Comments on: Memo to T-Mobile’s future CEO: Don’t change a thing

By: lolamarya

lolamarya — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 03:59:09 +0000

The bad thing is that T-Mo used to have exceptional customer service. Now, I get directed to an app on my phone sometimes before I can get through to 611, then when I get there, I have to say the right thing to get to a person or it hangs up on me. I HATE calling them now. They need to go back to how things were in the early 2000′s.

By: richardmgarrett

richardmgarrett — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 17:27:04 +0000

Based on my experience, T-Mobile has a long way to go to match VZW on customer service. Calls to customer service reps seem to go through a bad VOIP connection to a foreign call center and multiple calls on the same issue generate multiple (different) responses. Being the low price leader doesn’t guarantee customers. Reliability, responsiveness, correct billing, accurate portrayals of service, coverage are all more crucial. T-Mobile is embracing the MVNO challenge but so are the others, especially VZW. I have moved from VZW in favor of a month-to-month plan with T-Mobile but it wasn’t easy, just cheap. I hope T-Mobile makes it, but there is still much to do to close any but the pricing gap. That and they should get rid of the pink!

By: Kevin Fitchard

Kevin Fitchard — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 18:42:42 +0000

You make a very good point, Eric.

You’re right T-Mobile has a fraction of subscribers so it only needs the same fraction of spectrum to support them — all things being equal. But as you hint at, there are some engineering and operational realities. It needs to deploy HSPA+ and LTE in 5×5 MHz carriers, it just can’t cut them in half. And it has sunken investments in older technologies. It also needs to support legacy handsets.

But you’re definitely right. T-Mobile is able to pursue this big network reconfiguration precisely because it has the potential capacity in its airwaves due to its smaller subscriber base. Once it reconfigures it will be able to unlock that potential, giving it a significant advantage.

By: Eric Kainer

Eric Kainer — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 18:25:43 +0000

While I broadly agree with Kevin’s sentiments, I have to correct a common misperception: T-Mobile has vastly more spectrum, as adjusted for the size of its subscriber base, than any of its nationwide rivals. Let’s look at the numbers.

When we account for VZW/CableCo/Cox at the end of 2011, VZW has 33.5m MHz-POPs and 108m subs; AT&T 30.7m and 101m; Sprint (ex-Clearwire) 16.7m and 53m; and T-Mobile 18m and 34m. Dividing this through, we find that Verizon has 3.22 subscribers per MHz-POP, with AT&T at 3.28, Sprint at 3.19, and T-Mobile at just 1.88.

While this does not account for the efficiency (bits / Hz) of the protocols on the spectrum, T-Mobile clearly has much greater raw spectral capacity for its subscribers than the other 3 nationwide operators. This has important implications for pricing, service creation, and strategic planning.

In the same way that Coach Wooden “couldn’t teach height”, mobile operators can’t create spectrum. T-Mobile is the company to watch.

By: Kram

Kram — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 03:07:16 +0000

1 word… rebanding.
Check out this article on how T-Mobile is addressing the iPhone. http://www.tmonews.com/?s=1900mhz+rebanding&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

By: Amanda

Amanda — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 02:58:34 +0000

I’ve worked for T-mobile for several years and I totally agree with you, dead on with the facts and point of view. Great job!

By: Kram

Kram — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 02:57:02 +0000

I am a bit apprehensive about Ray as CEO. TMo needs his resourcefulness and skill to remain focused on the the spectrum budget, and how to get/ keep the network ahead of the curve. Neville would make a killer CEO, but TMo needs an epic player to help guide it to the top of the food chain.
-See my suggestion above.

Kevin, great article.

By: Kram

Kram — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 02:46:54 +0000

I keep hoping Richard Branson will buy it.

By: winski

winski — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 02:32:43 +0000

Neville Ray should actually get the job!!!

But if you’re only trying to maintain the same level of average you have today with Humm, hire a monkey ….

By: DK

DK — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 01:35:56 +0000

I agree with the article. I have been with T-Mo for 10 years for personal phone/ blackberry. Wife has reluctantly switched to ATT in order to get an iPhone and I have also had Sprint and Verizon at different times for corporate phone. T-Mo responsiveness and service is best. But they do badly need to get the iPhone. Their own devices like myTouch don’t hold a candle to iphone.