Should I stay with Sprint or go to T-Mobile?

[AT1988]

Wait, you used a Galaxy S3 on Sprint? You do realize the S3 only has a 3G/LTE radio. It doesn't have Wimax at all. The S2 has 3G/Wimax. What you were testing was 3G. So your assessment isn't even accurate.

On Wimax, speeds are in the 6-8mbps range. LTE speeds in the launch cities (Kansas City, Houston, etc.) are clocking in at 20-25mbps.

Right now Sprint is in the midst of a major network upgrade. That will run through the next year. 3G speeds have gotten very wonky in the process. I'm feeling the pain too. I gave up my WiMax S2 for a future-proof S3. LTE gets switched on in my area end of this month. In the meantime, I'm suffering with crappy 3G speeds (500kbps). My bet is that I'll end up getting better service and paying less as a reward for my patience. I don't lose voice or texting abilities, just the full multimedia immersion.

On the flip side I blew through my T-Mobile cap in one day when the Photobucket app stupidly tried uploading all the video on my phone. Now I've been reduced to Edge speeds (which clock in at an unusable 15kbps) until the clock resets. Still better than suffering an overage fee from Verizon, I guess.

My Photon had WiMax, which is where I showed that Speed Test from. I was in Bridgeport that day, where Wimax exists yet it was slow. Plus, the photobucket mishap coulda been prevented. And even if you upgrade to the 5GB T-Mobile cap and add taxes too, you'll still pay less than Sprint's 140 dollars/month "premium data." While yea the T-Mo GS3, which I have now, isn't considered future proof because of lack of LTE, considering how soon ATT/VZ/Sprint's LTE will be obsolete as LTE-Advanced, which T-Mo is getting, is on the way, I'll take the far and away better battery life on the T-Mo GS3 than on Sprint's GS3 or Photon. And EDGE is still nearly as fast as Sprint 3G. Another big problem with Sprint 3G is all the Virgin/Boost customers on it.

 

[AT1988]

Oh my goodness! We all got your point now. Sprint sucks and yadda yadda yadda.

Just enjoy your T-Mobile service and don't give Sprint a 2nd thought.

I, on the had, was a T-mobile churner. I left T-Mobile for Sprint because Sprint has a bigger footprint. There were some areas in FL that had Sprint 3G but T-Mobile was on Edge and that happened a lot.

I say all that to say, with any carrier, YMMV.

Oh and to say Sprint has a "bigger footprint," check out the T-Mobile native map vs Sprint's native map. (and that considers how Sprint covers up the poor coverage with city names).

Once Sprint goes bankrupt, which it will, it will shrink more, or maybe, hopefully, T-Mobile USA buys em out.

 

[dsnove]

Carrier benefit in my world has been specifically related to where I live and work. Vz and Sprint over the last 10 yrs have only occasionally worked to my satisfaction.
I hope they improve but I never really avoid missed calls on Sprint and it appears worse than before.
Carriers cannot expand fast enough for us. It is crazy what they have to deal with. I will try a GSM after I get this posted. Hope its fast and I end up getting all these calls I have been missing.

 

[ren857]

Oh and to say Sprint has a "bigger footprint," check out the T-Mobile native map vs Sprint's native map. (and that considers how Sprint covers up the poor coverage with city names).

Once Sprint goes bankrupt, which it will, it will shrink more, or maybe, hopefully, T-Mobile USA buys em out.

Who cares? This "my dad can beat up your dad" thread is stupid.

Every one should use whatever carrier works best for them. Bottom Line. All of this bickering is ridiculous. People are arguing for a company that they don't even get money from.

Oh, and FYI: T-Mobile is the #4 carrier - AFTER Sprint. Their parent company, Deutsche Telekom, was trying to dump T-Mobile - a la, the failed AT&T merger. If any carrier were to buy another, it would Sprint buying T-Mobile.

 

[AT1988]

Who cares? This "my dad can beat up your dad" thread is stupid.

Every one should use whatever carrier works best for them. Bottom Line. All of this bickering is ridiculous. People are arguing for a company that they don't even get money from.

Oh, and FYI: T-Mobile is the #4 carrier - AFTER Sprint. Their parent company, Deutsche Telekom, was trying to dump T-Mobile - a la, the failed AT&T merger. If any carrier were to buy another, it would Sprint buying T-Mobile.

Sprint is not buying anyone (big) out in the near future (especially after the Nextel disaster), the company still operates at a loss, T-Mobile at a small profit, albeit profit. The only reason Sprint is number 3 instead of non-existent is because T-Mobile came to the US last decade, while Sprint has been around since the early 90's. Once T-Mo gets it AWS up, and iPhones can run on 3 and 4G HSPA+ on T-Mo, we will see customers flood T-mobile, and then once they launch LTE Advanced, they will eventually wreck Sprint, because Sprint is "expanding" faster than they can afford, especially considering their poor service. Sprint will either throttle data like T-Mo once their LTE gets up, if ever, or eliminate unlimited altogether.

 

[ren857]

Sprint is not buying anyone (big) out in the near future (especially after the Nextel disaster), the company still operates at a loss, T-Mobile at a small profit, albeit profit. The only reason Sprint is number 3 instead of non-existent is because T-Mobile came to the US last decade, while Sprint has been around since the early 90's. Once T-Mo gets it AWS up, and iPhones can run on 3 and 4G HSPA+ on T-Mo, we will see customers flood T-mobile, and then once they launch LTE Advanced, they will eventually wreck Sprint, because Sprint is "expanding" faster than they can afford, especially considering their poor service. Sprint will either throttle data like T-Mo once their LTE gets up, if ever, or eliminate unlimited altogether.

Okay. I will leave you to your crystal ball predictions.

But your obsession with coverage maps is comical to me! LOL!

Do you work for T-Mobile or something? Either that, or you're really trying hard to justify your decision to go with the pink T.

 

[AT1988]

Okay. I will leave you to your crystal ball predictions.

But your obsession with coverage maps is comical to me! LOL!

Do you work for T-Mobile or something? Either that, or you're really trying hard to justify your decision to go with the pink T.

Well its because after what Sprint tried on me, the piss poor service, and the money they charged, its personal.

 

[Rxpert83]

I hope their LTE is faster than their "Wi-Max"

(that was in Bridgeport near the ferry where there is Wi-Max.)

Honestly, given that Sprint tried to charge me a hidden $36 "upgrade" fee when I bought a GS3 OUTRIGHT at $549.99, and charges 100 buck deductible for lost/stolen, it wouldn't surprise me if they end "unlimited" data.

Sprint needs to become profitable before they become "formidable."

Your phone clearly states 3g in the upper corner.
That's not wimax.

And that's the insurance company charging you a deductible, not sprint

 

[AT1988]

Your phone clearly states 3g in the upper corner.
That's not wimax.

And that's the insurance company charging you a deductible, not sprint

U might wanna read the network listed on the Speed Test results("unknown," rather than EvDo A or 1xRTT, meaning wimax), not the network I was on when I took the screenshot