Sprint Cell Phone Service Phoenix, AZ

[Camslam]

If anyone is CURRENTLY with Sprint for their cell service in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area of Arizona, could you please tell me how your cell service is?

I'm looking at moving to the HTC EVO in June when my contract is up with Verizon, but I'm pretty worried about the quality of Sprint's service. Most comments I have heard about Sprint have been either average or negative. On the contrary, my time with Verizon has really been stellar, few if any dropped calls, coverage EVERYWHERE it seems, and pretty decent customer service.

Even though Sprints plans are $30 to $40 cheaper than Verizon, it won't matter if the service stinks and I can't make/receive calls or get on broadband. Just trying to weigh my options as the Incredible will be out as well, and may have to go with that one instead.

Thanks in advance.

 

[dylan88]

Sprint - Nationwide Coverage

 

[neodorian]

Voice (Dark green is excellent, lighter green is good):

Data (orange is mobile broadband network i.e. 3G):

No 4G Wimax yet and I haven't heard any plans to put it there just yet. Probably on their list of "within the next couple of years".

 

[Eguy]

The signal and 3G are good in Phoenix. Once you get out of the valley, you will lose the 3G, but voice is good all over AZ from what I have seen.

 

[mcapozzi]

Up here (Upstate NY) Verizon provides roaming service for Sprint. There are very few Verizon dead zones (Adirondack mountains, and valleys near Ithaca), so I've always been able to get some sort of data signal.

-Mike

 

[Camslam]

Covert, Dylan, and Neodorian, thanks for the attempts.

This probably would have been better in the Sprint forum, I just didn't realize there was one. DUH! (sorry about that)

I have looked at the coverage maps, but just because Sprint says its there, it doesn't mean there is actually good coverage or service.

That is why I was curious for what people on Sprint in Arizona, particularly Phoenix area have experienced.

I have searched all over the net to get this question answered, and so far, I have found only a few comments that are even within a years relevance.

Thanks again, and hopefully I'll get some more info on it.

 

[Eguy]

I have never had any problems in Phoenix. AZ is pretty spread out so there is less interference versus a city like New York or Chicago. A lot of places in Arizona only have 1X (Not even EVDO), so don't expect WiMax in the smaller cities for a long time .

 

[Jadien]

The signal and 3G are good in [the valley]. Once you get out of the valley, you will lose the 3G, but voice is good all over AZ from what I have seen.

+1

I've been with Sprint since right around the Nextel merger and I have had maybe 1 or 2 dropped calls. Before that I had ATT and I had to go outside to make calls.

If you're in Scottsdale, you'll definitely see nothing but full bars all day.

 

[Eguy]

+1

I've been with Sprint since right around the Nextel merger and I have had maybe 1 or 2 dropped calls. Before that I had ATT and I had to go outside to make calls.

If you're in Scottsdale, you'll definitely see nothing but full bars all day.

I'm very jealous of the coverage Arizona has compared to Los Angeles. In LA, the bars fluctuate faster than you can imagine. AT&T is just crap everywhere .

 

[dylan88]

i went to phoenix on vacation once. i dont remember being in roaming. i think it was pretty good there (thats how i remember it)

 

[phat78boy]

I do business all over the Phoenix metro area as well as the state. In the Phoenix and Tucson areas, I have never really had any problems with voice. Of course you get spots in large buildings or on the wrong side of some mountains, but it is very few and far between.

The rest of the state is also very good IMHO. My only trouble spots, are again, mountains. I can't complain, as every carrier is about the same in that regard. I don't think you will have any problems with Sprint's coverage.

Besides, if you get an everything plan, you can roam on Verizon's network for no charge.

 

[djkleric]

I go to the Pheonix area at least a couple times a year and I have never had any problems with Sprints coverage there.

 

[desert dogs]

I live in Mesa, work in Tempe, and have to travel the valley from Goodyear to Deer Valley to Scottsdale and have little trouble with voice calls or the data service. (I currently have the Hero) As a previous poster said, I have lost voice signal a few times, but that is usually because I am in a concrete building. I also travel quite a bit out of state and have never had an issue getting a signal or losing calls. Now that the everything plans include all mobile to mobile calling, no matter the carrier, at no charge, it is hard to beat.

I have been with Sprint, and Nextel before that, for the past 10 years and I have not had any issues with customer service. If you decide to switch from Verizon, I am confident that you would be very satisfied, especially with the plan savings.

 

[Camslam]

Thanks to everyone that has posted on this thread. I'm feeling pretty good about moving to Sprint over Verizon in June when the EVO launches.

Kind of seems a no-brainer if the service is good here in the Valley of the Sun.

Sprint $69.99 for unlimited data, texts, and calls to any mobile number, 450 minutes to land lines.

Verizon $69.99 for unlimited talk, another $20 for unlimited texts, another $30 for unlimited data, plus the equivalent increase on the overall taxes.

I would say the EVO and at least $50 cheaper per month, makes pretty good sense.

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed it gets here sometime early in June.

Thanks again all those that helped a brother out.

 

[PacoSuave]

Don't forget to get in on the new SERO aka Everything Plus Referral Program!

Sprint | Everything Plus(SM) Referral Program

Use google to find an email address and CID

It will save you $10 per month and maybe some other perks.

 

[rhotondm]

I vacationed in Scottsdale for a week back in March and I had my Sprint Hero with me. It did good. I had no issues in the main areas. I did a ride along with Scottsdale PD while out there and drove all over the city and had service all the time. Only time I noticed it going to roam was when we ventured into the mountains or a good way off the main roads. I used the Sprint Navigation quite a bit also and only lost service for about 20 seconds on the way up to Sedona. But overall it was good.

 

[Camslam]

For what it's worth, I spoke with a Sprint salesman today and he said there is great coverage/service throughout the area and they have been told to expect 4G in the Phoenix market by October/November of 2010.

I told him it hadn't been announced by Sprint, but he was emphatic that 4G was coming before the end of the year.

Who knows, I guess we can hope.