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As of January 1st, I am eligible (finally) for my upgrade. I have read and researched exhaustively, and still am on the fence about which device to buy. I have had Samsung Android phones as my last two phones (the Moment, and then the Epic 4G Wimax, otherwise known as the Galaxy S1 on other carriers). On the plus side, I do love many aspects of Android, including the customization options and I've played with Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean phones and the improvements over Gingerbread (which my current phone will obviously be stuck with until hell freezes over) are impressive. Yet I've also played with the iPhone 4S quite a lot (my best friend has had one for some time now) and I love that it doesn't freeze up, hesitate, or have any error messages...and it feels good in the hand, hardware wise), and have owned an iPad for nearly 2 years...so I do like the idea of adding a device to the same ecosystem. Has anyone else upgraded to either of these devices recently, and if so, what are your impressions?

"Consumer Reports gushed over the device (iPhone 5) and called it “the best iPhone yet.” Apparently the best iPhone yet still isn’t as good as top Android smartphones" If the HTC One S is a 77 at T-Mobile, then the EVO LTE should be tied with the LG phone at Sprint???!!! http://bgr.com/2013/...-rating-284502/

I had a prompt for a Carrier Update yesterday on my iPhone 5. Any idea what it did?

I decided to change my data connection to LTE only for my trip from Texas to Kansas. That way I should not have to toggle to get LTE to connect since there would not be a CDMA connection alrady established connection to change when LTE was available. Well guess what? LTE still would not connect even though the iPhone had and LTE connection. 1. I connected once in Wichita Falls but soon lost it and never connected again there even though the iPhone maintained an LTE connection while in Wichita Falls. 2. iPhone connected at the south Kansas border, Evo finally connected after toggling. 3. Evo never connected in Wichita KS, iPhone always connected 4. Automatically connected from Andover, KS to El Dorado, KS 5. Finally automatically connected in Overland Park. I cleared the LTE file so I could log all connections on the trip. No connections were logged until I set the connection to LTE/CDMA/EVDO auto when I got home. Note: When connected LTE, there were not NID or BID info in netmontior when LTE only selected.

Seems like everybody who preordered their iPhone 5's from sprint.com hasn't gotten a tracking number yet. I'm watching my email very closely in anticipation... If you received a confirmation/tracking number, say something!

The iPhone 5 goes back to a multi-model scheme thanks to the disparate bunch of LTE bands everyone is using. I took a look at the breakdown, as well as at the non-LTE radios, to see what this would mean for Sprint... First, what bands does each iPhone support? Apple has a list: http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/ Version #1 (A1428) is, more or less, the AT&T edition. 700MHz lower B+C and AWS First off, looks like AT&T still wants to do LTE in AWS. Second, while the iPhone only has quad-band HSPA+ (like the iPad; 850/900/1900/2100), its HSPA and LTE bands line up with T-Mobile's refarmed PCS H+ and upcoming AWS LTE. Which means of course that, if you can get an unlocked A1428 iPhone, it will probably be faster on T-Mobile than AT&T. Just like the 4/4S are when using TMo PCS H+ today. Version #2 (A1429 CDMA) is the Sprint + Verizon edition. 2100, 1800, Cellular, upper 700, PCS+G This is the most interesting model of the three IMO. Despite SpectrumCo, there's no AWS here for Verizon. There is, however, support for a band that Verizon probably won't launch for several years: LTE in Cellular. I'm sure this was due to KDDI needing the band, but it's entertaining nonetheless. And of course Sprint's current LTE deployment is fully supported, though LTE in SMR or 2500 isn't. On the non-LTE side, the phone is the only mass-market phone sold in the US that supports EvDO Rev. B. This, like the inclusion of LTE-850, is due to KDDI/au in Japan. On the other hand, Apple is using correct nomenclature for the 850 (vs. 800) band now, designating everything as 850MHz except CDMA on this model. Which of course indicates that the iPhone will (finally) support Sprint's 1x SMR network (so iPhones won't be at a coverage disadvantage to anything Sprint has sold in the past year from another manufacturer). The iPhone 5 also supports HD voice, which I'm guessing is the same thing that is supported on the Evo 4G LTE. So look for Sprint to be the first carrier in the US to support HD voice on the iPhone. Version #3 (A1429 GSM) is the international LTE version. 2100, 1800, Cellular Nothing is surprpising here; the iPhone may not nab everyone's current and future LTE bands, but having three international bands supported is a happy medium for a world phone. My guess is that this model is just the CDMA model with the additional bands/techs disabled in software, since it shares a model number with the CDMA version and has a subset of the CDMA version's bands. This means that Apple is only producing two versions of its newest phone (and two versions of its newest iPad) for the entire world...one for AT&T (okay, not quite but close) and one for everyone else in both cases. This state of affairs leaves smaller carriers in a bit of an odd predicament. The AT&T edition of the iPhone has AWS and 700 lower B + C bands built in for LTE, which is good for T-Mobile (though TMo won't get to use its AWS HSPA+) and better for someone like CricKet or MetroPCS than before (since both will deploy LTE on 1700). However there's still now AWS CDMA on any iPhone, nor is there an iPhone with both AWS and PCS LTE support. This presents a no-win situation for someone like US Cellular, who has CDMA on 850 and 1900 (A1429) but will deploy LTE across 700 (including lower-A at times) and AWS (A1428, except for the A band) and in certain cases 850 and 1900 (A1429). Of course, US Cellular would have to pick A1429, but then they will have to live with a phone that is 3G-only in any area where their cellular + PCS holdings are,'t enough to support both CDMA and LTE. But hey, at least Sprint now has an iPhone that can do LTE and CDMA just as well (band-wise) as any other currently-available Sprint phone.

Apparently Apple pulled it off with the iPhone 5. Sent from my LG Viper 4G LTE using Forum Runner

Hi I've found the forum very useful, especially because I'm a newbie when it comes to cellular. I don't have my own cell phone. I have a company provided Blackberry 9330 on Sprint. I get very good signal at my work, at home, and at other places I frequent. As I read the forums, I'm learning that there is some variation between frequencies and other cell technologies. This concerns me because I'm looking at getting the new iPhone when it comes out, and I was considering Sprint since my Sprint Blackberry has worked great for me. Should I anticipate that the Sprint iPhone would also have good signal for me or do I really need to test this some other way before I take the plunge and buy? Any help would be appreciated!

I get REALLY bad 3G speeds at the bar I go to all the time. The thing is, the towers are right in the next parking lot and I have FULL bars. I cannot WAIT until NV hits this area! Here are a few shots taken with the phone exactly where I was standing while running the speed test. Srry for them being sideways, no time to flip them!!

How is the current iPhone 4 & iPhone 4S preforming on the Now Network? Also, how is the sales on the phone Jan. 2012 - Current

Check out FierceWireless. This is why Blackberry is getting stomped. Corporate employees want to use their own phones. However, I did not realize how much Apple dominates enterprise activations (according to Good).

Anyone interested in getting iOS 6 but need their UDID registered or the download links just send me a message and I will be able to help!

Deleted due to forum rules!!

Q: Will Virgin Mobile’s iPhone devices allow simultaneous voice and data? Yes, Virgin Mobile’s iPhone devices will allow it over Wi-Fi.

by Scott Johnson Sprint 4G Rollout Updates Thursday, March 29, 2012 - 12:47 PM MDT When Apple first released the iPhone in 2007, they introduced a technological renaissance. The iPhone ushered in the “smartphone era” bringing phone technology to an entirely new level. Since the iPhone release, the iPhone has seen some technological advancement along the way, but not to the degree of changing the industry. The next iPhone is not only expected to introduce LTE capability to the line, but it may also be a true world phone, connecting to nearly every network technology. There could potentially be a single iPhone model that could be activated on nearly any carrier with the swap of a SIM card. Many carriers will undoubtedly impose a SIM lock, to keep the phone on their carrier, but it has the potential. Many technologies, one tiny chip At the heart of this advancement is the Qualcomm MDM9615 from Qualcomm’s GOBI line. This multiple device modem (MDM) chip supports both voice and data over LTE (FDD and TDD)as well as connecting to EV-DO Rev A and B, HSPA+, dual carrier HSPA+, and TD-SCDMA. With the added support of voice over LTE this phone could also be one of the first to support VoLTE. All this in the tiny iPhone form factor The MDM9615 will pair with Qualcomm’s WTR1605 and PM8018 integrated circuits to combine multiple mode and multiple band connectivity, low power consumption, and small footprint. The WTR1605 is Qualcomm’s first wafer level radio transceiver and will allow LTE FDD, LTE TDD, CDMA, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA and GSM connections. The PM8018 will provide efficient power management at the wafer level. The only sticking point for Apple is how to fit all the antennas, PA's and filters for all the different bands into the iPhone without significantly increasing the size. This may keep them from being able to introduce a “world” phone and have to settle for regional or carrier specific models with the components to support the bands the carriers use. But will it retain Apple’s iconic battery life?[float right][/float] First generation LTE chips are energy hogs, which may be why Apple opted to skip the addition of LTE to their iPhone 4S. The 28nm MDM9615 may be just what Apple was waiting for in order to retain their small form factor and still give outstanding battery life. Not only will the 28nm chip have a reduction in size, but when paired with Qualcomm’s Power Optimized Envelope Tracking (Q-POET) the chip will see further enhanced power efficiency and heat management. What we know As of this point, Apple is only reviewing potential components for their next iPhone, but the fact that they are reviewing these specific components leads many to believe that they will utilize the components to their maximum potential. Apple generally is leak proof, which means that we will have to wait until an official announcement until we have confirmation of what will be included in the newest installation of their iPhone line. The combination of these chips may not even see the Apple device first. An Android OEM may be already working on this and introduce a phone with the wide capabilities possible with this chipset. Sources: Qualcomm (2) Simonblog Engadget AppleInsider Baseband RF Photo courtesy of Barklay's Research

by Scott Johnson Sprint 4G Rollout Updates Wednesday, March 28, 2012 - 10:44 AM MDT Fear not Sprint iPhone fans, Sprint will not be left out when the next iPhone model is released. There has been speculation that Apple may only manufacture LTE enabled iPhones to AT&T and Verizon after the iPad with LTE connectivity was only released for those carriers. While he didn’t come out and confirm that Sprint would be receiving a LTE iPhone, Sprint Nextel CFO Joe Eutenuer went on record saying that "we will not be disadvantaged" when it comes to selling the iPhone, adding that Sprint has the same contract as AT&T and Verizon for selling the iPhone. This contract that the carriers have also does not have LTE coverage requirements, so even if the iPhone is released earlier than expected, Sprint shouldn't be excluded due to less LTE coverage than the AT&T or VZW. This comes as good news for current customers who have held off their purchase of an iPhone because the 3G speeds in their area are lagging and they are prefer a 4G WiMax handset. If you build it, he will come [float right][/float]There is still no guarantee that the new iPhone will support LTE, but all signs point to the next generation iPhone boasting LTE connectivity. AT&T made the decision to move away from their HSPA+ 3.5G network and aggressively push LTE. Sprint also made the decision to aggressively rollout a LTE network, instead of continuing with Clearwire’s WiMax. Possibly the most telling sign was when the new iPad was announced to have LTE connectivity. Thanks to Sprint’s “Network Vision” plan, there will be plenty of LTE towers for iPhone fans to consume unlimited data at 4G speeds. By this Fall, when the iPhone is speculated to release, Sprint will have LTE service in nearly all major markets and will be starting work in many other markets. Sprint’s Network Vision is expected to have 100-120 million POPs covered by LTE by the end of the year. And you know you will get all the latest LTE deployment info here at S4GRU.com! Sources: Nasdaq SprintFeed Fierce Wireless

Mr. Hesse has agreed to give up $3.25M of his compensation in an attempt to shut-up those who oppose the iPhone investment. http://www.kansascity.com/2012/05/04/3594255/sprints-hesse-to-forgo-325-million.html I'm not an iPhone fan by any stretch of the imagination,but it has helped Sprint to bring in new customers as they transition from WiMax to LTE... So, (imo), the investors should be thankful, in some respects.

Well Joe spilled some of the beans at the investor conference...Saying that the companies agreement with Apple is similar to both ATT and VZ, also that Sprint is NOT being held to ANY 4G LTE coverage requirements. Source: http://www.nasdaq.com/article/sprint-free-to-offer-possible-future-4g-lte-iphones-cfo-says-20120327-01219 This is good news here for sure, and re-encouraging for those that were worried about possible restrictions that might be placed on the next LTE iPhone coverage wise...

Danny Bullard Sprint 4G Rollout Update Saturday, March 24, 2012 - 10:44 AM MDT According to iDownloadBlog, the iPhone 5, or whatever Apple decides to call it, will reportedly pack 4G LTE according to iOS 5.1 code strings. Until now, all the other LTE iPhone rumors have just been speculation and wishful thinking. The code strings says: We can gather that this line in iOS5.1 must be created for use in the new iPhone, because the new iPad cannot make phone calls. Although it seems odd that the Apple iPhone would not support simultaneous voice and LTE. The new LTE Android devices from Sprint have been confirmed to handle SVLTE. Perhaps it just cannot be enabled while a call is in process? Or maybe it is not compatible with one or more carriers in the world? So, if the new iPhone packs LTE connectivity with a faster processor, bigger display and the rumored aluminum casing, will you buy one on Sprint's LTE network? Assuming Sprint gets a LTE iPhone, of course. Sound off in the comments. Photo Courtesy of BGR.com Source: iDownloadBlog

Scott Johnson Sprint 4G Rollout Update Friday, March 23, 2012 - 3:14 PM MDT Many Sprint fans were put off by the downgrade of the “S” stock and remarks of Craig Moffett of Bernstein Research released Monday morning. Moffett claimed a looming bankruptcy risk on the horizon thanks to mounting debt, Network Vision costs, and smaller channels of spectrum for their LTE network. On top of all that, Moffett claimed that the LTE iPhone, which Sprint executives claim will secure the future of the franchise, could bring disaster for Sprint. By Friday, Shing Yin of Guggenheim Securities came out reiterating his company’s “neutral” rating on Sprint, downplaying the skepticism of Moffett and claiming that Sprint’s fledgling LTE network would handle the pressure of the LTE iPhone. Moffett’s stance Moffett wrote that there is “little margin for error” for the newest carrier to offer Apple’s iPhone. He believes, along with many more, that the next generation of the Apple iPhone will contain LTE connectivity. He is not convinced that Apple will manufacture a version specifically with Sprint LTE connectivity, and if they do, it will prove disastrous for Sprint. There are several notable arguments that can be presented here. Sprint is way behind Verizon and AT&T in their LTE rollout. Also, AT&T and Verizon are using larger chunks of spectrum for LTE which will serve higher data speeds and more customers than Sprint. Further, AT&T and Verizon are also better positioned to continue to provide iPhone users with sufficient speed as data growth grows in the future. Yin’s counterargument Yin believes that Sprint will surely see an iPhone that will be capable of LTE connectivity. He believes that Sprint officials would not have committed to a deal of that magnitude with Apple in 2011 if they were going to get a handcuffed version the following year. As far as lack of capacity, he expects the network will be underutilized initially, making up for a smaller LTE carrier, noting that only 5% of Verizon’s postpaid subscribers converted to LTE handsets even though Verizon has been inundating customers with an advertising campaign built on LTE and offering double data for LTE capable phones. Yin also brought up the fact that Sprint was able to convert about 10% of their postpaid customers to WiMax devices actually selling more WiMax devices in a year than Verizon sold LTE. Customers will buy iPhones regardless 4G LTE is not likely the only technological addition to the next generation of iPhone. After the incremental upgrades on the iPhone 4S, customers were left dreaming of what could be included in the iPhone 5. Even though many customers expressed disappointment that the iPhone 4S wasn’t a generational change, it still broke iPhone single day sales records by 66%. The sales for a generational change in the iPhone could smash the sales record of the 4S. Unless current policy is changed, Sprint has something that AT&T and Verizon are unable to offer new customers, unlimited data. Whether the data comes from 3G or 4G, new Sprint iPhone customers will be treated to an unthrottled “all you can eat buffet” of data. The “truly unlimited” offering by Sprint could even convert AT&T customers with grandfathered unlimited plans thanks to AT&T’s adoption of throttling its unlimited customers. Many customers are unfamiliar with 4G data and what it means to them Despite all the advertising and promotion of 4G LTE, many customers still do not know what it is and how it applies to them. Verizon sales staff may be able to promote that they offer the largest LTE network or that they are the exclusive offering of LTE in that city, but the iPhone has a wide demographic of buyers, many upgrading to their first smartphone. Initially, these new smartphone customers will not notice or care about 4G speeds, they will be overwhelmed with learning all the new features and will use less data than experienced smartphone users, putting less strain on the network. What it all means Sprint is definitely in a state of transition. They are in the middle of a great balancing act, between Network Vision, impending debt payments, and life support to Clearwire. If Sprint can execute Network Vision, they will streamline their entire organization, bringing network maintenance costs down, enhancing coverage, and providing customers 4G LTE technology. Sprint will become more profitable and can focus their attention on expanding their LTE offering on additional spectrum and maintaining a positive user experience. Photos courtesy of cases.com and redmondpie.com. Sources: http://blogs.barrons...od=yahoobarrons, http://blogs.barrons...e-lte-prospect/, http://www.readwrite...d_1_million.php

Danny Bullard Sprint 4G Rollout Updates Wednesday, March 21, 2012 - 11:39 AM MDT FreedomPop is a company that aims to provide free broadband, founded by Niklas Zennstrom (Skype Founder). FreedomPop plans on releasing a case for the iPhone 4/4S with an integrated 4G WiMax radio according to a "high level source inside FreedomPop." Not only will it allow your iPhone device to use a 4G signal, but this case will be able to share a WiMax connection with up to eight devices, for 30 hours. At the moment, FreedomPop hasn't committed to a release date. Each iPhone case user will have a 1 GB of free data starting off. If you go over the 1 gig cap, it'll cost you $10 per gigabyte or 10 cents per MB. According to TechCrunch's sources, you'll have to put down a $100 deposit for this case. The deposit is refundable if the case is in "good" condition. This case will allow your 3G iPhone 4/4S run on Clearwire's 4G WiMax network. Pretty neat huh? All you have to do is slide your iPhone into the case and BAM you have 4G if you're in a Clear 4G market. We know this case will not beat Verizon's 4G LTE speeds or AT&T's LTE speeds, but it will be a good alternative to 3G (especially on Sprint and Verizon) and users who don't have 4G devices (iPhone users). The Clear 4G footprint covers 130 million POPs. FreedomPop struck their wholesale agreement with Clearwire in February. This concept isn't entirely new. We saw something very similar to this debut on Sprint in November of 2010. It was a ZTE manufactured peel that gave users access to Sprint's 3G EVDO network. ZTE's peel got decent reviews from buyers. A lot of people liked that the peel brought decent data speeds without a contract. It was a wonderful idea, hopefully FreedomPop can improve on what ZTE started on Sprint's network. So, is this innovation at it's finest? I'd say not really, but if FreedomPop markets this case enough, it could be a huge hit. Source: TechCrunch.com, FierceWireless

Danny Bullard Sprint 4G Rollout Updates Tuesday, March 20, 2012 - 9:45 AM MDT Hello S4GRU readers. In this article, I will give you my 3 reasons why Apple is successful. I will go into extensive detail on each reason why Apple is successful. These are my opinions, so feel free to comment telling me your reasons why Apple is successful and how you think Apple could improve in each category. Note: These are in no specific order. 1. Marketing Apple markets their products like no other. If you've ever seen Apple's TV commercials, you'll notice how they're simple and cut to the chase. During most Apple commercials, Apple talks about the simplicity and beauty of their products. Example, Apple's new ad for the new iPad talks about the iPad's new retina display saying "When a screen becomes this good, it is simply you and the things you care about." When it comes to presentations, Apple is no slouch. When going over the product and such, they explain it all where the common buyer can understand everything about the product, not just tech geeks. Apple isn't only about marketing, they are also about engaging with their fans, and that is exactly what Steve Jobs did and Tim Cook is doing. 2. Simplicity The average consumer usually doesn't usually care about specs when looking into purchasing a smartphone or a tablet. They just want something that is easy to use and just "works". If you have ever used the iPhone or iPad, I'm sure you know how simple they are to operate/use on a daily basis unlike other devices. The iPhone 4S is so simple that your younger children can operate it without any hiccups (ever seen the Sprint iPhone Unlimited ad with the young child?). Apple's programs like iTunes and the App Store provide seamless experiences for downloading music and apps. Almost everything Apple releases is easy to use, and that's why we love them. Simplicity is a virtue to Apple, case closed. 3. Innovation Apple is known for innovation. They are always thinking of ways to improve their products while making them "different" from others. If you've seen the new iPad, I'm sure you've noticed the iPad's new display packing a whopping 2048x1536 resolution. That is the highest resolution of any tablet/mobile device. Impressive huh? Apple doesn't stop innovating there. Apple's iPhone 4S rocks an 8MP camera with F/2.4 Lens. It's the "The you-can't-believe-it's-on-a-phone camera." Innovation never stops at Apple. Those are my three reasons why Apple is successful. Please weigh in with your thoughts below! Constructive and well thought out comments only, please.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/apple-sold-more-ios-devices-in-2011-than-it-sold-macs-in-28-years/69717 s4gru