswirelessinc.com/p ··· 09MTU%3d

Exclusivity terms:
»ir.ipcswirelessinc.com/p ··· 09MTY%3d

Here is a section that discusses how the contract can be terminated:
»ir.ipcswirelessinc.com/p ··· 09MjI%3d

baineschile
2600 ways to live
Premium Member
join:2008-05-10
Sterling Heights, MI

baineschile

Premium Member

3g

Cant we enjoy 3g for at least a few weeks before we start talking 4g?

P.S. sprint is going to be gobbled up by directtv/comcast/timewarner/verizon in the next few years anyways
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: 3g

the Gov't won't let VZ have it. They'll be too big and be the actually the only real CDMA carrier in the US.

DirecTV (you added an extra T) doesnt want them, Comcast may take them, TWC most likely doesnt have the cash.

The only ones that will be able to take Sprint and do anything with it would be MetroPCS, Cricket and Revol.com. Those are the only CDMAs carriers that could take the company and run with it after they voided everyones contract to put them on unlimited monthly plans that would run TM, VZW, AT$T and everyone else into the ground or force them to lower their prices. Because you cant sell an unlimited plan for $99 when someone else is offering the same plan nationwide without contract for $47 per month.

That just won't work.
beaups
join:2003-08-11
Hilliard, OH

beaups

Member

Re: 3g

Because you cant sell an unlimited plan for $99 when someone else is offering the same plan nationwide without contract for $47 per month.

That just won't work."

What $47 plan are you referring to??
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: 3g

as i said- Revol.com, Cricket, and MetroPCS all offer unlimited plans for $47 per month.

if they teamed up or even one of them took over Sprint and offered that plan in every city that they took from Sprint, nobody else would be able to compete at the $99 price that ATT, TM, VZ and Alltel charge now.
beaups
join:2003-08-11
Hilliard, OH

beaups

Member

Re: 3g

these are national plans and included unlimited text and 5GB data?

jmn1207
Premium Member
join:2000-07-19
Sterling, VA

jmn1207

Premium Member

Re: 3g

said by beaups:

these are national plans and included unlimited text and 5GB data?
No silly, you have to live in Newton, Kansas and use an old RAZR for your phone. But it is cheap.
beaups
join:2003-08-11
Hilliard, OH

beaups

Member

Re: 3g

Well he said the "same nationwide plan for $47" so I got kind of excited. Doesn't sound at all the "same" to me.

jmn1207
Premium Member
join:2000-07-19
Sterling, VA

2 edits

jmn1207

Premium Member

Re: 3g

said by beaups:

Well he said the "same nationwide plan for $47" so I got kind of excited. Doesn't sound at all the "same" to me.
I was just being a smart alec, but I did check their nationwide coverage map. Not sure how they would be able to provide a similar service with the resources they currently have now, and their phone selections were very limited.

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102

Member

Re: 3g

If Sprint buys up those postpaid carriers - it'll be able to keep off the bottom end competition, and allow for a bigger Boost Mobile. I don't see that as a bad thing.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4 to jmn1207

Member

to jmn1207
Metro and Revol use other carriers phones as long as their CDMA. But if they took over Sprint they would be national and would be able to compete more than what ATT and VZW and TM do. Wouldn't you pay $47 for nationwide UNLIMITED Text, UNLIMITED Voice plus keep your calling package?

That is what i was saying. Nor where did I say keep their current map. i said MERGE or take over Sprint's network.

You didnt read.
hottboiinnc4

hottboiinnc4 to beaups

Member

to beaups
But yes. If any of the flat rate unlimited carriers took over sprint their coverage would be nationwide and would be $47 per month. It would not be a hard thing to do if anything ever happened to Sprint.

Those companies should actually take over Nextel's 81 markets and do the same to them.

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD to baineschile

Premium Member

to baineschile
said by baineschile:

Cant we enjoy 3g for at least a few weeks before we start talking 4g?

P.S. sprint is going to be gobbled up by directtv/comcast/timewarner/verizon in the next few years anyways
WiMAX is 3g

jmn1207
Premium Member
join:2000-07-19
Sterling, VA

jmn1207

Premium Member

Re: 3g

said by AVD:

said by baineschile:

Cant we enjoy 3g for at least a few weeks before we start talking 4g?

P.S. sprint is going to be gobbled up by directtv/comcast/timewarner/verizon in the next few years anyways
WiMAX is 3g
What? EVDO is 3G, WiMAX is far superior.

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD

Premium Member

Re: 3g

said by jmn1207:

said by AVD:

said by baineschile:

Cant we enjoy 3g for at least a few weeks before we start talking 4g?

P.S. sprint is going to be gobbled up by directtv/comcast/timewarner/verizon in the next few years anyways
WiMAX is 3g
What? EVDO is 3G, WiMAX is far superior.
But it is still 3g »www.wirelessweek.com/WiM ··· -3G.aspx

jmn1207
Premium Member
join:2000-07-19
Sterling, VA

jmn1207

Premium Member

Re: 3g

Yes, but in the context of this discussion, WiMAX is not in the same league as Edge or EV-DO Rev. X versions more commonly associated with the nomenclature of 3g, and most certainly being referred to in the comment above. It was simply a political move to get WiMAX classified as 3g. The vendors still refer to it as 4g and many of us know it is somewhere in between the two.

Smile__
Premium Member
join:2008-10-10
New Freedom, PA

Smile__ to AVD

Premium Member

to AVD
XOHM is 4G WiMAX my friend and this is what we are talking about..
xenophon
join:2007-09-17

xenophon

Member

Re: 3g

A better way to put it is that WiMAX is on the 4G _roadmap_ but 4G spec hasn't been officially defined yet. It will probably require MIMO antenna use to be 4G, which WiMAX is capable of.

Smile__
Premium Member
join:2008-10-10
New Freedom, PA

Smile__

Premium Member

Re: 3g

Let's just call it 4G WiMAX.... Sounds better..

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD

Premium Member

Re: 3g

said by Smile__:

Let's just call it 4G WiMAX.... Sounds better..
Misleading.... this is the First generation of Sprint WiMAX

Smile__
Premium Member
join:2008-10-10
New Freedom, PA

Smile__

Premium Member

Re: 3g

I guess they better change all their brochures and signage then... "Powered by WiMAX, a fourth generation (4G) wireless internet technology." right off the brochure..

fancydancer
Perception is just your reality
Premium Member
join:2002-08-28
Springfield, IL

fancydancer

Premium Member

Sheesh

We just got EVDO(rev A) in central IL in June of this year. iPCS stalled that as long as they could. I wish Sprint would take back the midwest area that iPCS has.

AVD
Respice, Adspice, Prospice
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ

AVD

Premium Member

TOS Changes

I guess you just cant wake up one day and change the TOS on an affiliate agreement the same way you can on a subscriber 2 year contract.
Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA

Sammer

Member

Re: TOS Changes

Nope, those darn affiliates have law firms on retainer.
djeremy
join:2004-07-12
San Francisco, CA

djeremy

Member

huh?

Sorry in advance if this is a stupid question, but what does iPCS do as an affiliate? Do they own the towers, own the Sprint stores, own the spectrum, resell Sprint services, etc? Does this also mean there will be no Nextel service in areas owned by iPCS?
Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA

Sammer

Member

Re: huh?

They exclusively sell their own PCS services under the Sprint name in 81 (mostly small) markets and yes it does mean no Nextel in those areas. Sprint bought out most of their affiliates after the Nextel merger but iPCS is a holdout.
djeremy
join:2004-07-12
San Francisco, CA

djeremy

Member

Re: huh?

Ah, gotcha. Thank you for the clarification.
Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA

1 edit

Sammer

Member

Re: huh?

I don't really know what they own but I would assume it would at least be some CDMA spectrum licenses for their territory. __Oops I was wrong Sprint owns the spectrum licenses but iPCS built out the network in their territory.
BPLSUCKS9
join:2006-04-26
Grand Ledge, MI

BPLSUCKS9

Member

Damn it

I was looking forward to wimax in grand rapids. It would have been something I would have bought and used extensively.