Am I giving good advice?...Friend considering a move from Verizon to Sprint

[strav22]

Situation:

 

My friend has Verizon and is using an old blackberry. They were about to update and get a RAZR Maxx but I told them to hold off, its not the time to update.

 

Email is very important, but using the internet on the blackberry has been frustrating. User also uses a lot of minutes, sometimes over 1,000 minutes per month. They need to sync email, contacts, and documents between the computer and phone and have everything available in the cloud/backed up locally.

 

He doesn't like the iphone, he'd rather not follow the herd. He's old school but educated, so he's concerned about the personal data the apps collect on Android. Also he has an android tablet I bought them and he's not a huge fan of it, it gets the job done though. Blackberry is DOA so its not even on the table.

 

My advice:

 

I recommended waiting until sprint (or verizon) gets Windows phone 8. They like the interface (including my laptop running windows 8 release preview), its unique and not the iPhone. Windows phone 8 will get apps fairly quickly with windows 8 sharing a similar kernal (apps sharing a lot of code). Apps aren't too important but would be nice.

 

Important: EMAIL, Docs, MAPS (big time), browsing the web.

 

Back to SPRINT:

 

Sprint would work in this scenerio. The minutes issue would go away because all mobile to mobile is covered under sprint. Data is unlimited so thats not an issue. My friend travels to rural locations though but since sprint roams on verizon, he basically keeps the verizon coverage.

 

Network vision should be live in the fall/winter. That means LTE will be up, drop calls won't be an issue and data speeds should be consistent.

 

Concerned:

 

Verizon is known to be rock solid. I put up with sprint because I use wifi...a lot. My friend uses verizon constantly so i don't want them jumping in now while the network is still in flux. I'm still concerned sprint will not be as rock solid as verizon.

 

Am I giving good advice?

[CrazyRusski]

Sprint is usually cheaper against Verizon, so that's a plus for him, and Windows 8 isn't out til Fall so that matches the Network Vision plans. The real issue is signal, make him check out the areas he goes on the coverage map on sprint to see if he will get at least some coverage in some of those areas or you could also come along with him to those areas and check what it really is. That's my opinion, hope it helps!

[BenChase7]

If they're listed on the link below, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/212-network-visionlte-deployment-running-list/

[shawn_kc]

I think you're offering up good advice. Your friend sounds a bit set in his ways, so I would make sure that the decision is ultimately his. Nothing would be more aggravating than having your friend locked into a 2 year contract complaining to you about something he doesn't like.

 

Since data speeds seem to be a big part of the issue with Sprint service, do you know if he has wifi at his primary locations (home, office)?

 

He could try out a new Sprint Win 8 phone for a couple of weeks and return it if he doesn't like it.

[iansltx]

Another thing to think about with Verizon is that he'll have to switch to a data-limited connection (or even a Share Everything plan...ugh) when he upgrades to the Windows Phone. If he goes all the way to Share Everything, that's $100 per month for a decent amount of data (2GB), though of course calling needs will be met. More likely though is that he can just grab the $30, 2GB per month data pack and keep his normal plan (though that might actually be more expensive than Share Everything, depending on how many minutes he chews through).

 

...then there's Sprint, which will have Win8 phones soonish (I guess) and unlimited data, on a plan that's $80 per month since mobile calling sounds like most of the minute usage. You can even shave another $10 per month off (and get another 50 anytime minutes) by going to sprint.com/everythingplus and using Russ.S.McGuire@sprint.com / 383 for the credentials (yes, that hack still works, and is pretty much sanctioned by Sprint at this point).

 

As others have said though, check coverage beforehand. It might not be worth it to switch if you go from LTE 90% of the time to a hodgepodge of LTE, 3G and roaming 1x.

[strav22]

Thanks for the replies. We are in the chicagoland area so it looks like network vision will launch in September, complete in December. This falls directly into the windows phone 8 launch.

 

Signal is my worry. He's in construction and the job site changes every month. His office is in schaumburg so that area should be ready by fall. I figure that if the sprint doesn't cover a job site outside of chicago, his phone will roam on verizon. Thus he gets the benifits of cheaper service from sprint, but coverage of verizon.

 

Yes he's set in his ways (a little older than me), but open to change with an informed decision. I'm the go to guy about phones.

[strav22]

@iliansltx

 

we are on the same page, I have the everything plus plan as well. This will bring his phone bill down $30 from verizon which will make him happy. The bill should stay consistant with minutes (he goes just over 1,000 minutes alot), messaging, and data (data is an issue now).

 

I went to verizon and checked his usage. On the phone, he's probably using less than 1-2 GB of data because its BB email, maps and some photos. But he's tethering at work, using unlimited verizon 3G as his work internet. He used 12 GB of data last month tethering.

 

I told him verizon is ok with this now, but this won't last long. He has to contact Comcast to see if they an get internet to his remote office or get CLEAR since that is unlimited. He's ok with 3G speeds so I think these speeds should work: 1-5 Mgps down and 1 Mgps up at the office. But he definately needs another internet service at his work espeically if his internet usage grows.

[JeffDTD]

Honestly, id tell him to stay put with that unlimited 3g and tethering until he either has to upgrade or gets a bitchy letter from verizon. There is no safe haven or cheap option anymore for that kind of tethering.. so enjoy while it lasts. the day that verizon gets him, he will probably look lovingly towards sprint.