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jharvey71884

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 3, 2011
299
27
So we are getting off the Verizon network and switching to Sprint, because my company gets a 23% discount.

My wife is currently using the iPhone 4 and I'm on the 4s.

Sprint is running a promo, port a number to them and get a $100 off a phone.

So the iPhone 4s is free while the 5 is just $99...

I'm thinking I'm going to get the 5, don't know if I want to be locked into a deal on a 4s until 2015 summer.

My wife wants to take advantage of the free 4s, saying it's only a $100, but it doesn't grow on trees.

I'm thinking that she is maybe crazy. A iPhone 5 for just $99...you can't beat that can you? Even if the 4s is free.
 

boobie12

macrumors 6502
Sep 20, 2012
435
8
Make her get the 5, will get more updates and will last longer. But make sure to check sprint service in your area. Because I had sprint but switched for verion and never looked back. There false promises of network revision, and horrible speeds were to much to take. Verizon may cost more but I feel it's worth it. But then again sprint may be much better where you live. So make sure to check that.
 

osofast240sx

macrumors 68030
Mar 25, 2011
2,531
5
So we are getting off the Verizon network and switching to Sprint, because my company gets a 23% discount.

My wife is currently using the iPhone 4 and I'm on the 4s.

Sprint is running a promo, port a number to them and get a $100 off a phone.

So the iPhone 4s is free while the 5 is just $99...

I'm thinking I'm going to get the 5, don't know if I want to be locked into a deal on a 4s until 2015 summer.

My wife wants to take advantage of the free 4s, saying it's only a $100, but it doesn't grow on trees.

I'm thinking that she is maybe crazy. A iPhone 5 for just $99...you can't beat that can you? Even if the 4s is free.
Sprint can give a iPhone 5 for free and $30 a month service, I would still say no thank you! That's how bad their service is.
 

jharvey71884

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 3, 2011
299
27
you guys are scraing me... :(

But I think I will be okay. No 4G yet. The rep at the store says by the end of the year, I'm not buying it. But we mostly use WIFI anyway.

But the new house we just bought is less than a mile away from a tower, so I'm hoping that greatly helps our chances for good service at home.
 

hexonxonx

macrumors 601
Jul 4, 2007
4,610
1
Denver Colorado
There is a reason Sprint is doing this and that is because they are still losing thousands of customers per year to the other big three carriers.

I'm sure they have had thousands port their numbers FROM Sprint to T-mobile over the past month.
 

jharvey71884

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 3, 2011
299
27
How much will you be paying a month?

For their family plan with unlimited data, I will be paying about $144 after taxes and everything.

In addition, another reason why I'm wanting to switch is because of ESPN on Sprint TV...

Wanting to get rid of cable and save some major green and just go the HULU/Amazon route.

Does anyone have the Sprint TV experience they could tell me about and let me know if they thought it was nice?
 

ogremoustro

macrumors 6502a
Aug 17, 2011
631
30
Los Angeles, CA
When you switched, what was causing you the most problems? Dropped call? The lack of 4G...

What was so bad about them?

Dropped calls, lack of 4G, lack of 3G, poor 3G speeds, and bad customer service. Keep in mind that if you cancel your contract with them or complete your contract and want to switch carriers they wont unlock your phone. I'm stuck with a Sprint 4S which needs a GPP so I can use it on T-Mobile. T-Mobile is far better IMO but I cannot receive the carrier update b/c my phone is still locked with Sprint.
 

jharvey71884

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 3, 2011
299
27
Dropped calls, lack of 4G, lack of 3G, poor 3G speeds, and bad customer service. Keep in mind that if you cancel your contract with them or complete your contract and want to switch carriers they wont unlock your phone. I'm stuck with a Sprint 4S which needs a GPP so I can use it on T-Mobile. T-Mobile is far better IMO but I cannot receive the carrier update b/c my phone is still locked with Sprint.

When you were with them, did you ever use Sprintt tv
 

hexonxonx

macrumors 601
Jul 4, 2007
4,610
1
Denver Colorado
I had two Sprint accounts, one for a Treo 650 Back in 2007 and the other for a Broadband card with unlimited 3G.

I ported my # from Sprint to go to AT&T for the first iPhone. I later cancelled the other account with the broadband card because I could then tether my iPhone 3Gs and the $69 I was paying could easily pay my AT&T bill each month.
 

CEmajr

macrumors 601
Dec 18, 2012
4,435
1,193
Charlotte, NC
I hope you're in a sprint LTE area otherwise you will be very disappointed coming from Verizon. Their 3G is almost unusable.

If you're trying to save money I would recommend Tmobile over Sprint. You still get fast and unlimited data in most cities.
 

ross1998

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2013
961
201
I would go to tmobile if you want to switch. They got iPhone 5 for 149. Batter service in city's then sprint. They have unlimited 4g data. And they are cheap. Plus you mentioned sprint doesn't have 4g in your area that means you will get .5 Mbps speeds. On tmobile you will get average 12 Mbps on hspa+ and averAge 30 Mbps on LTE which is expanding very fast. If money isn't a problem I would stay with Verizon but of you want to switch to save money go tmobile
 

dewthedru

macrumors regular
Nov 22, 2010
178
2
My wife has the 4S on Sprint. There are no words to describe how slow and infuriating their 3G service is. If you’re happy with .1 to maybe .5 speeds, go for it. Otherwise, don’t do it!

BTW, we lived in Chicago and now in Indianapolis so it’s not like we were in small markets that didn’t have sufficient coverage yet.
 

jharvey71884

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 3, 2011
299
27
Tmobile isn't an option. No coverage in my area.

What type of 3G speeds on average? To the point it's not useable?

----------

Thanks for posting speeds. Didn't know they were that bad.
 

peglegjack

macrumors 6502
Jul 30, 2011
436
252
Brooklyn, NY
Not sure about the rest of the country but Sprint 3G has really picked up in NYC. Just got 1.43 Mbps in the East Village.

If you travel a lot than yeah, that may be an issue. Me personally, I'm leaning toward re-upping with Sprint when the 5S comes out only because 4G LTE will be fairly entrenched here at that point, and I have an unlimited plan.
 

osofast240sx

macrumors 68030
Mar 25, 2011
2,531
5
Not sure about the rest of the country but Sprint 3G has really picked up in NYC. Just got 1.43 Mbps in the East Village.

If you travel a lot than yeah, that may be an issue. Me personally, I'm leaning toward re-upping with Sprint when the 5S comes out only because 4G LTE will be fairly entrenched here at that point, and I have an unlimited plan.
Sprint has 3G LTE not 4G LTE And no hd voice or VoLTE. 1.43 Mbs is horrific.
 

dewthedru

macrumors regular
Nov 22, 2010
178
2
lol'ing at the statement that seeing 1.43 means it's really picked up. :D

that right there says all you need to know about the iphone on sprint's network.
 

osofast240sx

macrumors 68030
Mar 25, 2011
2,531
5
For their family plan with unlimited data, I will be paying about $144 after taxes and everything.

In addition, another reason why I'm wanting to switch is because of ESPN on Sprint TV...

Wanting to get rid of cable and save some major green and just go the HULU/Amazon route.

Does anyone have the Sprint TV experience they could tell me about and let me know if they thought it was nice?
cable tv is soon going to be "so last year". I would not worry too much about Sprint TV. ABC plans to stream live to your smart phones and tablets, I'm sure lots of networks will follow. I would not recommend being caught up in a 2 year contract while all this plays out.
 

keitarou

macrumors 6502
Dec 7, 2012
254
0
Sprint has 3G LTE not 4G LTE And no hd voice or VoLTE. 1.43 Mbs is horrific.

No one has VoLTE. Tell me one US carrier that has it. And Sprints network vision has 4G LTE. I know you were being sarcastic but let's not confuse anyone with misinformation. For CDMA 3G speeds, 1.43Mbs is excellent. Not different from Verizon 3G speeds. Not that I don't agree with others here who say Sprint sucks but let's give good information.

So we are getting off the Verizon network and switching to Sprint, because my company gets a 23% discount.

My wife is currently using the iPhone 4 and I'm on the 4s.

Sprint is running a promo, port a number to them and get a $100 off a phone.

So the iPhone 4s is free while the 5 is just $99...

I'm thinking I'm going to get the 5, don't know if I want to be locked into a deal on a 4s until 2015 summer.

My wife wants to take advantage of the free 4s, saying it's only a $100, but it doesn't grow on trees.

I'm thinking that she is maybe crazy. A iPhone 5 for just $99...you can't beat that can you? Even if the 4s is free.

Try the service out but I would cancel service if you have any problem in the first 14 days. I am with Sprint now and locked into it but if I can go back and do it again, I would have cancelled and come back later after they finished their tower upgrades. I am in NYC and they have been upgrading for months and it's been difficult to maintain a call and use data. Sure I still am able to use it, but it's a pain to have to keep checking to see if I have service or not. Do yourself and your family a favor and wait to change. The promotion isn't worth it if you will have problems until they finish upgrading your area. And if they haven't started it, then you will hate it later.

Sprint I hear is good in less crowded cities and even their old 3G is great and usable. And from what I hear about you not having T-Mobile as an option, sounds like you are in a smaller city. So You could be fine. Go checkout http://www.s4gru.com for information about network upgrade in your area. They have great info on Sprint network.

I had Verizon and left them because Verizon 3G/4G was useless in my area (Financial District/NYC). If I were to do it again, I would go T-Mobile but now I am stuck and hoping for the towers to be finished upgrading already. Again, try it and see for yourself.
 
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