Anybody switch from Verizon to Sprint

Cell towers can cover a radius (unless limited by terrain) of anywhere from about 1-30 miles. Can be more when the tower is on a high mountain. Each tower can support x number of calls at a given bandwidth/bitrate. So the more callers in that cell (actually the cell sector - usually 1/3 of a circle) will affect access to a call, dropped calls, and call quality. The number of cell sites also determine how many calls can be handled. Smaller cells, more calls. They have developed mini-cell technology that's used in places like the Hollywood Hills and in dense urban areas to fill-in gaps in coverage and handle more calls.

Beyond that, like any user of radio frequencies, each company buys/leases/licenses (that is a long and complicated discussion) frequency bandwidth ultimately from the US Government. If Company A was able to obtain more bandwidth in an area, they will have more call and data capacity. Many of the cell company mergers are now driven by access to bandwidth. The recent merger of Sprint and T-Mobile is an example. A new auction of spectrum from former TV channels 36-51 is coming, (channels 52-83 have already been transferred to cellular service) which will again expand the capacity of cellular systems.

 

Thank you.

When everything went 4G, what happened to the 3G bands?

 

My contract with AT&T was up last month. I switched to Cricket which is a reseller of AT&T. Same network, same coverage, same phone, went from 450 min/mo and 200 texts / unlimited data - no tether) to unlimited talk/text and 3GB data, which is more than I need. Cost went from $95 to $35/mo with the auto-pay.

 

Same band, different technology. Most of the 3G radios were replaced with 4G radios. Now there is 5G on the horizon. The newer radios could support older 2G & 3G phones. There are still some areas where 3G is the highest data rate available.

 

Reason I asked, Verizon explained to me the unlimited plan is capped at 22 gigs per line. Above 22 gigs, your data speed may go back to 3G.

 

Right, the software in your phone allows them to throttle down data rates to whatever speed they want to. I think Boost (which resells Verizon) will throttle you to 128Kbps (1G speed) after you reach your monthly limit. It really doesn't have anything to do with the radio frequency the phone is using.

 

I didn't know that.

T-mobile's unlimited tells you now that you are limited to no more than what 97% users use...or something like that, and last I checked it was around 27GB per line, then the speed drops.

I may have to check out Boost, if it is Verizon out here? I really liked T-mobile at the beginning, a few years ago, but I'm getting more dead zones on my commute which is on major freeways, the 91 and I-5.

 

Huh? I believe they maybe talking again, but no deal yet.

 

You are right, the merger is not yet done. But I expect it will be soon, and it is all about bandwidth and the resulting market share it allows.

I was actually thinking about the Nextel-Sprint merger of a few years back which allowed Sprint access to valuable spectrum that Nextel was not maximizing the value of.

 

I got my info crossed - Boost (and Virgin Mobile) resell Sprint in the US.

Here is a list of who resells whom

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_virtual_network_operators