Sprint is Confident 2014 Will be a Banner Year for Them Despite Recent Hiccups

[dgstorm]

Sprint's rush to upgrade their WiMAX network to 4G LTE has not been without some hiccups. They recently took some hits to their previously stellar customer service reputation due to network issues caused by their expansion. Despite these setbacks, Sprint's CEO Dan Hesse is confident that 2014 will be a breakout banner year for the carrier. He made it clear that their network enhancements, including the newly launched Tri-Band LTE Sprint Spark in Chicago will put them ahead of their competitors. Hesse compared the Sprint network rollout to the three little pigs, suggesting that Sprint is building a house of bricks while everyone else is building houses of sticks and straw.

Hesse also shared that Sprint is taking a long view approach to their growth, trading initial short-term difficulties for long-term gains. He said,

"We will see churn get worse as we build Network Vision. And then it starts to improve and will improve to a level that is much better than where we started when it's over. So we have to go through the short term pain to reach the long term gain."

He also shared,

“This is personally painful for me. We have worked so hard to improve customer satisfaction. ”What’s been frustrating is when we come out with something like ‘unlimited data for life,’ and then we have network issues. Unfortunately, we have to go through this hard period of time, so we face a headwind that our competitors don’t have.”

He indicated that while the subscriber losses during this difficult phase were inevitable, they are also predictable and will turn around quickly in the future. Hesse added, “We believe that what we are building is something that is worth waiting for.”

It's easy to admire his confidence and optimism. What do you guys think? Can Sprint really turn things around next year? Their "Unlimited for Life" plans are actually the least expensive option of any of the carriers, including T-Mobile's "Uncarrier" initiative. It also happens to be the only truly unlimited option available. Additionally, with the help of their new parent company, Softbank, Sprint now has a great deal more "chips on the table" to bet with. This could give them the leverage they need to make good on these plans. Share your perspective on Sprint's strategy.

Source: CNET

 

[cybertec69]

Lots of hot air, as the saying goes, talk is cheap, and at the moment Sprints network is horrid, especially here in NYC.

 

[MissionImprobable]

If their network is easily compatible with most unlocked LTE devices then they may have a solid leg to stand on. I'd love to abandon VZ, but Sprint is far too abysmal in most cities to be worth taking on at the moment. If things begin to look up it would certainly be nice to have another contender in the game, though.

 

[akhenax]

It would be nice if there was a carrier that supported both CDMA and GSM. Sprint is poised to do something no other carrier has done, combine the best of both technologies. This will be the only way that they stay in the game.

 

[xsylus]

It would be nice if there was a carrier that supported both CDMA and GSM. Sprint is poised to do something no other carrier has done, combine the best of both technologies. This will be the only way that they stay in the game.

Yea, but if they have this much growing pains just trying to get 4G LTE implemented then fitting the towers to support both CDMA and GSM would be an epic battle and quite possibly an epic fail. I work for sprint and I'm so tired of just having to apologize to customers and tell them "we're working on it." It almost seems as though by the time sprint gets 4G LTE implemented and the dust starts to settle a new standard will come out like 5G or something.

 

[pc747]

of course they are saying that while being lapped by t-mobile. Look you have to create a brand. T-mobile went with the "un-carrier" idea. Basically giving us what we want to the point that it drew people in despite their poor network. Sprint burned too many bridges with customers in my opinion and it will take a lot for customers to trust their network again. I know for me my order of carriers :

1) AT&t: (because they allow me to bring in unlocked device like nexus)

2) Verizon: (network wise they are number 1 but their controlling ways drop them a spot, though at&t have a bit of those ways they allow phones like the nexus or other unlocked phones which gives customers a choice)

3) T-mobile: They have ways to go to get their network on par with #1 & #2 but they are getting there.

4) Straight talk, AIO, Virgin Mobile: hey if I am going to go inferior network I might as well be saving some money.

5) Sprint: <---- you know why you are there. Don't think I have not forgotten about your poor customer service and sliding in upgrades when people asked to change their plan. Sorry but I been burned by sprint once and I am not in a hurry to get burned again.

 

[mountainbikermark]

Unlimited drops during important calls for life.
Unlimited no service indicators for life.
Unlimited frustration at not being able to understand the cs rep because of their heavy accent and need to read page after page of the book before getting to your problem on page 83 for life.
Yep you get so much more than unlimited data for life.


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