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Ulmo
EVDO Fledgling
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 18
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 Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 5:58 pm Post subject: Sprint Nextel store displaying AirCard 580 in non-live area |
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Here's the data I recorded from my store visit in an area that is not advertised to yet have EV-DO Broadband according to coverage maps and other indications I've seen:
I went in the local Sprint Nextel store in the Capitola Mall (Capitola, Santa Cruz county, Monterey Bay, Northern California). Sitting on the first shelf to the left was a display with a number of items, including one item "Sierra AirCard 580 $99.99 with new activation, two (2) year agreement, with $10-$20 data service package", bylined something like "1xEV-DO". The features list said obvious but non-ignorant things like "32 bit PC Card bus". It did have the name "Connection Card" someplace in the labeling (sorry, I forget if it said "Sprint PCS Connection Card or just "Connection Card"; this all becomes relevant below). The card itself looked real; isn't that expensive to have a display card sitting like that in the store? It looked like it had an antenna port, but I couldn't tell (the antenna port looked unreliable like the ones we found under the sticker in the Audiovox PC5740 for Verizon Wireless). I did not ask if they had any in stock. Also in the labeling, it says (possibly paraphrased but accurately) "Broadband speeds when available."
On that shelf was a brochure that said:
(My comments enclosed in {{ and }})
| Quote: | Sprint Together with NEXTEL
Sprint PCS(R) Choices
SERVICE PLANS & RATES
For Sprint PCS Phones
{{Smiling happy lady's face}}
Select the plan that fits you best. |
Page 11: | Quote: | DATA SERVICES FOR YOUR COMPUTER
Connection Card
Perfect for people who use a Sprint PCS Connection Card(TM) with their laptops and PDAs.
Sprint PCS Flexible Data Plan
40MB $39.99/mo. (capped at $89.99)
Sprint PCS Unlimited Data Plan
$79.99/mo.
{{for both the above plans, the following items were specified:}}
> Unlimited usage for the first month (after one month, use the MB included in your plan)
> Additional data usage $0.001 per KB {{does this conflict with the previous point?}}
> Calls made on Sprint PCS Connection Cards with voice capability will incur a charge of 20 cents per calling minute. {{What cards do this?}}
> One-year subscriber agreement required.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Phone-As-Modem Data Pricing
Perfect for people who use their Sprint PCS phone as a modem.
40MB $25/mo. (capped at $70)
> Includes Sprint PCS Vision Ultimate Pack
> Unlimited usage for the first month (after one month, use the MB included in your plan)
> Additional data usage $0.0001 per KB
> One-year subscriber agreement required.
> Requires a voice plan
Unless Phone-as-Modem Data Pricing is selected, customers using a Sprint PCS phone as a modem will be charged 2 cents per kilobyte for data usage. {{That's $21,474.84 per gigabyte, or about $214,748.40 for what I've used this month on my VW data plan. Gosh, not reading this 4pt print could get you in some trouble!!!! Put a lien on your house ... luckily, I'm homeless so that's not a problem, but still ...}}
{{At the bottom of the page, is an unreferenced footnote:}}
*1 After one month, pay the regular monthly charge.
Rates exclude taxes & Sprint Fees (including USF charge of up to 2.33% that varies quarterly, cost recovery fees up to $2.83 per line & state/local fees that vary by area). Sprint Fees are not taxes or government-required charges. See page 14 for full terms and conditions. |
It is worth noting Sprint has some voice plan features that Verizon does not:
* select when your Nights start: 9pm, 7pm, 6pm
* Free Incoming plans
* Additional Adjustable Anytime Minutes for certain plans (not the Free Incoming plans) (this sounds dangerous)
* No Roaming Charges featured add-on $5/mo.
Nights end at 7am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Verizon it's like 4 or 5am.)
Warning: call forwarding is 20 cents a minute. (VW it's free.)
SMS & picture messaging are outrageously expensive, just like VW.
This brochure is marked on the back page: | Quote: | Sprint
Together with NEXTEL
4955 0025
CDMASRVPLAN_11/05
GM-NOV05 SE5001-1000 |
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Ok, now on to the next brochure, which is marked on the back page | Quote: | Nextel phones by Motorola M Motorola
(c) 2005 Sprint Nextel. All rights reserved. SPRINT, the "Going Forward" logo, the NEXTEL name and logo, and other trademarks are trademarks of Sprint Nextel. MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. All other product names and services are property of their respective owners.
HY5999-8015 NXWDSBRO_9/05
49550036
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This brochure is titled: | Quote: | Sprint Together with NEXTEL
Nextel Choices
WIRELESS DATA SERVICES
Do more with your phone.
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Page 28: | Quote: |
UNLIMITED WIFI HOTSPOT PLAN *1
Wireless Broadband Access. At Over 8,000 Locations.
And Growing.
Nextel WiFi HotSpot Service *1 $40.00/month
(unlimited access)
{{This is only refering to Wifi, I believe. One of the bullets:
(o) Stream audio and video, browse bandwidth-intensive web sites, and send or receive even the largest file attachments. Wirelessly.
{{...}}
Get started:
All you need is a laptop PC, a WiFi card*, a Nextel WiFi HotSpot plan, MyNextel.com Member Name and Password, and Nextel Connection Manager Software.
{{Footnotes:}}
*1 Nextel reserves the right to restrict a customer's usage if it adversely affects network performance. Available only on Nextel's Wireless Data Network.
* 802.11b card that is NDIS 05.1 compatible is required.
----------------------- |
Page 29: | Quote: | UNLIMITED PC ACCESS WITH
WIFI HOTSPOT PACKAGE *1
The Premier Service For Taking Your Office On The Road
It's the perfect combination for getting more done. Wherever you are on the Nextel Wireless Data network. You get the Unlimited WiFi HotSpot Plan for wireless broadband and Ethernet-enabled access in more than 8,000 locations throughout North America. Plus, access to the Nextel Wireless Data Network -- using either a wireless modem or an Internet-ready Nextel phone connected to your laptop -- anywhere on the Nextel National Network.
{{...}}
(o) Genuine broadband speeds at Nextel WiFi HotSpots. And compression-enhanced connectivity *2 on the Nextel Wireless Data Network.
(o) User-friendly Nextel Connection Manager software monitors signal strength and quality, enhances wireless data speeds and locates nearby Nextel WiFi HotSpots.
Get started:
All you need is a laptop PC, a WiFi card* or an Internet-ready phone, unlimited PC access with WiFi HotSpot Package, MyNextel.com Member Name and Password, and Nextel Connection Manager Software.
COST: $55.00 per month for as long as you remain on the plan.
{{Footnotes:}}
*1 Nextel reserves the right to restrict a customer's usage if it adversely affects network performance. Available only on Nextel's Wireless Data Network.
*2 Compression-enhanced technology may be limited in certain circumstances.
* 802.11b card that is NDIS 5.1 Compatible is required. |
Ok, so Nextel is not the EV-DO we're talking about.
Reading DSLReports.Com, I see the Sprint personnel saying they're doing a 100% rollout of EV-DO, and that all orders coming in earmarked EV-DO get top priority. They compare this to Verizon Wireless which said it has slowly taken low-hanging fruit and never intends to do a 100% rollout due to some network inconsistencies. I also hear they have a lot of the network (most of it?) already in broadband mode for testing, and will only announce it fully when it's all up. I've also seen a rumor on EVDO Forums that Sprint has dedicated EV-DO channels, whereas VW just shares it with voice -- not sure if this is true or what it means. Some reports of faster speeds with Sprint -- well, that sounds plausible, but we'll see.
I wish there was a way to know what current actual testing broadband EV-DO coverage Sprint has.
Anybody know what the EV-DO broadband plans really are for Sprint?
It is worth noting the announcement at http://www.evdoinfo.com/The_News/Latest_News/Sprint_Announces_Mobile_Broadband_Service_20051108622/ is more informative about plans than the evidence I gathered from the store. |
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xenophon
EVDO Addict
Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 2003
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 7:07 pm Post subject: Re: Sprint Nextel store displaying AirCard 580 in non-live a |
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| Ulmo wrote: |
I went in the local Sprint Nextel store in the Capitola Mall (Capitola, Santa Cruz county, Monterey Bay, Northern California).
I wish there was a way to know what current actual testing broadband EV-DO coverage Sprint has.
Anybody know what the EV-DO broadband plans really are for Sprint?
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It's really hard to tell what Sprint's coverage is as they've been rolling out at a much faster pace than what the maps show.
Lately, if the map shows 'future broadband coverage', there is a high chance it is already enabled, at least for testing. But Sprint even has broadband coverage in areas not listed for 'future coverage'. I was at a friend's house far outside the metro that shows no current or even future coverage on the map. Guess what, EVDO worked and even had 4-5 bars.
It's too bad Sprint doesn't keep the maps up, they are hurting themselves by not showing all they have done. Sprint's marketing does not seem to be in line with the rollout project. Or maybe Sprint dumped an orderly rollout after getting the key metros completed and is blitzing any tower that is cheap to upgrade. Sprint is also adding thousands of new CDMA sites on existing Nextel sites, which will all be EVDO. The maps may not represent that.
Sprint claimed to have covered 130million population in mid-Nov and claims 150million covered by early 2006, which is about the same as Verizon, which says 140 million on it's website.
Might ask that store to demo the card. Maybe it works even though the maps don't state it.
Sprint should get on the ball and update those maps because they are likely losing many potential customers.
Verizon claims 140 million covered....
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobileoptions/broadband/index.jsp
Sprint claims 130 million covered mid-Nov and 150 million by early 2006 (some articles have said by Jan 1).
http://www.mobiletechnews.com/info/2005/10/31/143920.html |
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xenophon
EVDO Addict
Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 2003
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 7:20 pm Post subject: Re: Sprint Nextel store displaying AirCard 580 in non-live a |
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| Ulmo wrote: |
Reading DSLReports.Com, I see the Sprint personnel saying they're doing a 100% rollout of EV-DO, and that all orders coming in earmarked EV-DO get top priority. They compare this to Verizon Wireless which said it has slowly taken low-hanging fruit and never intends to do a 100% rollout due to some network inconsistencies. I also hear they have a lot of the network (most of it?) already in broadband mode for testing, and will only announce it fully when it's all up. I've also seen a rumor on EVDO Forums that Sprint has dedicated EV-DO channels, whereas VW just shares it with voice -- not sure if this is true or what it means. Some reports of faster speeds with Sprint -- well, that sounds plausible, but we'll see.
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I've talked to our Sprint and Verizon reps about this.
Sprint says they eventually plan to do 100% of the network eventually to EVDO as equipment prices drop. They plan on VoIP over EVDO pilot in 2006 and rollout in 2007 so they'd pretty much need the whole network to be completed. Sprint owns their own Internet backbone (about 1/3 of US traffic?) so can easily plug in extra T1 lines to their cell sites. According to our rep (out of the HQ), Sprint does have dedicated lines to EVDO at their towers and he claims that Verizon shares their EVDO with voice with EVDO at a lower priority.
Verizon is stuck with a lot of 800mhz towers that do not have much EVDO capacity. Verizon has avoided putting EVDO on 800 towers. Verizon has stated they only plan on 75% of network to EVDO, apparently because of this limitation. It's probably more of a capacity than coverage issue. Verizon just bought MCI, which has a big chunk of the Internet backbone so they may be able to more easily/cheaply add dedicated lines to their towers but they may need to add more 1900 towers to keep up with Sprint.
According to the Sprint/Nextel FCC application, Sprint has 24K 1900mhz CDMA towers and is adding 14K more on existing Nextel sites in the next few years. They have already added over a thousand new CDMA sites since acquiring Nextel. Verizon has 23K 800/1900 towers according to their website and has only been adding a couple thousand per year lately. Verizon is heavily focused on fibre-to-the-home and may be cutting back EVDO funds. Seems like Verizon's solution to maintaining capacity is to kickoff heavy users rather than adding more bandwidth.  |
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