There's been a whole lot of knocking the Touch Pro 2 on the CDMA network and Sprint (one person referred to shoving a cactus up his a**), so I just want to write and defend it. True, CDMA is kind of backwards and not internationally common, but the phone does include GSM support for foreign travel. I just bought a TP2 on Sprint, and my experience was awesome. I purchased online, and I declined to bring my number with me. Upon receiving my phone I changed my mind, so customer support told me to take my new phone to a Sprint store to get help. Service was quick, friendly, and knowledgable. They even told me it would be at least 3 hourse before I got service with my old number, if not a day, but I had it by the time I left the store. Sure, the phone is $450 upfront, but there is a $100 rebate, plus more if you list a friend on Sprint as a referrer. Plus, I sold my old Tilt for $95, and if you use 'save50' as a coupon code, you get $25 off service for the first two months. Really, not too bad at all. I actually get coverage on Sprint inside buildings where AT&T always dropped. Finally, Sprint's Simply Everything plans are better than any other network's data plans, and on them you can now call any mobile phone in America for free. I know some people trash Sprint like there's no tomorrow, but my experience thus far has been great. I grew to hate AT&T by the time I left, and I don't think I could ever go back to them. Their data prices are ridiculous, store staff are snobs, and although I would never buy an iPhone, their whole handling of that situation has been ridiculous. To sum this ramble up, don't be afraid to make the plunge and jump on Sprint. Just my two bits.
PS This was all written on my TP2; this phone rocks! If you've been debating, stop, just buy it.
I will have to agree with trogdor1138
I was a AT&T customer for 4 years, and hated the last year and a half of service! You might ask why only the last year and the half. It all stated when I leased a new office building and got 1 to 0 bars of Edge service, my brother who was on Verizon had 5 bars of 3G. Which made for a really crap experience during the whole office phone transition. I don't even want to get into AT&T's customer service because its no existent. I got my Touch Pro2 from Sprint on the 8th and all I have to say is WOW! At my office I get 5 bars of service and I have yet to find a place in my everyday travels where Sprint doesn't have great coverage. And the best part is my cell phone bill when from 129.99 a month on at&t to 99 bucks. So yeah I paid a bit more for my phone but those poor guys on at&t will pay out their nose for the service!
I need to jump on this band wagon. My experience with AT&T and Sprint is exactly like the first two posts. I could not use my AT&T phone in my house or office or more than a mile away from the interstates (out side of metro areas). Sprint covers the whole state, (WI) has better customer service and is about 20% cheaper than what I was paying AT&T. And to top it all off, my TP2 is rock solid. I've never had a phone that was this easy to use and at the same time this versatile.
I am glad to see some support for Sprint! I have had Sprint for 8 years and my service has only got better over time. I always have signal and when I don't I roam on Verizon. Sprint has a credibility problem that was self imposed-no getting around it. But Sprint has been making the right moves for a couple years now and I hope it continues.
This reply was also typed on my Touch Pro 2.
I just switch from t-mobile to sprint. I was with t-mobile for 5 years. Thought about getting tp2 with them but there always behind everybody else and i did like all the changes they made to the tp2. What were they thinking. Anyway besides that they didn't have any of the extras internet services like internet TV,music and radio like all the other carriers do. With sprint i get all that in it's only costing me about $5 dollars more a month. So i ported my number and it only took 1 day to get the phone and have it activated with my ported number. No regrets at all.
This is soo nice after posting charts of of data throughputs of carriers proving sprints better- posting data charges from carriers where sprint wins every time - and Now 4G (yes WiMAX in my area as of sept1) it does me happy to see the light in others - sad that no matter what you say no matter what proof you provide others continue to defend spending more for getting less
AT&T was and still is horrible in my area. I canceled within the trial period. Sprint has much better service, and in my opinion better customer service.
I was with T Mobile for 8 years
I switched to Sprint from T Mobile at the begining of this year. I just couldn't wait for 3g any longer here in Salt Lake City. I am very happy with Sprint. I like both Sprint and T Mobile but I have to say that I don't feel I miss T Mobile at all.
Before I got Sprint I asked a few people about it and they told me that some times their bills were bigger than others, I am thinking this might be because I have found my phone goes into roaming but it doesn't affect me since I'm on the Everything Plan.
I think Sprint is a great company and I'm happy with them.
Battery life vs data transfer
For the US:
If you don't travel heavily, don't need broadband and live in an area with good GSM coverage then GSM is a no brainer. The battery life is better and you don't have to fiddle with phonebook transfer programs and the like.
If you need coverage and broadband then CDMA is the way to go.
My gripe with CDMA is that it takes forever to get good phones. You wait and wait for someone to make a CDMA phone that has year old GSM features.
If CDMA could fix the talk time and get manufacturers to make phones for it I would say that CDMA wins, period. As it stands though, if you live outside of the US, or live in the US and don't travel or just use your phone for talking, SMS and the occasional MMS then GSM is for you.
Basically I just want a world standard. If that means CDMA has to switch over and I lose some bandwidth, so be it. It look like Europe is flirting with (W)CDMA, so maybe GSM will be phased out. I guess it's market share vs technology at this point.
I agree, I love my TP2 on the Sprint Network. This phone is too hot. Finally a real size screen, best keyboard I have ever used, just a sturdy build for such a device that moves many ways. Money well spent.
I agree! I was a long-time AT&T customer and was quite unsatisfied with the service I was getting. I made the jump to Sprint last week with the TP2. Ordered online Thursday night, and the phone was on my desk early Monday morning. The phone and network has exceeded my expectations--great service everywhere (EVDO service is awesome in WI)--not a single dropped call. As for the phone, battery life is pushing 2 days, which is including the constant data connection for email and occasional music streaming.
Saving $20/month from AT&T to Sprint and gaining features? Yes, please!
Another solid vote for Sprint...
Switched from Suncom (T-Mobile now). I've also had Nextel, Alltel, and AT&T.
As far as I am concerned Sprint is a no brainer.
I haven't found any company that can come close to their prices and they have definitely stepped up their hardware. (TP2 FTW!)
My current plan on Verizon and matching services was around 80 bucks more expensive. When asked why they were so much more than Sprint their answer was "We have the best customer service". Well putting opinion aside for the moment my response was "For 80 bucks a month you had best be at the foot of my bed every morning at 6am, waking me up, and handing me a cup of coffee"
They did not respond.
I also have Sprint and love it. Never a dropped call, or any problems here in s. calif. Was with Verizon for years, but coverage was bad at home and work. The two places I used my phone the most. Tried AT&T for one day. Just terrible. Been with Sprint for a year now...its all good.
trogdor1138 said:
There's been a whole lot of knocking the Touch Pro 2 on the CDMA network and Sprint (one person referred to shoving a cactus up his a**), so I just want to write and defend it. True, CDMA is kind of backwards and not internationally common, but the phone does include GSM support for foreign travel. I just bought a TP2 on Sprint, and my experience was awesome. I purchased online, and I declined to bring my number with me. Upon receiving my phone I changed my mind, so customer support told me to take my new phone to a Sprint store to get help. Service was quick, friendly, and knowledgable. They even told me it would be at least 3 hourse before I got service with my old number, if not a day, but I had it by the time I left the store. Sure, the phone is $450 upfront, but there is a $100 rebate, plus more if you list a friend on Sprint as a referrer. Plus, I sold my old Tilt for $95, and if you use 'save50' as a coupon code, you get $25 off service for the first two months. Really, not too bad at all. I actually get coverage on Sprint inside buildings where AT&T always dropped. Finally, Sprint's Simply Everything plans are better than any other network's data plans, and on them you can now call any mobile phone in America for free. I know some people trash Sprint like there's no tomorrow, but my experience thus far has been great. I grew to hate AT&T by the time I left, and I don't think I could ever go back to them. Their data prices are ridiculous, store staff are snobs, and although I would never buy an iPhone, their whole handling of that situation has been ridiculous. To sum this ramble up, don't be afraid to make the plunge and jump on Sprint. Just my two bits.
PS This was all written on my TP2; this phone rocks! If you've been debating, stop, just buy it.
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Ide have to say my switch from VZW to Sprint was as good. I had a c ouple issues with getting rebates in the begging but Sprint took care of that. Customer service in the stores is normally pretty decent. At VZW.... well... Service was good once you got somone one.
Overall I am very happy I switched. I switched for the Diamond though, not TP2. I did however just purcahse a TP2 and I am loving it!
I too just got my TP2 from Sprint and love it.
Verizon, here in LA, is pretty terrible. I could be at my internship and not get a signal at all - open space with lots of tall buildings around. Additionally, my old apartment in the Valley got almost no reception. Tons of dropped calls.
One complaint though:
My number from Sprint was a recycled phone number. I'm getting four robocalls a day from various political organizations (many of which are in Spanish) and different schools reminding me that my mythical children are about to start school in the next few days.
I've put myself on the Do Not Call registry, both the federal one and the political one, but the calls keep rolling in. Most of the time, if I press 0, it claims my number is erased from their registry, but I doubt that. And if you try to call the number back, they are mysterious ghost numbers that don't connect to anything.
Sprint says there's nothing they can do about it. Luck of the draw, and they've offered to give me a new number (which I'm a little loathe to do, since I've already updated so many people with my new number.) I just wish there were something (maybe even a piece of software for the phone?) that would let me block individual numbers. A lot of the calls I get are repeat offenders.
I have worked for 2 different wireless carriers. The honest answer to the cell phone debate in the US is use what works for you. The ratings you see are typically an average of experiences across the whole US. Most carriers have stronger regions and weaker regions. I have seen poor numbers out west for Verizon Wireless and strong numbers out east and the complete opposite for AT&T.
Network limitations (mainly in-building penetration) may skew your experience from one carrier to the other at the places you use the phone most like your residence and workplace. We are dealing with radio signals that have a very short effective distance, and if you only get one bar of signal, you are going to have a rougher experience with everything than if you had 2 bars or more.
Customer service experiences vary greatly. It depends on who you get when you call. Outsourcing calls makes it a crapshoot. I have heard the horrid Sprint stories, but those were mostly calls that got outsourced and when you reached an actual Sprint rep they were good experiences. At least with wireless carriers they all are trying to provide as good a service as possible due to competition. I wish cable and landline services back in the day had that type of competition. 3 major nationwide carriers minimum in a market and various regional carriers help keeps the competition going, and it is a very competitive market considering the ammount of investment needed to put up a nationwide network in the United States. (Europeans can't quite understand the size of our country and how much empty space there is between major cities). It isn't really quite cost effective to put up a $200,000 tower for 500 customers in a small town, but we expect to have coverage everywhere we go.
Sprint has the good price plans, no denying that. I would put Verizon's network up against Sprint any day though when comparing them nationally. Both EvDO networks are superior to AT&T and T-Mobiles at this point for overall consistancy of service nationwide. But you might live in one of those lucky areas where AT&T or T-Mobile will have their 7Mbps services running well and not overloaded, and they could be the best option. It really comes down to what works best where you use your device and that is going to be different from person to person.
Sprint phone roaming on Verizon?
I am considering a Sprint TP2. I have read differing statements regarding roaming on Verizon. I have several questions:
Basically: does Verizon allow Sprint customers to roam onto their network?
If yes, then: (If... then... an old BASIC programmer, haha)
Can TP2 be "forced" to roam if for example Verizon has a stronger signal a certain area?
When roaming onto Verizon, will you get only the slower speeds and no 3G?
Thanks very much!
I don't really get the knocking of CDMA since it is faster than gsm. If you have a faster network that equals better right? GSM really only has the sim card which i have seen to be a problem actually drop your phone and the sim seems to get creamed fairly often. I have used both CDMA works better and faster. And with programs like My Phone the address book is really a non issue.
my friend been complaing HSPA chew thru battery faster on his phone than my CDMA phone
gliscameria said:
For the US:
If you don't travel heavily, don't need broadband and live in an area with good GSM coverage then GSM is a no brainer. The battery life is better and you don't have to fiddle with phonebook transfer programs and the like.
If you need coverage and broadband then CDMA is the way to go.
My gripe with CDMA is that it takes forever to get good phones. You wait and wait for someone to make a CDMA phone that has year old GSM features.
If CDMA could fix the talk time and get manufacturers to make phones for it I would say that CDMA wins, period. As it stands though, if you live outside of the US, or live in the US and don't travel or just use your phone for talking, SMS and the occasional MMS then GSM is for you.
Basically I just want a world standard. If that means CDMA has to switch over and I lose some bandwidth, so be it. It look like Europe is flirting with (W)CDMA, so maybe GSM will be phased out. I guess it's market share vs technology at this point.
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Default option is only Sprint only and "automatic"
maybe someone can tweak it to roam only
however, if you roam too much, sprint will drop you as a customer
I was wondering if Vz can offer me a good deal on cellular service, seeing how my parents just got the internet - phone TV in their house (I guess thats what they call the triple play, I think). As of now only 1 member of the household has a Vz cellphone, had it before they got the triple play.
My mom, wife and myself share a T Mobile family plan. Ive been with T since 2000, I like them for 2 reasons: There cheaper & SIM card convenience (I go through a lot of phones, you may have noticed!). That being said, right now we pay about $65.00 per month for 3 lines, 1500 shared anytime min, unlim N&W, unlim phone to phone (eg: line 1 to line 2) min I think, edge date for net access (I never get phone that support the 1700MHz bands, so thats why I go with edge (basically thats like dial-up internet access, but for cellular phones, speeds are awful). I only use the net for downloading emails (no attachments), weather updates, rss updates, basic web ...ect. Any rich media (Youtube, streaming music <pandora>, large file transfers... forget it.).
So like I said, I dont have much, but I dont pay much either. Ive been out of contract since around 2003 and I like it that way. I actually am using a Verizon phone right now (it supports GSM voice) so I could easily get that turned on.
The nice thing about T, at least for me, was they never forced me to upgrade my data plan to get a "real" data plan, one that would support high speeds. Perhaps they didn't because they didn't know what kind of phone I used (I call that bunk, they always know the make & model, regardless if they have it or not). Ive used iPhones and the system recognized it (it would tell me on my "MyTmobile page) but IVe also had foreign "world" phones and such and it just showed up as unrecognized.
So as of now, I would need a family plan: 4 lines (1 existing, 3 new), my mom needs nothing but basic talk, the wife just wants sms, I want internet. I have a galaxy S3 that is a Vz phone, I have a droid Bionic that I could activate for my wife and I'll buy outright the phone for my mom. Basically I am bringing all my own devices, I dont' want to sign a contract unless the deal is very good. Porting my existing number is important as its also my business phone.
That being said, since I have a tax ID, can we get some kind of business plan and save money that way?
I was afraid that was going to be the answer. (Vz looks to just be the most expensive no matter what way you slice it... it is...what it is)
FWIW Ive been with T for so long that I know retentions can offer up some deals, I was just on the phone with them yesterday getting a discrepancy adjusted.
So I guess its like this: Stay w/ T, sign contract if and ONLY IF I get a smoking good monthly deal: Data & Sms for me, sms for wife, basic phone for Moms, plenty of min all around...ect. Thats all I need, Im a pretty easy customer, just save me the Benjamins and Im sticking around.
I just came from Sprint after 14 years.
I couldn't make a phone call with my S3 for the past 2 months without fading and dropping issues.
Had 3 replacements with the same issues occurring.
I Ported over to Verizon on Oct.1, and will be paying Sprint's $350 ETF, after 2 months into a 2 year contract renewal
I was hoping for a smooth transition.
I currently have an S3 32GB on Verizon, and on Oct. 3rd I couldn't make an:
- Outgoing call (Dialing..... but wouldn't connect)
Couldn't receive an:.
- Incoming call (Callers would go to Voicemail after 4 rings, but my S3 wouldn't ring)
for 2 hours. I called Verizon Tech Support.
Verizon Tech support troubleshot for a half hour.
Issues not resolved.
The Tech determined it was an S3 issue, and to have it checked out at a store.
(One hour after troubleshooting, the S3 started to connect to the network again)
I was like, here we go again....
I called Best Buy Mobile, and they ordered a replacement for me.
I'm still within my 14 day trial period with Verizon, and 30 day replacement device option with Best Buy.
I also have Verizon TEC (with Asurion)
I hope that the replacement S3 doesn't have the same issues.
I also hope the replacement S3 doesn't have new issues.
I don't want to have issues unresolved, which extends past the 14 day trial period, and then I find myself in a new contract again, like what happened with Sprint.
I don't have $350 ETF payments readily available.
I'm hoping that my new S3 resolves issues, but I'm reading that some of these issues are Samsung related, Radios, motherboards, etc.
(had a SE4GT which worked without any issues.)
The issues I had with the S3 and Sprint were different than the issues I had with the S3 and Verizon.
At this point, I'm unclear what's going on, but in the case of my S3 and Verizon, it appears to be an intermittent connectivity issue. Whether it's the network or the device, I'm not sure.
I also see that there are Many customers with S3's on Verizon without any issues.
Either Samsung, Verizon or both should just come out and say what's going on.
Btw, my power button is flush with the bezel, so maybe the replacement will resolve this issue.
I have had some text receiving issues in the week and a half I've owned mine but a restart seems to fix it. Not sure if it is in some way related but who knows. I mean, if you're having problems with the same phone (not the EXACT same, I know) on two different networks, that does seem to point toward it being a hardware issue.
I'm interested to see how you make out with the new phone.
100th post and it only took me just under 2 years, lol
The issue with the S3 on Verizon hasn't appeared again, but I'll still be getting the replacement..
The issues with the S3 on the Sprint network was constant, with 3 different S3's, from day one on each one of the 3. Fading calls.
I get a feeling the issues with Sprint were more of a network issue, and connectivity with the S3, and from what I've read, other LTE devices.
Considering the issues on both networks weren't similar, as far as I can tell.. Calls Never faded with the S3 on Verizon, and I was always able to dial out on sprint but hardly ever able to complete a call on their network.
My S3 is supposed to arrive next Tues.
If Best Buy Corporate was shipping the S3 last Wed or Thurs., Tuesday sounds about right.. At least BBM gives me 30 days to exchange, but I still have the 14 day trial contract limit with Verizon.
That being said, After Over TWO Months of not being able to complete a vast majority of my calls on the Sprint Network, it is a Pleasure to be able to Complete All Calls Without issues on Verizon
Except for 2 or so hours on October 3rd
Will keep updated.....
It was probably just a fluke! Verizon's network is soooooo much better than Sprint's. You will definitely be happier with Verizon, no question about that.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
Of that, I have no doubt
Received the replacement S3s a few days ago, and have had Zero issues with the S3 or Verizon.
It's a pleasure to pay hard earned money to a Cellular company, Verizon, for Services I actually receive as in Voice & Data, unlike my experience with Sprint for the First and Last 2 months of my recently renewed contract with Sprint.
Almost 14 years with Sprint without too many issues, but 2 months without being able to complete a majority of my calls is just absurd, aggravating, a waste of time trouble shooting the issues with Sprint customer non support and account non services, and the Main reason to Port to Verizon. In addition, 2 months of Calling issues was a long enough time to put up with Sprint's growing pains regarding the revamping of their Network. Personal calls and business calls, which sometimes took 3-4 calls to complete, and maybe if ever necessary, that Emergency call which may have had a significant chance of not getting through, was just Unacceptable.
If I was fed up with Sprint and their data shenanigans prior to renewing, I wouldn't have renewed, but I did renew. But I hardly ever had any calling issues, and that was most important.
But in the end, sprint failed, technically and customer supportwise, and actually opened my eyes to the bs I was putting up with Sprint for so many years. I realized that I don't need to or care for being a Pioneer in the Sprint Journey of the Building its New Network Vision Services. For what?
To save what amounts to be approximately $14 a month, as that's how much more Verizon is costing me. Granted, I'm only getting 2GB of data for my monthly charges of approx. $127, but I believe that Sprint will eventually do away with Unlimited Data for the $10 Surcharge, when and IF LTE is available to the Masses.
Who knows, maybe one day if Sprint gets their Network crap straightened out, and is still offering their Unlimited Data for only $10, maybe I'll port again. Nothing is etched in stone, and right now there are only 4 Major Cellular Monopolies in the USA to choose from, and I can see the choices diminishing.
Hey, I may experience Unacceptable calling issues with Verizon one day, and I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. But with Sprint, I had no calling issues for almost 14 years, and hopefully I'll have just as long a time with Verizon. But as mentioned, the Cellular World is continually in Flux, and Only time will tell what's to be,