"We are the geek squad. "

No Sir you are NOT Geek Squad... you know what your doing! You are providing a needed service on your time not my dime. That Robert screams your better than that ... that... enough said.

You are better.

Well said Robert. Some people just need to get the right perspective on things and get a grip.

A+ P_M_G

The problem is that so many boards massively restrict anything that can be seen as bashing of users. You HAVE to be able to criticize a flawed opinion and poor reaction in order to fight it. When you can't point it out, you're hamstrung from the start.

It's always okay to falsely bash the carriers, but not truthfully the customers.

When you cannot blatantly point out the utter foolishness and mis-education these users have in their discussion of the subject, you get too watered down and become ineffective.

While we're at it, the same goes for lot of the complaints about the phone hardware. They are always characterized as complete junk, yet, strangely enough, mine works.

Hi Robert, I understand why some of the recent comments drove you to this point... however...does this mean the posts to report the inability to stay connected to the 'active' LTE network are considered whining? I agree they don't need to be dramatic, etc, but I think there may be some valid issues being reported by some of us 'new members'. It sounds like some of us Sprint fanboys in Houston have been hunting down LTE signals like mad, and when we find them and try to use them, we are instantly demoted to 3G. I'm greatful to read the possible explanation you provided that there may be a combination of weak signals and undesireable android logic at play. I would love for us all to work together to understand if that's actually happening, specifically in Houston. I'm a little concerned that my phone may be defective....but I'm not jumping to that conclusion yet. So I've personally been reporting my attempts to connect in hopes that others will confirm a similar experience or counter with a more positive one. I'd love for someone to report a good place in Houston to have a positive LTE experience so I can attempt to duplicate it.....just to figure out if I'm crazy or not (oops...hyperbole...oops...sarcasm ) But seriously. I love the site, and appreciate the info. Maybe the site could have FAQs on things like which apps are good for tower analysis so us newbies could be more productive and report facts that help others. And who knows, maybe there is a serious glitch underneath all the dramatics. I'm pretty sure I can connect to what appears to me to be a healthy LTE signal everytime I update my profile but then get demoted within a minute to 3G on the same tower. (This is where FAQs might help me confirm this experience with harder data.) I used to work for Sprint many years ago as a customer service software consultant...and I will say this: If my Houston LTE experience is typical and there were a significant number of customers anticipating that official LTE anouncement, well... I imagine there will be some unhappy execs running around Overland Park looking for answers. As Archon pointed out....this is more about botched communication than the challenges of new technology. The nerds are forgiving, and who knows how many Sprint customers really even understand what LTE even is, it's the fans you have to worry about. Again, not whining...just observing. And please let me know if I should refrain from posting any more of my 'less than successful' LTE experiences that are sticking to facts such as time, device, location, etc.

I think this is an issue that this site is not intended as a "complaint board" and was intended for forum participants to keep track of the NV deployment. if it was asked in the fashion "hey I have problems staying connected, anybody else have the same problem, and what may be possible solutions?" rather than "hey Sprint get your act together. Sprint salesperson lied to me. I'm leaving now". I for one find the former constructive (and informtive) while the latter is a waste of my time to read.

Many of us not in those initial LTE markets are super jealous that others are already starting to experience Sprint's LTE network and NV on voice, even in its not fully-completed form, while we still have to wait for the deployment to reach our markets. So I agree with Robert that this website (read the mission statement) isn't intended as a whining forum or a general complaint board, but a forum for nerdy folks ("Sprint wireless enthusiasts") to share information and knowledge about Sprint's NV/LTE development.... and to enjoy vicariously from those who are experiencing it first hand.

I too appreciate your site and your work. And I understand your points and definitely considered a lot of that before posting this. I think one of the points I may not have made clearly in my editorial is not so much the whining from people who are ignorant, but those who whine to me. People who follow S4GRU and read what we write.Thanks for your counter point, Artem. It deserves to be heard and seen as well.Robert

The Artem Russakovskii from AP? Love your work!

And Robert, as always you hit the nail on the head

I think this is an issue that this site is not intended as a "complaint board" and was intended for forum participants to keep track of the NV deployment. if it was asked in the fashion "hey I have problems staying connected, anybody else have the same problem, and what may be possible solutions?" rather than "hey Sprint get your act together. Sprint salesperson lied to me. I'm leaving now". I for one find the former constructive (and informtive) while the latter is a waste of my time to read.Many of us not in those initial LTE markets are super jealous that others are already starting to experience Sprint's LTE network and NV on voice, even in its not fully-completed form, while we still have to wait for the deployment to reach our markets. So I agree with Robert that this website (read the mission statement) isn't intended as a whining forum or a general complaint board, but a forum for nerdy folks ("Sprint wireless enthusiasts") to share information and knowledge about Sprint's NV/LTE development.... and to enjoy vicariously from those who are experiencing it first hand.

Thanks Charlie. You summed up my main point succinctly in regards to forum comments. Well said.

Robert

Excellent Post. I had a Epic Touch 4G, and gave it to my father so I could upgrade to the GS3. I have WIMAX in my area, and I do miss the speed I had with the GS2, I am happy with the GS3, and reading this site over the weekend has only made me more excited when the switch gets turned on in my area... and from what I have been told, it will be a VERY long time. Patience is a virtue, and we all could be a little better about it. Thanks for the great site!

I think this is an issue that this site is not intended as a "complaint board" and was intended for forum participants to keep track of the NV deployment. if it was asked in the fashion "hey I have problems staying connected, anybody else have the same problem, and what may be possible solutions?" rather than "hey Sprint get your act together. Sprint salesperson lied to me. I'm leaving now". I for one find the former constructive (and informtive) while the latter is a waste of my time to read.

Hear, hear. Good show.

I have long advised the populace in online forums to make uninformed assertions and blind accusations less, to read and ask honest questions more.

AJ

Sprint has not met customer expectations on a very broad scale. They have been outright dishonest in their communication to their loyal customers. At this point in time, I have no reason whatsoever to believe anything I hear from Sprint. So, I stumble across this site that claims to be independent of Sprint. Great, I can get some accurate and objective information. I do not have to rely on half truths or outright lies from clueless Sprint personnel. But wait, some posters complain that the LTE service is not meeting their expectations and all of a sudden they are not meeting the TOS and their threads are shut down. Then as a registered member, I receive a blanket Email basically telling me that you cannot post anything that the site owner does not like. Now we have this "editorial". If you do not think that the Wimax experience has left many of us VERY skeptical of Sprint's claims for LTE, then you live in a different world than I do.... Yes, I am absolutely interested in when LTE launches in various markets, especially here in Detroit. I have read almost every market summary. BUT, I am even more interested in how well the LTE network performs for real world customers like me. I do not really care if 10% or 100% of the LTE towers are active. I want to know what real world people in LTE markets are experiencing good or bad. If this site gets scrubbed of comments perceived to be too negative, it becomes nothing more than another Sprint propaganda machine. We get more than enough of that from Sprint directly. As I said, the site owner has EVERY right to run this site exactly as he sees fit. I support that 100%. If I do not like it, I just will not visit anymore. At the end of the day, the more open and honest the communication, the more value the site has to me. I would not ever consider financial support for a site that is simply Sprint propaganda. A site that provides great information and allows open and honest communication is a different matter.

If any one thinks that this site is about propaganda for Sprint you need to keep it moving because it is far from that. Negative bull crap bashing and hating that happens on other sites don't happen here because we the members don't want this.

This site post great positive information by many knowledgeable people, and not some clueless hater speaking from second hand knowledge or hate. I can tell you that I have had lots of issues with the network vision roll out, and this site gave me a reason to wait for better service very soon.

People have a right to post informative issues about what is wrong and where service is not working. Remember that what is happening for one may not happen with another, and not every one wants to see rants about a jaded Sprint user or a troll hating like most sites have.

Wimax didn't work for some but here in NYC I have received 15.8mb down and 6 mb up on Wimax. I have had 3g coverage most everywhere that I have been, and drove from NYC to Orlando Florida without one dropped call. I have had great signal from Massachusetts to Florida so I can tell you they may not be the best but Sprint is firing on all cylinders in spite of the failed Wimax adoption.

So if you want to have a healthy debate about where and why signal is or isn't working in a scientific form I am down for it. If its just a hate on Sprint go else where as far as I am concerned this is not the board for you.

Alright, it's my turn to kick this dead horse. Sometimes people get mad about something (e.g. speed tests or LTE coverage). Instead of cooling down and writing something asking if there is a known solution or if it is experienced by others, some people choose to write a 3 paragraph rant that is nothing more than extension of their anger. This may make the poster feel a little better, but it is not constructive at all. I’ll use work as an example. I assigned several tasks to my team, and then I got out of their way and just provided help when they needed it. I was busy with other things and didn't check their work as they went along. I trusted them that it would be done properly. On Monday, when it came time to turn in the finished product, there were tasks going back several weeks that were not completed to standard and some tasks that I specifically assigned were not touched. I was furious, but I didn't call them in and yell at them, I wrote everything down and fixed the work myself. Then, after the situation was done, and I had calmed down, I went back to my list, talked it over with several peers, and came up with a constructive way of being critical, while remaining calm. Instead of ranting at them, I turned it into a learning experience.

Now, when I talked to my peers, would it have done any good to go off and rant? It might have made me feel better, but I would be wasting the time of my peers and they would be less likely to offer help in the future.

The internet is a faceless world and really removes a lot of the boundaries that we respect in regular life. I can't go up to some customer at the car dealer and start chewing them up and down, ranting because I bought a car from that brand name and I don't get the gas mileage that was promised, and they told me I would get this great satellite radio and it was garbage, etc. If I did that, I could get punched in the face, or told to @#$^ off. Maybe they would listen, but that would have to be a patient person. It also doesn’t work here. As Robert said, we are not an extension of Sprint’s customer service, we are not affiliated with Sprint and we don’t appreciate reading rants all day.

It would make it a lot easier if Sprint would pay the web hosting fees and all the other fees associated with this website. Maybe pay Robert for the time he pours into putting out the info he gathers.

I will say this once, this site is not propaganda! Calling this site “Sprint Propaganda” or calling me a “corporate shill” is not going to fly. I have never been paid a cent from Sprint and 100% of my work here on this site is voluntary. In fact, I have contributed money to this site, despite having full access through my status as a staff member.

Robert,

Thank you for a wonderful breath of honesty.

You are right, the "me" "I want it know" generation expects everything yesterday. We also have to endure the growing inability of the average American to accurately read and properly comprehend written word. So many examples of this when you read "comment" areas below articles and find users asking questions that are clearly answered in the body of an article. Your editorial will grab and hold the attention of new users because its blatant and aggressive. Meanwhile, they have no patience to read the forums or search for market related articles.

I also am a little baffled by the users who say "Sprint PROMISED me Wimax" or "Sprint PROMISED me LTE". Individually speaking, I bought two wimax phones in the past and no one, at any point, every "promised" me wimax... not online, not in store, not on the phone. They were indeed ambiguous about where it would go next and I have heard many users who claim that Sprint employees told them "We'll have it soon there!"... but "officially"... Sprint built wimax in all markets they announced. For individuals who groom themselves as "tech savvy" customers , its horribly naive to ask minimum wage paid store workers or front line reps "when are we going to get 4G? when? when?". If Sprint hasn't officially announced deployment in your market, then you should assume the worst. That's where this forums comes in. Sprint has been very vague on the "individual when" for markets and the insatiable irritability of all these "tech savvy customers" is reason #1.

Personally, I'm afraid the only way for Sprint to avoid these lashings would be to delay going live until 75% or more are done in a metro area. In the meantime, users need to focus on their 3G speeds. If you do not receive the advertised 3G speeds and it hampers your use of the service (let usage instead of speed tests determine your opinion) then let executive services know and push them until you're allowed to leave ETF free. There are plenty of users out there who have had the ETF waived.

Great article! But on the other hand, perhaps Sprint should NOT have sold ANY LTE devices UNTIL the area was 100%. Then I would still have my original Evo. Sprint could give those in the areas no increased speeds at all a price break. I went to Waco this past weekend (4G city). The part of Waco I was at must not be LTE yet, however the 3G was MUCH faster than it is in Austin proper.

Test Date: Jul 21, 2012 12:18:33 pm

Connection Type: EvdoA

Server: Temple, TX

Download: 1478 kbps

Upload: 457 kbps

Ping: 185 ms

IP addresses removed

Latitude: 31.54962

Longitude: -97.12459

A detailed image for this result can be found here:

http://www.speedtest.net/android/215827055.png

I forgot to post the Austin, TX speedtest.

Test Date: Jul 21, 2012 2:32:40 pm

Connection Type: Ehrpd

Server: Temple, TX

Download: 592 kbps

Upload: 395 kbps

Ping: 292 ms

IP addresses removed

Latitude: 30.41396

Longitude: -97.67565

A detailed image for this result can be found here:

http://www.speedtest.net/android/215889945.png

I was thinking of dropping Roadrunner, and giving Sprint the extra $30 per month after LTE speeds are at my apartment, but with these speeds and UNLIMITED, I'll have to wait and see what the LTE speed is when it gets here.

As a comparison, when the EVO 4G LTE is using Wifi at my apartment (Roadrunner is my ISP) the speedtest is below:

Test Date: Jul 22, 2012 7:20:58 am

Connection Type: Wifi

Server: Fort Worth, TX

Download: 28520 kbps

Upload: 1240 kbps

Ping: 42 ms

IP addresses removed

Latitude: 30.36651

Longitude: -97.70127

A detailed image for this result can be found here:

http://www.speedtest.net/android/216247661.png

I was thinking of dropping Roadrunner, and giving Sprint the extra $30 per month after LTE speeds are at my apartment, but with these speeds and UNLIMITED, I'll have to wait and see what the LTE speed is when it gets here.As a comparison, when the EVO 4G LTE is using Wifi at my apartment (Roadrunner is my ISP) the speedtest is below:Test Date: Jul 22, 2012 7:20:58 amConnection Type: WifiServer: Fort Worth, TXDownload: 28520 kbpsUpload: 1240 kbpsPing: 42 msIP addresses removedLatitude: 30.36651Longitude: -97.70127A detailed image for this result can be found here:http://www.speedtest...d/216247661.png

Tethering is not unlimited.

IN some of the larger markets the initial coverage is less than 10%. A market with 380 towers may only have 20 live with LTE. I also think that of those 20 towers there are some IP tunneling or back plane issues that allow you to connect to the tower but are dropping packets. People need to understand what is really going on before they pass judgement. Once all towers are groomed it will be worth the wait.

beastman59, I suggest you also drop the Latitude and Longitude readings from the posted speed test results (along with the IP addresses that you've already removed) for privacy reasons. For example, the first two point to the restaurants you were in when you conducted the tests :-)

Despite the risk of offending (or ranting as it's seemingly always referred to), I'm going say a few things.

I've monitored this site for months as my contract with another provider is ending soon and I'm very excited about leaving their clenches. I've learned a TON from this site and have recently donated to support it.

However, the last couple of communications have startled me.. while excessive negative commentary and whining isn't productive, it's starting to feel a bit suppressed. I'm also feeling a sense that this site is for Sprint loyalists only and that those currently on other networks need not apply.

True, I haven't posted a lot (and did "rant" unneccesarily on an occation) and I have primarily "consumed" a wealth of info from this site. I've learned when ATT and VZW aren't telling the truth. I even recognized when one of Sprint's own employees weren't telling me the truth.

I really hope that all constructive negative critisim isn't frowned upon (or ignored). There is a great deal to learn from your detractors.

Despite the risk of offending (or ranting as it's seemingly always refered to), I'm going say a few things.I've monitored this site for months as my contract with another provider is ending soon and I'm very excited about leaving their clenches. I've learned a TON from this site and have recently donated to support it.However, the last couple of communications have startled me.. while excessive negative commentary and whining isn't productive, it's starting to feel a bit suppressed. I'm also feeling a sense that this site is for Sprint loyalists only and that those currently on other networks need not apply.True, I haven't posted a lot (and did "rant" unneccesarily on an occation) and I have primarily "consumed" a wealth of info from this site. I've learned when ATT and VZW aren't telling the truth. I even regonized when one of Sprint's own employees weren't telling me the truth.I really hope that all constructive negative critisim isn't frowned upon (or ignored). There is a great deal to learn from your detractors.

Constructive negative criticism is perfectly fine. The key word is constructive. Understand that this site is not affiliated with Sprint in any way, and even if there might be Sprint employees among our members, they are not going to "fix" any problems that people bring up here. If someone is having issues that we might be able to figure out in the community here, great, bring them up. But we have no influence over anything that Sprint does. If someone just wants everyone here to know how much hatred they have because Sprint (insert rant here), we have no time for it and I will delete it. It isn't so much censorship, or wanting to wear rose colored glasses, but that we all know the shortcomings of Sprint's legacy network and this site is "Sprint 4G Rollout Updates" not "Sprint Network", so our focus is on Network Vision and things related to that.

Also, as far as this site being for "Sprint Loyalists", I am not a Sprint customer, yet I am a contributing author and moderator on this site.

Yes. The LTE carrier will be 5x5 as well. However, it is assumed that Sprint will start employing Carrier Aggregation with LTE Advanced some time in 2014 that will allow two 5x5 carriers to act more like one 10x10. Sprint also has room to add another 5x5 LTE carrier in PCS spectrum in many markets. Also, starting in the second half of 2013, Clearwire will start rolling out its 20MHz TD-LTE carriers that will be available to Sprint customers.Robert

Robert, to be fair, none of the existing Sprint devices will access CLWR's TD-LTE network if it lights up by mid-2013. I have not seen a product roadmap but I doubt any of the products shipping this year (including the new iPhone) will support either 2.5ghz or TD-LTE, and you probably wont have any new devices until some time in 2013 at earliest that will seed the installed base with TD-LTE capable handsets. Do you have insights otherwise or earlier device launch from your contacts at Overland Park?

Despite the risk of offending (or ranting as it's seemingly always referred to), I'm going say a few things.I've monitored this site for months as my contract with another provider is ending soon and I'm very excited about leaving their clenches. I've learned a TON from this site and have recently donated to support it.However, the last couple of communications have startled me.. while excessive negative commentary and whining isn't productive, it's starting to feel a bit suppressed. I'm also feeling a sense that this site is for Sprint loyalists only and that those currently on other networks need not apply.True, I haven't posted a lot (and did "rant" unneccesarily on an occation) and I have primarily "consumed" a wealth of info from this site. I've learned when ATT and VZW aren't telling the truth. I even recognized when one of Sprint's own employees weren't telling me the truth.I really hope that all constructive negative critisim isn't frowned upon (or ignored). There is a great deal to learn from your detractors.

As Scott points out above, we do allow negative comments. But not rants. Negative comments need to have a point and be constructive. We have a stated mission and rules.

If we allowed the incessant rants to pollute our pages, you probably wouldn't have learned anything from our site. You would have had to sort through too much garbage to get to meaningful content. Our members want to read useful information, not people's rants.

Robert

Robert, to be fair, none of the existing Sprint devices will access CLWR's TD-LTE network if it lights up by mid-2013. I have not seen a product roadmap but I doubt any of the products shipping this year (including the new iPhone) will support either 2.5ghz or TD-LTE, and you probably wont have any new devices until some time in 2013 at earliest that will seed the installed base with TD-LTE capable handsets. Do you have insights otherwise or earlier device launch from your contacts at Overland Park?

And that is a fair point. The last device road map I saw showed both TD-LTE 2600 and LTE 800 devices would not come on the market until Q2-2013. However, the initial LTE 1900 devices this year beat the original road map by 60 days. So it's possible they may release a little early again.

Since I have frequently seen the Q2-2013 date for LTE 2600 devices, I'm not very optimistic that the new iPhone will support it. If it does support it, it most likely was added for China Mobile, and Sprint/Clearwire just win by default.

Robert

All Sprint needed to do was keep their coverage map accurate like the interactive maps posted on S4GRU.

You have to set clear expectations to the customers. Don't let them go to your site showing a 100% coverage map when that information won't be accurate until February 2013. I am at least happy to have found S4GRU and feel a lot better informed about the situation and the deployment progress.

All Sprint needed to do was keep their coverage map accurate like the interactive maps posted on S4GRU.You have to set clear expectations to the customers. Don't let them go to your site showing a 100% coverage map when that information won't be accurate until February 2013. I am at least happy to have found S4GRU and feel a lot better informed about the situation and the deployment progress.

I do believe Sprint's overly optimistic coverage maps did not help things.

Robert