Disappointed in Sprints speeds in your area?

[pjstar32]

So about a year and a half ago I bought into the whole 4G hype and picked up an EVO 4G. I live in Springfield Missouri, the 3rd largest city in Missouri with almost 160,000 people, and was told 4G is coming "soon". Well, 1 1/2 years later I'm still without 4G service and the 3G service is spotty at best. Republic and Ozark, both towns only a fraction of the size of Springfield have full 4G service and in Springfield the MSU campus area gets 4G but nowhere else. On top of that I'm paying $10/line for an "enriched experience", as Sprint calls it, and I don't feel like my experience is all that enriched. How can you call it an "enriched experience" when every other carrier offers the same experience and in Springfield has faster 4G LTE speeds already? The only thing that's keeping me with Sprint is the unlimited data but I absolutely refuse to spend another dime on a cell phone until they give me the speeds that I feel have been promised but not delivered.

 

[la sal]

I am in a similar situation. Bought the Epic 4G about a year ago with the store saying that 4G would be in my zip code soon. After reading this forum, I now know that we will never get Wimax 4G. If I wasn't locked into a two year contract, I would have left for Verizon already. They've had 4G (LTE) in our zip code since the summer of 2011.

For the first 6 months, Sprint's 3G was basically unusable. The speed tests were downloading in the 0.05mbps range. Playing a 30s youtube video would take forever. Their 3G has improved in the last 6 months to around an average 0.3mbps. The Sprint store said that 0.3mbps is the average speed here.

With Sprint constantly sneaking in extra charges (Sprint surcharges, Insurance increase, Family Plan employeer discount changes, etc.) they had better make good on their promise to upgrade our data coverage in the next six months.

We can't even use the Airrave in our home because it blocks the Epic from sending out text messages. Sprint keeps saying it's a known issue with that device and an issue with the manufacturer of the Airrave. Eight months later, and they still haven't even made any progress resolving the issue.

Most that seem happy with Sprint are the ones that are getting the fast data speeds, 4G, and hogging data like it is going out of style. They are in the minority from what I have seen and read.

 

[Tommydaniel]

Who told you it would be there soon? A sales guy at the local Sprint store? Unless it was in an official press release from Sprint you should know better. The people selling you the phones and service are going to tell you what you want to hear for the most part.

 

[pjstar32]

Who told you it would be there soon? A sales guy at the local Sprint store? Unless it was in an official press release from Sprint you should know better. The people selling you the phones and service are going to tell you what you want to hear for the most part.

That may be true but it doesn't excuse the fact that 1 1/2 years later the 3rd largest city in Missouri still doesn't have 4G yet a few cow-poke towns around here are enjoying full 4G. I'm just tired of being lied to by the cell phone companies. Years ago, before the Android evolution, Verizon promised VCast in Springfield and that never came to fruition and now Sprint it headed down the same path that led me to leave Verizon.

 

[NYCHitman1]

That may be true but it doesn't excuse the fact that 1 1/2 years later the 3rd largest city in Missouri still doesn't have 4G yet a few cow-poke towns around here are enjoying full 4G. I'm just tired of being lied to by the cell phone companies. Years ago, before the Android evolution, Verizon promised VCast in Springfield and that never came to fruition and now Sprint it headed down the same path that led me to leave Verizon.

It's a business. They don't exactly care about your ideas or morals. They want your money, and that's that. As consumers, we should all be doing our due diligence when it comes to purchasing new products or services. You can't blame the mobile provider when you didn't take the time to research for yourself (or so it seems). WiMAX expansion is dead. It has been for quite some time now.

Note to self: Never listen to CSR's.

 

[AlkiDweller]

Ozark. Don't hear that name very often. I have a bunch of relatives buried in the Richwood and McCauley cemeteries right between Ozark and Nixa.

 

[Tommydaniel]

That may be true but it doesn't excuse the fact that 1 1/2 years later the 3rd largest city in Missouri still doesn't have 4G yet a few cow-poke towns around here are enjoying full 4G. I'm just tired of being lied to by the cell phone companies. Years ago, before the Android evolution, Verizon promised VCast in Springfield and that never came to fruition and now Sprint it headed down the same path that led me to leave Verizon.

Instead of looking at is as the 3rd largest city in Missouri you should probably be looking at nationwide, which it ranks 147th. But a lot things go into where and when something should be deployed. It's not like they just throw a dart at a map and say go.

 

[KOLIO]

So about a year and a half ago I bought into the whole 4G hype and picked up an EVO 4G. I live in Springfield Missouri, the 3rd largest city in Missouri with almost 160,000 people, and was told 4G is coming "soon". Well, 1 1/2 years later I'm still without 4G service and the 3G service is spotty at best. Republic and Ozark, both towns only a fraction of the size of Springfield have full 4G service and in Springfield the MSU campus area gets 4G but nowhere else. On top of that I'm paying $10/line for an "enriched experience", as Sprint calls it, and I don't feel like my experience is all that enriched. How can you call it an "enriched experience" when every other carrier offers the same experience and in Springfield has faster 4G LTE speeds already? The only thing that's keeping me with Sprint is the unlimited data but I absolutely refuse to spend another dime on a cell phone until they give me the speeds that I feel have been promised but not delivered.

I'm w/you on this one.No one can guarantee the sun will shine tomorrow,but,in you situation,I would have assumed(enter ass-u-me pun here) 4G w/SPRINT would be on the horizon as well.


IMHO,just because you signed on the dotted line & got a 4G phone w/no 4G service does not excuse SPRINT from charging the same rate as those who have it.


I like SPRINT,but,this is wrong.They should credit all those who were sold 4G phones w/no 4G service 1/2 of the $10/mo. charge for data,including past charges.


I think that would be a fair & honorable gesture on SPRINT's behalf & would make an excellent promotional campaign w/the CEO himself announcing the program in some prime-time TV ADS.The upcoming SUPER BOWL would be an excellent time/spot to roll out the campaign.

 

[catpowrd]

I also bought into the 4g hype thinking it would be deployed about the same as 3g was. When 3g first came out I was able to try it once in Chicago and in less than a year 3g was every ware I travel, even in rural areas. I upgraded to 4g paying them there extra $10 thinking I would see 4g every ware in a year, what a disappointment in sprint, So far I have only found 4g in two places while sitting still. Sad

 

[NYCHitman1]

I'm w/you on this one.No one can guarantee the sun will shine tomorrow,but,in you situation,I would have assumed(enter ass-u-me pun here) 4G w/SPRINT would be on the horizon as well.


IMHO,just because you signed on the dotted line & got a 4G phone w/no 4G service does not excuse SPRINT from charging the same rate as those who have it.


I like SPRINT,but,this is wrong.They should credit all those who were sold 4G phones w/no 4G service 1/2 of the $10/mo. charge for data,including past charges.


I think that would be a fair & honorable gesture on SPRINT's behalf & would make an excellent promotional campaign w/the CEO himself announcing the program in some prime-time TV ADS.The upcoming SUPER BOWL would be an excellent time/spot to roll out the campaign.

Except that you are missing the $10 fee isn't for 4G purposes. Sprint may or may not use the $10 fee for Network Vision, I don't know, but nowhere does it state that the fee is for 4G.

 

[la sal]

Except that you are missing the $10 fee isn't for 4G purposes. Sprint may or may not use the $10 fee for Network Vision, I don't know, but nowhere does it state that the fee is for 4G.

In the beginning everyone was told by Sprint employees that the $10 fee was for 4G. After customers started complaining about not having 4G, Sprint changed their story and said it was for their unlimited, premium data.

 

[330D]

Except that you are missing the $10 fee isn't for 4G purposes. Sprint may or may not use the $10 fee for Network Vision, I don't know, but nowhere does it state that the fee is for 4G.

I almost agree with you here.... Except the fee was implemented when Wimax was started. So they can say what they want, but it is a 4g fee. They don't call it that because very few markets actually have 4g service. So they have to make everyone feel like they are getting something, hence the "premium data" moniker. I never had any kind of premium data.... Their speeds have dropped near me.

 

[catpowrd]

Yes but at first the $10 was only on new 4g phones so everyone {assumed} it was to help build out the 4g quickly, which did not happen. I was happy paying that fee at first thinking that in a few months I would have 4g everyplace I traveled.

 

[falconey]

My thoughts are that any fee that is charged on just about every phone should be apart of the plan and not considered a fee. Of course Sprint wouldn't do this because then corporate discounts would apply on that $10 and they couldn't market the 79.99 and 129.99 plans. They'd be 89.99 and 139.99 plans. Also the add on line would then jump to $30 which would tip them over the 29.99 threshold for corporate discounts. They are sneaky and clever all in the same breath.

 

[KOLIO]

Except that you are missing the $10 fee isn't for 4G purposes. Sprint may or may not use the $10 fee for Network Vision, I don't know, but nowhere does it state that the fee is for 4G.

Technically,your statement may be correct,but,w/everything else being equal,(Phone,plan,fees),yet one person is not receiving the same level of service as someone else paying the same exact amount,is wrong.


I could make all kinds of retail comparisons showing how this is just dead wrong,but,we are all intelligent people here & see that this practice is just wrong & unfair.If it walks like a duck.........

The future definitely is looking great,but,some here have heard that line before,w/nothing to show for it but a higher monthly bill & nothing in return.

Come on SPRINT & Dan Heese,step up & do the right thing here.The company is building up steam & on a potential roll w/great things to come.This is the time to make things right w/those that have stuck w/SPRINT.

A gesture of a partial refund,or,credit towards a hardware upgrade would be the right thing to do,not to mention a priceless marketing campaign opportunity.

 

[NYCHitman1]

I never had any kind of premium data.... Their speeds have dropped near me.

I think that's the case almost everywhere lol.

 

[Lorak]

forget 4G. I'd be happy for normal 3G service.
Whats 5 bars of 3G get you here? Yes slower than dial up.

 

[NYCHitman1]

LOL! That's just brutal. I think the lowest I've received is .41 mbps down and .57 mbps up.

 

[330D]

Exactly why I left. Those are a little worse than my speeds were, but I always had full bars 3g, and I couldn't watch a freaking YouTube video! 5 mb app update would take 5 minutes.... Terrible.

 

[Lorak]

Yea. best you see during the day here might be 150kbps. LOL! Phone has basically become a tablet as you can only do anything if your on wifi anymore.

Don't matter I'm taking my whole family over to AT&T. I'd rather pay for usable data than unlimited crap. Just waiting for the Sony Ion to drop or more news on the Galaxy 3.

 

[momentoid]

My 3G speeds with 5-bars are 213/77 kbps (or .02/.007 Mbps). It peaked at .05/.009 Mbps after the tower was recently data-upgraded. Yipee!

Sprint's message should read,
- "Sprint is the only national carrier with truly Unlimited data - works at a snails pace."
- "Sprint sponsors Nascar, and our data speed is like driving a Yugo."

After more than a decade, it is becoming very hard to justify sticking with Sprint.

 

[Tommydaniel]

forget 4G. I'd be happy for normal 3G service.
Whats 5 bars of 3G get you here? Yes slower than dial up.

Was that bad and worse here in Houston in a few places, but they have all been fixed. They definitely are pushing fixes out, its just a matter of time.

 

[NYCHitman1]

Exactly why I left. Those are a little worse than my speeds were, but I always had full bars 3g, and I couldn't watch a freaking YouTube video! 5 mb app update would take 5 minutes.... Terrible.

I don't blame you, but I'm sticking it out for Network Vision to finish and LTE to launch. I just have no major reason outside of data speeds to leave Sprint.

 

[330D]

Voice coverage has worsened here too. I wish I could have kept it, but it just wasn't working for me anymore.

 

[dan330]

i am waiting to see what vision will bring...

i have to admit that the data speeds have gotten better... not great .. but better.
from below .1mb .. now up to .5mb.
it needs to be above 1.5mb on 3G