Sprint to Launch iPhone 5 with Unlimited Data Next Month

[MyopicPaideia]

Lots of speculation, which is what these boards are for I guess. I'm more curious about the reality of AT&T vs. Verizon vs. Sprint in specific locations.

I'm in San Diego, with a 45 minute commute, and AT&T phone service is the worst thing I have ever experienced. Any Sprint customers in San Diego with great phone service? I would leave AT&T in a heartbeat if Sprint proves to have better call service with unlimited data.

San Diego seems to be a weird enigma - I lived there from 2005-2009 and had both Verizon and Sprint whilst there, and my best friend had AT&T. He lived on Monaco Street about halfway up the hill from Sunset Cliffs. I always had to stand in certain areas of his property to be able to use my phones, he always had touch and go coverage, but it was better than mine. But it seemed like there were lots of places there that had spotty coverage at best on all major carriers...very strange! I would routinely drop calls when on my way to clients in Del Mar or Carlsbad from my home in Point Loma.

 

[foodog]

I happened to be with Sprint and every time I have an issue whether it's my phone or my bill, they've always be GREAT at getting me through. If they can't, they would forward me to another person WITHOUT making me wait on the "transfer" music. They stayed with me to make sure I'm connected to the other person before they leave... that's GREAT service!

DO NOT bash a company unless you personally have experience with them recently.

I agree. Sprint HAD the worst CS in the business. I swore I would never go back. My company worked a deal for the employees to get a nice discount and I switched. I have been very happy any time I've called them. I was a pleasant surprise.

 

[MattMJB0188]

This is awesome news!!! However, the fact that Sprint uses EVDO doesn't bother anyone? The fastest download speeds would be near 1Mbps???

 

[Tiger8]

This is awesome news!!! However, the fact that Sprint uses EVDO doesn't bother anyone? The fastest download speeds would be near 1Mbps???

That is what Verizon and AT&T want you to believe. Yes, different technology with different peak speeds, but for the majority of the country, the 3G speed differences are minimal:

Now, if Apple includes WiMax in iPhone 5 (and no LTE), then Sprint will indeed have the FASTEST iPhone. But I don't see that happening.

 

[voonyx]

Thinking about it though, the S2 has only been out for several months whereas the iPhone 4 has been out for over a year. The iPhone 5 may (and likely will) spin the tables the opposite direction. Either way, Android (specifically Samsung versions - in my mind) are definitely climbing the charts. Probably explains why Apple has been so patent lawsuit heavy against Samsung lately.

Absolutely. I think there's no way you can deny that Apple is going after Samsung because of their success with android. Though, I'm of the group that thinks the problem is with the game and not with the players (ie, if someone is granting Apple these ridiculous patents, they have a right to defend them, as does any other company).

Yeah I think the iPhone5 will change the game a little too, at least in the US. the iPhone4 was a huge success on VZW, don't see any reason why a 5 wouldn't be on Sprint.

 

[Reach9]

If the iPhone 5 and the low-priced iPhone 4S goes to all carriers, or if the low-priced iPhone 4S becomes a pre-paid phone.. you can expect a huge gain in market share for Apple.

 

[voonyx]

If the iPhone 5 and the low-priced iPhone 4S goes to all carriers, or if the low-priced iPhone 4S becomes a pre-paid phone.. you can expect a huge gain in market share for Apple.

Yeah I see no way this wouldn't happen. Regardless Apple will gain marketshare with iPhone5...if they offer multiple models at different pricepoints with the addition of Sprint also there's simply no reason why they wouldn't gain marketshare.

 

[rcjh22]

More Sprint rumors but no T-Mobile rumors.. Great

 

[AppleScruff1]

Sprint will probably charge the extra $10 per month "premium" data fee like they do on their 4G phones, even if 4G is not available in your area.

 

[croooow]

+

I still have Unlimited Data (Grandfather from my old iPhone 3G) but that could change anytime. Not going to count on it forever

 

[AppleDroid]

Sprint will probably charge the extra $10 per month "premium" data fee like they do on their 4G phones, even if 4G is not available in your area.

Stop spreading last years news. They changed it so EVERY smartphone is $10 more a month.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Stop spreading last years news. They changed it so EVERY smartphone is $10 more a month.

Thanks, I didn't know that. I'm not a Sprint customer so I didn't know that they changed it. I remember they started it with the EVO. So there isn't a $99 dollar unlimited plane, it's $109.

 

[xionxiox]

Hey guys, the offer for a $100 gift card with a Mac for college end on 9/20. That might be an indication of when an event will take place.

 

[MattMJB0188]

Another good thing about Sprint is if you have bad indoor coverage they can send you an AIRWAVE which is a mini cell tower.

 

[croooow]

Hey guys, the offer for a $100 gift card with a Mac for college end on 9/20. That might be an indication of when an event will take place.

But since that offer was for a Mac, how would the iPhone be affected (ending the promotion before a new iPhone comes out?) I would think that would be an indication of a Mac Event. The old Back to School Mac + Free iPod offer ended before new iPods came out, but not this year...

 

[bushido]

They need to hurry uuuuuup. All my friends jumped to android bc theye been waiting since may and i feel left out with my tiny screen

 

[alent1234]

That is what Verizon and AT&T want you to believe. Yes, different technology with different peak speeds, but for the majority of the country, the 3G speed differences are minimal:

Image

Now, if Apple includes WiMax in iPhone 5 (and no LTE), then Sprint will indeed have the FASTEST iPhone. But I don't see that happening.

with AT&T it also depends on the phone you are using. a lot of android phones are advertised as HSPA+ but in reality they will never do the 12mbps or whatever AT&T says they will max at. you have to find out the 3gpp release number for the phone which will tell you the max speed it will do. even now AT&T is releasing HSPA+ phones that will have very low speed limits. why do you think they are so cheap for some of these android phones on release day?

most tech journalists are morons who only repeat the acronyms. for all you know they took a cheap phone for these tests when in reality AT&T's HSPA+ network can go a lot faster

your speed also depends on where you are in relation to the tower and the load on that tower at the time

 

[bobm3]

How fast ?

How fast is the sprint data in tampa florida?
Can I create a hotspot with it?

 

[chrmjenkins]

because android is on several carriers. see my response above. global marketshare has nothing to do with it. iphone is the top selling phone on at&t, and the top selling phone on verizon, and outsells many android devices on both carriers combined.

Android's marketshare has grown since Verizon launched the iphone 4. I don't think your point follows.

 

[theBB]

I sincerely doubt that both AT&T and Verizon switched away from unlimited data because iPhone users were using too much. They saw a profit could be made peddling tiered data and decided to go for it.

And for some reason that profit opportunity did not exist before then?

 

[foodog]

The real game changer will be if the iPhone 5 has the capability to work with more than one carrier. That flips the whole American system upside down. Instead of having to pick from one of the phones your carrier decides to offer. You pick your phone and choose which carrier will provide you service. Paying full retail for the phone make perfect sense since there is no contract involved and if carrier A starts sucking you fire them and move on. Apple led the way refusing to let the phone companies monkey with the phone features and if Apple is able to pull off a true world phone piece of hardware the rest of the phone manufacturers will follow suit.

 

[theBB]

Android's marketshare has grown since Verizon launched the iphone 4. I don't think your point follows.

Are you sure Android sales on Verizon has not gone down?

 

[foodog]

Android's marketshare has grown since Verizon launched the iphone 4. I don't think your point follows.

Android isn't a phone its an OS.

 

[theBB]

Paying full retail for the phone make perfect sense since there is no contract involved

If the carriers do not offer monthly discounts for customers who pay full retail, you would be paying $450 extra for the flexibility of switching. You might as well buy it on contract and pay an early termination fee if the service is that bad. There is no cell phone company that has better reception everywhere anyways.

 

[Geckotek]

And for some reason that profit opportunity did not exist before then?

No, but the market is a fickle place. AT&T and Verizon had to "feel each other out". When they realized that if one did it the other would follow suit, they dove in.