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Question about 4G in Raleigh NC

My contract with ATT runs out in two months and I am pretty hard set on the Evo. My question here is how is the 4G speed/coverage in the Raleigh/Cary area? I live in Fuquay, but work in Cary and hang out there mostly while going into Raleigh occasionally. I have heard very mixed opinions on 4G...which is why I'm skeptical.

Some people are saying they are getting better speeds with ATT or Verizon 3G than on Sprints 4G. And I've heard that Sprints 3G doesn't even compare to ATT or Verizons 3G. I would have the 4G off most of the time until I want to use it, but I would hate to be stuck with a crippled 3G connection. I have never had Sprint before so that's why I'm cautious about their service. I have had ATT for the past four years and I have been very happy with the service. Verizon sucked ass when I had it but from what I hear apparently it's great now.

I'm new to andriod phones and out of all of them, I really want to get the Evo, mostly because of the large screen, HTC sense, 4G, and it's just sexy. I can deal with the battery life. I would consider the Droid X but it has that awkward bump at the top, it's made by Motorola (every experience I have had with a motorola phone was terrible), and I don't like the user interface at all.

So anyone have opinions on this?
 
I am currently at Harrison Ave. & I-40 in Cary. In our building I get 2.74 download and 0.95 upload on 4G. This is pretty typical for what I have gotten here at work.

I live just outside the beltline in east Raleigh and 4G reception isn't as good there, but speeds are about the same when I get it. I typically use wifi at home, so I haven't tested it there often.
 
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I live in the Morrisville Pkwy/Davis drive area. I just did a test and got 3.42 x .20 Mbps, with no bars showing on the 4G reception meter, but 4G showing (it's connected). At work, on airport blvd, I got about the same thing when I ran a test, showing two bars for 4G reception. I have found it to be a bit hit or miss. I typically don't keep 4G on.

I also just ran the same test (Speakeasy, btw) on 3G and got 1.34 x .30. For day to day, that's fine for me. I have always been very happy with Sprint's service (both here and when I lived in the LA area). I've been watching the World Cup games at work with surprisingly good quality, on 3G.
 
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I live on Glenwood overlooking the Wade interchange. Suddenly started getting 4G in my parking lot last week. Also started getting it at my ex's shop on Wake Forest and Whitaker Mill starting last week too. Still very weak.

Clearly, they are working on expanding it. But honestly, 4G still really more of a Novelty.

HOWEVER....

3G rocks here. So don't stress the 4G part, will just slowly keep getting better.
 
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I'm not in Raleigh, but I am in Chapel Hill. The 4g towers were placed from here to Raleigh and let me tell u that it rocks. I get full bars when it comes to 4g and I get download speeds over 4mps. Closer to 6. It varies in some areas, but if u live near a best buy, they have 4g antenna's on the roof. A guy at wal-mart said they are planning on installing them too and anyone in the vicinity of the store can pick it up also...
 
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I too live near 401/540 and the 4G reception stinks. I know there is a tower off Capital Blvd but I live in a lower area surrounded by trees about 1.5 miles from the tower. 4ginfo shows the supposed coverage area of Raleigh and US 401 in North Raleigh got shafted. I don't understand either. Wake Tech North is in an area with little to zero coverage. I would have thought that 4G would be present there.


Somewhere there is a map that shows where the actual towers are. I gotta locate that.
 
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I too live near 401/540 and the 4G reception stinks. I know there is a tower off Capital Blvd but I live in a lower area surrounded by trees about 1.5 miles from the tower. 4ginfo shows the supposed coverage area of Raleigh and US 401 in North Raleigh got shafted. I don't understand either. Wake Tech North is in an area with little to zero coverage. I would have thought that 4G would be present there.


Somewhere there is a map that shows where the actual towers are. I gotta locate that.

Actually one of the zoom levels in there coverage map shows little circles where the towers are at. Least those little circles you can see match up to the tower locations the rep told me when trouble shooting my area.
I've gotten through enough tech support and priority service line to where they are surveying the area and updating the coverage map and/or adjusting the tower/antennae to hit my location. It's a slow process but it will be work great once its all laid out and fine tuned. better to call and complain to get stuff done or else you'll be on the backburner and last to get fixed/updated.
 
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I am in Raleigh too. I am below Capital and really close to the Knightdale area. There are some areas of Knightdale where you can pick up 4G, but my house is in the little spot where I can't get 4G and I can barely get a signal at all (I have an Airave). I have done some tests on the 4G and they tend to be all over the place. My last results were 1.53Mb down and .95MB up. I have seen around 3-4 Mb down in the Brier Creek area. Usually the upload is better than my Time Warner Cable (.37Mb), but thats a story for another day...
 
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Actually one of the zoom levels in there coverage map shows little circles where the towers are at. Least those little circles you can see match up to the tower locations the rep told me when trouble shooting my area.


Turns out the maps I was referring to are not for our viewing. I was looking at them at work. The guy who manages the Sprint Aircards where I work has access to the Sprint internal use maps. It shows live maps and will show if there is a problem with a tower. Too bad, I was hoping to be able to view them at will...
 
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So would you guys say 4G is worth it? I feel like there would be no point in getting a 4G phone if you have to keep it off most of the time to not kill the battery and when you do have it on you get speeds comparable to say Verizon 3G.
I wouldn't get the phone just for the 4G. Even though I work in a 4G area, I don't even put it on. The 3g speeds are good enough for me.

I just love everything about the phone. Couldn't care less if it had the 4G or not.

Sprint is great in all these parts of NC, minus were I live, but all service providers suck by my house as it is a newer area and I don't think anyone has gotten around to putting up towers near us yet. I get service, just not as strong as everywhere else.

Sprint is definitely the best deal around. While the Moto X looks good on paper, it is still a Motorola and that is enough to keep me away. There are a few things I wish the EVO did better but isn't that with any device?

Sprint also gives you a 30 day test run, so give it a try and return it if you are not happy.....
 
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I wouldn't get the phone just for the 4G. Even though I work in a 4G area, I don't even put it on. The 3g speeds are good enough for me.

I just love everything about the phone. Couldn't care less if it had the 4G or not.

I agree, except for certain instances. 4G is great to have when you are tethered to another device (e.g. Laptop, netbook, etc.).
 
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Lake Boone Traile and Blue Ridge.

My internet is down so using the hotspot on the EVO. speed test was 3.19mps down and .69 up. I only have one bar 4g.

Truth is 3g you will get 1 -1.2mbs pretty consistantly. 4G is really flaky here. It doesn't seem to work most places and if it does you get 1 bar tops. Sprint said they are hoping to have it at 100% in the area by September.
 
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I mean it's not the only reason I want the Evo. That's just one of the big selling points I guess. I think it looks better than the Droid X and I absolutely love HTC sense, not a big fan of Moto's skin.

Sprint gives you a 30 day test run? Is that just for the phone or their service in general (even if you sign a 2 year contract)?
30 day, return everything!

Sprint 30-day Return and Exchange Policy
 
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I live in SW of Cary and work NE of Cary. 4G signals are good in some places and not so good in other places. I've observed that I get sometimes 3 Mbps down. Sometimes 1ish up. I remember excellent 4G signal while dining at Zoe's Kitchen off of Wade in Raleigh and Noodles at Cross Road in Cary.

I got the phone just to have an option to use 4G. It's an added bonus whenever I need bigger bandwidth. For example, I was watching World Cup with 4G while dinning at Noodles in Cary.

Keep in mind, with you tube, it'll auto switch to HD verison if available when using good 4G signal. That's handy!

But you have to like other features on the phone too, not solely for 4G. My other reason is front camera for video chat.
 
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