Carrier Sprint LTE speeds (Boston/Manhattan/LA)

[blairh]

Curious if anybody here uses an iPhone 6/6+ with Sprint in Boston/Manhattan/LA. Curious about your LTE speeds. Also if you are doing the iPhone for life plan what is your monthly bill? I know what they technically charge but I see wording about a monthly sales tax, etc. Lastly would like to know if Sprint will unlock the iPhone if I want to use it with a local SIM next summer in Italy.

 

[eyoungren]

Curious if anybody here uses an iPhone 6/6+ with Sprint in Boston/Manhattan/LA.

No, but I have an iPhone 5 on Sprint's Everything Data 1500 family plan in Phoenix. (you can't get that plan anymore, it's discontinued).

Curious about your LTE speeds.

They are generally crap at home and work. However, there are several places where it's pretty good. Just not many of them where I am at.

Also if you are doing the iPhone for life plan what is your monthly bill? I know what they technically charge but I see wording about a monthly sales tax, etc.

Sorry, can't speak to the iPhone for Life plan (get it with Easy Pay so you can own the device instead of leasing it). But yes, there is tax and fees.

Lastly would like to know if Sprint will unlock the iPhone if I want to use it with a local SIM next summer in Italy.

International unlock requirements:
1. Service with Sprint for a minimum of 90 days.
2. Pay the bill on time each month.

Meet those requirements and Sprint will unlock the device for international use only. Sprint never unlocks for domestic use, although in February of 2015 they will be forced to start doing that for devices manufactured as of that date.

 

[blairh]

No, but I have an iPhone 5 on Sprint's Everything Data 1500 family plan in Phoenix. (you can't get that plan anymore, it's discontinued).

They are generally crap at home and work. However, there are several places where it's pretty good. Just not many of them where I am at.

Sorry, can't speak to the iPhone for Life plan (get it with Easy Pay so you can own the device instead of leasing it). But yes, there is tax and fees.

International unlock requirements:
1. Service with Sprint for a minimum of 90 days.
2. Pay the bill on time each month.

Meet those requirements and Sprint will unlock the device for international use only. Sprint never unlocks for domestic use, although in February of 2015 they will be forced to start doing that for devices manufactured as of that date.

Does their coverage map say you have LTE at home?

I'm curious in iPhone For Life which is a 24 month program. So I can get an unlock early for international use as long as I'm paying my bill monthly?

 

[eyoungren]

The coverage maps are lies. They are written mainly by the marketing department and not the engineering/technical department. That said, the maps are getting better, but they still do not reflect true coverage.

Their map says I am in excellent LTE coverage. However, that is not the case. I have a bunch of towers that are in my immediate areas for work and home that are upgraded and have good speeds on them. But the specific towers that I am on the most at work and at home have NOT been upgraded yet, or at least have not had their backhaul connected.

I would check sensorly.com if you really want to know true coverage. That's crowed sourced by real customers who drove around and mapped their areas. If they had good LTE signal it's there.

As to the unlock, it is my understanding that 90 days of service with the bill paid on time will have them unlock for you upon your request. It's not a big deal for Sprint because it's only unlocking the GSM/international part of the phone. They still have you tied to them domestically.

I have heard reports that they will wave the 90 day requirement if you answer a few questions correctly about your credit report.

Lastly, the policy is ONE phone PER account PER year. However, I have also heard that if you ask nicely they will wave that requirement as well.

 

[Lashae]

I live and LA and i've had Sprint since Oct. 1, my LTE speeds range form 9-13mbps which is more than enough in real time usage for me. Sometimes I get an insane 25mbps or so. Also, there's this one weird corner in my house where I only get 3G.

I'm doing the iPhone for life plan and i'm paying $75ish.

Sorry, I know nothing about unlocking phones.

 

[blairh]

I would check sensorly.com if you really want to know true coverage. That's crowed sourced by real customers who drove around and mapped their areas. If they had good LTE signal it's there.

I just looked at Sensorly on my desktop. Strangely it shows no colors on its coverage map in my immediate area for all 4 major carriers. That makes no sense. I live in a suburb that is well covered by AT&T and Verizon LTE and perhaps even Sprint and TMobile too.

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I live and LA and i've had Sprint since Oct. 1, my LTE speeds range form 9-13mbps which is more than enough in real time usage for me. Sometimes I get an insane 25mbps or so. Also, there's this one weird corner in my house where I only get 3G.

I'm doing the iPhone for life plan and i'm paying $75ish.

Sorry, I know nothing about unlocking phones.

Assuming you get good data coverage, I feel the iPhone For Life plan is a great deal.

 

[*KID*]

Varying speeds in & around Boston... Oct 18 speed was on a plane @ Logan. Sometimes it's good - sometimes just OK. But I'm satisfied. I don't have the iPhone for life plan so I can't answer that.