AT&T or Sprint in MN/WI

[nathanielonfire]

Greetings all,

I have been a Sprint customer in the Twin Cities for four years, and in early 2012, I became an iPhone 4S user on Sprint and have had said phone since then. In the time I've been with Sprint, I've rarely experienced dropped calls or texting issues and data speeds were adequate, possibly up until late-2012 when the iPhone 5 was released. Being stuck on Sprint's aged 3G network, I now know the crawling anticipation of slowly loading webpages and Facebook photos.

That being said, my Android and iPhone 5-toting friends inform me that Sprint's MN LTE network is actually fairly decent and is growing all the time. Sensorly sure seems to think so. I also spend a fair amount of time in northern Wisconsin, and Sprint's 3G has been fine there, but Sprint's LTE is only just beginning there and there are most certainly pockets where I am roaming, presumably on US Cellular or Cellcom or one of the regional CDMA carriers. I know nothing about other carriers in Wisconsin because everyone I know is on Verizon (ugh) or Sprint.

I don't use a lot of data (I don't think I've ever topped 1 GB, I use Wi-Fi at home), but I am interested in checking out other providers, namely AT&T, since my contract is up next year. Does anyone have any experience with AT&T in the Twin Cities and northern Wisconsin? Is Sprint's LTE actually any good in the Twin Cities?

With Sprint's new plans, the price difference is less and less attractive between the two and I'm worried about a languishing network when much better service is available at equivalent costs. Thoughts?

 

[mikeydeezy]

Long time AT&T user in and out of the Minneapolis downtown and surrounding suburb area.

I wouldn't change a thing. My service is great even during peak lunch hours I'll still pull down 5Mbps on LTE within my building. Sprint is ABYSMAL downtown. You really cant go wrong w/ switching to AT&T.

 

[BishamonX]

I recommend you read through these threads focused on Sprint's Network Vision rollout in your areas. Minnesota's 4G coverage looks strong compared to WI.

Minnesota

Wisconsin

 

[rockitdog]

Don't fall for it! Sprint it terrible!!! So bad in fact that KARE 11 actually ran a story becauase of all of the complints KARE 11 has heard about. If you're even remotely interested in Sprint, go to their website and access their message boards and just do a simple search on the terms "Minnesota" & "Minneapolis" and read the stuff that comes up. You couldn't pay me to be a Sprint customer.

Been with T-Mobile since last fall and could not be happier. I switched to Sprint last September on the iPhone 5 launch day tried it for 2 weeks before having to bail.... they are awful. But don't take my word for it, go read their forums.

 

[Sketchr]

att in the TC metro area is super fast and reliable. I receive average downloads in the upper 40's and rarely experience dropped calls. Those with sprint experience the opposite...

 

[BishamonX]

Don't fall for it! Sprint it terrible!!! So bad in fact that KARE 11 actually ran a story becauase of all of the complints KARE 11 has heard about. If you're even remotely interested in Sprint, go to their website and access their message boards and just do a simple search on the terms "Minnesota" & "Minneapolis" and read the stuff that comes up. You couldn't pay me to be a Sprint customer.

Been with T-Mobile since last fall and could not be happier. I switched to Sprint last September on the iPhone 5 launch day tried it for 2 weeks before having to bail.... they are awful. But don't take my word for it, go read their forums.

I don't think there is anything to fall for... He currently has Sprint and it does a decent job for him. Before jumping carriers it would make sense to get a LTE capable device and see if he's satisfied with the service. If not, take it back and switch to AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon or whoever works better.

 

[nathanielonfire]

I checked out KARE 11's website for that story, and honestly, I'm kind of surprised. I can't remember the last time I dropped a Sprint call, though maybe it's just not my neck of the woods. The biggest issues I have are data service, when out and about. Browsing the web is painfully slow at times, as is accessing anything with photos or video. I usually end up queueing things for when I'm home on Wi-Fi...which to me, defeats the purpose of a smartphone. I can think of at least ten places in the MSP area that I visit semi-regularly that have zero to minimal data service.

Most other places in the cities, and in Wisconsin, I get 1-2 Mbps, which at least works.

 

[rockitdog]

I checked out KARE 11's website for that story, and honestly, I'm kind of surprised. I can't remember the last time I dropped a Sprint call, though maybe it's just not my neck of the woods. The biggest issues I have are data service, when out and about. Browsing the web is painfully slow at times, as is accessing anything with photos or video. I usually end up queueing things for when I'm home on Wi-Fi...which to me, defeats the purpose of a smartphone. I can think of at least ten places in the MSP area that I visit semi-regularly that have zero to minimal data service.

Most other places in the cities, and in Wisconsin, I get 1-2 Mbps, which at least works.

Sprint's LTE coverage is very limited despite what coverage maps show you. I work in Bloomington (near mall of America) and there is no LTE once you leave mall of America and there is also non inthe south metro where I live. I can't imagine anything worst than slow 3G speeds on a device thats's meant for speed. T-Mobile on the otherhand has been amazing.

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att in the TC metro area is super fast and reliable. I receive average downloads in the upper 40's and rarely experience dropped calls. Those with sprint experience the opposite...

Agreed, AT&T is great but their prices are not. I'm not paying less for T-Mobile with unlimited everything that I was paying for 3GB and 450 mins wth AT&T.

 

[nathanielonfire]

I have an employer discount with Sprint, which is great and keeps my service affordable. But Sprint's new plans get rid of employee discounts (or they only work on a portion of the plan, I'm not sure) and that pushes my price up again to close to $90. My employer also has a discount with AT&T and I did the math and I'd come out about the same, maybe $10 more or so with taxes.

If I stay with Sprint, I plan to keep the old plan anyway, but I just don't like the direction this is going unless the new LTE network is really as good as they're saying it is.

 

[BishamonX]

I have an employer discount with Sprint, which is great and keeps my service affordable. But Sprint's new plans get rid of employee discounts (or they only work on a portion of the plan, I'm not sure) and that pushes my price up again to close to $90. My employer also has a discount with AT&T and I did the math and I'd come out about the same, maybe $10 more or so with taxes.

If I stay with Sprint, I plan to keep the old plan anyway, but I just don't like the direction this is going unless the new LTE network is really as good as they're saying it is.

I hear you. No one can decide what service / pricing works best for you. I've have every carrier except T-Mobile and they all have their +/- depending on the area. Again, there's no harm in getting a LTE device and seeing if they have coverage where you need it. If not, return it and make a switch.

 

[nathanielonfire]

I know if you're a new customer, you can return a phone in 14 days or 30 days or whatever it is, but can you do that if you're a current customer upgrading? If I get the 5s in November (my upgrade eligibility), can I switch and cancel or am I bound by the terms of the agreement I made with the 4s?

 

[BishamonX]

Upgrades have the same return policy as new customers.

 

[nathanielonfire]

Great! Sounds like I can have my cake and eat it too! Well, here's to a 5s on Sprint in November! Can't wait.

 

[rockitdog]

Great! Sounds like I can have my cake and eat it too! Well, here's to a 5s on Sprint in November! Can't wait.

Good luck. I don't know anyone including people on here who say good things about Sprint, but then again it's people like you who keep them afloat. If you ever want good service, check out AT&T or T-Mobile.

 

[nathanielonfire]

Good luck. I don't know anyone including people on here who say good things about Sprint, but then again it's people like you who keep them afloat. If you ever want good service, check out AT&T or T-Mobile.

Relax. I'm giving Sprint's LTE a try before I decide to entirely jump ship. I guess 'people like you' means paying customers? I had no complaints about Sprint in the pre-smartphone days and am only just now experiencing what a congested network feels like. BishamonX linked to some fascinating information on Sprint's LTE rollout in the area and it looks promising.

Most of my friends and family use Sprint and very few have any real complaints about it. Perhaps we're all just a little weird. But I appreciate the advice and come November, we'll see.

 

[rockitdog]

Relax. I'm giving Sprint's LTE a try before I decide to entirely jump ship. I guess 'people like you' means paying customers? I had no complaints about Sprint in the pre-smartphone days and am only just now experiencing what a congested network feels like. BishamonX linked to some fascinating information on Sprint's LTE rollout in the area and it looks promising.

Most of my friends and family use Sprint and very few have any real complaints about it. Perhaps we're all just a little weird. But I appreciate the advice and come November, we'll see.

I'm in the heart of the Twin Cities and there is no LTE coverage here! My co-workers with Sprint don't get LTE here or anywhere they go. It appears to be in the northern part of the cities and thats it, it's not anywhere as good like maps appear to show it.

But hey, I'm just trying to get the word out, no sweat for me. Let me just ask, how's that $10/month charge for premium data that you pay each month. Are you really getting "premium data"?