Sprint signal issues

[Kennyb123]

Does anyone else with a Sprint M8 notice that it has a much harder time latching on and hanging on to LTE compared to other phones? This thing rarely shows more than one bar LTE in places my galaxy s4 would have zero issues with, and I've noticed the speeds are way worse, too. On the highway, I'll go through a town, show 4 bars LTE one second, and back to 3G the next. It should be able to hang onto LTE much longer than that, even on the highway! I'm about ready to sell this amazing, mint condition phone. For once, I don't blame Sprint for service issues!

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[Relgoshan]

Does anyone else with a Sprint M8 notice that it has a much harder time latching on and hanging on to LTE compared to other phones? This thing rarely shows more than one bar LTE in places my galaxy s4 would have zero issues with, and I've noticed the speeds are way worse, too. On the highway, I'll go through a town, show 4 bars LTE one second, and back to 3G the next. It should be able to hang onto LTE much longer than that, even on the highway! I'm about ready to sell this amazing, mint condition phone. For once, I don't blame Sprint for service issues!

Sent from my 831C using AC Forums mobile app

Yeah either you're missing reception your last phone had or the M8 has the 4g/3g handoff bug on cdma networks. That was part of the reason why I got a Spark capable phone with GSM roaming for added reliability.

 

[Kennyb123]

Where can I find out more about this handoff bug? It seems unlikely, since I don't have any call issues, right? (Other than many calls being scratchy, which never happened with gs4)

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[CHILLYWILL_95831]

Does anyone else with a Sprint M8 notice that it has a much harder time latching on and hanging on to LTE compared to other phones? This thing rarely shows more than one bar LTE in places my galaxy s4 would have zero issues with, and I've noticed the speeds are way worse, too. On the highway, I'll go through a town, show 4 bars LTE one second, and back to 3G the next. It should be able to hang onto LTE much longer than that, even on the highway! I'm about ready to sell this amazing, mint condition phone. For once, I don't blame Sprint for service issues!

Sent from my 831C using AC Forums mobile app

That's too bad you don't blame Sprint because it's absolutely a Sprint issue! I just moved from Sprint to Tmo and the difference is so dramatic that I feel stupid for being loyal to Sprint for so long! Check out my thread "I had to fire Sprint"

Posted via Android Central App

 

[CHILLYWILL_95831]

Yeah either you're missing reception your last phone had or the M8 has the 4g/3g handoff bug on cdma networks. That was part of the reason why I got a Spark capable phone with GSM roaming for added reliability.

The Sprint M8 is Spark capable! In fact, the Spark splash screen pops up on reset!

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Kennyb123]

Yes, it's definitely spark capable, and I have the ridiculous spinning star icon to prove it. Clearly that capability doesn't help it grab onto LTE at an acceptable level. Only reason I don't blame Sprint is because I was happy with my LTE with the Galaxy s4.

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[BrianBaker]

same for me..I was with sprint for 12 years!! Remained loyal to them and once i went through 3 M8's with them(hand off bug) and multiple days of not being able to reach clients I had to leave them..I wanted the M8 and they couldn't make it work so I went to AT&T and cant believe how amazing it is to have a solid connection at all times it seems like..Only Sprint can make you feel good about giving another company more money and not be pissed about it.

 

[Relgoshan]

Yeah most of the LG do not have the bug but more than half of their phones...if they ever drop back to 3g it's very hard to get the back on to 4g without toggling airplane mode.

S4GRU has some info compiled.

I think either Sprint is working from a flawed blueprint or there have been severe management issues with the progression of their rollout. The multiband towers deployed in areas where they cannot legally operate multiband at this time are also a joke. Nerfed and hogtied, why did they even spend money adding the hardware there...

But again it works GREAT in my metro.

 

[CHILLYWILL_95831]

same for me..I was with sprint for 12 years!! Remained loyal to them and once i went through 3 M8's with them(hand off bug) and multiple days of not being able to reach clients I had to leave them..I wanted the M8 and they couldn't make it work so I went to AT&T and cant believe how amazing it is to have a solid connection at all times it seems like..Only Sprint can make you feel good about giving another company more money and not be pissed about it.

Are you still using the M8 on AT&T?

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Almeuit]

Yes, it's definitely spark capable, and I have the ridiculous spinning star icon to prove it. Clearly that capability doesn't help it grab onto LTE at an acceptable level. Only reason I don't blame Sprint is because I was happy with my LTE with the Galaxy s4.

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It is the Spark phones though that have this issue. Spark phones can't do the hand offs properly and require airplane mode toggles to make it connect correctly to Sprint.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

 

[Mst99]

That's too bad you don't blame Sprint because it's absolutely a Sprint issue! I just moved from Sprint to Tmo and the difference is so dramatic that I feel stupid for being loyal to Sprint for so long! Check out my thread "I had to fire Sprint"

Posted via Android Central App

Same here...

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

 

[Kilroy13]

My flex handles spark awesome!

Sent from my G-Flex........Life is Good!✌

 

[Almeuit]

My flex handles spark awesome!
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/15/pypyva2a.jpg

Sent from my G-Flex........Life is Good!✌

Oh wow I'd expect more from Spark .

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

 

[Relgoshan]

It is the Spark phones though that have this issue. Spark phones can't do the hand offs properly and require airplane mode toggles to make it connect correctly to Sprint.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

My single band 7.0 LTE tablet has the handoff issue, my Spark enabled Flex does NOT. Supposedly neither does the G2, and a couple others. Nexus 5 verdict unsure because awful radio patches from Google. It's a messy soup.

 

[Relgoshan]

My flex handles spark awesome!
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/15/pypyva2a.jpg

Sent from my G-Flex........Life is Good!✌

I think you may be solo on Band 46 only. Speeds in my area have been anywhere from 4mbps to over 40, depending where I am in the city. No drops and never below, so far.

 

[Bigchris]

It is the Spark phones though that have this issue. Spark phones can't do the hand offs properly and require airplane mode toggles to make it connect correctly to Sprint.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.

This is true, I've been with Sprint for 13yrs, my S4 had no problems with signal and LTE for the most part. However switching to the M8, and it has serious problems with the hand off. It does pick up LTE in places where my S4 didn't, however the cost is missed calls, txts and data when it can't hand off correctly. I contacted Sprint several times, and their remedy was to turn off LTE. While that did help the situation, I shouldn't have to have it off in order to have reliable service. I'm hoping there is a fix soon, if not I'll be looking at other options or going back to my S4.

 

[Kennyb123]

Well guys, I'm now a gs5 owner on AT&T. I'm paying more per month for limited data, and I couldn't be happier. Battery life is so much better with the gsm network, and I get a solid signal everywhere. Sorry Sprint, I really tried to give you a chance.

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[CHILLYWILL_95831]

Your other option should be to leave Sprint and go to a network that has REAL LTE. I was loyal to Sprint like you and had the M8 with the same exact issues. But,I knew that my M8 was way too good of a phone for it to be the problem. I switched to T-Mobile where they have LTE in all of the places that Sprint didn't have it. And, the speeds are impressive. Typically they are between 20 and 30 Mbps down and between 12 and 20 Mbps up. Even if Sprint Spark is supposedly faster than that, is it worth waiting for? Sprint is truly a joke, and it would take getting on a different network to see what I mean.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[kronosqq]

Your other option should be to leave Sprint and go to a network that has REAL LTE. I was loyal to Sprint like you and had the M8 with the same exact issues. But,I knew that my M8 was way too good of a phone for it to be the problem. I switched to T-Mobile where they have LTE in all of the places that Sprint didn't have it. And, the speeds are impressive. Typically they are between 20 and 30 Mbps down and between 12 and 20 Mbps up. Even if Sprint Spark is supposedly faster than that, is it worth waiting for? Sprint is truly a joke, and it would take getting on a different network to see what I mean.

Posted via Android Central App

Lets stop pretending Sprint is inherently awful. It has it's weak areas coverage wise, perhaps more than other carriers, but those weak spots aren't the only part of the network. I've never had Sprint coverage here that I was unhappy with, I will give you that their LTE here isn't as widespread as AT&T to allow for penetration of large buildings. But half the time I'm in a large building I have access to WiFi. In the markets where Sprint spark is up and running it's absolutely fantastic. I was in the Chicago area last weekend and wherever I was I was getting speeds above 30 down. My friend on AT&T has a complete coverage dead spot where he works in the center of town and in a small building unlikely to affect connection. That's bad but neither of us are going to pretend that that makes AT&T a bad carrier always and everywhere.
Sure, Switch to another carrier if you have issues with your current one, but it's bad advice to claim one is ALWAYS bad.

Sent from my HTC One M8

 

[Almeuit]

Lets stop pretending Sprint is inherently awful. It has it's weak areas coverage wise, perhaps more than other carriers, but those weak spots aren't the only part of the network. I've never had Sprint coverage here that I was unhappy with, I will give you that their LTE here isn't as widespread as AT&T to allow for penetration of large buildings. But half the time I'm in a large building I have access to WiFi. In the markets where Sprint spark is up and running it's absolutely fantastic. I was in the Chicago area last weekend and wherever I was I was getting speeds above 30 down. My friend on AT&T has a complete coverage dead spot where he works in the center of town and in a small building unlikely to affect connection. That's bad but neither of us are going to pretend that that makes AT&T a bad carrier always and everywhere.
Sure, Switch to another carrier if you have issues with your current one, but it's bad advice to claim one is ALWAYS bad.

Sent from my HTC One M8

But... See you have to look at the other side of the coin. For the vast majority... Sprint is that bad. You said in your area it's not bad.. So.. That's your area. Majority of areas are horrid for Sprint if you have no LTE and even bad in some areas that do have it. You also said when in a large building you have access to wifi.. If someone doesn't how do they survive? You have that.. The person that doesn't wants Sprint to work and if it doesn't but AT&T Verizon, and T-Moblie do its obviously their network.

Spark is up in limited areas as well so if you live in that area great.. If you don't.. Well you're in a bad place once again.


All I'm saying is for the majority Sprint is known for being slow and having issues... The few places where others are okay is acceptable.. It works for you... But doesn't change the fact that Sprint sucks in many areas. Other Ambassadors have / had Sprint and had the same results as me. I lived with the 3g speeds you see below for a year.. And just couldn't take it anymore. When my phone couldn't even use data that I was paying for I had to switch. I felt like I had a dumb phone that could do data only via wifi.

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