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C Spire Announces September LTE Launch
20 Mississippi Markets First in Line

In 2010 C Spire Wireless (formerly Cellular South) insisted they'd have a new LTE network up and running by the end of 2011. That didn't happen. As last year rolled on the company became more vague about an LTE timeline, putting more PR emphasis on the improvements they'd made to their EVDO network. Finally, the company today announced that they'll begin launching LTE services this September in twenty Mississippi markets. C Spire's LTE implementation will provide downstream speeds between 4Mbps and 12Mbps, and upstream speeds between 1Mbps and 5Mbps.

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C Spire isn't giving a timeline for when they hope to bring the rest of the nation online, but if you're in the Gulf Coast and other Mississippi markets you should be happy:
quote:
The company plans to invest $60 million to begin the roll out 4G LTE mobile broadband services in September in 20 Mississippi markets covering 2,700 square miles, a population of 1.2 million and more than 360 cell sites. The new service will provide 4 out of every 10 consumers and businesses in Mississippi with wireless data speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G, allowing C Spire to be the first provider to make these services widely available in the state.
C Spire's delay is likely due in part to the huge premium they had to pay to get the iPhone. LTE funding was already tight from having to buy and test more expensive gear using 700 MHz spectrum in the band class 12 range.
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tdouglas22
join:2001-09-25
Memphis, TN

tdouglas22

Member

Way To Go MISSISSIPPI!!

I'm glad to hear that my home state is getting some LTE love in the not-so-distant future.
Gdadkins
join:2009-05-11
Mantachie, MS

Gdadkins

Member

Re: Way To Go MISSISSIPPI!!

Their current lack of 3G coverage in Mississippi (which is their primary state of business) to fall back on outside of 4G coverage will hurt them though. They must have some data roaming agreements in place with either Verizon or Sprint to be able to have national coverage like they do.

»www.cspire.com/resources ··· data.pdf

Still, chaulk one up for the little guy.
25139889 (banned)
join:2011-10-25
Toledo, OH

25139889 (banned)

Member

Re: Way To Go MISSISSIPPI!!

true! but the day will come when they will be gone as well.

Failure to upgrade in a timely manor and still rolling out EVDO Rev-A? Come on!

Noah Vail
Oh God please no.
Premium Member
join:2004-12-10
SouthAmerica

Noah Vail

Premium Member

another victim of the iSqueeze

C Spire allows their rollout to be delayed in trade for the iPhone?

Maybe C Spire could "Think Different" and advertise their networks don't carry the cost of Apple price gouging.
25139889 (banned)
join:2011-10-25
Toledo, OH

25139889 (banned)

Member

Re: another victim of the iSqueeze

but then they'd have to make up excuses on why they can't spend the $$$ on upgrading their network faster.
sonicmerlin
join:2009-05-24
Cleveland, OH

sonicmerlin to Noah Vail

Member

to Noah Vail
said by Noah Vail:

C Spire allows their rollout to be delayed in trade for the iPhone?

Maybe C Spire could "Think Different" and advertise their networks don't carry the cost of Apple price gouging.

The iPhone acquisition was a response to their customers' demands. Now they might even get an LTE iPhone in October to use on their brand new network.

I wonder what spectrum they own though.

Noah Vail
Oh God please no.
Premium Member
join:2004-12-10
SouthAmerica

Noah Vail

Premium Member

Re: another victim of the iSqueeze

said by sonicmerlin:

The iPhone acquisition was a response to their customers' demands.

We built a stadium down here in Tampa for a similar reason - constituent demand.

That was 10 years ago. We're still looking for the voters who demanded it.