(Sprint) No more simultaneous Voice + Data?

[Chief YYZ]

Seriously Sprint?

My LTEvo could do it on CDMA/1x. Really did not expect this issue on the new phones. Apparently everyone is SOL until voice over LTE is adopted (2022 mayhap?)

I've found it kinda mentioned in some other threads, but no one throwing it out there easy to find. Before I bought the phone I did my research, read probably a couple-few dozen articles and reviews. Never saw this mentioned. Now I'm in for 2 more years with Sprint and not happy even though LTE is finally happening after 4 freaking years of owning a 4G phone. Despite living in the 2nd most populous county in Illinois outside the Chicago/St. Louis areas.

This article is more about a certain LTE issue, but does a good job explaining why we are back to no simultaneous Voice/Data:

Nexus 5 and LG G2 experience temporary Sprint LTE connectivity issues due to Circuit Switched Fallback technology - Sprint 4G Rollout Updates

 

[Granite1]

It's a result of the Spark technology. Tri-band LTE does not support it.

In order to get the new Spark, we have to pay somewhere, the price is SV&D. I know it sucks. Simultaneous voice and WiFi still works as a consolation.

 

[Demache]

On Verizon there were an entire TWO devices that supported it (both HTC devices interestingly, Thunderbolt and Rezound) IIRC. Might have another or two, but that's an entire 3 or 4 phones...in 3 years. Other than that, SVDO never really gained much steam, especially on Verizon where that feature is moot with great LTE coverage.

Your previous phone was the first to have it on Sprint, and I have no idea what other devices had it on Sprint. I'm going to assume not many if any at all. I don't think you realize how uncommon that feature actually is. I'm guessing with LTE becoming more common, carriers and manufacturers are not really willing to further development of the feature that caters to a niche that needs EVDO data in phone calls

EDIT: Ah, I didn't notice the article you posted. That's a pretty good explanation. Forgot about Tri-band.

 

[Rxpert83]

This is the tradeoff that was made for spark devices. Most (all?) of their LTE devices had it before spark

Expect it until we see volte

 

[Chief YYZ]

On Verizon there were an entire TWO devices that supported it (both HTC devices interestingly, Thunderbolt and Rezound) IIRC. Might have another or two, but that's an entire 3 or 4 phones...in 3 years. Other than that, SVDO never really gained much steam, especially on Verizon where that feature is moot with great LTE coverage.

Your previous phone was the first to have it on Sprint, and I have no idea what other devices had it on Sprint. I'm going to assume not many if any at all. I don't think you realize how uncommon that feature actually is. I'm guessing with LTE becoming more common, carriers and manufacturers are not really willing to further development of the feature that caters to a niche that needs EVDO data in phone calls

EDIT: Ah, I didn't notice the article you posted. That's a pretty good explanation. Forgot about Tri-band.

I believe the LTEvo was the first one, not sure how may others in the last 2 years had it as well. Which is precisely what ticks me off. I thought Sprint was finally moving forward on this, but after a 2 year taste, I'm without once again. Even though I understand how it happened, and I am fully aware how rare it was, my "upgrade" dropped a rather useful feature. Really just wanted to complain a bit and hope some others who are on the same upgrade cycle will be forewarned they will lose this handy little bugger of a feature.

This is the tradeoff that was made for spark devices. Most (all?) of their LTE devices had it before spark

Expect it until we see volte

Yeah, that's the problem. I bought an Evo 4G four years ago, and LTE is only just now being turned on here in Central Illinois. Sprint will tell you I technically had WiMax for a bit, but that was a joke, and a bad one at that. Living in Champaign Urbana with Sprint Android devices for 4 & 1/2 years with something like 50-100 kB down representing a good connection, and not being able to stream Pandora or load a webpage common, has been a little frustrating. Now I expect to have 2 new phones before seeing VoLTE, probably 4 years or so of no phone/data connectivity.

Yay.

 

[i VTAK]

I'm about to drop my LTEVO too and not worried about losing this capability. I am concerned about reports of generally bad call quality and network issues. Can you give me your experience? How does it stack up compared to the LT?

 

[EarlyMon]

I'm about to drop my LTEVO too and not worried about losing this capability. I am concerned about reports of generally bad call quality and network issues. Can you give me your experience? How does it stack up compared to the LT?

I loved my LTEvo and the M8 is even better.

I think that perhaps a number of people got phones from a defective lot, leading to those complaints.

I was concerned that I was suffering from the new phone pixie dust effect - but - nope.

We live a piece out and go through fringe / no signal areas driving into town. Tonight, we pulled into a gas station and WifelyMon was VERY unhappy - zero signal on her LTEvo, no bars, network disconnect trying to make a call.

I had 2 to 3 bars showing, calls no problem, and slow but doable 3G.