Sprint LTE VS Verizon LTE speed test

[kckid]

Today I was able to test a Verizon LTE Rezound and the Sprint LTE EVO from the same location.

 

Here is the results:

 

Sprint Download: 6065kbps Upload: 6599kpbs Ping: 62ms

Verizon Download: 10867kbps Upload: 3907kbps Ping: 117ms

[4ginnc]

What were your signal levels for Sprint vs Verizon?

[Beejis]

Thanks for the comparison. Verizons LTE network obviously would have more people saturating the network and Sprints LTE is still in its infancy so it will be interesting to see the same comparison by the end of next year!

[themuffinman]

What Robert said in another thread:

 

 

Some of you are off base. Sprint's 5x5 carrier can have speeds up to 20-30Mbps. Some people have reported really high speeds. One thing you have to realize, and I keep saying over and over again, is LTE speeds are very signal strength dependent. Even on Verizon.

 

I was testing my new Verizon MiFi yesterday and hit only 14Mbps as a top speed. I was averaging 8-10Mbps. But I wasn't in strong signal areas. Just mid signal and marginal signals.

 

Also, Sprint has an infant LTE network. It is not fully configured, and speeds may actually be core related and not signal related. Also, most testing I have seen the past 24 hours has been on the EVO LTE and maybe it is device related.

 

Additionally, you guys need to shop around for new testing servers in Speed Test...or maybe use Root Metrics speed tester. LTE uses different routes to the Internet than the things you have previously used. The servers being used may not be ideal for testing LTE in your market. Try a few servers and compare the differences. RootMetrics is typically the best for this because they will try several servers near the backbone entry point automatically.

 

This also happens with 3G Network Vision sites. People would complain that their sites felt faster, but were not testing fast. I suggested switching testing servers and all of a sudden, their upgraded site magically was improved.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

[kckid]

What were your signal levels for Sprint vs Verizon?

 

Sorry, I think they were both about 3 bars, but I don't really recall.

[kckid]

Speed test update:

 

Well tonight, I'm am now getting Sprint 4G LTE in my home office, whereas this morning it would connect, but go to eHRPD quickly.

 

Here are the results tonight:

 

Sprint EVO LTE Download 6614kbps Upload 7601kbps Ping 64ms

Verizon Rezound Download 10500kpbs Upload 430kbps Ping 177ms

 

Bars are each 3. Sprint -90dBm Verizon -98dBm*

 

*netmonitor on the rezound which is not ICS, shows connected at 1xRTT while the phone shows 4G.

 

Can Sprint and Verizon be on the same tower?

[pyroscott]

Speed test update:

 

Well tonight, I'm am now getting Sprint 4G LTE in my home office, whereas this morning it would connect, but go to eHRPD quickly.

 

Here are the results tonight:

 

Sprint EVO LTE Download 6614kbps Upload 7601kbps Ping 64ms

Verizon Rezound Download 10500kpbs Upload 430kbps Ping 177ms

 

Bars are each 3.

 

There is no real good way to compare these 2 phones and their speeds. The Rezound is on Gingerbread and reports signal differently than a phone on ICS. Signal "bars" are a generalization of a fairly wide signal variance. You could have 2 bars and -112 dBm on one and 2 bars and -104 dBm on the other. At that signal strength, the LTE performance is degrading rapidly and it's hard to make a fair comparison. Add in that the EVO LTE was experiencing issues connecting to LTE and may or may not be fixed, and you really just have numbers.

 

Sorry to rain on the parade, but I don't know how much stock we can put in speed comparison numbers.

[iansltx]

Can Sprint and Verizon be on the same tower?

 

Yes, however my bet is that VZW is on a tower farther away, since it has a lower signal and it's on ~750MHz vs. 1900 on Sprint.

 

Also, I like those upload speeds on Sprint.

 

One more thing: you might try switching servers on the Verizon speed test to one of the others in the KC area (or maybe even look at a Dallas or Chicago one). I'm not sure about this but my bet is that Verizon isn't actually hitting the Internet in KC (probably going on their core network to somewhere else), while Sprint has peering relationships right in town (hence the low pings).

 

This varies depending on the city and the month; Denver VZW used to be backhauled to Seattle and then dumped to the Internet via Global Crossing, but now they have a Level3 connection right in DEN, kicking ping times down within the range I see for T-Mobile, who also uses Level3 for connectivity here.

[S4GRU]

Also check to see if one is using RSSI and the other RSRP.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

[danielholt]

rob any luck on an lte signal in sante fe?

[S4GRU]

rob any luck on an lte signal in sante fe?

 

I did use LTE today in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. On a Verizon hot spot.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

[imurdaddytoo]

I got 28000 down 13500 up on sprints lte today

[danielholt]

 

 

I did use LTE today in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. On a Verizon hot spot.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

 

After moving back to wake forest, I switched to verizons gnex.. the service in basements, deep into corporate buildings.. its just second to none, add all the cities that are covered on top of that...

 

I did buy a clear voyager for my new office today to ease the data limits on my vzw gnex.. my office is literally in line of site with a wimax tower... I'm disappointed I walked away from sprint for unlimited data... but in Raleigh it'll take them awhile to fix the network here... might as well be in Sante fe

[danielholt]

Today at my home in Wake Forest, NC... Verizon = Win

[themuffinman]

^

Show off!!!!!!!!!

[4ginnc]

Today at my home in Wake Forest, NC... Verizon = Win

....

 

 

Of course, that speedtest just blew through half your monthly data allowance.

[danielholt]

Of course, that speedtest just blew through half your monthly data allowance.

 

well i bought into the 14GB per month plan, but yeah, I've used 500mb on speed tests this month.

[S4GRU]

Today at my home in Wake Forest' date=' NC... Verizon = Win

[/quote']

 

Your Sprint LTE speedtests were faster than that. Most of the time I'm getting 5Mbps-10Mbps on Verizon LTE so far download.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

[danielholt]

Your Sprint LTE speedtests were faster than that. Most of the time I'm getting 5Mbps-10Mbps on Verizon LTE so far download. Robert via Samsung Galaxy S-III 32GB using Forum Runner

 

 

well i AM the LTE nazi..... wow this has gone full circle.

[bluepoint951]

I went on a trek Saturday to find the closest Active LTE tower I knew of in Richardson, TX (I was right across the street from the Sprint tower - http://goo.gl/maps/JBC2) here are the results.

 

Sprint LTE:

 

 

 

and Verizon LTE in the same spot:

 

[danielholt]

VZW are seriously over burdened on some towers... sprint will face challenges like this as well... I have a hard time believing sprint will always offer unlimited...

[IamMrFamous07]

VZW are seriously over burdened on some towers... sprint will face challenges like this as well... I have a hard time believing sprint will always offer unlimited...

 

I think once they have lte up and running (50+) markets I believe they will start data caps but until then I don't see them getting rid of unlimited data since they need the new suscribers. I'm sure when the iPhone 5 comes out sprint will have amazing suscriber growth since they will be the only carrier to offer an unlimited lte plan for the iPhone 5 and they will still be cheaper than their competition.

[danielholt]

its just a ploy to get people to sign contracts, it will not last forever. i give it about 1.5-2 years and they announce tiered data, it'll be more forgiving than AT&T and verizon im sure, but it will still come.

[BenChase7]

its just a ploy to get people to sign contracts, it will not last forever. i give it about 1.5-2 years and they announce tiered data, it'll be more forgiving than AT&T and verizon im sure, but it will still come.

 

I'm guessing 2 years as well. Hopefully its 5GB for the same price... and throttled (not overage) and I'll be able to deal with it... so long as the Network Vision upgrades are complete, or at least the final markets in progress.

[ChadBroChillz]

I do not think unlimited data will last forever, but I do not think overburdened network will be the cause. I think increase profits will be the main factor in switching away. Verizon's new lowest plan is 90 bucks. That is going to shoot up ARPU as people move towards those plans. I believe they will switch to their own version of ShareEverything. They will probably charge 30 per phone and start at 3 or 4GBs for what ATT/Verizon charge for 1Gb.