Sprint WiMAX or LTE?

[etechgeek24]

I am on Virgin Mobile and want to upgrade my phone for around $200 or less. I was looking at the Galaxy S2, but saw it only has WiMAX. I have also seen phones that have LTE. I hear that Sprint is maybe upgrading towers and possibly eliminating WiMAX, so I had a few questions:

1: If/when Sprint eliminates WiMAX, what will happen to GS2 users on Virgin?
2: In Minnesota, supposedly Sprint is upgrading towers. Is that still planned? Will that be LTE? Would I need to buy an LTE phone to gain from it?
3: Generally speaking, which is better, WiMAX or LTE (speed and sprint coverage)?

Any answers will be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Mellimel22]

I am on Virgin Mobile and want to upgrade my phone for around $200 or less. I was looking at the Galaxy S2, but saw it only has WiMAX. I have also seen phones that have LTE. I hear that Sprint is maybe upgrading towers and possibly eliminating WiMAX, so I had a few questions:

1: If/when Sprint eliminates WiMAX, what will happen to GS2 users on Virgin?
2: In Minnesota, supposedly Sprint is upgrading towers. Is that still planned? Will that be LTE? Would I need to buy an LTE phone to gain from it?
3: Generally speaking, which is better, WiMAX or LTE (speed and sprint coverage)?

Any answers will be appreciated. Thanks!

1. Sprint isn't gettin rid of Wimax until 2015. By then all the Wimax users shouldve upgraded to lte. But the phones are still gonna work but Wimax isn't.
2. Sprint is upgrading 99.9% of their towers to lte and adding 3g and other upgrades as well. Majority speaking u do have to have an LTE phone to use LTE but every sprint customer will benefit from network vision.
3. LTE is the future. Wimax was sprints first 4g and never really took off like lte is. Meaning it's done expanding and everything is going to lte.

Sent from my T-Mobile LG Escape using Tapatalk 2

 

[etechgeek24]

1: So say I buy the GS2 4G from Sprint, when Minnesota gets tower upgrades, I will be stuck on 3G still? And in 2015 I will be on 3G anywhere WiMAX had signal before?

2: I am looking at the LG Optimus F3 and Galaxy Victory, are they good LTE phones?

 

[Mellimel22]

1: So say I buy the GS2 4G from Sprint, when Minnesota gets tower upgrades, I will be stuck on 3G still? And in 2015 I will be on 3G anywhere WiMAX had signal before?

2: I am looking at the LG Optimus F3 and Galaxy Victory, are they good LTE phones?

When towers get upgraded wimax isn't shut off. Sprint is handling lte clear handled wimax. Most Wimax towers isn't on Sprint towers.

Sent from my T-Mobile LG Escape using Tapatalk 2

 

[huntm856]

As mentioned earlier, WiMax will remain in service for at least a couple years. Where I live (PHL metro) LTE is still very very thin on the ground, and it's not expected to be widely deployed until late 2014 if I'm not mistaken. So I plan to keep my GS2 for at least another year.

YMMV of course. You might want to check out Sprint and other (e.g. Sensorly) coverage maps to see what the coverage situation for WiMax and LTE is in your area.

 

[John Carlson2]

All WiMax is from Clear, Sprint is now merging with Clear and will be majority owner, but until then, WiMax was not Sprint's, but Clear's.