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Sprint's Existing Unlimited Data Plans to Include LTE

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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While Sprint is behind other major U.S. carriers Verizon and AT&T in its buildout of next-generation LTE networks, the carrier does appear to preparing to maintain one advantage of its offerings as it makes the transition by continuing to offer unlimited data even for LTE devices.

sprint_logo.jpg



The initial confirmation was picked up by TechHog, which noticed that the carrier was promoting LTE and unlimited data for the LG Viper, which is likely to be the first LTE device to launch on Sprint's network. From Sprint's LG Viper press release:
"LG Viper pairs perfectly with our unlimited data plans to bring customers the benefit of new technology, including our upcoming 4G LTE capabilities at a great price," said David Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint.
Click to expand...
Sprint representatives later confirmed to TechHog and Engadget that the carrier indeed plans to include LTE data in its unlimited "Everything" plans.

Sprint reported last week that its deal with Apple will allow it to launch an LTE iPhone at the same time as other carriers, with its likely smaller LTE coverage footprint not being a factor in its ability to offer such a device. Apple, which debuted LTE in the new iPad last month, is expected to bring the faster technology standard to the iPhone later this year.

Article Link: Sprint's Existing Unlimited Data Plans to Include LTE
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/04/04/sprints-existing-unlimited-data-plans-to-include-lte/
notabadname

notabadname

macrumors 68000
Jan 4, 2010
1,568
736
Detroit Suburbs
The death throws of a wireless carrier.

Not an option a carrier can offer if they have the subscriber base of AT&T or Verizon.
 
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fatespawn

fatespawn

macrumors regular
Feb 22, 2009
237
110
Chicagoish
While Sprint is behind other major U.S. carriers Verizon and AT&T in its buildout of next-generation LTE networks, the carrier does appear to preparing to maintain one advantage of its offerings as it makes the transition by continuing to offer unlimited data even for LTE devices.
Click to expand...

Have your editors give this the once-over
 
M

MattMJB0188

macrumors 68020
Dec 28, 2009
2,032
583
Who is on Sprint anyway?

I'm sure their LTE will be the slowest out of them all.
 
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Moonjumper

Moonjumper

macrumors 68030
Jun 20, 2009
2,740
2,908
Lincoln, UK
It is good to see a network operator keeping unlimited data in the move to LTE. Carriers worldwide are reducing limits on data use at the time customers would benefit from an enlarging of the data allowance.
 
Rocketman

Rocketman

macrumors 603
Dec 2, 2001
6,191
1,186
Claremont, The intellectual capitol of the world.
To put this announcement in perspective, Apple released their first wireless everywhere hand top device in mid-2007 and it will have taken till late 2012, over 5 years for networks to catch up with what the technology could do all along. Apple had to cripple or throttle product features to not crash the networks at each incremental release.

For the most part it was managed pretty well with a minimum of whining.

Rocketman
 
D

Dragado

macrumors member
Mar 29, 2012
34
0
It's really unfortunate that Sprint decided to back WiMAX instead of LTE initially. They'd likely be on par with Verizon and Sprint in terms of LTE coverage if they hadn't. One has to wonder what they were thinking.
 
B

bnerd

macrumors regular
May 21, 2009
127
0
I moved from ATT to Sprint with the 4S and even though the speeds are slightly slower where I am... streaming still works.. and I have everything unlimited.

I'm happy with Sprint at the moment. And if LTE comes unlimited I'd be even happier.
 
zorinlynx

zorinlynx

macrumors G3
May 31, 2007
8,168
17,682
Florida, USA
Assuming Sprint can get the coverage to be decent, this may entice me to switch to them when the new iPhone comes out.

LTE has increased available bandwidth so much, yet the other carriers are being really greedy with it, setting low caps with ridiculously high overages. This would be an awesome way to compete.
 
B

barkomatic

macrumors 601
Aug 8, 2008
4,521
2,826
Manhattan
Any word on what frequency Sprint will run its LTE network on? Anyway, if they don't throttle the data like the other two big carriers then unlimited data is a tempting option. Considering my AT&T unlimited data plan is not truly unlimited anymore.
 
bacaramac

bacaramac

macrumors 65816
Dec 29, 2007
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Wirelessly posted

I'll stick it out with sprint and move to LTE iPhone from 4s. Sprint may not e as fast as others on LTE, but it's a damn phone. Who needs 20Mbps down? I'd be happy with a consistent 5.
 
Norkusa

Norkusa

macrumors member
Nov 25, 2010
62
1
Grand Rapids, MI
True story....I've had a Sprint 4S since launch and have never been able to upload an Instagram photo once while on 3G. It always times out because the connection is so horrible. This happens in 4-5 bar areas too.

I don't care about including LTE. I'm eating the $350 ETF fee when the iPhone 5 is released and switching to AT&T or Verizon. People tried to warn me how bad Sprint was before I signed up with them but I didn't listen. There's no point in having unlimited data when it takes 1+ minute for web page on your 4S to load.
 
bacaramac

bacaramac

macrumors 65816
Dec 29, 2007
1,424
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Wirelessly posted

Norkusa said:
True story....I've had a Sprint 4S since launch and have never been able to upload an Instagram photo once while on 3G. It always times out because the connection is so horrible. This happens in 4-5 bar areas too.

I don't care about including LTE. I'm eating the $350 ETF fee when the iPhone 5 is released and switching to AT&T or Verizon. People tried to warn me how bad Sprint was before I signed up with them but I didn't listen. There's no point in having unlimited data when it takes 1+ minute for web page on your 4S to load.
Click to expand...

I agree, overall sprint is slower, but some can't stand AT&T as they have issues with it. I could never use my iPhone at work with AT&T, but my sprint phone does great. Hoping LTE really clears up bandwidth issues.
 
B

bryanescuela

Suspended
Jun 27, 2008
187
93
Re:

bacaramac said:
Wirelessly posted

I'll stick it out with sprint and move to LTE iPhone from 4s. Sprint may not e as fast as others on LTE, but it's a damn phone. Who needs 20Mbps down? I'd be happy with a consistent 5.
Click to expand...

I'd be HAPPY with a consistent 1mbps from AT&T
 
aristotle

aristotle

macrumors 68000
Mar 13, 2007
1,768
5
Canada
starflyer said:
At LTE speeds who cares. Coverage on the other hand...
Click to expand...
Which LTE speeds? Some people are posting LTE speeds that are slower than what some people get on their iPhone 4S on HSPA+ networks whereas as others have speeds in the 30-50 Mbits/sec range.

If your LTE speeds on Sprint end up being under 10 Mbits/sec then can you really call it LTE anymore? Is the unlimited data a false bargain if the link speeds and ping are too slow to stream data?
 
D

dmunz

macrumors regular
Aug 24, 2010
192
53
zorinlynx said:
Assuming Sprint can get the coverage to be decent, this may entice me to switch to them when the new iPhone comes out.

LTE has increased available bandwidth so much, yet the other carriers are being really greedy with it, setting low caps with ridiculously high overages. This would be an awesome way to compete.
Click to expand...

This is why it pays to get in early. I was not really interested in Android, but I picked up an HTC Thunderbolt on VZ to try out the LTE and get grandfathered for unlimited. I'm using a Rezound now which is nice but I'm looking forward to the LTE iPhone. BUT, Apple and VZ do odd things with their pricing and deals so I don't know if it will really work.

For example, I get a corporate discount on my service now but they can/will not apply it to Apple products. I'm getting unlimited data with a hotspot for around $50/ month after the discount. If I loose that discount I may not switch. If I loose unlimited data I definitely won't swicth to An iPhone.

FWIW
DLM
 
M

mbell1975

macrumors 6502a
Mar 17, 2012
737
0
As a Sprint customer, I will say this is awesome news! :D To those saying Sprint sucks, not sure what you are basing that on. I did the ultimate test for any carrier service, drove cross country twice. CA, AZ, NM, TX, LA, MS, AL,GA, FL, TN, AR, OK....I had my HTC Evo at the time and we were using it as a hotspot for the laptops and iPad that my friend had going nearly the whole time. The only spot in the whole trip back and forth we didn't get service was about 20 minutes in the NM desert. Thats to be expected though as there wasn't any sign of civilization for like 60 miles. Speeds were slow is some parts of some of the states but thats also to be expected. Meanwhile, the week that I had the Note on AT&T for a week, I was having data issues a few miles from my house :rolleyes: I think Sprint is great an unlimited LTE will be as great as unlimited 4G has been! I don't care if its going to be a bit slower, I would much rather be unlimited than paying per GB, screw that.
 
N

nickn

macrumors 6502
Jun 17, 2011
386
0
Dragado said:
It's really unfortunate that Sprint decided to back WiMAX instead of LTE initially. They'd likely be on par with Verizon and Sprint in terms of LTE coverage if they hadn't. One has to wonder what they were thinking.
Click to expand...

Seriously what is wrong with WiMAX? It has a max theoretical DL of around 40mbps, which is more then what most LTE providers are providing. Sprint and all of the other US based carriers really need to focus on updating their tower back haul. For example, my sprint CDMA rev B phone is capable of speeds up to around 3.1 Mbps, but typical speedtests are around .5-.75 Mbps. If I am not reaching top speeds with a 3G connection, what is LTE going to do? They should be laying multi gigabit lines to the cell towers before LTE is even considered.
 
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