Carrier Sprint iPhone 6 users, How's your service?

I left Sprint this month actually for T-Mobile. I grew weary of their inconsistent and high bills. The straw that broke the camels back is when they took away the ability to talk and surf the Internet at the same time on the new Spark devices, including the new iPhones. My last phone which was the Note 3 was the last device capable of doing that.

rockitdog said:

I've been considering switching to Sprint for a while now. I'm wondering how their new Spark network is working. I used to go read Sprint.com's message boards and see nothing but complaints from people who had nothing but issues with Sprint. In recent month's the complaints have really tailed off.

From what I understand, the iPhone 6/6+ are the only iPhones that are compatible with their Spark Network. How is the service? Is it better or the same as their previous generation LTE network?

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Spark is actually just the use of three different bands for LTE. Band 25, 26 and 41. Where Spark is or is not then is just really dependent on where Sprint has deployed 800mhz and 2500mhz.

I would suggest s4gru.com to check your area in their market list.

That said, I think the quietness in the BAW forums is due to two factors.

1. Sprint has now hit bottom in the sense that everyone that is going to leave has left.
2. Finally allowing the unlocking of devices (iPhones included) has contributed to #1.

What you have left are the new people who have no clue about anything that's ever happened with Sprint and those people who either chose to stay or couldn't find a way out (my wife and I).

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Babiegurl38 said:

I left Sprint this month actually for T-Mobile. I grew weary of their inconsistent and high bills. The straw that broke the camels back is when they took away the ability to talk and surf the Internet at the same time on the new Spark devices, including the new iPhones. My last phone which was the Note 3 was the last device capable of doing that.

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Just a comment here on this. Talking and surfing has never been possible on a CDMA carrier. Even Verizon is only just implementing it. Sprint has yet to get to it.

I live in a city where coverage ranges from Spark downtown to 1x in my home (but we have a microcell-type device to remedy that).

Sprint's coverage in my area is spotty, but I was recently in NYC for a conference and, of course, I had full LTE/Spark coverage; and it was faster than my home WiFi (it hit around 50mbps down, 12mbps up).

I'd say go for it if you live in a place with moderate coverage; their $65/month iPhone for Life plan is actually great, because I get everything unlimited, and though I can't keep the phone after two years, I can get a new iPhone every two years without ever changing the plan, and never paying upfront for the phone.

I hope no one in Boston is actually trying to use Sprint, it is dreadful. Even this late into their LTE deployment, there are obvious holes everywhere. My buddy has a S5 on Sprint, so I'm always curious to see his service, compared to mine, but more often than not, he's stuck on 3G or 1x, whereas I'm always on LTE, even deep in buildings.

AutoUnion39 said:

I hope no one in Boston is actually trying to use Sprint, it is dreadful. Even this late into their LTE deployment, there are obvious holes everywhere. My buddy has a S5 on Sprint, so I'm always curious to see his service, compared to mine, but more often than not, he's stuck on 3G or 1x, whereas I'm always on LTE, even deep in buildings.

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Yeah according to Rootmetrics Boston isn't the greatest city for Sprint LTE (as of 2nd half 2014). Honestly with Sprint you just need to look at where you're going to be spending most of your time and if the service is good there. They're getting better but it will take another year imo before the gap is negligible in terms of speed for major markets (and before anyone brings up something stupid about how it's always "a year away" for Sprint, just compare 2015's stats to 2014's...vastly improved)

Ummm, sorry but yes, I was able to TALK AND SURF at the same time on my Note 3 without being on wifi. In fact, I'm sitting watching my bf surf and talk on his Sprint Note 3 while we are sitting here in traffic. The Note 3 was the last non Spark device that allowed that feature. You can confirm that with Sprint and they will confirm it. The newer Spark devices do not allow talk and surf. Sorry but I am correct and you're not.

QUOTE=eyoungren;20898968]Spark is actually just the use of three different bands for LTE. Band 25, 26 and 41. Where Spark is or is not then is just really dependent on where Sprint has deployed 800mhz and 2500mhz.

I would suggest s4gru.com to check your area in their market list.

That said, I think the quietness in the BAW forums is due to two factors.

1. Sprint has now hit bottom in the sense that everyone that is going to leave has left.
2. Finally allowing the unlocking of devices (iPhones included) has contributed to #1.

What you have left are the new people who have no clue about anything that's ever happened with Sprint and those people who either chose to stay or couldn't find a way out (my wife and I).

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Just a comment here on this. Talking and surfing has never been possible on a CDMA carrier. Even Verizon is only just implementing it. Sprint has yet to get to it.[/QUOTE]

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https://community.sprint.com/baw/mobile/mobile-access.jspa#jive-discussion?content=%2Fapi%2Fcore%2Fv2%2Fdiscussions%2F173113


My proof.

Babiegurl38 said:

Ummm, sorry but yes, I was able to TALK AND SURF at the same time on my Note 3 without being on wifi. In fact, I'm sitting watching my bf surf and talk on his Sprint Note 3 while we are sitting here in traffic. The Note 3 was the last non Spark device that allowed that feature. You can confirm that with Sprint and they will confirm it. The newer Spark devices do not allow talk and surf. Sorry but I am correct and you're not.

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OK. I am not correct.

At least in regards to non-Apple iPhones.

The situation as it regards iPhones however (after some light Google research), is that Apple did not include an additional radio permitting this (at least with the 5/5c/5s). But that would be Apple's fault and not Sprint's.

You're correct with that one! I'm so happy that I purchased the sim free version IPhone 6+. If I would have purchased the Sprint version, I would have been stuck with them and missing that feature..

The Sprint iphones come unlocked if paid at full price. They also have the most bands so in essence it is the phone to get.

Which basically the sim free version is, making it the iPhone to get. ;-)

Be sure to check rootmetrics, sensorly, and other third party sources before moving to Sprint. The problem with them is their not even good in major cities. I recently tested them out here and couldn't pull more than 10Mbps down even though I'm in a Spark market. Speeds were mostly around 3-4Mbps on LTE and right aroind 1Mbps on 3G. Sprint is the one carrier that I never have and never will use a smartphone with.