Nexthell Sprint...the government...enjoy

[afterimage84]

...this is interesting. seems almost like from a propaganda site...but idk...could be true


DoD iDEN

The United States of America has come to a fundamental conclusion about its national communications infrastructure post-9/11 in regards to homeland security; it's broken. The Department of Defense, working with the FCC, DHS, the President, and Congress has brokered a framework agreement to purchase Sprint Nextel's iDEN network as the first phase of a national overhaul of its security framework in regards to communication.

The plan is simple; everyone involved in securing this nation will be on the same network. This network will be using an encrypted iDEN sequence, ensuring that all soldiers, first responders, and chain of command will be able to contact each other. This is especially in the event of a series of disasters in concert (say, for example, multiple terrorist attacks in multiple major metropolitan areas simultaneously).

We do not intend to disclose details of the inner-workings or how DoD iDEN will differ from the current iDEN. We will only say that the transition will be announced approximately two to three years from the deprecation date of iDEN at 2010. All Nextel customers will be issued dual-network CDMA/iDEN handsets, so that as iDEN is barred from consumer use, CDMA will take its place.

Sprint WiMax

We are finally ready to disclose Sprint's master plan for WiMax as well. Sprint intends to deploy a national, non-fixed WiMax network with as much, if not more coverage than the existing CDMA network. WiMax will effectively act as a replacement to CDMA data, providing FIOS-like speeds via massive towers that resemble TV towers in major cities.

This will enable Sprint to not only be a national ISP, but to remove common conceptions of fixed ISP. The WIMax modem technology Sprint is attempting to deploy will ensure that a broad range of WiMax devices will share an account... for example, WiMax deployments could fit in a PDA that would share bandwidth allocations with home internet that would share bandwidth allocations with your HDTV.

Sprint intends to compete directly with Cable, Satellite, ISPs, and traditional Wireless. By bundling all telecommunication services ever envisioned, Sprint will tackle everyone by offering everything.

Now, how is Sprint going to get there? Sprint has multiple hurdles it must cross in order to obtain this vision. First, Sprint must gain a WiMax standard. Sprint is doing this by attempting to force WiMax standards through as an open modem technology... one WiMax device is compatible with another, and is mobile from the start. If this fails, Sprint will most likely divert to the nearest derivative of WiMax, currently WiBro, though Flash-ODFM is an additional fallback should such subsequent technologies also fail.

But, Sprint was late to the WiMax game... Sprint lacks the licenses to deploy a national WiMax network on the critical 700 MHz band.

In comes the FCC. As a part of the transaction of iDEN to the federal government, Sprint will gain a blank check to rebuild the 700 and 800 MHz bands in their image, taking licenses as needed from whoever has them regardless of how fairly they gained them at FCC auction in the past. With Congress, the FCC, and the President in the loop, Forsee, Donahue, and Lauer will have no problem in gaining dominance of the WiMax and digital CDMA 800 MHz spectrum needed to reform technologies in their image.

The final step in this strategy is bandwidth. As you may know, local loops to existing cellular structure generally tap out at about 10 T1 lines per tower in a high traffic cell site. Sprint will form a network coalition to utilize dark fiber across the country to connect the city-wide WiMax towers whenever possible, feeding into Sprintlink backbones in order to ensure that the entire network is able to deliver above-DSL speeds to all customers at all times. Clearly, the goal is to make all metropolitan areas at least initially wired via fiber, and eventually, to create a national fiber optics "spine" that will connect every citizen wirelessly to a fiber optics internet directly.

The Rebels Fight Back

We are reporting all of this today, which we have known and been briefed on for an extremely long time, because we have been notified that Sprint's competition, namely WiMax ISP newcomers that you probably have never heard of before, have learned this information above within the past week.

In short, they are flying to Washington D.C. to fight back in Congress and with the FCC. Now aware to these plans, they see that all their technology investments will go to waste if the FCC choses to pull their 700 MHz licenses key to WiMax "in the public interest". While we love a good behind-the-scenes fight, we have been informed this news will become public domain later this week.

Remember, these "rebels" have nothing to lose, and they intend to scream from the highest mountains this in a war between Sprint and Sprint's hardware suppliers, and the rest of the WiMax forum.

Sprint also has options if their plan fails. We have obtained intelligence recently that Sprint will deploy on the 2.5 GHz spectrum if they are unable to obtain sufficient 700 MHz spectrum. However, the inherent advantages of 700 MHz spectrum over 2.5 GHz spectrum, combined with the added ability to strike a major blow to dissent from Sprint’s vision of WiMax makes it a battle well worth fighting to Sprint.

The PR Spin Rooms Are Spinning

"When the United States depends on the power and performance of Sprint's networks, then yes, I guess I am a Yes Man."
- President Bush, circa 2007

Cue the Sprint pin drop, "Sprint, yes you can", etc. Sprint is billing this strategy as one that will secure the nation, and deliver on the President's promise of national broadband internet by 2010. There are many more details that we are aware of, however, in the sake of national security we will not disclose them here. Again, it is important to note that what is disclosed here will become public domain within the week, however, this is clearly a win-win for all parties involved.

[/\/\y 2 cents]

I have heard the same thing regarding the iDEN system for gov't use only. It's a piece of crap..I'm in boca raton florida right now after hurrcane wilma and it doesn't work but every other carrier works, even my power is up and my wi-fi internet in pluged into my DSL modem. Even better reason to leave the country.

[dittrimd]

Sounds like a good time to buy stock in generator companies. All I know is that everytime our emergency dispatch center has looked into utilizing any cellular company's site there is no emergency power. Any public safety radio/communications system whether it be local, nationwide or even interplanetary would need to have some sort of back up power. Like I said good time to by stock...

Whew what will they think of next...

[OX]

It doesn't surprise me. What I read of the Nextel/Sprint merger was that by 2010, the IDEN phones would be phased out.

Here's what I don't understand. WHY would the government be interested in technology that is 15 to 20 years old? It's great that they would inherit a nationwide network of infrastructure. But if this is true, Sprint would produce a new generation of Iden based technology for the public to use and the government would be using ancient technology.

Sounds completely illogical to me, right up the government's alley.

[/\/\y 2 cents]

Well you got half the equation right...."The Current iDEN system will be phased out", this is correct. But sprint will not not build another iden system, instead use the CDMA EV-DO or RTT 1X iP side of their system with a half duplex embedded client like from Openwave - http://www.openwave.com, or esmertec - http://www.esmertec.com . there are many others, too many to list. Google the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). The PTT voice will actually be voice over the data side of their system (Voice over iP) which is much , much more efficent with spectrum (depending on which codec is used.) At that point it is pretty much a free-for-all with minutes for the consumer because all sorts of software is being written to take advantage of a 15$ GPRS account (Talking over it) and they are backing themselves up to be an ISP which clearly ultimately benefits from this evolution, since the legacy cell system, which interconnects into the legacy PSTN/POTS will ulimately be abandoned representing pure iP end to end (packet) over the air. The times are going to be exciting but radios must not forget where they came from.

[DaBigBR]

Here's what I don't understand. WHY would the government be interested in technology that is 15 to 20 years old?

I'm sure it's not the first (or last) time.

[ScannerDan]

I'm not a 100 % sure about this. The FBI in Los Angeles and around the country just got rid of Nextel and got Verison phones with out there version of DC. I was told that Nextel was/is unwilling to work with Federal agencies on price and features so they’re taking their money elsewhere.

[/\/\y 2 cents]

"LA AREA FEDS ARE MOVING TO VERIZON PTT" (P2T if Nextel gets their way)


Uhhh are you serious...Even though I like the packet based DC over any air-interface (CDMA EV-DO to GSM/GPRS to CDMA RTT 1x), I still don't think those fit the application requirements for durability/enviornment. I do think you could make a special version of the IP based PTT client with some pretty sick encryption. That would be cool. That's another reason why I like talking over packet data, you can easily encrypt at high levels through easy to implement source packages. Not like you gotta re-engineer a Radio's main board and design for a miniscule little piece of space somewhere beneath the front or back housing. I think of scenes like the David Koresh incident and don't think the FBI, Marshal's, and all the other 3 letter guys would want some LG flip phone with a subby that has a neon flashing light on the antenna for RX sense. Especially with bullets flying and sh*t burning all around you. Although I did read somewhere for undercover work they wanted an SP radio model that looked just like a flip. I guess some of them want to blend in like crocket and tubs.