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Verizon "Colorful Balls"

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    Posted: 29 Jan 2016 at 3:17am
This Sprint "colorful balls" ad is pretty misleading.
It's based on Sprint's interpretation of supposedly independent data, and is valid only for download speed of files greater than 150 kB.
 
Which is to say, it says NOTHING about often you can actually attach to their network to download something to begin with (i.e., coverage, not speed).  And of course, files significantly larger than 150 kb (i.e., YouTube) might result in losing a download session entirely as you drive out of (the often times pitiful) range of its network.
 
Then there's the uplink (i.e., your request for network resources).
Sure, Sprint might have a lickety-split download speed (in select areas), but what good is it if you have to wait ages for the download to begin?  BTW:  Depending where you look, and what you measure, every carrier has some aspect of their network to brag about.  But overall, there's a reason Sprint essentially has to buy subscribers for their networks.  I even used them at one time.  Never again.  (Well, not anytime soon.  Let's see if they can stave off a bankruptcy or takoever/merger first..)
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Triple J Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jan 2016 at 1:47am
LOL Now Sprint has just lampooned the "tiny red balls" ad with this rebuttal, and throws in the samurai dork from their slice and dice campaign, or whatever it's called.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Anduril Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jan 2016 at 1:19pm
Originally posted by flychinook flychinook wrote:

Originally posted by Anduril Anduril wrote:

Sprint has financial troubles, so much so that they are not even participating in the upcoming 600 MHz auctions. 

For what it's worth, Sprint didn't participate in the 600 MHz auction, because they don't need it. They're still building out the 800 MHz spectrum that was re-purposed from the decommissioning of Nextel. 
 
The 600 MHz auction hasn't happened yet.
Sprint is not still building out anything of any consequence.   In fact, both their own stock, and those of the major public tower companies took a nose dive recently when Sprint announced their intention to stop building marcocell sites.  (Which of course, isn't even remotely a realistic "solution" for their situation, but the markets responded accordingly by hammering their respective stocks.)
 
I realize that there are indeed a tiny number of markets where the 800 MHz rebanding is still languishing (as you point out), but those issues are really at the far margins of Sprint's overall core financial problems.
 
Sprint is simply saddled with way too much debt. (They also just announced major layoffs.)
Even if it could win spectrum at auction, it's not clear how they could build it out, let alone profit from it in any sort of reasonable time frame.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote flychinook Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jan 2016 at 5:21am
Originally posted by Anduril Anduril wrote:

Sprint has financial troubles, so much so that they are not even participating in the upcoming 600 MHz auctions. 

For what it's worth, Sprint didn't participate in the 600 MHz auction, because they don't need it. They're still building out the 800 MHz spectrum that was re-purposed from the decommissioning of Nextel. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote zippyjet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2016 at 5:27am
Originally posted by Anduril Anduril wrote:

FWIW:  It's actually spelled "tchotchke".
One of those weird words you just have to memorize how so spell.  Wink
 
I believe the tchotchke in question is called a "Newton's Cradle".

Always have been spelling challenged. This commercial I keep talking about is on the radio too many times and also on TV. Ironically I really like the music with the Tiger go figure.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Anduril Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jan 2016 at 2:39pm
FWIW:  It's actually spelled "tchotchke".
One of those weird words you just have to memorize how so spell.  Wink
 
I believe the tchotchke in question is called a "Newton's Cradle".
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote zippyjet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jan 2016 at 3:48am
Actually, the balls commercial isn't bad nor good. And, the Rashida Jones commercials are clever and Rashida is rocking that mini skirt, she's hot. There is however one Verizon commercial in the current crop I hate. It's generally non descript but the weird instrumental music gets on my nerves. Mainly this one is on the radio. The weird music reminds me of background sh*t from the late 70's/early 80's. I also think of those clickey swinging metal ball chotchkies rich folk had on their desks back then.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Anduril Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jan 2016 at 8:02pm
Originally posted by usmaak usmaak wrote:

Thanks for the info.  I'm in the front range, Boulder county.  I searched on Verizon and Verizon Wireless in Boulder county and there are only six listed.  I guess that explains why I'm not having great results with Verizon here.  ATT has more than twice the listings.  I guess I should think about switching in November, when my contract is up.  I just really hate ATT. LOL
 
Send me your address and I'll mail you a nice stainless steel fork you can stick in your eye when you switch to AT&T.  Ouch
 
I just checked Boulder County as well.
Your only real choices are AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint. 
Of these, only AT&T and Verizon have spectrum holdings in the cellular band (824-896 MHz).
In fact, they each have one-half of the band - a very common situation nationwide BTW.
Both have 700 MHz holdings (which is usually LTE), and also holdings in the PCS Band (1850-1990 MHz).  Frequencies below about 1000 MHz tend to propagate better, especially in the mountains.
 
So, Verizon has "choice" spectrum to give you good service, (same as AT&T), so it probably boils down to who as the most, and the closest towers to serve the areas in which you travel.
 
Cellular and PCS are "migrating" to LTE format, but it takes time because there's still a lot of handsets out there that cannot handle LTE (and would stop functioning).  Don't confuse the format with the frequency.  It's the frequency band that matters, all things being equal (mostly).
 
Neither T-Mobile nor Sprint have any cellular spectrum in Boulder County.
Because PCS band frequencies (i.e., 1850-1990 MHz) propagate poorly in mountainous regions, if you're relying on T-Mobile or Sprint, they'll need a lot more towers than they probably can get out of Boulder County's highly restrictive land zoning. 
 
Bottom line, your choices seem to be either AT&T or Verizon.
Which isn't surprising since they are proverbial 800-pound gorillas in the room (i.e., the nationwide duopoly).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote usmaak Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jan 2016 at 2:24pm
Originally posted by Anduril Anduril wrote:

Originally posted by usmaak usmaak wrote:

I was with Sprint for years.  I'm still not sure why.  Their 3G was useless, their 4G before LTE only worked in about 5 places, and when I could get it, was no faster than every one else's 3G.  We would constantly get text messages out of order.  Their customer service was terrible.

5 years ago, I moved to Verizon, and haven't regretted it.  Still, they are not as good everywhere.  When I lived in the midwest, they were great, with lots of speed.  Since moving west, things haven't been that great.  They are still reliable, but it is impossible to coax any real speed out of them during the day.  Even light webpages take way too long to load.  I live in a small city of almost 90,000 people.  A few years ago, they came out with something that they call XLTE that was supposed to improve response times and speed.  There is no hint of it here.  We have lots of 4G holes here, including some in places populated with many stores and residences.  When my contract was last up, I took a good look at ATT, TMobile, and Verizon (never again, Sprint), and I decided to stay with Verizon.  From the people that I asked, the others are even worse here.  I guess Verizon focuses on being just a bit better than the competition.  I see no indication that they're ever going to upgrade their equipment here, or put in more towers, or add more bandwidth capability.
 
Depends on where you live in Colorado.
West of the Front Range, radio propagation obviously gets very tricky due to the mountains.
Outside Denver and the larger cities, there a miles of open space, so don't expect coverage there to be fantastic, although the major highways and towns (big and small) should have at least very good 3G coverage.  With some 4G overlap.
 
Also:  Much depends on what frequencies Verizon has there.
Radio propagation below 1 GHz is more "robust", requires fewer towers, and generally penetrates indoors better (all else being "equal".)  And I use the term loosely.
 
Visit: http://reboot.fcc.gov/spectrumdashboard/searchMap.seam to see who has what spectrum licensed in your area.  Aggregate amount of spectrum (esp. below 1 GHz), is usually a reliable indicator of who is likely to be an adequate provider in your area.  And of course, the duopoly is Verizon / AT&T, so statistically speaking, it's likely going to be one of them. 
Thanks for the info.  I'm in the front range, Boulder county.  I searched on Verizon and Verizon Wireless in Boulder county and there are only six listed.  I guess that explains why I'm not having great results with Verizon here.  ATT has more than twice the listings.  I guess I should think about switching in November, when my contract is up.  I just really hate ATT. LOL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote commercialssuck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jan 2016 at 6:28am
Originally posted by Anduril Anduril wrote:

Originally posted by DesertX DesertX wrote:

Not only is this commercial overplayed, it's insulting to those who are happy non-Verizon users.
 
All five of them?  Big smile
 
As an "insider" in that industry, I can assure you that, on-balance, Verizon has their act together much more so than their peers.  AT&T is dead last in customer service, across almost all industries (not just wireless)!  Sprint has financial troubles, so much so that they are not even participating in the upcoming 600 MHz auctions.  Last I checked their stock was hovering in the low single digits, and they have HUGE debt.  T-Mobile is a bit of a recent outlier.  Not as many customers, not as much spectrum, but they are happy to pick up customers hemmorrhaging from AT&T's inability to effectively run a wireless communications company.  Just wait until the 4th quarter numbers come out.
 
Of course, the deathstar company will probably still pay a $0.48 dividend, so everyone looks the other way.  And not suprisingly, AT&T doesn't use Root Metrics (except when it favors them).


God, I hate ATT. I don't have a cell phone, but have their home phone and internet. They recently switched over to fiber optics and flat out lied to me about cost, but now that I am on the new system/plan, I am stuck. They also royally screwed up the switchover and I lost service twice and had to spend lots of time dealing with that. And it's my business/home phone, so I could very well have lost business.

I hope ATT loses lots of customers and fails. They basically have a monopoly here so they just don't give a fu*k about their customers, cuz they are really the only game in town, at least for home phone. For internet, there's always mediacom, but they are just as bad if not worse, and are more expensive. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote i8acannibal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2016 at 2:20am
They're trying to be clever, but they've failed miserably. 
Say something clever here...

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Thor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2016 at 1:52am
It's just kinda tedious.
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CapeCat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2016 at 1:50am
Originally posted by LiberryGirl LiberryGirl wrote:

I don't understand this commercial. Then again, I didn't try real hard.
I don't even get to that point - as soon as the air horn blasts at the beginning of the commercial - instant mute.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LiberryGirl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2016 at 12:23am
I don't understand this commercial. Then again, I didn't try real hard.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote i8acannibal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2016 at 8:54pm
Ha ha ha... He he he.... You said penetrate... Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Anduril Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2016 at 8:45pm
Originally posted by usmaak usmaak wrote:

I was with Sprint for years.  I'm still not sure why.  Their 3G was useless, their 4G before LTE only worked in about 5 places, and when I could get it, was no faster than every one else's 3G.  We would constantly get text messages out of order.  Their customer service was terrible.

5 years ago, I moved to Verizon, and haven't regretted it.  Still, they are not as good everywhere.  When I lived in the midwest, they were great, with lots of speed.  Since moving west, things haven't been that great.  They are still reliable, but it is impossible to coax any real speed out of them during the day.  Even light webpages take way too long to load.  I live in a small city of almost 90,000 people.  A few years ago, they came out with something that they call XLTE that was supposed to improve response times and speed.  There is no hint of it here.  We have lots of 4G holes here, including some in places populated with many stores and residences.  When my contract was last up, I took a good look at ATT, TMobile, and Verizon (never again, Sprint), and I decided to stay with Verizon.  From the people that I asked, the others are even worse here.  I guess Verizon focuses on being just a bit better than the competition.  I see no indication that they're ever going to upgrade their equipment here, or put in more towers, or add more bandwidth capability.
 
Depends on where you live in Colorado.
West of the Front Range, radio propagation obviously gets very tricky due to the mountains.
Outside Denver and the larger cities, there a miles of open space, so don't expect coverage there to be fantastic, although the major highways and towns (big and small) should have at least very good 3G coverage.  With some 4G overlap.
 
Also:  Much depends on what frequencies Verizon has there.
Radio propagation below 1 GHz is more "robust", requires fewer towers, and generally penetrates indoors better (all else being "equal".)  And I use the term loosely.
 
Visit: http://reboot.fcc.gov/spectrumdashboard/searchMap.seam to see who has what spectrum licensed in your area.  Aggregate amount of spectrum (esp. below 1 GHz), is usually a reliable indicator of who is likely to be an adequate provider in your area.  And of course, the duopoly is Verizon / AT&T, so statistically speaking, it's likely going to be one of them. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote i8acannibal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2016 at 8:09pm
We have Straight Talk using Verizons network. They also offer AT&T/Sprint phones. I have no complaints. We've been with them for around 5 years. Unlimited talk and text, and 5gb of 4g data for $45 a month. Coverage is great (thanks Verizon). Even though we live in the capital, only Verizons network has full and reliable coverage. If any of you are interested and need more information, just ask. And no, I earn NOTHING on any of this. I just speak from experience. I don't work for them, I just despise cell contracts and think that they shouldn't exist. Tongue
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote aka ron Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2016 at 7:10pm
We have Sprint and 2 smart phones.
 
I don't even text with mine, let alone web surfing and she doesn't go on the web with hers.
She has her kindle and a laptop. I have my PC.
 
It seems reasonable at $90 a month. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ThatNerdInPhilly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2016 at 5:19pm
The only reason why I still have ATT for my iPhone is because I still have an unlimited plan. BUT this will change. They are bumping up my bill starting next month. My contract with these fools ends in September and they will no longer offer unlimited.

I must change it to their bullsh*t ATT "Next" plan.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote usmaak Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2016 at 1:36pm
I was with Sprint for years.  I'm still not sure why.  Their 3G was useless, their 4G before LTE only worked in about 5 places, and when I could get it, was no faster than every one else's 3G.  We would constantly get text messages out of order.  Their customer service was terrible.

5 years ago, I moved to Verizon, and haven't regretted it.  Still, they are not as good everywhere.  When I lived in the midwest, they were great, with lots of speed.  Since moving west, things haven't been that great.  They are still reliable, but it is impossible to coax any real speed out of them during the day.  Even light webpages take way too long to load.  I live in a small city of almost 90,000 people.  A few years ago, they came out with something that they call XLTE that was supposed to improve response times and speed.  There is no hint of it here.  We have lots of 4G holes here, including some in places populated with many stores and residences.  When my contract was last up, I took a good look at ATT, TMobile, and Verizon (never again, Sprint), and I decided to stay with Verizon.  From the people that I asked, the others are even worse here.  I guess Verizon focuses on being just a bit better than the competition.  I see no indication that they're ever going to upgrade their equipment here, or put in more towers, or add more bandwidth capability.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Anduril Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2016 at 12:43pm
Originally posted by DesertX DesertX wrote:

Not only is this commercial overplayed, it's insulting to those who are happy non-Verizon users.
 
All five of them?  Big smile
 
As an "insider" in that industry, I can assure you that, on-balance, Verizon has their act together much more so than their peers.  AT&T is dead last in customer service, across almost all industries (not just wireless)!  Sprint has financial troubles, so much so that they are not even participating in the upcoming 600 MHz auctions.  Last I checked their stock was hovering in the low single digits, and they have HUGE debt.  T-Mobile is a bit of a recent outlier.  Not as many customers, not as much spectrum, but they are happy to pick up customers hemmorrhaging from AT&T's inability to effectively run a wireless communications company.  Just wait until the 4th quarter numbers come out.
 
Of course, the deathstar company will probably still pay a $0.48 dividend, so everyone looks the other way.  And not suprisingly, AT&T doesn't use Root Metrics (except when it favors them).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DesertX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2016 at 4:02am
Not only is this commercial overplayed, it's insulting to those who are happy non-Verizon users.


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