Any faith left for sprint
- Thread starter choclab1
- Start date
maverick7526
Well-known member
- Jun 24, 2011
- 1,395
- 84
- 48
Well see if you get LTE everywhere I can see why it makes sense for you ... but you were telling someone who gets 3G (at dial up speeds) that it is better since it is unlimited data versus another provider that could actually deliver the content.. Doesn't make sense.
Most just don't need unlimited... As you said you do due to your usage .. I do as well. I average about 85 GB a month on mobile data... but honestly if I could just have good wifi at work .. that would drop a ton and I would probably be on Verizon so I could have coverage everywhere I went. Also you can always be off contract by buying any phone full price .. doesn't have to be a Nexus. I am off contract (or "device payment plan") with T-Mobile right now ... can leave whenever I please.
.
Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.
I know I can be off contract by buying any phone full price, but why would I want anything but a nexus? ;-) love my stock Android.
Posted via NSA Spy Van 37...... Free candy??
I fully agree.. I don't care about being the fastest I care about just my phone being "Useful" when I need it to... More often than not with Sprint I catch myself saying "I'll just wait until I get home." or "If I can get a Wifi signal somewhere." and that has been the problem I've had with Sprint both on my EVO 4G LTE, GS3 and Nexus 5.... (and even the WiMax EVO before that)
I can honestly say they have gotten better is a lot of areas but it's been a LONG LONG LONG hard road with Sprint.. Their pricing has always just been dramatically better and with their unlimited data I thought it was hard to leave unlimited.. Until I started looking at my bill and the data I was using was less than 1 gig per month because of the "I'll wait until I get home." or "If I can find a WiFi hot spot."
Just be interesting to see if I use dramatically more data on a tiered plan vs unlimited if I can get a truly better overall coverage signal...
If Sprint buys T-Moblie it will be the Nextel deal all over.... Nextel used a totally different system and it didn't play nice with the Sprint system... Nextel phones didn't work on Sprints Network and vice versa... I think Sprint would have to go back to the drawing board yet again and switch to GSM... I mean I think Sprint just last year FINALLY shut off the Nextel iDen network if I am not mistaken so it could be YEARS in the making..
as far as pricing I've found that AT&T is cheaper but that just depends on the amount of data you use... on the 2 GB per month plan (which with Sprints slow service I've only been using roughly 1 - 1.2 gig per month) My bill would be considerably cheaper... but if your a true power user who uses 10 gb per month or more Sprint is the better deal IF you can get solid coverage and speeds your comfortable with...
My only question is am I going to end up using considerably MORE data if I get better speed and coverage???
Not always that easy... Sprints map shows I have "GREAT" coverage at work and my phone constantly flips between 3G and 1x all day long and even drops to no signal from time to time.. and I work near DFW international airport in the Heart of the Dallas Fort Worth Texas metroplex... At home it shows the same thing but in my back yard I drop calls all the time.. I know to go to the front yard or the front of the house to make a call... My house is only 1,500 square feet but front yard LTE... Back yard 3G.....
It is funny - Sprint's coverage maps are just plain lies. They put in what they expect their network to be eventually - not what it is currently. The DFW airport area has NO LTE coverage. The nearby Grapevine Mills mall has almost zero coverage (hard to even get a Sprint signal in there - not even for voice), yet Sprint's maps show Spark coverage for both these areas!!!
If you are a S4gru sponsor, you can see the actual coverage maps there, with cell tower locations. (not allowed to divulge details here - sorry - s4gru policy). I'll just say that the sprint coverage maps are inaccurate.
You may want to file a FCC complaint about misleading/inaccurate advertising - that will get that area some attention
Last edited:
The more and higher data speeds you have at your disposal, the more you will use if not on WiFi. That's just common sense.
Its going to fun going back to this thread this time next year when Sprint is averaging 60-120mgps downloads on its Spark network, with unlimited data and up to par in coverage with the big two.
Posted via Android Central App
Its going to fun going back to this thread this time next year when Sprint is averaging 60-120mgps downloads on its Spark network, with unlimited data and up to par in coverage with the big two.
Posted via Android Central App
That is hilarious... I work right at 635 and 121 and I get almost no signal at all.. I live in Coppell and go to the Grapevine mall all the time... A Sprint enabled phone is completely worthless in that mall.... no coverage at all...... but your right.. I've talked to Sprint before on their maps and that is "Expected" coverage..... at least the T-Mobile coverage maps pretty much says "Decent" coverage where I work...
I am just shocked how I get LTE in the front yard of my house but it drops to 3G in the back yard.... Literally 100 feet..... and once you walk from the front yard into the house you lose the LTE signal completely.....
For Sprints sake and the sake of all the Sprint customers I hope your right.. I hope they are all getting 60 - 120 on Spark.. but over the last 5 or 6 years I've listened to nothing but Sprint advertise how GREAT their network is going to be... Once we roll out WiMax nationwide your going to be covered better than anyone else... Oops... WiMax didn't work out so we are switching to LTE... Once LTE is up and running your going to be covered... No wait... once we finish our network vision and "SPARK" is live you'll be covered....
DFW had been listed as live on Spark for a couple of months now and I've seen NO dramatic improvement on their network or coverage.... My work & home both show "SPARK" coverage and I don't even get LTE at work and only get LTE if I am in my front yard.....
But I'll be able to see.... my wife still had 18 months left on her Sprint contract so she'll be on the "NOW" network for a little while.. at least with my Nexus 5 I can take it to T-Mobile or AT&T and then come back to Sprint if they actually dramatically improve their network....
My only issue with T-Mobile is when you pull back their coverage maps and see what it looks like once you get out of the DFW Metroplex (or any major Metro area)... Their coverage once your out of any major city goes from dark dark pink to almost white.....
This time next year????Sprint has said that for the last 4 years. How is this one any different. I'm not going to keep throwing money at the "this time next year" quote. That's another $960 on a hunch.
But my wife's company phone is sprint so I'll be able to notice if/when sprint gets any better.
I don't trust any networks maps. I use the OpenSignal App on my phone OpenSignal Android App - OpenSignal OpenSignal coverage map is a impartial guide to how carriers are performing, both in terms of coverage and speed
OpenSignal uses your phone and millions of others World Wide to build it signal coverage maps that shows which network service provider is best coverage where you live, work and play. Look it isn't always 100% since at my house AT&T has a big hole around my neighborhood but it is ok just 2000 feet away. Few people in my neighborhood have AT&T so OpenSignal doesn't see this tiny hole in their map. However this OpenSignal App has a compass that lets me find better Cell service sometimes where I have a weak signal. This is a great App and I like that they keep the Network Service providers rated in your area as well as showing the data speed.
This is the current OpenSignal report;
The State of US LTE
Last edited:
Wimax was better than 3g when it launched so yes Sprint was right about it being better covered than anyone else at 'that' moment in time. But technology evolves too rapidly, just like the acquisition of spectrum from the government that went to Att and Verizon mainly and LTE begun so sprint had to switch to compete.... Again. Now, the company is future proofing the entire network and that's why Spark was announced.
When the smartphone industry picked up and boomed , Sprint had a VERY neglected network and that's what we are feeling today as they upgrade.
And as to your coverage area with "Spark" you cannot experience these improvements unless your device is Spark enabled. My wife is still on her S3 and I'm waiting for 4.4.3 on my N5 here in Miami. Once we both have Spark and we still have the same problems, then I will eat all my words and most likely bounce from Sprint lol. Until then, I will use common sense, hold on for a bit more and save some bucks while I'm at it.
Posted via Android Central App
- Apr 17, 2012
- 32,273
- 23
- 38
I think if you go posts from years back they were saying the same thing.. Then Sprint let them down due to not carrying the promises.
I hope for their sake and the customers sake they keep their promises this time around.
Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.
Before Spark, when did sprint make such promises of 60+ mbps of download?? They always said wimax peaked at 12mbps, and average of 4-6mbps. LTE peaked of 25mbps and had an average of 9-12 Mbps.....
All of it has been true to date. The ONLY one thing I have against Sprint is how slow the upgrades have been/ taken. That's mainly because they keep switching to a better technology since they lacked spectrum before.
As of right now, in reference to the Lamborghini spoken of before, Sprint has the Lamborghini motor ready, and its just assembling the body, tires and everything else. Where as the others are running on a Mustang GT....per say lol.
I rather wait for the Lambo to finish ;-) in the meantime, the current ride is a bit bumpy.
Posted via Android Central App
Sprint rushed WiMax to market and it was never EVER fully deployed in a way that was very useful.....
As for Spark.. You can manually enable it on your Nexus 5 if you can eventually talk a Sprint employee into giving you the MLS #... Which I was able to obtain and I have manually enabled Spark on my Nexus 5... I've also gone in and set it back to stock and there is no difference.... Maybe in certain spots but like with WiMax and with LTE Sprint likes to show you coverage you don't really have.... They show full Spark coverage and LTE coverage where I work and nothing Barely 3G and some times 1x YIKES!!!! actually at work I usually turn my phone to 3G only to conserve battery as it's obviously TRYING to find an LTE signal...
I've been a Sprint customer since 1997...... I'd love nothing more than them to be awesome like they have always had the potential to be... They've always been pretty good cost wise.... Before the smart phone revolution I never had many issues at all with them in call quality or dropped calls... But they have always been 3 - 4 steps behind..... They rushed WiMax to market just so they could say they were first.... Even though everyone else in the entire world was looking at LTE.....
Even when my contract expires in a few weeks I will probably try AT&T but can always come back if they do better in the future...
- Apr 17, 2012
- 32,273
- 23
- 38
I didn't say promises of speed... I said promises of network upgrades. I've always said that... Speed promises from anyone is kind of pointless since it depends on so many factors.
They promised to roll out LTE... I saw LTE in one spot in Jacksonville... A year later.. I saw it in the same spot and a very few other spots. A year and barley any progress? That is unacceptable.
So that's where they lie. Other carriers aren't sitting around as you see T-Mobile starting the 20x20 LTE which is faster... You see Verizon with AWS pulling ridiculous speeds... Trust me.. Sprint isn't the only one with speed upgrades coming... It's just Sprint is doing these Spark upgrades in cities and other areas don't even have LTE yet... That is horrible! It is very unfair to those customers on 3g.
I don't mean to bash on Sprint but they do need to hurry it up... I want them to succeed since they are the other unlimited data carrier.. But I'm sorry the promises have been coming for years and anyone who has had them for years can tell you they've heard it before.. Because they have.
Below is an old speedtest at my work.. Honestly.. Can you blame me for switching? I didn't just decide to switch for fun and pay an ETF fee... They simply promised LTE and for a year I had 3g while I didn't see LTE around my area except for a few select spots... The 3g was simply not useable.
Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.
Attachments
Your statement about wimax is very true. They chose the wrong technology back then. Sprint is far from being #1 or #2, VERY far. Never the less, Sprint is under new management and what they are doing now, its what's going to set them apart in the future, and very apart.
Anyway, if you thought manually enabling Spark on your N5 worked, think again. I did it as well, and I never got on Spark. I checked this myself in the Debug menu and I never saw any other band connected other than band 25. It will not, until Google pushes the update.
The best part about this conversation is that we have options to pick and chose from. So be with whom you'd like....but let's not blind the fact the Sprint is currently building the best network this country will have in the future.
Posted via Android Central App
Similar threads
Trending Posts
-
Factory restore..asking for previous pin
- Started by tn man
- Replies: 4
-
-
-
-
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram