Another thing people don't realize is that Sprint is not just installing panels at the cell towers, they are stripping the towers of everything and putting in all new equipment, this takes time and throw in running fiber to the site and delays such as weather and permits take their toll on the speed at which the sites are completed. AT&T and Verizon had it easy as all they had to do for the most part is throw up the new panels and flip a switch, though the blame is totally on Sprint for neglecting their network for the last 10 years.
True, true and true. Some towers have equipment dating back to 1997.
As to the backhaul you also have to consider some of the vendors. In some markets, AT&T is the vendor supplying fiber - if that tells you anything.
I cut Sprint a lot of slack in that WiMax was not their fault. Clearwire eventually tapped out and just gave Sprint the middle finger on the whole thing and would not build out the network.
I understand too, Sprint's process in the rollout. Activate towers as they are approved instead of waiting for all towers (or a majority of) in specific markets to be upgraded. Unfortunately, there seems to be a disconnect between planning and execution and Sprint's PR department. The PR department has done a bang-up job of making Sprint look very bad. In the rush to publicize Sprint and LTE they've only managed to highlight the hangups and shortcomings and call attention to the problems. Sprint learned nothing from the one example that could have been instructive - AT&T and it's network when it got the iPhone.
It tells you something when Sprint's PR department starts advertising LTE for the summer and instead of saying that Sprint is bringing LTE to you, they tell you to go somewhere else where Sprint has LTE.
I also think Sprint could have chosen better partners. Alcatel-Lucent hasn't turned a profit in 7 years, has no positive cash flow and it's board just replaced their CEO; the new guy is looking at job cuts. I don't know about Ericsson and Samsung. I also can't explain how it is that these three vendors seem to work quickly for the other carriers, but have massive problems when it comes to Sprint.
I just think, all in all, this whole thing could have been handled better. I know eventually it will be done, but for right now it's just a huge pain.
