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AT&T Feels Slight Pinch From T-Mobile Competition
While T-Mobile's tactics may not yet be truly hurting Verizon, AT&T's latest earnings report indicates they're feeling the pesky upstart's assault. AT&T's latest earnings missed Wall Street estimates, and the company had to lower growth projections due to what has largely been superficial price competition with T-Mobile. Still, AT&T posted net income of $3 billion on revenues of $32.9 billion, adding a healthy 785,000 postpaid wireless subscribers. AT&T also sports a 0.99% churn rate, suggesting that the majority of the company's customers are staying put, unswayed by John Legere's sultry advances.
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IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

1 recommendation

IPPlanMan

Member

Go T-Mobile!

Keep bringing the hurt.

michieru
Premium Member
join:2009-07-25
Denver, CO

michieru

Premium Member

Re: Go T-Mobile!

Nov 3 for Sprint.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

1 edit

IPPlanMan

Member

Re: Go T-Mobile!

What's on November 3rd?

EDIT... Aha, Sprint financial results....

»newsroom.sprint.com/news ··· ment.htm

delusion ftl
@50.168.216.x

delusion ftl to michieru

Anon

to michieru
T-mobile's is the 28th and they are doing their earnings call "uncarrier" style that somehow involves twitter and more participation by analysts.

n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY

n2jtx to IPPlanMan

Member

to IPPlanMan
said by IPPlanMan:

Keep bringing the hurt.

Amen! One advantage that T-Mobile has is their compatible GSM network so switching from AT&T to T-Mobile is as easy as having an unlocked phone and switching SIM's. Verizon and Sprint's archaic CDMA2000 systems are the monkey wrench in the works. Add to that Sprint's refusal to remove domestic SIM locks from any of their phone's that sport a SIM slot, such as iPhone's, makes it all the more difficult to drop them.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

1 edit

IPPlanMan

Member

Re: Go T-Mobile!

Actually, Verizon's iPhones are sold unlocked out of the box.
Sprint's current refusal is them dragging their feet to abiding by the CTIA commitment at the last possible moment.
»blog.ctia.org/2013/12/12 ··· devices/

»www.sprint.com/legal/unl ··· icy.html

I've been told by another carrier that Sprint needs to unlock my SIM slot in order to use my phone on the other carrier's network.
For eligible devices, Sprint will unlock the SIM slot, to the extent that a device SIM slot is capable of being unlocked. It is important to note that not all devices are capable of being unlocked, often because of the manufacturers' device designs, and that even for those devices capable of being unlocked, not all device functionality may be capable of being unlocked. Specifically, devices manufactured with a SIM slot within the past three years (including, but not limited to, all Apple iPhone devices), cannot be unlocked to accept a different domestic carrier's SIM for use on another domestic carrier's network. Sprint has no technological process available to do this. In accordance with Sprint's voluntary commitment contained within CTIA's Consumer Code for Wireless Service ("Unlocking Commitment"), Sprint is working to ensure that all devices developed and launched on or after February 11, 2015, are capable of being unlocked domestically.

------------
Sprint had its people word this very carefully, but there are cracks. They said "Sprint has no technological process"... But they never said Apple didn't.
------------

I have been told that my device is not capable of being unlocked and/or does not have a corresponding MSL code. What can I do?
Many devices that have been manufactured for Sprint simply are not capable of being unlocked, or will not have a corresponding MSL code. For example, Sprint-branded iPhones have been manufactured in a way that prevents them from being unlocked to allow the device to activate on a different carrier's network in the United States. This is because, prior to the development of the voluntary commitment contained in CTIA's Consumer Code for Wireless Service ("Unlocking Commitment") carriers were not required to, and many carriers did not, develop their devices to be capable of being unlocked. Sprint strongly encourages owners of such devices to consider Sprint's Buyback Program, which may enable them to trade in their old devices to receive an in-store credit toward the purchase of a new device or to receive an account credit. For more information, visit sprint.com/buyback. To help resolve this problem, Sprint has committed to ensure that all of its devices produced after February 11, 2015, are capable of being unlocked.

-------

Now it's produced? Sprint said "Developed and launched" in the previous FAQ...

Jeezus Sprint... Which is it?

n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY

n2jtx

Member

Re: Go T-Mobile!

said by IPPlanMan:

To help resolve this problem, Sprint has committed to ensure that all of its devices produced after February 11, 2015, are capable of being unlocked.

Now it's produced? Sprint said "Developed and launched" in the previous FAQ...

Jeezus Sprint... Which is it?

When did that language change? It must have happened within the past seven days as I just read the page last week.

Even Sprint cannot figure out what the heck they doing. I will take it to mean any device (ex. iPhone) with a date of manufacture AFTER February 11, 2015. Makes it all the more restrictive.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

2 edits

1 recommendation

IPPlanMan

Member

Re: Go T-Mobile!

I just noticed this today myself.

Sooooo.... according to that second FAQ:

"For example, Sprint-branded iPhones have been manufactured in a way that prevents them from being unlocked to allow the device to activate on a different carrier's network in the United States."

---------

So Sprint asked for this to be done by Apple as part of the specifications...

On February 11, 2015, will Sprint ask Apple to modify the iPhone 6/6 Plus currently in production so that it be unlocked?

Eddy120876
join:2009-02-16
Bronx, NY

Eddy120876

Member

Re: Go T-Mobile!

The only saving grace of sprint Iphone modification is their plan price. had it not been for the 50 dollar deal sprint would be in life support

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

1 recommendation

IPPlanMan

Member

Re: Go T-Mobile!

Agreed....

Sprint also had to address a huge iPhone purchase commitment they made to Apple...

Hesse discussed this in an August 2012 article in The Wall Street Journal...

»allthingsd.com/20120807/ ··· illions/

"We committed to $15.5 billion over four years in purchases," Hesse said. "That's a large commitment."
silbaco
Premium Member
join:2009-08-03
USA

silbaco to IPPlanMan

Premium Member

to IPPlanMan
I don't think At&t is hurting too much.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

Member

Re: Go T-Mobile!

You sure about that?
silbaco
Premium Member
join:2009-08-03
USA

silbaco

Premium Member

Re: Go T-Mobile!

They have well over 100 million subscribers and are still adding. I'd say T-Mobile's impact has been highly exaggerated.

thxultra
@38.103.109.x

thxultra to IPPlanMan

Anon

to IPPlanMan
T-moblie has been putting big bucks into their network also. I hope they can build out and be able to compete with AT&T and Verizon. I live in a urban area and T-Mobile has been great. Had sprint before and what a joke their network was.

jchambers28
Premium Member
join:2007-05-12
Peculiar, MO

jchambers28

Premium Member

hard to compete

it's hard to compete with AT&T and Verizon because of coverage In rural areas. t Mobile is still lagging on edge.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

Member

Re: hard to compete

Hopefully T-Mobile is ahead of schedule on it's EDGE upgrades for 2014/2015...

»newsroom.t-mobile.com/ne ··· gram.htm

"......T-Mobile is now kicking off a major new program to upgrade its 2G/EDGE network with 4G LTE. The company plans to complete 50 percent of the work this year alone, and expects the program to be substantially complete by the middle of next year."
bethy
join:2009-06-17

bethy

Member

Re: hard to compete

For many years I've read about T-Mobile EDGE upgrades, but locally often found myself on EDGE. Sprint on the other hand seems to have upgraded locally to LTE.

I hope T-Mobile does get rid of EDGE, of late the slowest Sprint speed for me is 3G, but on T-Mobile it's often EDGE.

Zenit_IIfx
The system is the solution
Premium Member
join:2012-05-07
Purcellville, VA
·Comcast XFINITY

Zenit_IIfx

Premium Member

Re: hard to compete

Around here in N.VA EDGE has been disappearing fairly quickly. In urban and major suburban areas EDGE has gone away, and in rural areas you will find the random 3G+LTE tower.

Its a pretty big process to get these upgrades done. T-Mo requires a fiber connection at the tower to deploy anything above EDGE, they wont bundle a ton of T-1's together like VZ or AT&T used to do for 3G.

I feel like they are replacing equipment based on age - the newest EDGE stuff will be the last to go, while the old stuff that is about to fail or is in a failure mode is replaced ASAP.
Ramitt
join:2014-08-30

Ramitt

Member

Re: hard to compete

It is my understanding that for rural sites they also will use microwave.

CurGeorge8
join:2005-05-02
South Park, PA

CurGeorge8

Member

Re: hard to compete

This makes a lot of sense, and I'm not sure why its not discussed more. Microwave links can handle some pretty decent bandwidth (>250 mbps) which would be plenty for a rural area.

Zenit_IIfx
The system is the solution
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join:2012-05-07
Purcellville, VA
·Comcast XFINITY

Zenit_IIfx to Ramitt

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to Ramitt
They do use microwave in cases where it would be far too expensive or impossible to get fiber from their preferred carriers.

»images.tmcnet.com/online ··· Note.pdf

Looks like Lucent is still in the microwave game. They were masters of it back when they were called Western Electric. Unfortunately the PDF does not state the bandwidth of the Microwave LTE backhaul products.

Microwave is definitely feasible - after all we did run a lot of the long distance and inter-CO links with it for decades.
WhatNow
Premium Member
join:2009-05-06
Charlotte, NC

1 recommendation

WhatNow to Zenit_IIfx

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to Zenit_IIfx
T-mobile is building out in the rural areas.
I would guess ATT problem is people dropping POTS lines. They still have all the upkeep costs without the revenue. The only place on the landline side they are picking up customers is Uverse.
jorcmg
join:2002-10-24
USA

jorcmg

Member

Re: hard to compete

The switch network is being propped up by mobility. So it is not unprofitable yet. Once voLTE rolls out then the PSTN will start posting losses pretty quickly. Then it is gameover for the legacy telephone network.

cb14
join:2013-02-04
Miami Beach, FL

cb14

Member

Re: hard to compete

said by jorcmg:

The switch network is being propped up by mobility. So it is not unprofitable yet. Once voLTE rolls out then the PSTN will start posting losses pretty quickly. Then it is gameover for the legacy telephone network.

Nothing to do with VOLTE. In my neighborhood, nobody has POTS. It's cell phones( and most of them could not care less about VOLTE), its cable VOIP, its U-Verse VOIP, and a few cases like myself smaller VOIP providers.
However, you go out from the densely built metro area and you need PSTN- no cable, U-verse, sometimes weak and or 2G only cell signal
jorcmg
join:2002-10-24
USA

jorcmg

Member

Re: hard to compete

Uh lets say you call 911 on your cell phone. How exactly in your imagination does that call get connected to your countys 911 center?

IPPlanMan
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join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan to bethy

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to bethy
Assuming T-Mobile keeps its trend of recent performance, it will finish this upgrade project ahead of time...

norm
join:2012-10-18
Pittsburgh, PA

norm to IPPlanMan

Member

to IPPlanMan
I had the (mis?)fortune of hitting some awfully rural areas of Indiana last week and was rather surprised at how well my t-mobile reception was. I was traveling with family that had a mix of AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular. Overall, reception was pretty comparable. Sometimes better, sometimes worse, often times the same.

graycorgi
Premium Member
join:2004-02-23

graycorgi to IPPlanMan

Premium Member

to IPPlanMan
I hope so. Out of the big 4, they're the only carrier that is wholly noncompetitive in this region. You're either on EDGE or over-capacity HSPA that's slower than Sprint's 3G (backhaul issues? not sure). We could use more competition.
patt2k
join:2009-01-16

patt2k

Member

Att

People who have att 10gb plans att will double it to 20gb for free.

Or 2gb to 4gb.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

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IPPlanMan

Member

Re: Att

For People that want it, T-Mobile offers Unlimited Data....

and...
Unlimited International Data Roaming
WiFi Calling
Nationwide VoLTE

Don't want/need unlimited data? Music streaming from the top services doesn't count toward your High Speed data allotment either....

»www.t-mobile.com/offer/f ··· ing.html
Current List:

Included services:
Pandora
iHeartRadio
iTunes Radio
Rhapsody
Spotify
Slacker
Milk Music
Black Planet
Grooveshark
Songza
Rdio
Radio Paradise
AccuRadio

T-Mobile is gradually picking those AT&T customers off...

cowboyro
Premium Member
join:2000-10-11
CT

cowboyro

Premium Member

Re: Att

said by IPPlanMan:

For People that want it, T-Mobile offers Unlimited Data

Forgot the standard disclaimer: May require climbing on the roof and holding the phone in a certain position.

••••
pandora
Premium Member
join:2001-06-01
Outland

pandora to IPPlanMan

Premium Member

to IPPlanMan
Freedompop on Sprint has unlimited 3G for $15 per month, after 1 GB of LTE.

odreian615
join:2006-01-18
Chicago, IL

odreian615 to patt2k

Member

to patt2k
I just tried that 2 minutes ago and the CSR told me it's for people on the 15GB(never knew they had one) plan that will double to 30GB and you have to do it by the 31st. Me and my brother have the 10 but hardly ever go over 6

atuarre
Here come the drums
Premium Member
join:2004-02-14
EC/SETX SWLA

atuarre

Premium Member

RE

A lot companies have missed the estimates; some how I don't think this has anything to do with T-Mobile but some people will see things when there is really nothing to see.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

Member

Re: RE

You sure about that?

atuarre
Here come the drums
Premium Member
join:2004-02-14
EC/SETX SWLA

atuarre

Premium Member

Re: RE

Yup

simonbaruch
@174.236.64.x

simonbaruch

Anon

upstart

yes t-mo is pesky but they are far from an upstart. not like they launched yesterday.
wkm001
join:2009-12-14

wkm001

Member

AT&T Post Paid

AT&T is really trying to keep the post paid customers. I had four lines sharing 10GB of data and bringing on a 5th this weekend. I brought my own device for each line so I'm not in a contract and get the great pricing. Even with a 25% discount on the $100 10GB data package Cricket Wirelss was offering a better deal.

Granted it would have been a huge hassle to buy Cricket SIM cards at $10 each and port numbers, but money is money. I called customer service and asked what they could do. They doubled my data from 10GB to 20GB for free. I don't think we ever went over 8GB in a month, but with adding a 5th smart phone it would have been cutting it close. Now I don't have to worry.

odreian615
join:2006-01-18
Chicago, IL

odreian615

Member

Re: AT&T Post Paid

They just told me they can't do that. I think I'll wit till Monday so that news to trickle down to all lower CSRs

cb14
join:2013-02-04
Miami Beach, FL

cb14

Member

You cannot make a horse drink

" AT&T also sports a 0.99% churn rate, suggesting that the majority of the company's customers are staying put, unswayed by John Legere's sultry advances."

You can bring a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink. Fortunately for Tea and Verizon, the majority of consumers are irrational. A day or two ago , during a similar discussion about Verizon, I posted a lengthy comment about how little sense it makes for the majority of wireless users to stay with Verizon .( »/forum ··· ays=2000) Similar reasons apply to Tea.
Unfortunately, you see this cattle behavior all over the place.