Jump to content

EVO still a good phone?


darnell89

  

67 members have voted

  1. 1. Is the EVO 4G LTE still one of the best phones on the Market?

    • YES
      44
    • NO
      23


Recommended Posts

Nope, not until it is fixed. They've tried twice and failed. Is the third time the charm? Will there be third time? Do you want to be locked into a 2yr with a phone that might be fixed based on hunch?

 

What are all the current issues with the Phone? I know there are some data connectivity issues.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Overall I still really like the device but it's becoming more and more buggy by the day and I'm not even talking about the LTE issues. I know the GS3 isn't perfect either but part of me wishes I had waited for that one.

 

The poll question is a bit vague. It it "one of" the best. You could argue that. But I don't think I would recommend it to a friend. It doesn't make sense that the LTE connectivity issue hasn't been fixed this far out from launch date.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There likely are connectivity issues with the EVO LTE, but I never personally witnessed them once the late August update was pushed to my phone. Now, I never got to compare side-by-side with a GS3 and travel around looking for LTE like Robert did, but after the August update, my phone connected to LTE where I would expect it to, and held the signal for all reasonable conditions as far as I could tell. Now, if you want your phone to connect to LTE the instant you have an LTE signal, it may not be the best phone. The scan time does seem to be a little high, which could make it seem like it's not finding the signal, it just takes a little extra time. For me, that's not big deal.

 

It's also working as great as it was the day I got it. Not seeing any buggy issues, such as the Sense loading screen that others have complained about, or any other issues. However, I have had generally good luck with phones.

 

My opinion is that it is still a great phone. The issue comes in when the market you are located in is still being built out with LTE. In that phase, it may be rather frustrating. In the Johnson County suburbs of Kansas City, the build-out is nearly complete, and I had LTE coverage pretty much everywhere I went with my EVO. However, now that I'm no longer in an LTE market, it doesn't matter. I still have a great phone, just on wifi most of the time. So it's a great phone for a non-LTE market, a great phone for a finished LTE market, it's the in-between that could be a bit iffy.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I disagree that it would be a good for a finished LTE market at this time. Since the LTE 1900 coverage is less than 1900 EVDO due to the air interface just like 1X has greater coverage than EVDO, you'll still have the flip-flopping of 4G to 3G when in low signal areas. Your phone will then get stuck on 3G even when there is a perfect 4G signal there. Your buddy then pulls out his S3 or i5 with a nice 15+ megabit 4G signal.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I disagree that it would be a good for a finished LTE market at this time. Since the LTE 1900 coverage is less than 1900 EVDO due to the air interface just like 1X has greater coverage than EVDO, you'll still have the flip-flopping of 4G to 3G when in low signal areas. Your phone will then get stuck on 3G even when there is a perfect 4G signal there. Your buddy then pulls out his S3 or i5 with a nice 15+ megabit 4G signal.

 

I didn't have any problems like that in my area of Kansas City. In the LTE covered areas, never lost the signal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think its a little subjective. If i had LTE in my area and the connectivity issues were persisting I would heck naw this phone sucks. Since I don't though I have to say hands down one of the best made phones I have ever owned. Hardware wise its hard to complain when you compare it to a SG3. Metal is the way to go. I would have bought the Galaxy but I can't understand why they don't use better materials.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to subjectively say that I still think the EVO LTE is one of the best phones out there. It's light, big, and has one of the most amazing screens I have ever seen. I will probably always buy HTC because of the build of their phones. I think they are much tougher, and they don't feel like they are going to break if they hit the floor from a sitting position.

 

 

-Luis

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the EVO LTE and I like it more than the Galaxy S III. (the Galaxy screen is too oversaturated and not as sharp as the EVO IMO) The EVO also looks more masculine, that's why I picked it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't have any problems like that in my area of Kansas City. In the LTE covered areas, never lost the signal.

 

Denial doesn't fix the problem. This is why the phone has the issue today. Folks are in denial about it. The problem is real, no matter the phone, the area, the NV vendor, etc, otherwise there wouldn't be a bunch of threads around the internet about it.

 

I think its a little subjective. If i had LTE in my area and the connectivity issues were persisting I would heck naw this phone sucks. Since I don't though I have to say hands down one of the best made phones I have ever owned. Hardware wise its hard to complain when you compare it to a SG3. Metal is the way to go. I would have bought the Galaxy but I can't understand why they don't use better materials.

 

I don't have LTE in my area yet, and I still think the phone sucks due to that. I mean really? You put LTE in the name but yet it can't use LTE like it is supposed to!? Maybe that's why I do push the issue hard, I want it fixed before I get LTE in my area, doing my part of getting the issue out there on the Googles.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the EVO LTE and love it. It is probably the only reason I decided to stick with Sprint. I also don't live in a LTE area so I haven't had any issues with connectivity as of yet. I also have not had any issues with the phone. Wait, I did have one issue with the proximity sensor but the big update solved it. My battery life is amazing and most days I still have 3/4 of a battery at night when I get home. I can usually make it two days without charging! I'm really excited for JellyBean and I think that will bring the phone over the edge and perhaps they will finally fix the LTE issues for those with problems.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Denial doesn't fix the problem. This is why the phone has the issue today. Folks are in denial about it. The problem is real, no matter the phone, the area, the NV vendor, etc, otherwise there wouldn't be a bunch of threads around the internet about it.

 

 

Denial? Did I say a problem doesn't exist? No. I said I haven't had a problem. Could it work even better? Probably. But I didn't have any noticeable issues after the major late August update. But I was also in an area that was very saturated with LTE. In areas that aren't as saturated, sure, it probably doesn't work as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Denial doesn't fix the problem. This is why the phone has the issue today. Folks are in denial about it. The problem is real, no matter the phone, the area, the NV vendor, etc, otherwise there wouldn't be a bunch of threads around the internet about it.

 

 

 

I don't have LTE in my area yet, and I still think the phone sucks due to that. I mean really? You put LTE in the name but yet it can't use LTE like it is supposed to!? Maybe that's why I do push the issue hard, I want it fixed before I get LTE in my area, doing my part of getting the issue out there on the Googles.

 

I don't think people are in denial. I think that between this roll out and my belief that the phone did not sell or is not selling as well as the original EVO there is not enough evidence either way. We like to think that we (mean the people on this site, XDA, and other sites like them) that we are the majority. I don't think we are and what we see is what we are looking for. Someone reported on this site that there was a handoff issue what happens? we are all looking for handoff isssue. I'm not saying you are completly wrong but I also think that we just don't know yet until a area is fully saturated or regular people in LTE areas are reporting no issues. If this is a software issue which most here think it is fixing should be easy hopefully. I'm also convinced that that there isn't enough EVO LTE's in the wild. Sprint was crowing with the OG EVO talking about how it was the best selling smartphone they have had. Nothing like that this time though. How many LTE's does anyone think got sold? 100,000 -300,00 maybe less? Take that number and distribute through the US. 6000 per state? Lets even say 10,000 per. I don't know but it does seem a big enough sample size to make any determination on how widespread the connection issue might be

 

Besides, I'm sure that if we do have any issues we're all smart enough and have dealt with Sprint long enough to get a different model out of them (New Nexus anyone for xmas?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

digiblur, the "LTE" in the EVO LTE is far from perfect. But you are posting from a position of ignorance. You need to defer to members who have used the handset extensively in active deployment markets, especially those markets, such as KC, that are maturing quickly.

 

AJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

digiblur, the "LTE" in the EVO LTE is far from perfect. But you are posting from a position of ignorance. You need to defer to members who have used the handset extensively in active deployment markets, especially those markets, such as KC, that are maturing quickly.

 

AJ

 

I was able to use it and an S3 for several days in Houston areas. The difference between the two was insane. Ignorance is releasing a phone in that broken state.

 

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was able to use it and an S3 for several days in Houston areas. The difference between the two was insane. Ignorance is releasing a phone in that broken state.

 

Come on, you used the EVO LTE for a few days in one market that has not lived up to projections. Your observations are not the equal of those who use the handset day in, day out in far more mature LTE markets.

 

I am not taking a side in this taffy pull. But I damn well know flawed logic when I see it. And your data, digiblur, is not up to snuff to make the sort of strong conclusions that you have.

 

AJ

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I was able to use it and an S3 for several days in Houston areas. The difference between the two was insane. Ignorance is releasing a phone in that broken state.

 

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

 

I am not sure how a market that today is only around 25% done gives you enough proof that there is a major issue. I live in Houston and still say there is an issue, but I don't know if in January I will say the same. Will HTC or Sprint fix it I don't know, will the market filling in do it I really have no idea. I will defer to those in Kansas City or other markets that are more developed to supply evidence to prove it one way or the other.

 

Sent from my EVO using Forum Runner

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess I could add my 2 cents to this topic. As some of you may or may not already know I have two devices that I have on me at all times(gnex & evolte) and the evo's lte connection issue is very much evident but with that being said I have learn to just deal with it and hope for an update to finally fix this issue. Am I still happy with my purchase? Yes I am, I really love the evo. I have contemplated getting a gs3 for the longest but the reality is even though I live in an lte market, I spend about 65% of my time away from home in non lte areas. Also I prefer sense over touch wiz any day of the week and more importantly the screen on the evo is a lot better than the pentile on the gs3/gnex not to mention the amazing battery life. If someone who lives in an lte market ask me what phone I would recommend I would say the gs3 for sure over the evo but if they are in a non lte market then i would say its a toss up between the two.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was able to use it and an S3 for several days in Houston areas. The difference between the two was insane. Ignorance is releasing a phone in that broken state.

 

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

I understand your frustrations, I have been experiencing these same issues for a while as well but please don't let it get the best of you. From a business stand point sprint did the right thing by releasing the evo anyway. Worse case would be that they exchange a few devices or even allow customers to exchange it for a gs3 if need be but at least those are customers that they were able to retain versus possibly letting customers jump ship because they didn't have decent phones to chose from once off contract.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Come on, you used the EVO LTE for a few days in one market that has not lived up to projections. Your observations are not the equal of those who use the handset day in, day out in far more mature LTE markets.

 

I am not taking a side in this taffy pull. But I damn well know flawed logic when I see it. And your data, digiblur, is not up to snuff to make the sort of strong conclusions that you have.

 

AJ

I am not sure how a market that today is only around 25% done gives you enough proof that there is a major issue. I live in Houston and still say there is an issue, but I don't know if in January I will say the same. Will HTC or Sprint fix it I don't know, will the market filling in do it I really have no idea. I will defer to those in Kansas City or other markets that are more developed to supply evidence to prove it one way or the other.

 

Sent from my EVO using Forum Runner

 

This type of attitude is why we have the exact problem with the phone today. Blaming the network. I could care less if the market is 100% or not. I didn't go to 100% of the market. I was in several areas that were right next to the tower, I threw out the "gapped" areas. The EVO LTE failed miserably.

 

So let's fast forward here... let's take the Baton Rouge area, most of the area has some very poor tower spacing, I won't get into why, but it's the way it is and Sprint accepts that. Let's just say for some reason, Sprint did 100% test market and rolled out Baton Rouge 100% blowing and going with NV. How well do you think the EVO LTE would work in this area? PCMag sends over their crew to test and compare the AT&T LTE, VZW LTE, and Sprint LTE networks. They just so happen to get an EVO LTE. The review for Sprint's brand new $$$$ network would go over like a turd in a punch bowl. All because of some software issue that HTC & Sprint were in denial to fix.

 

I fully understand your fight as you bought the LTE just like I did and it's nature to stand up for someone to stand up for their decisions even if they are wrong. I will man up and admit I am a complete fool for not waiting a month or two for the S3 to come out and make my decision between the two.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I understand your frustrations, I have been experiencing these same issues for a while as well but please don't let it get the best of you. From a business stand point sprint did the right thing by releasing the evo anyway. Worse case would be that they exchange a few devices or even allow customers to exchange it for a gs3 if need be but at least those are customers that they were able to retain versus possibly letting customers jump ship because they didn't have decent phones to chose from once off contract.

 

Yes it does frustrate me for one really odd reason. Sprint is doing some really wonderful work with this NV rollout. Replacing an entire 2G, 3G, adding another 800mhz 2G and adding a 4G network at the same time is just simply un-heard of. People with EVO's are seeing this new network in the "eyes of the EVO LTE" and quite simply saying, "this new network sucks." And trust me I have heard it already. They just can't wait to tell their friends how much it sucks and the snowball starts. That snowball gets bigger and bigger as more 4G towers light up in new areas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used four LTE devices at once in a 100% complete market. The EVO's LTE connectivity issues are real and magnified when used side by side with other LTE devices. And perhaps even magnified further by three other LTE devices side by side at the same exact time.

 

When you get trounced by an LG Viper, an LG Viper for crying out loud, with LTE Connectivity performance, you get a little more than frustrated. I think that when you only have an EVO running on LTE, you just don't notice it. Ignorance is bliss. The thing that frustrates me is that HTC has not been able to solve this problem. Not only does it frustrate me, it actually nearly scares me.

 

I own an EVO LTE. I want HTC to solve the problem. But three OTA's has not solved the problem. Whereas, the first OTA solved the threshold issues with all the other devices. This is more than a threshold issue.

 

Back on April 24th, I warned everyone that there were problems with LTE Connectivity that the EVO was having in lab testing. It was described in lab reports as, "LTE device connectivity in lab testing continues to be problematic due to under defined processes and complications around provisioning and SIM UICC profiles. Escalation of this issue is in progress."

 

This is more than just a threshold setting. Otherwise, it would have been fixed with the other LTE devices. I'm not certain what the italicized content above means. But we know LTE Connectivity issues existed since lab testing and continue to this day. And HTC is the culprit, not the network. That much we know.

 

Since I did testing in fully deployed areas in an FIT, I can tell you having a fully dense network did not solve the problem. In fact, it made it more frustrating. Because you were being bathed in LTE and the other devices were going strong, staying connected when you drove through an underpass, or turned behind a big brick building. And the EVO would revert to the 3G. And you would have to cycle through airplane mode again to get back to 4G. And sometimes it didn't go back the first try. Even though the other devices were at -108dBm.

 

If I didn't have the other devices, or if I was in an area that wasn't fully deployed, I would just assume it was the network not being completely ready, and I just drove out of range of a live LTE site. This is a real problem for us EVO Owners, and we need to make it HTC's problem. Not ours.

 

Robert

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Since I did testing in fully deployed areas in an FIT, I can tell you having a fully dense network did not solve the problem. In fact, it made it more frustrating. Because you were being bathed in LTE and the other devices were going strong, staying connected when you drove through an underpass, or turned behind a big brick building. And the EVO would revert to the 3G. And you would have to cycle through airplane mode again to get back to 4G. And sometimes it didn't go back the first try. Even though the other devices were at -108dBm.

 

If I didn't have the other devices, or if I was in an area that wasn't fully deployed, I would just assume it was the network not being completely ready, and I just drove out of range of a live LTE site. This is a real problem for us EVO Owners, and we need to make it HTC's problem. Not ours.

 

Robert

Robert, did you happen to test the EVO LTE with the CDMA LTE only setting under ##DATA# while you were in Waco?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Robert, did you happen to test the EVO LTE with the CDMA LTE only setting under ##DATA# while you were in Waco?

 

No. When at the time I went to Waco, the only report I had seen regarding that option was that someone with a GS3 said they had to do a factory reset afterward, so I didn't dare try it with any devices. The first time I saw someone report good success with doing that was approximately two weeks ago. And it may have been you.

 

Robert

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...