Sprint is finally shutting down the iDEN Nextel network.
On Tuesday Sprint announced that it plans to shut down the iDEN Nextel National Network as early as June 30, 2013, cutting off service for its push-to-talk Nextel phones. The move is part of the company's overall Network Vision plan which is a series of network updates designed to offer next generation network capabilities to customers.
According to Sprint, the Nextel network is being deactivated to make room for more 4G coverage. It's a mere second-generation (aka 2G) network that is unsuitable for smartphones thanks to its low data speeds. However, surprisingly there were 5.4 million phones still active on the Nextel network at the end of March.
Over the last eight months, Sprint has been pushing to transition business and government customers away from the Nextel phones to the Sprint Direct Connect 3G CDMA network by offering four new rugged handsets catering to the push-to-talk crowd. These include the Kyocera DuraMax, Kyocera DuraCore, Kyocera DuraPlus and the Motorola Admiral.
"Sprint will send written notices to business and government customers beginning June 1, 2012 regarding the iDEN Nextel National Network shutdown," Sprint said. "The company will continue to notify customers of favorable offers designed to facilitate a smooth migration to Sprint Direct Connect®. Additional notices are planned for distribution to the iDEN base multiple times over the next year as the shutdown of the iDEN Nextel National Network becomes more imminent."
Sprint also said on Tuesday that it has been approved for a $1 billion line of credit to build out the new 4G network. The credit line is being offered by a syndicate of banks led by Deutsche Bank AG of Germany for equipment purchases from LM Ericsson AB of Sweden. The credit line is backed by the Swedish government's export credit fund because one of Sprint's main vendors is LM Ericsson AB.
"The secured credit facility expires in March 2017 and benefits from a cost of funding of approximately 6 percent provided by AB Svensk Exportkredit and comprehensive insurance cover from EKN, the Swedish Export Credit Agency. Deutsche Bank acted as one of the Mandated Lead Arrangers and as Facility Agent," the company said.
No, of course not. We will have to pay more to for less as always.
Well, you could be paying even more for LTE that you also can't ever use AAAAND data caps.
If you read the contract, the $10 charge isn't for 4G, it's for all smartphones "due to their heavy data usage." 3G included. Still a slimmy trick, but they have to fund the complete and total overhaul to their network somehow... You should read the article about Sprint Vision. Essentially they are overhauling their network with modular towers (so they can run CDMA, WiMAX and LTE from the same tower instead of seperate towers, as well as plug in different technologies as needed) to lower maintanence and upkeep costs, and increase effeciency as well as bandwidth. They would rent out the excese bandwidth. HOPEFULLY this means lower prices and better coverage for Sprint subsrcibers a few years down the line.
It's possible to avoid the data charge if you are off-contract and your phone hasn't been subsidized by the carrier. You may have to demand very persistently, threaten to cancel, and speak with more than one manager before they cave, but there is a good chance that they will. This is the case with AT&T, anyway. They will disable your data completely and you won't be charged anything. My wife and I both have smartphones (iPhone 3GS and Samsung Focus) and they agreed to do it. Neither of us wants their overpriced spotty coverage. A mandatory data plan is one policy that never made any sense to me. How does owning a smartphone necessitate data usage? There are plenty of advantages to owning a smartphone that do not involve data usage.
As for you whysobluepandabear if you work for Sprint you seriously need some time off, and anger management classes. Going off on someone, whether you work for them or not, in a forum post like that is not cool!
Thanks for the prepaid point of view. In my area, the cricket works great (I had it before sprint, was the old qualcomm bricks back in the day lol). Cricket now has plenty of data plans that are cheap and just as good as the big guys, IF you find a device that does your needs. Some phones can be reprogrammed for cricket, some can't. I guess it all boils down to what you can afford, and how much nonsense you are willing to put up with from the people you give money too.
You have no skills with people, that is obvious. Is your last name Johnson? I would understand the Richard comments then. I pay my bill, on time every month. I also remember that both sides have an obligation, of which Sprint has not met(yet). I figured it was past your bedtime, it has been a while since you replied. We were all getting lonely. Do you have anything useful to add to this conversation, or are you going to just keep spouting out nonsense? Hey check Sprints stock lately? Or even their facebook page? Lot's of happy people there. I would think Sprint keeps you hidden away from the customers on the floor, you could lose them a lot of sales.
Did you really type all that and only use one curse word? See we are making progress. I am sorry you have to get on the internet and yell at people you don't even know and call them bad names. You do seem to know something about your job, which could come in handy for you and others one day. I am definately not a holy roller, I find the whole thing comical myself. Do you not see the dillema customers could face from this changeover? Buying a 400 dollar phone is no biggy for me, I have used the one I have for almost 2 years now, and in the time it has been used and abused. Picking out a replacement phone after the contract runs out is trivial, my work, family, friends, home, everywhere I go has wifi. That is why my data usage is low...other plans allow this for much less now than Sprint. It will be interesting to see in the future where this goes price wise. I see plans becoming more competitive and the smaller providers being pushed out of the way. What good is truely unlimited if you can't get a signal to use it? interesting how other providers dont have the "premium data fee" separate on the bill.Verizon and att aren't really an option, they both nickel and dime you to death for every little thing.