Sprint: No Interest in Fixed Wireless 5G Sprint says the company has no interest in using fifth generation wireless to offer a fixed residential broadband service. Both AT&T and Verizon are currently experimenting with the option as a way to offer faster (albeit more expensive and capped) service to the millions of DSL customers they refuse to upgrade to next-generation broadband. But with no legacy DSL subscribers to worry about, companies like Sprint and T-Mobile haven't much seen the point of offering their own fixed 5G services.

Sprint CTO John Saw made Sprint's disinterest in fixed wireless clear this week when he offered a breakdown of the company's network upgrade plans at an industry investor conference. “We have no plans to launch fixed wireless at the moment,” Saw said. “Right now I think our focus is on mobile broadband; the economics are so much better. Maybe when you look into the 5G world, when we have more spectral efficiency, and potentially new spectrum, we can revisit the opportunity for fixed wireless.” As for traditional wireless 5G, Saw didn't give a timeline for the company's own 5G deployment plans. But he said the company is busy preparing to upgrade its cell sites to support the company's vast 2.5 GHz spectrum holdings, while also adding massive MIMO capabilities on the path to even faster 5G service. "Massive MIMO, it’s going to be a bridge to 5G," Saw said. "Because we have so much spectrum at 2.5, I can allocate half of my spectrum to LTE Advanced and other half for 5G. And I can run 5G NR and LTE simultaneously on the same massive MIMO site, without climbing the tower again in 2019," he added. "So I can simultaneously support both over this massive MIMO radio." Sprint remains in the precarious position of needing to upgrade its lagging network to better match AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile speed, while trying to manage both a significant debt load and the company's ongoing difficulties in building a brand identity that can retain customers. That hasn't been helped by the fact that with Sprint, the network you actually want seems perpetually stuck around the next corner. Still, with the failed T-Mobile merger in the rear view mirror, Sprint's focus on actually delivering that network can once again take priority. Sprint remains in the precarious position of needing to upgrade its lagging network to better match AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile speed, while trying to manage both a significant debt load and the company's ongoing difficulties in building a brand identity that can retain customers. That hasn't been helped by the fact that with Sprint, the networkseems perpetually stuck around the next corner. Still, with the failed T-Mobile merger in the rear view mirror, Sprint's focus on actually delivering that network can once again take priority.







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Most recommended from 36 comments

sparek

join:2002-06-10

united state 11 recommendations sparek Member Should have switched to fixed wireless years ago This just proves how dumb Sprint is.



They should have shifted to a mostly fixed wireless solution years ago, it might've helped them regain some profitability.



Perhaps I'm in the minority, I don't live near any large cities, around here Sprint might have a good signal at one spot, but drive 10 miles and there's nothing for another 50 miles, then maybe a decent signal, drive 10 more miles nothing, repeat.



If this is comparable to other non-metropolitan areas for Sprint, then it would make sense for Sprint to become a fixed wireless solution. A lot of these areas that I talk about don't have cable or DSL or any other options. Sprint would have worked great as a fixed wireless solution for a lot of the homes in these areas if they would have offered decent monthly bandwidth.



But in this area, as a mobile service, Sprint is horrible it has no market what so ever. Who wants a cell phone service where there's a good bet you won't have a signal?



Instead of focusing on this fixed wireless solution market, Sprint did nothing and now AT&T has come up with a fixed wireless solution that is exactly what Sprint needed years ago (I'm not exactly advocating AT&T's fixed wireless solution but I have to give them props for at least trying). The leadership at the top of Sprint is just completely dumb.

Zenit

The system is the solution

Premium Member

join:2012-05-07

Purcellville, VA 4 recommendations Zenit Premium Member Sprint is SAD!



Their spectrum allocation is perfect for fixed wireless. They even offered such a product eons ago.

I bet T-Mobile will roll out a fixed service in underserved areas well before Sprint implodes.



Masayoshi Son screwed up by leaving the same management team in place. The CEO changed but the culture is the same. Serious money needs to be plunked into Sprint to save it, but it doesn't look like SoftBank will do that. Perhaps Son figured out Sprint is hopeless and is trying to find an exit?



To think that Sprint would probably be in better shape had they kept Embarq. At least it would have been a semi-stable revenue source.



Sprint is so sad the best portion of their VA network isn't even owned by Sprint. It's owned by Shentel in the Shenandoah Valley. That's the only portion with good coverage and service. Sprint has the least coverage out of the 4, T-Mobile has blasted past. Sprint coverage ends 2mi west of me, and remains VZW roaming until you reach Shentel wireless territory.



さようなら、スプリント。 en103

join:2011-05-02 3 recommendations en103 Member Let's see what is wrong with this CTO... 1. The Sprint is _very_ lagging behind in coverage

2. Sprint has oodles of high band spectrum (which would be good for fixed wireless)

3. The US market for 'mobile' is basically saturated

4. Sprint _really_ needs more revenue streams.



Fixed wireless in rural America (even in many Urban/Suburban markets) would be good competition for old xDSL which is overpriced, under performing and in a death sprial. Cable is good - but due to lack of real competition, getting too expensive. This leaves - fixed wireless. If Sprint doesn't act, it may not have much life left. Nuggits

join:2008-10-03

Allston, MA 3 recommendations Nuggits Member Umm, what? This is something Sprint could really push with the amount of high frequency spectrum they have. 5G could provide a reasonable alternative for people with slow or unreliable DSL and monopolistic cable companies. Basically, don't be shitty and people will jump - especially if 5G performs 1/4 as well as it's promised to.



Also, is it just me, or is the distinction between "Mobile broadband" and "Fixed broadband" a really, ....really fuzzy line?



Talk about a wasted opportunity.

tc1uscg

join:2005-03-09

Guantanamo 2 recommendations tc1uscg Member Where? When Not that we would notice anyway.