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Carrier Sprint is pathetic
- Thread starter Squilly
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Haha I saw that the other day. They really did make Sprint look like an embarrassment of a carrier. Especially when they showed the network speed bars comparisons.
I know for a fact that T-Mobile and AT&T EDGE is faster than Sprint's EV-DO in many markets. Not too mention its GSM. I don't know why anyone would consider Sprint, especially since they're CDMA.
Sprint and AT&T are loosing the most customers to T-Mobile. At the rate T-Mobile is going, they will be the #3 carrier very soon. Sprint needs to go, or T-Mobile needs to buy them out.
While you may have gotten lucky with 'usable' data in your area, that is not the case around 95% of the country with Sprint. Their LTE is extremely spotty, and when its not available, you will only have access to a dial up network. While T-Mobile's HSPA network is spotty in some areas, its very fast, and can offer speeds up to 42mbps.
Sprint will cease to exist in the coming years. Mark my words!
I agree that T-Mobile/AT&T EDGE is comparable to Sprint's EV-DO in many locations but EV-DO still has a higher theoretical possible speed.
While Sprint is losing tons of customers to T-Mobile right now, I don't think they will be exiting the market anytime soon. They may slide to 4th in the coming years but they'll still be around since Softbank purchased them. They have the spectrum, they have the vision. Their main problem is that they take forever to get things done. NV has become a running joke and all I seem to hear is delay.
I do feel that they are the current worst major US carrier and they even admitted as such recently. I really hope they get their act together so that they can help put more pressure on the Big 2 but I don't have high expectations. At least not in the near-future.
Been poking around s4gru.com lately ('cause that's what I do) and the admin there has admitted no less than twice that if T-Mobile actually acts and uses that pile of cash they are sitting on to upgrade T-Mobile in rural areas, in a short while they could bury Sprint.
The issue is that Legere seems to have no interest in modernizing the T-Mobile network outside of urban areas.
Another user there mentioned that on the face of it, it seems that T-Mobile is burning a lot of cash to pay off ETFs. But in the long run, if you get people out of subsidized phones soon there are no more ETFs and all those customers are on YOUR network.
As Matt suggested, T-Mobile could end up buying Sprint. We'll see.
In any case I think realization or at least some sort of recognition of how bad things are is starting to set in with the Sprint apologists. Things are starting to get a little shrill over there at s4gru.com. Oh sure, Sprint's is in a good spot, but as has been mentioned, execution has been poor.
The issue is that Legere seems to have no interest in modernizing the T-Mobile network outside of urban areas.
Another user there mentioned that on the face of it, it seems that T-Mobile is burning a lot of cash to pay off ETFs. But in the long run, if you get people out of subsidized phones soon there are no more ETFs and all those customers are on YOUR network.
As Matt suggested, T-Mobile could end up buying Sprint. We'll see.
In any case I think realization or at least some sort of recognition of how bad things are is starting to set in with the Sprint apologists. Things are starting to get a little shrill over there at s4gru.com. Oh sure, Sprint's is in a good spot, but as has been mentioned, execution has been poor.
I just switched from Sprint to T-mobile and its funny how, even though I live in KC, I have more solid coverage than I did with Sprint. With Sprint, if I lost LTE, I fell back to 3G, which was fine as long as I was in the city. If I venture out to the suburbs or inside a building, I couldn't even use my data with 3G. With T-mobile, If I lose LTE I would fall back on 4G, and that was rare for me to fall back to 4G, even in building. I even have 4G where I go to college (which seriously surprised me, because it's a small town). So overall I don't regret the switch to t-mobile.
I really did try to give Sprint time, but time is money, and my contract had a month left. Eventually have to go with a company where I feel like my money is being used (also, can't pass up that Jump deal). T-mobile two years ago in KC was awful, they've really turn things around and my signal, and data have been perfect. Props to them.
I really did try to give Sprint time, but time is money, and my contract had a month left. Eventually have to go with a company where I feel like my money is being used (also, can't pass up that Jump deal). T-mobile two years ago in KC was awful, they've really turn things around and my signal, and data have been perfect. Props to them.
For once we agree on something with Sprint? :O If T-Mobile doesn't buy them, someone else will, or softbank will sell who knows.
Legere does have every intention to cover rural areas. He said they are aware of the coverage gaps and EDGE nonetheless, but they need lower band spectrum to accomplish that, which they will. If AT&T and Verizon didn't have 700/850 mhz of spectrum they would NOT have rural areas covered so well. AWS requires a lot of cell sites. Thats why in cities T-Mobile kicks ass. They have the capacity. 700mhz is nice for distance but gets congested quickly.
I believe in the next few years T-Mobile will have a very powerful network with a good signal. I hope they become number 1, as long as Legere is CEO. This man is brilliant and I wish they would have had him from the beginning.
The day they get usable service by me, I will gladly write AT&T one of those funny letters.
There's a news article recently about speed tests done in KC. Sprint ranked 4th among the four carriers. Which is funny, but sad because Sprint can't even perform in it's own headquarters city!
Well, if T-Mobile gets moving, especially like they did this year to cover rural and fill in coverage gaps AND they keep raking in new subs I can see this happening.
The only issue they have (assuming they get going) is dealing with Masayoshi Son. It appears to me that Dan Hesse and his team have been put on notice. Perform or there's hell to pay. Sure, Son could sell, but I doubt that's going to happen.
I think what's more likely is that Softbank (not Sprint) buys T-Mobile and merges it with Sprint (if Sprint is underperforming) and keeps the T-Mobile name. Sprint dies.
Of course I don't know much about the situation, but that's just my summation.
My issues with Sprint aren't so much the culture and the coverage problems as it is their habitual practice of not delivering. If they were able to deliver then a lot of these problems would go away. But they never seem to get there.
And it's that fact that the Sprint apologists never seem to grasp!
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This is a man who threatened to set himself on fire in a Japanese government office because they would not issue him certain cellular frequency licenses. And he meant it.
He's serious and Dan Hesse and his team would be well advised to figure that out.
As a former AT&T (& T-Mobile) customer, I can assure you that EDGE is slower than EVDO. The two can definitely be comparable at times, but EVDO is the superior technology.
And the CDMA/GSM thing is kind of irrelevant, it's all about LTE now.
Okay.
I didn't get "lucky", my market is far behind many other Sprint markets in the LTE rollout. LTE is very spotty, but the speeds aren't "crap".
Alright.
Used to be.
I used to work at a reseller for Verizon and I didn't just tell people AT&T was cheaper, I showed them.
I pulled the plans up on the computer in front of the customer and showed them at Verizon was cheaper. I let them see it for themselves.
AT&T used to be cheaper than Verizon, but that changed.
Don't know about that. For example, 2 smart phones with a 1GB shared plan on AT&T is $45 + $40 + 40 = $125 before taxes. Verizon is $50 + $40 + $40 = $130 before taxes. Verizon breaks even with AT&T at the 4GB plan. But even so, Verizon charges $30 for a dumb phone while AT&T charges $20. And, if you bring your own smart phone or finish your smartphone contract, you pay $25 for the line instead of $40 on AT&T.
Sprint is pathetic
Just went to a T-Mobile store (Thornton) and did a speed test on a tmobile iPhone 5s , and got between 4 Mbps and 10 Mbps down here in the north metro area of Thornton. I was getting an average of 5 to 6 Mbps on the only two towers of LTE in the area from Sprint on my 5s . While T-Mobile may claim they have the fastest speeds, and in some areas they might, that is not the case for all areas. I can only imagine what it would be like in rural areas.
While location is everything, and results may vary, my location was not very impressive, I will stick with sprint and wait it out.
From what I have seen with LTE in my area from Sprint, not too bad on par with T-Mobile's extensive buildout of LTE.
The saying goes, the grass is not always greener on the other side, and today just proved it for me.
Just went to a T-Mobile store (Thornton) and did a speed test on a tmobile iPhone 5s , and got between 4 Mbps and 10 Mbps down here in the north metro area of Thornton. I was getting an average of 5 to 6 Mbps on the only two towers of LTE in the area from Sprint on my 5s . While T-Mobile may claim they have the fastest speeds, and in some areas they might, that is not the case for all areas. I can only imagine what it would be like in rural areas.
While location is everything, and results may vary, my location was not very impressive, I will stick with sprint and wait it out.
From what I have seen with LTE in my area from Sprint, not too bad on par with T-Mobile's extensive buildout of LTE.
The saying goes, the grass is not always greener on the other side, and today just proved it for me.
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Sprint is pathetic
And you're right, This is how I see it. Softbank did not purchase sprint to be in last place, and have a horrible service, Nand be a joke. Sprint looks bad right now, and they know it.
They claim 2014 will be the year they turn around, and users will be able to take advantage and notice of the new network build. As much money as Softbank is pumping into sprint, I believe this. If by the time my contract is up with Sprint, and they do not have their act together, I will leave, but I will give them an opportunity this year to see where they're at with network vision. Sprint says you should expect between 3 to 8 Mbps on LTE 5 x 5. For a mobile device that is fine, streaming music, watching movies, you will not have an issue and that is all you need. For Sprint spark, space 50 to 60 Mbps on a saturated market is pretty stunning. That will be where Sprint has the advantage.
T-Mobile claims now about theoretical speeds up to 167mbps. that is a laughing joke, since it is only theoretical, and with a market that is saturated, they will not achieve anything close to this.
Are there plenty of mobile markets that are seeing speeds anywhere between 30 to 60 Mbps and more? Of course, but only for now. Just wait for the market to become saturated, and you will not see the speeds anymore. I give it a year or so, and people might change that you and about T-Mobile. They do not have the spectrum nor the capacity that Sprint has.
With the 600 MHz spectrum auction coming within 2015, Sprint is looking to take part in that auction and use it for FDD LTE making sprint a quad band LTE Carrier.
Here's the deal though, execution. Sprint has failed at execution in the past, but we have to realize this is not the same company, with Softbank in control things are looking bright for sprint.
And you're right, This is how I see it. Softbank did not purchase sprint to be in last place, and have a horrible service, Nand be a joke. Sprint looks bad right now, and they know it.
They claim 2014 will be the year they turn around, and users will be able to take advantage and notice of the new network build. As much money as Softbank is pumping into sprint, I believe this. If by the time my contract is up with Sprint, and they do not have their act together, I will leave, but I will give them an opportunity this year to see where they're at with network vision. Sprint says you should expect between 3 to 8 Mbps on LTE 5 x 5. For a mobile device that is fine, streaming music, watching movies, you will not have an issue and that is all you need. For Sprint spark, space 50 to 60 Mbps on a saturated market is pretty stunning. That will be where Sprint has the advantage.
T-Mobile claims now about theoretical speeds up to 167mbps. that is a laughing joke, since it is only theoretical, and with a market that is saturated, they will not achieve anything close to this.
Are there plenty of mobile markets that are seeing speeds anywhere between 30 to 60 Mbps and more? Of course, but only for now. Just wait for the market to become saturated, and you will not see the speeds anymore. I give it a year or so, and people might change that you and about T-Mobile. They do not have the spectrum nor the capacity that Sprint has.
With the 600 MHz spectrum auction coming within 2015, Sprint is looking to take part in that auction and use it for FDD LTE making sprint a quad band LTE Carrier.
Here's the deal though, execution. Sprint has failed at execution in the past, but we have to realize this is not the same company, with Softbank in control things are looking bright for sprint.
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... GB?
That's insane.
I think you mean Mb
Haha totally blonde moments!! Wow! Will edit. Haha that would be insane. Lol
This is what I hope is going to happen. Someone at s4gru.com mentioned that they believe there is a bunker mentality at Sprint. Management has for so long focused on survival that once relief showed up they either don't know what to do or are unable to shift gears.
Dan Hesse managed to keep Sprint afloat. And his contract has been signed until 2018. But somehow I don't see him fitting into all of this. He seems to live in a bubble where issues that severely impact his customers are just minor inconveniences to him.
He's like one of those out-of-touch politicians that make such insensitive and unthinking comments that end their careers. Being aware that you have "issues" is not the same as actually recognizing and feeling the effects of those issues.
Consequently, his response and thus the response from corporate seems to be a Nero playing the violin while Rome is burning kind of thing.
Son's arrived with the fire brigade and Dan Hesse wants to know what the next musical arrangement is. Honestly, I don't see him lasting much longer. Son's a take charge and get it done kind of person and Sprint has always been a "we'll make plans and talk about it, but never do it" kind of company. And that comes down from corporate.
NV being one exception, but that only happened because it was either get it done or fold as a business. And of course we now see how this type of company "gets it done," or not really.
Sprint is pathetic
I do believe Dan Hesse is the right man for Sprint right now. He is the one that introduced the simple plans and unlimited data, before Sprint network became burdened.
Gary Forsee anyone?
When Dan took over the company, the company was about 3 or so months from bankruptcy and going under. You are right, he has handled the company in crisis mode for so long, but I given credit for that because there was no alternative after what was handed to him after the horrible merger with Nextel.
I think Dan is the man for right now, and so does son. That could change, but we will have to see. In the end we need results, not just promises.
I do believe Dan Hesse is the right man for Sprint right now. He is the one that introduced the simple plans and unlimited data, before Sprint network became burdened.
Gary Forsee anyone?
When Dan took over the company, the company was about 3 or so months from bankruptcy and going under. You are right, he has handled the company in crisis mode for so long, but I given credit for that because there was no alternative after what was handed to him after the horrible merger with Nextel.
I think Dan is the man for right now, and so does son. That could change, but we will have to see. In the end we need results, not just promises.
You may be right. But Dan is also the one who allowed Nextel to remain around for so long. I think it would have been better just to dump it, take the hit and move on. But no, Sprint had several quarters of bleeding until they finally shut it down.
Premium Data Fee. Advertised as the Evo 4G fee for 4G. Even promotional materials mentioned it was a 4G fee. To this day Sprint CSRs will deny, deny and deny that it was ever a 4G fee. Roll the fee onto everyone in late 2010. And no one at Sprint can or will answer the simple question of where your $10 goes. Certainly it didn't go into improving the network!
Sprint Premier. Gone. Sprint cancelling contracts because customers dared to call in and complain. Sprint defined it as excessive customers gaming the system for credits but what do you do when you can't make a call?
I'm not counting WiMax because Sprint could not control Clearwire, but the above are examples of Hesse's leadership. Heck, they even cut off the partnership with one of the satellite networks for home internet! Deal with Cox Communications? About six months long.
My point is that this is the kind of thing I've come to expect with Dan Hesse in charge. Yeah, we got the F&F and ED plans, but there's a whole bunch of other stuff. I don't buy that any of these new plans came from Sprint. I think they were prompted by Softbank. But that's just my opinion.
And then his touting of customer service. Come one. Just go to the BAW forums and you'll see how bogus those customer service awards are. Hesse himself has said that customer service has gone downhill because of the bad execution of NV. I'd argue that any changes that had been made were articial and time limited to begin with. If you are a Sprint customer for any length of time you know to get it in writing or in person and that at some point you will be lied to or have something screwed up on your account.
I used to defend Dan Hesse, but you can only defend so much. I think he's trying and he did succeed in moving the company away from the brink. I'm just not sure I agree with you on him being right going forward.
But as you said, we'll see.