Totally frustrated with Sprint,Evo, abd 4g

[Robbie317]

What is "premium data"? The only data difference between this phone and other Android phones is access to faster 4g data rates. All their advertising revolves around 4g. I live in a city with 4g but can never access it. To say "well you have a phone that could potentially access 4g but probably won't except every once in a while when you are standing outside "seems false to me.

Sprint knew they had a true "HIT" with the EVO and slapped it with a premium data charge... Or "EVO Tax" as I call it. They were looking at what the iPhone did to AT&T. iPhone users make up about 10% of their customers but use up 90% of the data stream. That is the feeling with the EVO.. EVO customers with a larger screen, 1 ghz processor and all the Apps in the Market place your going to "ON AVERAGE" use more data than on any other phone. (Plus think about it.. Why would you buy this phone if you were NOT going to use it more?)

I had followed the EVO since it was announced and Sprint has been very clear from the get go that the $10 has NOTHING to do with 4G. I like many others who have an EVO do not live in a 4G area and probably won't for at least 2010. The media did a great job of spinning the $10 as a 4G fee even if your not in a 4G area but Sprint said at the announcement party in NYC that the $10 was NOT for 4G.

They basically said on average we feel the typical EVO user will consume more data and the $10 fee is a reflection of that.

Even with the $10 fee I come out almost $30 less per month than what I paid with AT&T and my iPhone and even come out cheaper by $1.87 than I was paying with my Nexus One on T-Mobile for basically the same service...

Also to any one saying they were not charged $10 with their "Pre, Moment, Hero or other smart phone" I bet the Samsung Epic will have the $10 data charge and all future "High End" smart phones will also have the same..

4G is spotty... I spent 2 weeks in Raleigh/Durham, NC and Sprint's map shows that area just covered and inside buildings my 4G data was totally unreliable and some times no where to be found. Downtown Raleigh I had great 4G speeds on one street but turn down another and walk a few feet and it's like your out of sight of the tower/antenna you were on and the signal went away. It's a new service and it's going to take a while to fully roll out.... and the spectrum they are using is NOT going to penetrate buildings worth a damn.

 

[iamfuze]

As a consumer, we have the obligation and right to vote with our wallets. If you don't agree with something, don't pay for it. Go with something else that you're satisfied with. End of story.

 

[sveilien]

I agree but it is part of owning the phone. Even with the charge, Sprint is still cheaper than almost everyone so I don't gripe about it. I do think that they should have just increased the cost on their data plans. It would have prevented customers from feeling mistreated.

I agree, I think they should have thought it thru more. Are all high caliber phones on Sprint going to be 4G? Does that automatically make them have the $10 fee? What if another high end phone comes out without 4G capabilites? Will it be subject to the fee?

 

[rebus66]

I think you're all ignoring the fact that part of the reason for the expected higher than normal data usage was the speed of 4g. My gf uses clearwire for her laptop and coverage has never been spotty in Seattle.

 

[rebus66]

Plus, it pisses me off when someone says " if you don't like it, go buy an iPhone and pay more per month." Well, I don't want an iphone. I like this phone a lot but would like it more if it worked as advertised.

 

[thekarens]

Plus, it pisses me off when someone says " if you don't like it, go buy an iPhone and pay more per month." Well, I don't want an iphone. I like this phone a lot but would like it more if it worked as advertised.

But all you want to do is complain about it. You know your options. Either the phone works as you want or it doesn't. If it doesn't then you know those options as well, get another phone or suck it up.

Houston has great 4g coverage as well, but it doesn't work as well in all areas. Some areas are hit and miss. There are lots of Evo users out there that don't have access to 4g and they still pay the $10. Everyone knows this when they buy the phone.

 

[roothog]

If you had read closely,you'd have read I'm in an area with great 4g coverage.

Except that you want to use it indoors in an apartment building. 4G signals have very poor building penetration. You might be lucky and pick it up in a wood-frame house, but inside an apartment building is unlikely. In particular, if it's a larger building with a concrete and rebar structure, then you will lose the 4G signal immediately upon entry into the building (within about 3 feet inside the signal's gone).

It's a radio frequency problem. WiMax uses high frequencies, and as radio frequencies go up, building penetration goes down.

The problem is made worse with the generally poor antennas and radios in the EVO---wifi, bluetooth, and 3G connectivity aren't stellar with this phone either.

 

[werx]

Since I am paying the extra $10 I use my evo for everything. I have used 60 gigs of data so far. Sprints fault.

 

[jwindsurfer]

Don't let anyone here try to convince you not to ask for a credit if you're not getting what's advertised. You call with a valid complaint politely but firmly stated and a lot of times they'll work with you. Nothing else to be said here.

 

[msw323]

I agree, I think they should have thought it thru more. Are all high caliber phones on Sprint going to be 4G? Does that automatically make them have the $10 fee? What if another high end phone comes out without 4G capabilites? Will it be subject to the fee?

Yes. In fact the Samsung will have the premium data fee as well. Seems that all new 4g capable phones will include this from now on.


Sent from my HTC EVO using Tapatalk Pro

 

[meyerweb#CB]

What if I don't use more data? I use about the same as I did on my Pre and it didn't incur an additional monthly fee. I stay well under the 5gb "cap" since I use wifi so much, as I did with my Pre. Charging extra on the assumption of what I might do is bullsh!t.

It would seem you willingly paid the $10 anyway. It's a little late to complain about it now. But see my comment above about supply and demand.

Plus, it pisses me off when someone says " if you don't like it, go buy an iPhone and pay more per month." Well, I don't want an iphone. I like this phone a lot but would like it more if it worked as advertised.

So don't buy an iPhone. Buy a Droid X, or Incredible, or one of the Samsung Galaxy variants. None of them offer 4G at all, and none of them have a $10 fee. (They'll cost you more anyway, but at least you won't be paying for something you don't get.) EVERY print ad I've seen for a 4G says flat out that 4G isn't available everywhere. I suspect the TV ads say so in the fine print. No one promised you a Rose Garden, and Sprint didn't promise you 4G.

Don't let anyone here try to convince you not to ask for a credit if you're not getting what's advertised. You call with a valid complaint politely but firmly stated and a lot of times they'll work with you. Nothing else to be said here.

See the comment above. Show me where Sprint advertised guaranteed 4G reception. They're not that stupid.


Look, the phone isn't perfect. No phone is. If the OP doesn't feel he's getting value for his money, then the solution is obvious: cut and run. Sprint isn't going to give a credit for not delivering something they never promised to deliver. I think the phone is fine for my needs. If I didn't, I would have already returned it.

Whining about it here doesn't accomplish anything. If you come here looking for help with a problem, you'll undoubtedly get it. If all you want to do is complain, what do you think's going to happen?

 

[Nickles0n]

Since I am paying the extra $10 I use my evo for everything. I have used 60 gigs of data so far. Sprints fault.

Hahahahahahaha that made my day. The're going to start throttling your data consumption instead of limiting it. I want to get 100Gb in one month, not quite there yet. Honestly I think sprint is amazing for their prices, never had a dropped call and lets just say I travel round the country. When there is fine print you have to read all of it, that should be obvious after the first time this happens.

 

[Lorak]

I understand the OP being a bit upset. But he should have done a bit of research before buying the phone.
We have known since May(or earlier) that the EVO had a $10 "tax", and knew that that tax was for everyone, didn't matter if you live in a 4G market or not.

For me, I do live in a good 4G market. and 4G is a gimick. I get good coverage and good data rates, as long as I am in my car or walking around outside. But it doesn't pick up in buildings for ****. (unless you hapen to sit by a huge *** window and lean against it) LOL

Love the phone, love the rates, but 4G is all gimick for the most part.

 

[Nickles0n]

The OP should have done more research about 4g and its limitations. I was talking to a sprint rep and he said that the $10 a month was because they expected people to use data more, and then at the end he casually added "and 4g too".

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

Closing this while it gets cleaned up.

IF it gets opened again, please try to follow the rules everyone.

After further consideration, and deciding that my time is better spent doing something else, this stays closed unless another mod feels like cleaning it up and re-opening (don't hold your breath).

The 10$ premium data fee has been hashed over and over enough times in the forums, and I don't think babysitting another thread about it is very productive.