dslreports logo
 story category
Sprint Posts a Loss, Modest Subscriber Gains
Sprint released the company's fourth quarter earnings this morning, which indicate the carrier added a net new 477,000 wireless customers in the fourth quarter. That's an improvement for Sprint from one year ago, but it remains the slowest growth of the four major wireless carriers. Sprint also saw a reduction in the number of contract customers -- 58,000 new contract subscribers down from 401,000 a year ago. Overall, Sprint posted a loss of $1.04 billion on revenue of $9.14 billion. Sprint states their LTE network now covers 200 million people with their new, faster tri-band Sprint Spark service launched in 14 markets -- though Sprint overall continues to play catch up in both LTE network coverage and performance.
view:
topics flat nest 

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

1 recommendation

IPPlanMan

Member

Softbank's deep pockets...

This will continue until SoftBank is tired of paying for it.
At this rate, it might be T-Mobile that buys Sprint.

ilikeme
Premium Member
join:2002-08-27
Stafford, TX

ilikeme

Premium Member

Re: Softbank's deep pockets...

That would be kind of ironic. Here in Houston and in Dallas and Austin T-Mobile is actually better than Sprint coverage and service quality wise. Around here Sprints coverage their 2G/3G coverage is horrid, and their LTE coverage is even worse. In the few spots LTE does work, it is just as slow if not slower than their 3G! I tried them a while back and am never going back. I have At&t and Verizon LTE devices and they get LTE just about everywhere here in the Houston area, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Austin.

your name
@comcast.net

1 recommendation

your name

Anon

Re: Softbank's deep pockets...

Sprint is still continuing to over promise and under deliver as they have for years. They need to get their act together before they do any mergers.
xenophon
join:2007-09-17

1 recommendation

xenophon to ilikeme

Member

to ilikeme
Do you have a Sprint Spark phone? The problem with Sprint is that you can't take full advantage of network unless having a Spark phone. But overall, Sprint has far exceeded Tmobile in avg US wide coverage and is approaching ATT.

I was in a rural area of Florida a couple months ago and got great Sprint LTE. Tmobile didn't even have voice service.

mackey
Premium Member
join:2007-08-20

mackey

Premium Member

Re: Softbank's deep pockets...

said by xenophon:

The problem with Sprint is that you can't take full advantage of network unless having a Spark phone.

Spark isn't all it's cracked up to be. I bought a LG G2 expecting to "take full advantage of [the] network" only to find out it could only do LTE on band 25 (1900 MHz). They *finally* rolled out an update that enables the other 2 bands a couple weeks ago. They also don't mention that all Spark devices are incapable of simultaneous data and voice (both EVDO and LTE). In addition, the lack of simultaneous voice means that the phone can only connect to LTE on towers which also have Circuit Switched Fallback (CSFB) capability (basically overhauled as part of Network Vision) - that means Spark devices cannot use all the LTE-enabled towers that non-Spark devices can use and thus may not connect to LTE even though the area has LTE coverage.

/M

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

IPPlanMan

Member

Re: Softbank's deep pockets...

More info here: »s4gru.com/index.php?/blo ··· hnology/
txfeinbergs
join:2009-03-10
Allen, TX

1 recommendation

txfeinbergs to ilikeme

Member

to ilikeme
My Sprint coverage in the Dallas area is just fine thank you. Never had a dropped call and consistently get 4G service.

jseymour
join:2009-12-11
Waterford, MI

jseymour to ilikeme

Member

to ilikeme
said by ilikeme:

That would be kind of ironic. Here in Houston and in Dallas and Austin T-Mobile is actually better than Sprint coverage and service quality wise.

I know T-Mobile's better in the northern Detroit suburbs. At least in the 'burbs in which I spend time. That's why I dumped Sprint for TMO: Sprint's performance has gone to the dogs, around here, lately.

Didn't Karl not long ago post the results of a nationwide regional survey on wireless carrier performance, where T-Mobile beat Sprint in most markets?
xenophon
join:2007-09-17

xenophon to IPPlanMan

Member

to IPPlanMan
Softbank went into the initial deal knowing they need to expand/enhance network. They already have $16B marked to improve network over next 2 years and expand to more rural areas now that 800Mhz is available.
nonymous (banned)
join:2003-09-08
Glendale, AZ

nonymous (banned)

Member

Expected.

Capital expenditures cost money.

SteelerRaw
@zscaler.net

SteelerRaw

Anon

Small correction

They state that their LTE network covers more than 200 million. A subtle, but distinct difference than what is reported above.

w0g
o.O
join:2001-08-30
Springfield, OR

w0g

Member

which 14 markets..

Which 14 markets is spark in?

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

IPPlanMan

Member

Re: which 14 markets..

»newsroom.sprint.com/news ··· more.htm
ssavoy
Premium Member
join:2007-08-16
Dallas, PA

ssavoy

Premium Member

LTE Network

Their LTE network is probably available in a lot more places than they officially mention. I've seen the equipment hanging on the towers for about 6 months in my area and it's still not official. I'm not a Sprint customer so I don't even know if they turned it on or not, but it's there.

I don't understand how they can deploy it so quickly but have the execution problems they've been having. AFAIK they've got the fiber coming in, brand new gear top-to-bottom, and then when they turn it on it still sucks apparently. Anyone know why?
nonymous (banned)
join:2003-09-08
Glendale, AZ

nonymous (banned)

Member

Re: LTE Network

Maybe because not all towers have been upgraded. You may have 4g just not from the closest tower. Also, if not official may still be tweaking things.
I have been getting more and more 4g in metro Phoenix. Mostly, it is very fast when I have it. Though still some clunks. usually, I thing connected to a tower farther away when issues as closest tower not upgraded yet.
Plus yes a few odd quirks here and there but since not official I am not hounding them over it. now once official if the few oddities here and there remain that will be different.

skurfa
@64.209.30.x

skurfa

Anon

Subscriber gains?

Having been a Sprint Fanboy at one time, but now telling people to stay away and see what happens in the next year, I am quite surprised to see them gain subscribers at all, really. Considering their reputation and not being much, if any cheaper than the big two, If they ever get their shit together they might really grow. On another note. I have been out of the country using a local SIM in my HTC One (which Sprint happily unlocked for me) and I can't wait to get back to the Sprint network. I am stuck on edge here, and not even good edge at that, loading a webpage of any sort is a long lesson in patience. :/

why60loss
Premium Member
join:2012-09-20

why60loss

Premium Member

I hope sprint does better, but they better not touch T-mobile

Sounds like they did better with pre-paid but not the new contract costumers.

Well as long as they don't buy out T-mobile, best of luck to them. We need the big 4 to stick around. Last thing we need it for it to go down to 3.
djoropallo
join:2003-10-20
Maple Shade, NJ

1 recommendation

djoropallo

Member

Sprint

I did notice my speed is a little slow today.