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coldjeanzzz

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 4, 2012
655
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I plan to upgrade to the iPhone 6 in March when I'm eligible, but I'm still on Sprint and that would mean locking into another 2 year contract with them. I hate my current phone so I'd like to get off it asap, but my actual contract with Sprint doesn't end until the end of July. I know Sprint's network is mediocre compared to the others so this is why I'm hesitant to stay with them again. I do live in Miami though and apparently Sprint Spark works down there with the iPhone 6 so I'm assuming the LTE there should be fine. But in my experience it seems like nothing ever works as well as it's supposed to when dealing with Sprint...
 
I plan to upgrade to the iPhone 6 in March when I'm eligible, but I'm still on Sprint and that would mean locking into another 2 year contract with them. I hate my current phone so I'd like to get off it asap, but my actual contract with Sprint doesn't end until the end of July. I know Sprint's network is mediocre compared to the others so this is why I'm hesitant to stay with them again. I do live in Miami though and apparently Sprint Spark works down there with the iPhone 6 so I'm assuming the LTE there should be fine. But in my experience it seems like nothing ever works as well as it's supposed to when dealing with Sprint...
Well…the iPhone 6/6+ is triband (Spark) so the likelihood that you'll get better service is good - as far as that go's.

Apparently, a big part of the reason for the crap performance in Florida is that the government(s) there are being slow to vacate the lower frequencies and hand them over to the cell carriers. That's something Sprint is not in control of.

That's about all the support for Sprint I can give you though. My own market stinks and after 15+ years on Sprint I will be leaving for T-Mobile in the new year.
 
I plan to upgrade to the iPhone 6 in March when I'm eligible, but I'm still on Sprint and that would mean locking into another 2 year contract with them. I hate my current phone so I'd like to get off it asap, but my actual contract with Sprint doesn't end until the end of July. I know Sprint's network is mediocre compared to the others so this is why I'm hesitant to stay with them again. I do live in Miami though and apparently Sprint Spark works down there with the iPhone 6 so I'm assuming the LTE there should be fine. But in my experience it seems like nothing ever works as well as it's supposed to when dealing with Sprint...

I just went to sprint from verizon and in less than a day of using it, the service on my iphone 6 is horrendous. I plan on cancelling and going back to verizon since i dont have service at work. You get what you pay for.
 
This is the only part here I'd argue with you over.

I pay over $200 a month to Sprint. I'm certainly NOT getting $200 worth of service.

there are many factors that go into that. I have 1 line and pay upwards of 125 per month for 15gb of data on verizon, with sprint, i was paying $85 a month for unlimited slowd data.
 
there are many factors that go into that. I have 1 line and pay upwards of 125 per month for 15gb of data on verizon, with sprint, i was paying $85 a month for unlimited slowd data.
Well, that was kind of tongue in cheek, so to speak.

I'm on an old plan (2008) with two lines and some additional stuff. But I'm sure not getting from Sprint what I pay for.

Unfortunately, Sprint wouldn't accept just a payment of what I think the service I AM getting is worth.

EDIT: At least you decided to get out early. Most of the people I see come over just think it's the phone or something else and stick it out for a while. By then it's too late to return and when they finally figure out that the service is pretty much standard (with some exceptions in some markets) they are locked in and have to pay to get out.
 
They're pretty bad in most markets, usually in last place according to Rootmetrics. But some of their users say they're good in a few places.

I personally would go with T-Mobile over Sprint if you're concerned about price or unlimited data. They just seem to promise a lot of things and never deliver, at least not on time. Is Network Vision even complete yet?

And of course if you don't mind paying a lot more or don't use much data, you could go with Verizon for the best overall coverage.
 

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I'm a 14 year + Sprint customer, after getting my 5s and on 3G it was useless. I gave Sprint to December of that year to get the promised LTE in my area, they had promised it for over a year! As luck would have it in December LTE became active and I stayed. It's been great since. With that being said if you don't have LTE in your area, there is no way I'd stay with Sprint, 3G is a joke as it's more like 1x.. Unusable..( in my area). LTE stay maybe, no LTE ... Dump Sprint asap
 
Awesome

another hate on sprint topic :rolleyes:
I don't hate Sprint.

I do, however, hate it's service in my market, it's policies and it's customer service.

Marcelo Claure is doing something about a lot of that…but by the time it gets to me it will be even longer. 15 years is enough I think.
 
I don't hate Sprint.

I do, however, hate it's service in my market, it's policies and it's customer service.

Marcelo Claure is doing something about a lot of that…but by the time it gets to me it will be even longer. 15 years is enough I think.

I guess I am in a very good Sprint area so they don't bother me. I just think Tmo is just as bad as sprint coverage wise, but its all about "Down on Sprint" all the time.
 
Is Network Vision even complete yet?
Claure has said "substantially" complete. Euteneuer has said the same.

"Substantially", as defined by S4GRU.com, is taken to mean 3G upgrades are complete and the towers have all been rebuilt with new equipment. LTE (not just on Band 25) being completely rolled out is NV 2.0.

This is different than the original definition, whereby NV 1.0 was to be complete upgrades WITH LTE and backhaul.

So, the definition of "substantially" has slipped. Like the completion date for NV has. Sprint customers could be forgiven to not have realized that, but Sprint fanatics should know better. :D
 
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Well, that was kind of tongue in cheek, so to speak.

I'm on an old plan (2008) with two lines and some additional stuff. But I'm sure not getting from Sprint what I pay for.

Unfortunately, Sprint wouldn't accept just a payment of what I think the service I AM getting is worth.

EDIT: At least you decided to get out early. Most of the people I see come over just think it's the phone or something else and stick it out for a while. By then it's too late to return and when they finally figure out that the service is pretty much standard (with some exceptions in some markets) they are locked in and have to pay to get out.

took me less than 24 hours to get out. I just cant go without basic LTE service at my job. The wifi here is regulated so i cant even go on certain apps/ sites or even send an email. My service bounces from 3g to 1x and its so bad. I cant even send an email.

the data speeds on the 3g are 0.3-0.9. smh
 
I guess I am in a very good Sprint area so they don't bother me. I just think Tmo is just as bad as sprint coverage wise, but its all about "Down on Sprint" all the time.
You are. And I envy you.

I am about to lose a plan I've had for 6 years. It's actually a very valuable plan, despite the price I pay for it.

But the reality is that in certain areas other carriers are better. Phoenix, my market, is an urban area of over 6 million people. Where LTE is solid, it's fast and consistent. Where it's not, which is a lot of places out here it's sub 3G speeds.

I don't blame Sprint for the lack of backhaul which is the cause of this problem. But I DO blame Sprint for failing to negotiate penalties or rewards for timely completion in the contracts it signed with the vendors. Some vendors are direct competitors of Sprint!

I think ultimately, had Son done what he's doing right now (Claure) last year, I wouldn't be leaving.
 
I too have Sprint and live in a Market that was recently upgraded to LTE. From experience as well as confirmatory data from Sensory, LTE is limited mainly along roads with fast deterioration of signal as you move away from these roads. LTE approximately 80% of the time is 2 bars and lower, and overall my phone diverts to 3G service roughly 70% of the time. This causes another issue regarding battery life, where on a daily average, low signal consumes roughly 30% of my battery life.

So... even LTE markets on Sprint are sad.
 
You don't have to wait to get out of your contract. If you want to pay about the same, then go to T-Mobile and they will reimburse your ETF. Turn in your old phone and get an iPhone 6 with them on monthly payments or PIF.

Edit: You won't be on contract and your iPhone won't be locked to Sprint only.
 
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Just switched from Verizon to Sprint. Unlimited talk, text & data. Coverage has been more then adequate and I love not having to watch how much data I've used etc. iPhone 6 Plus on Sprint has been great!

(Ps right now they got the cut your bill in half promo witch is awesome)
 
If you're unhappy with Sprint, I couldn't personally see so much as an ounce of logic in signing up another two years just to get a new phone, regarless of how poorly my current one was performing.

The only viable options on the table for me would be to pay the ETF (you seemed pretty clear that fulfilling the contract with the shape of your current device wasn't really an option) or going with TMO (who will pay your ETF). Unfortunately, based on personal experience, TMO isn't an option for me (though neither is Sprint).
 
If you're even thinking about shopping for a new carrier, don't bother. Getting a Sprint iPhone would essentially lock you into their service, since you cannot move that phone with you to a different carrier.

The network quality doesn't matter one bit if you want to keep your options open, and a Sprint phone won't allow for that.
 
I've been with Sprint about 15 years myself and I average in the KB and not MB or GB as far as data. That's how bad it is. I relied solely on wifi throughout the years. I'm leaving Sprint for T-Mobile mid-Jan. 2015.
 
I am returning my iphone 6 today and cancelling sprint service. I had it for less than 48 hours and it was just plain pitiful. I had LTE probably for a total of 4 hours in 2 days. I had constant 3g/1x at my job. Back to Verizon and full LTE.
 
If you have tri-band spark freqs and and adequate coverage Sprint is pretty good. If you don't, pass.
 
I have no idea why you'd sign another 2 year contract with Sprint, just get the IPhone for Life Plan which is $50 a month, Unlimited Everything, and about $20-$23 extra to lease the 6 or 6 Plus.

Your bill will be significantly lowered to around $73 a month for Unlimited everything.
 
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