Why are people so impatient with Sprint?

[S4GRU]

 

I'm happy to cut Sprint slack' date=' but I think they would be better served to be more honest about the NV deployment. Not to harp on Dallas, but their coverage map is extremely aggressive. It in no way matches what's actually been reported by Sensorly users or my own observations. Heck, they even show coverage in areas that don't have towers.

 

Anyway, if I hadn't found S4GRU and seen the deployment schedules and maps, I would have abandoned Sprint during the grace period and gone back to the devil company for a couple of years more.[/quote']

 

Those ridiculous LTE coverage maps don't do anyone any good. Bleh!

 

Robert via Nexus 7 using Forum Runner

[jefbal99]

Those ridiculous LTE coverage maps don't do anyone any good. Bleh!

 

Robert via Nexus 7 using Forum Runner

 

I actually started an email ticket with CS that I intend to aggressively move up the chain regarding all the coverage maps for Sprint. It's not just LTE, the Voice & EVDO maps are overly optimistic and unrealistic. Sprint and all other carriers need to be pegged back on the coverage maps by the FCC. A set standard for criteria and algorithms needs to be established and held over the carriers.

[Deval]

As an employee of 8 years, and a customer of 12 (maybe 13), I can honestly say that I've seen both the good and bad of my company. Along that ride, I've seen where the impatience comes in, and have come to believe that people just have little or no faith in Sprint. We've become the bastard child that gets whipped whenever he drops a crayon.

 

The sheer amount of negativity and frankly, hate, which is prevalent across the internet boards shows just what the 40 year old virgin mass of users thinks of Sprint. Unfortunately for those few fanboys and girls such as ourselves, our voice is lost among that hatred. Along with that, decision makers and so-called industry analysis are not looking at Sprint optimistically, rather, as if Sprint had personally offended them in some way, they are writing the doom and gloom.

 

Honestly, I've heard the death of Sprint since I started with the company, and here I am in 2012, and we're still here, gaining subscribers and making moves to make us more competitive.

[BenChase7]

That's not what your girlfriend said!!!

 

No, really. She just posted on our Google+ page that she may leave Sprint if they don't start NV in Phoenix soon. I responded to her letting her know that I believe Phoenix will start before the end of the year.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 using Forum Runner

 

LMFAO! Cristina can be a Firecracker. lol But really, Her house is in a little "black hole" out in Goodyear, AZ. Service is good there for the most part, but her house is equidistant between 2 or 3 towers and and service can cut in and out. It can certainly be frustrating there at times.

[QWIKSTRIKE]

I will only say that Sprint served me well in the pas until 1.5 years ago when service began clipping. Had it not been for unlimited data I would have left last December.Days after my dropped calls were addressed with the truth I got 1.9mbs in the Bronx and I was enthused to look to the future. I will hope that I didn't endure poor service looking for better days to only get unlimited data snatched from me.

 

There is no entitlement thinking here, but it is a fact that that is the lynch pin for me to take the poor service rendered the last 1.5 years. I hope they don't slap the die hard supporters like some of us here that have been with them since the doors opened in late 96 early 1997.

[gangrene]

I'm so saddened with all the impatience that people have with Sprint lately. I have more reasons than many of you to complain about Sprint, and Robert (S4GRU) has even more reasons to complain.

 

People, Sprint has undertaken a massive project to make LTE happen, and it's not a cheap project either. Plus with some things out of their control like backhaul vendors taking longer times to upgrade the backhaul in some places, it's not entirely Sprint's fault.

 

Please be patient with Sprint people, please! Network Vision can't happen overnight. I know many of us wish it could, but it can't.

 

Thank you!

 

Public Corporations aren't human beings, so I have no particular loyalty to any of them. I give a large communications company like Sprint or Comcast my money and they provide me with a service. That is ultimately the full extent of my relationship with them.

 

If another company offers me a better price, a better service or both I have no problems switching.

 

Paying for a service that you're not particularly happy with out of some sense of loyalty to a very large for-profit corporation seems bizarre to me.

[MacinJosh]

Public Corporations aren't human beings, so I have no particular loyalty to any of them. I give a large communications company like Sprint or Comcast my money and they provide me with a service. That is ultimately the full extent of my relationship with them.

 

If another company offers me a better price, a better service or both I have no problems switching.

 

Paying for a service that you're not particularly happy with out of some sense of loyalty to a very large for-profit corporation seems bizarre to me.

 

Please don't get me started with Comcast. I've been without internet from them all afternoon, and according to their end, everything is fine. Thank God for the Clear iSpot we keep around.

[rza_arts]

Well, it's a combination of the unlimited data and your friend's iPhone. Kind of. When Sprint added the iPhone to its lineup, the millions of extra customers looking for unlimited data overloaded the network, and the speeds collapsed.

 

Hmm. It seems that Verizon 3G is still faster than Sprint's . Must be what you explained it to be. When will they gain control again?

[S4GRU]

 

Hmm. It seems that Verizon 3G is still faster than Sprint's . Must be what you explained it to be. When will they gain control again?

 

Depends on where you go. Verizon 3G is not faster than Sprint in all places here in Northern New Mexico. Sprint 3G is faster in Los Alamos and in some parts of Santa Fe. I have a VZW work phone and hotspot, so I compare Sprint and VZW head to head all the time.

 

Sprint's Network Vision nationwide upgrade is bringing drastically improved 3G. In completed places it meets or exceeds VZW 3G performance.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 using Forum Runner

[WiWavelength]

Paying for a service that you're not particularly happy with out of some sense of loyalty to a very large for-profit corporation seems bizarre to me.

 

Excuse me, but that is a highly simplistic point of view -- one that assumes nearly perfect information and competition, neither of which exist.

 

In actuality, the competitor-consumer relationship is far more complex. In many ways, it can be akin to a chess match, and the truly informed consumer has to think many moves ahead.

 

To use this relevant example, a Sprint sub decides that Sprint sucks and ports to VZW instead. If enough think the same way, then Sprint fails, its assets absorbed by banks, the FCC, and other wireless carriers. Under the "free market," at least one other competitor emerges from the ashes. But wireless is not a free market, cannot be a free market due to the dictates of physics, and competition further collapses. So, because of the short sighted decisions of some consumers, everyone ends up with fewer choices, and VZW, et al., exploit consumers further and further.

 

That is a worst case scenario, but it is still illustrative. The lesson: do not be a stupid consumer. Think before you make purchasing decisions. And, yes, before you complain, that is your responsibility.

 

AJ

[mellimel2212]

Why are people impatient with sprint? Because theyre american. We live in a society starved of education, patience, and rationale. A "me, me, me" mindset drives the actions, thoughts and opinions of the majority..... sprint and tmobile get the worst of it because they tend to attract budget minded customers and within that subsect you find the least rational, most poorly educated and impatient people in our society. Many expect a premium product at a discount price and are irate when theirfacebook wont load or they cant watch da utube. Theyre handing over their precious hard earned (or entitled) dollars and have high strung expectations.

 

I can tell u was hakf sleep with this comment haha first off a cell carrier has NO basis on a person status and personal life i had 3 of the big four conpanies att sucks in certain homes and capped data verizon is fast and dependable but shared and capped data NO THANKS Sprint is working for me and my wallet for the past 8 months

 

Sent from my White Epic 4g Touch using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[QWIKSTRIKE]

Excuse me, but that is a highly simplistic point of view -- one that assumes nearly perfect information and competition, neither of which exist.

 

In actuality, the competitor-consumer relationship is far more complex. In many ways, it can be akin to a chess match, and the truly informed consumer has to think many moves ahead.

 

To use this relevant example, a Sprint sub decides that Sprint sucks and ports to VZW instead. If enough think the same way, then Sprint fails, its assets absorbed by banks, the FCC, and other wireless carriers. Under the "free market," at least one other competitor emerges from the ashes. But wireless is not a free market, cannot be a free market due to the dictates of physics, and competition further collapses. So, because of the short sighted decisions of some consumers, everyone ends up with fewer choices, and VZW, et al., exploit consumers further and further.

 

That is a worst case scenario, but it is still illustrative. The lesson: do not be a stupid consumer. Think before you make purchasing decisions. And, yes, before you complain, that is your responsibility.

 

AJ

 

This is so damn true, but the problem is that most consumers are misinformed by the misinformed and are clueless.

[Ascertion]

I was literally about to make this thread the other day but for some reason avoided it. Now since it's up, I can share my thoughts.

 

I think it's annoying hearing people leave sprint due to "spotty LTE coverage". Most of us don't even have LTE signal, but they're leaving because they think it's a finished product and the maps display the completed coverage.

 

These maps on sprint need to be changed to reflect current coverage, so far nothing good has come out of this false advertising.

[gusherb]

This is so damn true, but the problem is that most consumers are misinformed by the misinformed and are clueless.

 

Keep in mind that consumers often don't care at all and would rather be misinformed much of the time. Sometimes even when giving them the correct information they don't wanna hear it. Also not a whole lot of people like doing their homework...

[gusherb]

I was literally about to make this thread the other day but for some reason avoided it. Now since it's up, I can share my thoughts.

 

I think it's annoying hearing people leave sprint due to "spotty LTE coverage". Most of us don't even have LTE signal, but they're leaving because they think it's a finished product and the maps display the completed coverage.

 

These maps on sprint need to be changed to reflect current coverage, so far nothing good has come out of this false advertising.

 

I agree. Sprint starts launching LTE and now all the sudden EVERYONE expects it EVERYWHERE. I think Verizon and AT&T are smart to not turn on LTE until they've reached their target. It keeps people from whining that the coverage is horrible and spotty. Of course that is no fun for the ones that do realize that they aren't done yet and would like to use what sites are ready while they continue to build out. and of course the lack of accurate coverage on their maps doesn't help either, but I think even if the maps were accurate people would still be whining about the same thing.

[digiblur]

I was literally about to make this thread the other day but for some reason avoided it. Now since it's up, I can share my thoughts.

 

I think it's annoying hearing people leave sprint due to "spotty LTE coverage". Most of us don't even have LTE signal, but they're leaving because they think it's a finished product and the maps display the completed coverage.

 

These maps on sprint need to be changed to reflect current coverage, so far nothing good has come out of this false advertising.

 

If they have an EVO the LTE becomes even less stellar for them. Just unfortunate as that customer stays a tainted customer for a long time and they usually make sure to share their experience with friends.

 

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

 

[WiWavelength]

Keep in mind that consumers often don't care at all and would rather be misinformed much of the time. Sometimes even when giving them the correct information they don't wanna hear it. Also not a whole lot of people like doing their homework...

 

I think that this is the corporatist GOP rationale. Most people are ill informed. And it may be largely true, almost enough so to convince me to vote Republican. But I also know sufficient history and economics to understand that this approach is not sustainable.

 

AJ

[S4GRU]

 

I think that this is the corporatist GOP rationale. Most people are ill informed. And it may be largely true' date=' almost enough so to convince me to vote Republican. But I also know sufficient history and economics to understand that this approach is not sustainable.

 

AJ[/quote']

 

You mean I wasn't supposed to vote Republican? I misunderstood. Can you get an absentee ballot back?

 

Robert via Nexus 7 using Forum Runner

[WiWavelength]

You mean I wasn't supposed to vote Republican? I misunderstood. Can you get an absentee ballot back?

 

"He chose...poorly."

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOajmNKsb5Q

 

AJ

[Ascertion]

 

I agree. Sprint starts launching LTE and now all the sudden EVERYONE expects it EVERYWHERE. I think Verizon and AT&T are smart to not turn on LTE until they've reached their target. It keeps people from whining that the coverage is horrible and spotty. Of course that is no fun for the ones that do realize that they aren't done yet and would like to use what sites are ready while they continue to build out. and of course the lack of accurate coverage on their maps doesn't help either, but I think even if the maps were accurate people would still be whining about the same thing.

I agree fully, I think if sprint made it more known that the lte is still in progress, it'd change alot of people's mindset. Everyone has a friend that has att or Verizon and of course they're going to brag about their speeds. And I know it's frustrating, but once Sprint's network becomes better, I'll be the one showing off my speeds/reception.

[koiulpoi]

Depends on where you go. Verizon 3G is not faster than Sprint in all places here in Northern New Mexico. Sprint 3G is faster in Los Alamos and in some parts of Santa Fe. I have a VZW work phone and hotspot, so I compare Sprint and VZW head to head all the time.

 

Sprint's Network Vision nationwide upgrade is bringing drastically improved 3G. In completed places it meets or exceeds VZW 3G performance.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 using Forum Runner

Eeeeeexactly.

 

I can give people plenty of VZW Speedtests around here that are sub 100 Kbps, at a better 3G signal than -90. I can show you plenty of places VZW lies about their coverage. I can introduce you to plenty of customers that brag about the incredible speeds they get, then proceed to WiFi offload because they're afraid of data usage.

[koiulpoi]

And while I'm on the topic of network perception...

 

Sprint roams on VZW anyways, so many of those areas are covered. Most of you would be shocked to learn that most consumers do not believe their phones actually work at all when roaming. It's because "roaming guard" is turned on by default on almost all phones, so they cannot make or receive calls without extra keypresses - which causes them to get frustrated and believe that it's impossible (really). In addition, Data Roaming is disabled by default, so no internet connection. So, what happens is, they hop on a VZW tower, and start thinking "my GOD Sprint has NOTHING out here I CANT EVEN MAKE A DARN PHONE CALL this is the WORST I am about to THROW THIS THROUGH A WALL"

 

That, and, while roaming, calls will not complete without the area code. For example, if you live in the 888 area code, normally dialing 2114727 will go through. However, while roaming, you need to dial the complete 8882114727. And seeing as many subscribers have contacts without area codes... well, I did just say people believe you can't make phone calls while roaming...

 

And the end result is, people think that Verizon will give them better service. When they just had to read what was on the screen.

[digiblur]

They all need to be leaving 7 digit dialing anyways. Many areas do not allow it on landlines anyways.

 

Sent from my C64 w/Epyx FastLoad cartridge

 

 

[gusherb]

And while I'm on the topic of network perception...

 

Sprint roams on VZW anyways, so many of those areas are covered. Most of you would be shocked to learn that most consumers do not believe their phones actually work at all when roaming. It's because "roaming guard" is turned on by default on almost all phones, so they cannot make or receive calls without extra keypresses - which causes them to get frustrated and believe that it's impossible (really). In addition, Data Roaming is disabled by default, so no internet connection. So, what happens is, they hop on a VZW tower, and start thinking "my GOD Sprint has NOTHING out here I CANT EVEN MAKE A DARN PHONE CALL this is the WORST I am about to THROW THIS THROUGH A WALL"

 

That, and, while roaming, calls will not complete without the area code. For example, if you live in the 888 area code, normally dialing 2114727 will go through. However, while roaming, you need to dial the complete 8882114727. And seeing as many subscribers have contacts without area codes... well, I did just say people believe you can't make phone calls while roaming...

 

And the end result is, people think that Verizon will give them better service. When they just had to read what was on the screen.

 

And to basically sum up what you said: Sprint is not idiot proof Verizon is. People are quick to blame someone else instead of thinking that maybe it is THEIR error. back in 2007 when I got my first cellphone, on AT&T I couldn't make a call when I was out visiting my sister in california. That's when I realized that you need to dial the area code when your not in your home market. Since then ALL of my contacts have been programmed with the area code. Problem solved. T-Mobile OTOH I discovered recently that you do not need to dial the area code for a number within your numbers area code even while out of your home market.

 

The first things I did when I got my phone was turn on data roaming and turn off roaming guard. Luckily for iPhone users there is no roaming guard on there, all they have to do is turn on data roaming. Less room for confusion and frustration for them.

[gangrene]

Excuse me, but that is a highly simplistic point of view -- one that assumes nearly perfect information and competition, neither of which exist.

 

In actuality, the competitor-consumer relationship is far more complex. In many ways, it can be akin to a chess match, and the truly informed consumer has to think many moves ahead.

 

To use this relevant example, a Sprint sub decides that Sprint sucks and ports to VZW instead. If enough think the same way, then Sprint fails, its assets absorbed by banks, the FCC, and other wireless carriers. Under the "free market," at least one other competitor emerges from the ashes. But wireless is not a free market, cannot be a free market due to the dictates of physics, and competition further collapses. So, because of the short sighted decisions of some consumers, everyone ends up with fewer choices, and VZW, et al., exploit consumers further and further.

 

That is a worst case scenario, but it is still illustrative. The lesson: do not be a stupid consumer. Think before you make purchasing decisions. And, yes, before you complain, that is your responsibility.

 

AJ

 

The job of an educated consumer is to get the best value for their money and get the service that best fits their individual needs, however that individual consumer happens to conceptualize value.

 

That obviously requires a decent amount of research, but to imply that fears over the future competitive balance of a multi-billion dollar industry ( that you as an individual consumer have absolutely no real control over) should be prioritized over more transparent, immediate factors like service quality, coverage, and price is ridiculous.

 

If Sprint manages to execute well on Network Vision and get it fully deployed within a reasonable timeframe, it will have a competitive product, increase its customer base by a significant number of users and find itself in a much better position within a few years. If Network Vision has massive delays and technical/signal quality problems reminiscent of the WiMax deployment, it will most likely bleed subscribers and find itself in a very poor competitive position. Their continued survival as a company doesn't rest the continued patience/good will of an extreme minority of hyper-informed mobile users, it all rides on the execution of this one very large, very complex engineering project.

 

As an individual consumer, almost all of that is beyond your control.