Carrier Sprint is pathetic

[Kohkane]

Whenever I read through forums and posts about Sprint, I feel like I'm the only one who has not had an issue with them. Granted I do live in KC and I would be completely thrown off if I had crappy service here, but I haven't. 3G is great and LTE has been amazing. When I'm at school, 3G is complete crap, but it is a rural town but I do have spotty LTE service there, and I have university wifi 95% of the time so it doesn't even mater.

As for CS, they've been pretty great too, I called a few days ago about my LTE service not working for some odd reason and I was credited nearly $200 for my issues. Maybe this is because my contract ends in a month, and they wanted to make sure I don't leave but i'm not complaining, they basically just paid for two months of my bill.

I have considered switching to T-mobile because I would pay the same I'm paying now for Sprint, BUT I switched from T-mobile to Sprint because the service was so awful in KC. I would rarely get service inside buildings, 4g was horribly spotty and signal at school just didn't even exist. If anything i'd rather wait another two years with a provider that works for me and see where both Sprint and T-mobile end up going. Hell, I wouldn't even complain if a successful merger were to happen, then maybe I could get Verizon like coverage (solid LTE almost everywhere here in kc) for cheap...but that probably won't happen so i'll just keep dreaming.

 

[eyoungren]

Whenever I read through forums and posts about Sprint, I feel like I'm the only one who has not had an issue with them. Granted I do live in KC and I would be completely thrown off if I had crappy service here, but I haven't. 3G is great and LTE has been amazing. When I'm at school, 3G is complete crap, but it is a rural town but I do have spotty LTE service there, and I have university wifi 95% of the time so it doesn't even mater.

As for CS, they've been pretty great too, I called a few days ago about my LTE service not working for some odd reason and I was credited nearly $200 for my issues. Maybe this is because my contract ends in a month, and they wanted to make sure I don't leave but i'm not complaining, they basically just paid for two months of my bill.

I have considered switching to T-mobile because I would pay the same I'm paying now for Sprint, BUT I switched from T-mobile to Sprint because the service was so awful in KC. I would rarely get service inside buildings, 4g was horribly spotty and signal at school just didn't even exist. If anything i'd rather wait another two years with a provider that works for me and see where both Sprint and T-mobile end up going. Hell, I wouldn't even complain if a successful merger were to happen, then maybe I could get Verizon like coverage (solid LTE almost everywhere here in kc) for cheap...but that probably won't happen so i'll just keep dreaming.

I didn't have any issues until September 21, 2012. That was launch day for the iPhone 5 and I had to activate over home WiFi because 3G at my house was crap.

But I demanded and got an Airave from Sprint, so that helped. Fortunately, the Phoenix area hasn't had to endure too much, except crappy 3G and lack of LTE. The latter came in August 2013. I have it at home and work now, although work is flakey.

Network Vision is at 16% of rollout right now here in the PHX market, so we'll see how much better it gets. If not much better AND a Sprint T-Mobile buyout does not happen I may take T-Mobile up on their ETF thing.

 

[Ender Wiggins]

I hope the idiot morons at Sprint don't buy T-Mobile. That will be the end of Un-Carrier and the start of Sprintification (destruction) of all things good and just in the cellular world.

I can't even fathom why the hell T-Mobile would be interested. They're raking it in and poaching customers left and right.

 

[ross1998]

My personal line is AT&T. Work line is VZW. I also subscribe to TMobile service for my car, so my "bashing" isn't baseless. I speak from experience. They are truly junk in the Northeast.

I have tmobile in Seattle and its the only network that is usable here during rush hour and the only time I ever see edge is sometimes when the phone makes rough transition from LTE to 4g. And sprint only has more purple on sensorley because most people on sprint forum have no life and all they do is map. And strangely, sensorly shows sprint has LTE at stadium high school when I use to go there everyday and none if my friends with sprint had LTE there.

 

[Ender Wiggins]

And sprint only has more purple on sensorley because most people on sprint forum have no life and all they do is map. And strangely, sensorly shows sprint has LTE at stadium high school when I use to go there everyday and none if my friends with sprint had LTE there.

Can you please repeat this.

 

[2298754]

I can't even fathom why the hell T-Mobile would be interested. They're raking it in and poaching customers left and right.

Because T-Mobile has no future. They need spectrum and are too lazy to pony up for it. Without there, there is no growth. The amount of customers added the last two quarters is not sustainable with their current infrastructure. This is where Softbank's DEEP pockets would come into play.

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I have tmobile in Seattle and its the only network that is usable here during rush hour and the only time I ever see edge is sometimes when the phone makes rough transition from LTE to 4g. And sprint only has more purple on sensorley because most people on sprint forum have no life and all they do is map.

While you are correct about the mapping ( ), it really does help everyone. Sprint's coverage map is notoriously wrong. It states that I should have LTE in my vicinity for miles on end, but that isn't true. On sensorly, it shows that Sprint's LTE deployment ends exactly where I know it does.

 

[2298754]

I

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Oh, you may find this interesting. About a month ago or so.

Wow! I like these people so much better. Much more realistic and friendly.

Interesting anecdote for you.

I recently found out that ALU is the vendor in Boston. A few weeks ago, I noticed an ALU truck out front of my apartment complex (we have flat antennas running off the roof). They were upgrading the old VZW gear to dual-band antennas with RRUs for their B4 AWS launch. I had a quick chat with the guys and apparently they're pretty much busy for the next year with AT&T and VZW work. I was told that Sprint's work was not a priority for them. Apparently, the regional manager makes sure that the more experienced teams deal with the VZW/AT&T work.

Another thing I learned was that Sprint doesn't "order" backhaul for the NV-upgrades until the installation is near completion. AT&T/VZW "order" their fiber beforehand. The backhaul is almost always there when the crews arrive. Put up the equipment, hook up backhaul, aim it properly (down tilt, etc), and wait for AT&T/VZW to launch it remotely. I think this is why we see so many Sprint towers with NV equipment, but no fiber.

I have a feeling that they must be making more $$$ from the big guys and the rules in Sprint's contract don't have any sort of time constraints.

It's pretty ridiculous that we still have legacy Sprint gear on the roof, whereas AT&T and VZW have deployed LTE 2 years ago and have come back for upgrades.

 

[eyoungren]

Wow! I like these people so much better. Much more realistic and friendly.

Interesting anecdote for you.

I recently found out that ALU is the vendor in Boston. A few weeks ago, I noticed an ALU truck out front of my apartment complex (we have flat antennas running off the roof, part of the reason why my AT&T/VZW service is so good). They were upgrading the old VZW gear to dual-band antennas with RRUs for their B4 AWS launch. I had a quick chat with the guys and apparently they're pretty much busy for the next year with AT&T and VZW work. I was told that Sprint's work was not a priority for them. Apparently, the regional manager makes sure that the more experienced teams deal with the VZW/AT&T work. So Sprint gets the inexperienced crews around here. That's probably why it's moving so damn slow.

Another thing I learned was that Sprint doesn't "order" backhaul for the NV-upgrades until the installation is near completion. AT&T/VZW "order" their fiber beforehand, so usually, it's a simple installation. Put up the equipment, hook up backhaul, aim it properly, and wait for AT&T/VZW to launch it remotely. I think this is why we see so many Sprint towers with NV equipment, but no fiber.

I have a feeling that they must be making more $$$ from the big guys and the rules in Sprint's contract don't have any sort of time constraints.

It's pretty ridiculous that we still have legacy Sprint gear on the roof, whereas AT&T and VZW have deployed LTE 2 years ago and have come back for upgrades.

Interesting! Can't say I'm surprised. That's along the lines of what I was tryng to tell Dan over there at sprintusers.com.

NV is paid for. All the checks have been written. It's really in the vendors hands and Sprint can bitch all they want, but what are they going to do? Go pay more money they don't have to another vendor for the same work they've already paid the other vendor for?

Yeah. People are people and business is business so this kind of crap happens all the time. Denying it or just not acknowledging it like they do over at s4gru is just dumb.

 

[Bear]

6

I hope the idiot morons at Sprint don't buy T-Mobile. That will be the end of Un-Carrier and the start of Sprintification (destruction) of all things good and just in the cellular world.

I can't even fathom why the hell T-Mobile would be interested. They're raking it in and poaching customers left and right.

I agree for many reasons that Sprint buying T-Mobile would be bad. One is would all the GSM customers have to get new phones or all the CDMA customers? And what would happen to the T-Mobile plans?

However why this could get regulatory approval while AT&T failed to get it is that T-Mobile+Sprint would be about the same size as Verizon and AT&T whereas AT&T+T-Mobile would've been way too large compared to the others.

 

[2298754]

NV is paid for. All the checks have been written. It's really in the vendors hands and Sprint can bitch all they want, but what are they going to do? Go pay more money they don't have to another vendor for the same work they've already paid the other vendor for?

Yeah. People are people and business is business so this kind of crap happens all the time. Denying it or just not acknowledging it like they do over at s4gru is just dumb.

Yeah, you're right. It's pretty much waiting right now.

I was cracking up at one of the threads about how Softbank was "lighting a fire" under NV. Unless they want to pay other vendors, there is no lighting anything.

Looking at the running list, it's pretty bleak. Besides Chicago and ATL, no other first round markets are 90+% done with LTE sites. Central Jersey was supposed to be done 02/13. Only 39% of LTE sites accepted!

 

[eyoungren]

Yeah, you're right. It's pretty much waiting right now.

I was cracking up at one of the threads about how Softbank was "lighting a fire" under NV. Unless they want to pay other vendors, there is no lighting anything.

Looking at the running list, it's pretty bleak. Besides Chicago and ATL, no other first round markets are 90+% done with LTE sites. Central Jersey was supposed to be done 02/13. Only 39% of LTE sites accepted!

I'm just curious what the line will be a year from now. Sprint's problem is executing. They have all these wonderful plans, but they always fail to execute or only go half way.

So far the fact that Hesse mentioned Sprint would be majority done by December 2013 has been reasoned away by s4gru. They also like to ignore the fact that contracts for NV were all signed in late 2011, so this has been going on for 2 years now, not the year or so they like to claim because they consider the start to be June 2012. BS.

So, when Sprint still isn't done a year from now what will the next excuse be. When AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are lighting up LTE-A and getting design plans done on 5G what will s4gru's line be then?

IDK. They like to say, "Just look at the sponsor maps" and you'll see what's going on. But the reality is that places like PHX where I am are third round markets that are BEHIND fourth round markets in completion! We're only at 16% LTE done for godssake and that's that they have supposedly been working on this for a year. And you cannot give me any winter excuses because this is PHOENIX, ARIZONA! Our high today was 72º!

 

[Apple Trees]

6I agree for many reasons that Sprint buying T-Mobile would be bad. One is would all the GSM customers have to get new phones or all the CDMA customers? And what would happen to the T-Mobile plans?

However why this could get regulatory approval while AT&T failed to get it is that T-Mobile+Sprint would be about the same size as Verizon and AT&T whereas AT&T+T-Mobile would've been way too large compared to the others.

I don't think it would pass regulatory approval at this point. If T-Mobile was still struggling like they were a year ago then I think it would go through. They'll get another breakup fee like they got from AT&T.

If it did go through, I think Sprint would find a way to bungle up the integration of their networks and that would make it worse for everyone. Sprint already has the spectrum to compete with the Big 2, they just need to get it done sometime this decade. T-Mobile is gaining customers now, but they will have bigger problems unless they purchase more rural low band spectrum from other carriers soon.

 

[eyoungren]

Just a couple of comments. It's my understanding that this would be a buyout. In other words, there's no merger. It's Softbank using Sprint to takeover T-Mobile and it would be Sprint when all is said and done - should it be allowed to happen.

Second, this is Masayoshi Son. Sprint never would have even considered this if Softbank did not own them. This is what Son wants and since Son owns 80% of Softbank he's making Dan Hesse do stuff he ordinarily would not.

Ultimately, this is going to benefit Son and Softbank (which is the whole point). Sprint is just a tool to get where Son wants Softbank to be. If Son has to break a few parts to get there or bend some he will.

 

[2298754]

IDK. They like to say, "Just look at the sponsor maps" and you'll see what's going on. But the reality is that places like PHX where I am are third round markets that are BEHIND fourth round markets in completion! We're only at 16% LTE done for godssake and that's that they have supposedly been working on this for a year. And you cannot give me any winter excuses because this is PHOENIX, ARIZONA! Our high today was 72º!

It's the birds! They're getting in the way of equipment upgrades!

Speaking of upgrades, since the EVDO upgrades are far along in your market, have you noticed any improvements? Is it finally usable?

 

[eyoungren]

It's the birds! They're getting in the way of equipment upgrades!

Speaking of upgrades, since the EVDO upgrades are far along in your market, have you noticed any improvements? Is it finally usable?

It depends. If I'm in an area that has decent LTE the 3G will be useable. But most of the 3G areas haven't been LTE upgraded so the 3G is still crap!

There are very few areas that have the NV 3G and not LTE. So, it's a catch-22.

However, work IS one area where both has occured, but because LTE is so weak there I am often on the 3G. THAT 3G there at work has been better. I'm at least above 1mbps (if barely) and I'm able to do the things I normally do. So, yes, it's improved there.

The one irritating thing is that because it's all in "testing" right now, you can be connected to LTE and have no data. They recently turned LTE on at the tower closest to work. So, I had one day last week where I could make NO calls because while LTE data was working, voice was not.

Thankfully, that seems to be less of a problem than anything else.

 

[2298754]

Since Chicago is basically the only city with NV complete, I just checked Rootmetrics.

http://www.rootmetrics.com/compare-carriers/united-states/chicago/chicago-il-october-2013/

Where's that VZW-killer we were promised S4GRU?

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Atlanta is the 2nd market that is almost done.

http://www.rootmetrics.com/compare-carriers/united-states/atlanta/atlanta-ga-september-2013/

 

[jamezr]

WOW in my area T-Mobile is awesome!

http://www.rootmetrics.com/compare-carriers/united-states/phoenix/phoenix-az-october-2013/

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[2298754]

^ ouch.

eyoungren is from PHX.

 

[eyoungren]

^ ouch.

eyoungren is from PHX.

Yeah…<sigh>

Last night was my first real moment of rage with Sprint (over this particular issue). Went to Starbucks and put my stuff down. Loaded up the Mail app to show the baristas a Starbucks email for half off drinks. I noticed I had LTE. In Starbucks finally, great!

Email failed to load. So, I switched LTE off and stepped down to 3G. Email failed to load. So I went to WiFi. Had to sign in at Starbucks page to finally get WiFi going and somewhere in there the email loaded off 3G!

Had I been in line I'd have had people looking at me like "what the f* is the holdup?!"

I just expected my device to work on the network I pay money to. It didn't. I wasn't happy.

 

[2298754]

The Marketing Dept at Sprint has shown, yet again, that they have no idea what they're doing

http://www.phonedog.com/2013/12/31/...-boost-and-virgin-mobile-revive-nextel-brand/

One of the biggest rumors floating around the wireless world recently is that SoftBank and Sprint may try to acquire T-Mobile in 2014. Apparently that's not the only big change that Sprint's got up its sleeve for next year, though, as a new report claims that Hesse and Co. have some major branding moves planned for 2014 as well.

According to sources speaking to TechCrunch, Sprint is planning to combine Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile into a single service known as "Sprint Freedom." Details on the change are light, but it's said that Sprint intends to go through with the rebranding effort sometime in the first quarter of 2014. Both Boost and Virgin are prepaid brands that run on Sprint's 3G and 4G networks.

In addition to the merger of Boost and Virgin, Sprint is reportedly considering reviving the Nextel brand that it dropped earlier this year. The new Nextel is expected to replace Clear and target business customers with "premium" plans and devices, including two hotspots and three tablets that will be able to access the Sprint Spark tri-band 4G LTE service. On the rate plan side of things, it's said that Nextel will offer unlimited data for hotspots with prices tiered by speed as well as new group plans.

Overall it sounds like Sprint's got some pretty ambitious plans for early next year. The news that Boost and Virgin may be combined into one unit is a big deal because of the differences in the offerings of the two services, and it'll be interesting to see how Sprint handles combining these two brands and their different plans. We'll also have to watch what happens with Sprint As You Go, the prepaid service that the Now Network launched back at the start of 2013. Meanwhile, the revival of the Nextel brand is major news as well, but it could be a good way for Sprint to attract business customers, which is a group that was a big focus for Nextel back in its heyday.

What do you make of today's rumors? Do you think it'd be wise for Sprint to combine Boost and Virgin into one unit and bring back its Nextel brand?

 

[DcGamer05]

Yeah…<sigh>

Last night was my first real moment of rage with Sprint (over this particular issue). Went to Starbucks and put my stuff down. Loaded up the Mail app to show the baristas a Starbucks email for half off drinks. I noticed I had LTE. In Starbucks finally, great!

Email failed to load. So, I switched LTE off and stepped down to 3G. Email failed to load. So I went to WiFi. Had to sign in at Starbucks page to finally get WiFi going and somewhere in there the email loaded off 3G!

Had I been in line I'd have had people looking at me like "what the f* is the holdup?!"

I just expected my device to work on the network I pay money to. It didn't. I wasn't happy.

You finally felt the rage I felt while doing the same thing except mine never loaded and kept going to 1x Extended. Sprint has told me LTE would be here by December in October just before I ported. It's now January and my friend with sprint still has no LTE anywhere in the city of Danbury. If you leave to the next rural town they gave one lone LTE tower.
Having LTE wouldn't be an issue if 3G performed normally but it doesn't sprint has a lot to work on and I think spend too much of there money on advertising and talking about what they're going to do but never execute

 

[iPhonemaster5S]

Sprint is quite awful in my area. Glad I have ATT and T-Mobile, this is for Denver by the way.

 

[CrimsonKnight]

Sprint is pathetic

Speaking of sprint in Denver. Not bad for a 5x5 LTE tower. It's band 41 that should be exciting to see deployed.

Much of Denver in fact has been upgraded, though the towers have not been lit up. Back haul is nearly complete however. Later in January Denver should be seeing a huge speed gain when spark goes live.

 

[2298754]

Image

Speaking of sprint in Denver. Not bad for a 5x5 LTE tower. It's band 41 that should be exciting to see deployed.

Much of Denver in fact has been upgraded, though the towers have not been lit up. Back haul is nearly complete however. Later in January Denver should be seeing a huge speed gain when spark goes live.

That's LTE?

lol

 

[CrimsonKnight]

That's LTE?

lol

Sure is. Keep in mind, Denver is not officially launched, and 90% of the towers in the metro area are not live with 4G or any NV upgrades. For a 5X5 LTE Tower, 20 Mbps DL is about on par, so 11 down.. is not too bad for not yet being live. Sprint will have the advantage once band 41 is deployed, Higher capacity and spectrum than it's competitors.