So, any guess on St Louis, and how good will it be?

[RJSinMO]

I know everyone wants to know about their town. But, I'm pretty much about to jump ship from Sprint after 10 years. First, Motorola screwed me by announcing last year they wouldn't be upgrading my less than a year old Photon to ICS or JB. So, then I was eligible for an upgrade in September, but since Sprint hasn't delivered or even announced LTE in St Louis, I would lose my existing 4g (wimax) if I bought a new phone. We were pretty early on wimax, but now little towns are getting LTE with no mention of St Louis yet. And, the 3g has gone downhill, I used to get around 1.3mb down on 3g, and now it's more like 700k. So going back to 3g, even temporarily, is not an acceptable.

 

I've reviewed AT&T's coverage maps for LTE and it seems to be pretty strong. The rep at Best Buy right by my house installed Speedtest on his AT&T Note II for me and ran a speed test and got around 24mb down.

 

So, I guess my questions are when will we see LTE in St Louis? And, even if it were tomorrow, would it be another year before the coverage was even complete/decent? Because it sure looks like AT&T is there now. I would be willing to give Sprint a few more months, but not if it will be spotty when it is delivered. And, if we haven't even been mentioned, it leads me to believe we could be looking at mid to late this year at best.

[lynyrd65]

I know everyone wants to know about their town. But, I'm pretty much about to jump ship from Sprint after 10 years. First, Motorola screwed me by announcing last year they wouldn't be upgrading my less than a year old Photon to ICS or JB. So, then I was eligible for an upgrade in September, but since Sprint hasn't delivered or even announced LTE in St Louis, I would lose my existing 4g (wimax) if I bought a new phone. We were pretty early on wimax, but now little towns are getting LTE with no mention of St Louis yet. And, the 3g has gone downhill, I used to get around 1.3mb down on 3g, and now it's more like 700k. So going back to 3g, even temporarily, is not an acceptable.

 

I've reviewed AT&T's coverage maps for LTE and it seems to be pretty strong. The rep at Best Buy right by my house installed Speedtest on his AT&T Note II for me and ran a speed test and got around 24mb down.

 

So, I guess my questions are when will we see LTE in St Louis? And, even if it were tomorrow, would it be another year before the coverage was even complete/decent? Because it sure looks like AT&T is there now. I would be willing to give Sprint a few more months, but not if it will be spotty when it is delivered. And, if we haven't even been mentioned, it leads me to believe we could be looking at mid to late this year at best.

 

Why not install ICS on the photon yourself and keep your WiMax. I bet they have working WiMax on CM10 now.

 

Edit: look here

 

[RJSinMO]

I've never really been interested in rooting, but even so, people say the Photon bootloader is locked and it can't be done?

[tommym65]

I know everyone wants to know about their town. But, I'm pretty much about to jump ship from Sprint after 10 years. . . .

 

So, I guess my questions are when will we see LTE in St Louis? And, even if it were tomorrow, would it be another year before the coverage was even complete/decent? Because it sure looks like AT&T is there now. I would be willing to give Sprint a few more months, but not if it will be spotty when it is delivered. And, if we haven't even been mentioned, it leads me to believe we could be looking at mid to late this year at best.

 

If you were a sponsor, you would see that there are current Network Vision/LTE installations going on in Hannibal, in and near Columbia, and also multiple sites actually in St. Louis.

 

Based on my experience in Chicagoland, once the installations have begun (as they have for you), the progress has been rapid and comprehensive. Chicagoland was totally dark in late August, and as of today more than half of all Sprint sites in the region have LTE. I took the train northwest from downtown Chicago today, and got virtually non-stop usable LTE for over 40 miles. Pretty good progress in just over 4 months.

 

So, don't be too hasty in switching. If you are, you may miss a huge improvement in your cellular experience.

[Rickie546]

Please use the Missouri market in the Network topics.

[lynyrd65]

I've never really been interested in rooting, but even so, people say the Photon bootloader is locked and it can't be done?

 

From what I know, (outdated for sure), you can as long as your bootloader is unlockable, (complicated I know but probably worth the risk). Photons go for like $50 now so if it fails you can just buy a second hand Galaxy S II and root it easily.

 

EDIT: does your photon run 2.3.5 from motorola (show me your about phone screen)?

[RJSinMO]

Lynyrd, yes 2.3.5, screen cap attached.....

 

Tommy, I'll look into paying up, new to the site, didn't know how it all worked.

 

Ricky, sorry, same.... new here

Edited January 19, 2013 by RJSinMO

[RJSinMO]

So, don't be too hasty in switching. If you are, you may miss a huge improvement in your cellular experience.

 

and everyone keeps talking about this "bright future", but honestly, will it be any better than AT&T or Verizon at that point?

[Rickie546]

Lynyrd, yes 2.3.5, screen cap attached.....

 

Tommy, I'll look into paying up, new to the site, didn't know how it all worked.

 

Ricky, sorry, same.... new here

 

It's all good, look around it will be well worth the bucks! Let me know if you need any other help. Sorry it i was harsh

[lynyrd65]

Lynyrd, yes 2.3.5, screen cap attached.....

 

Tommy, I'll look into paying up, new to the site, didn't know how it all worked.

 

Ricky, sorry, same.... new here

 

Unfortunately with the 2.3.5 update you cannot unlock your bootloader. You can however root your device and debloat it to make it run faster.

 

If you decide to wait but really want a new device with fast data you could get a second hand AT&T or T-Mobile device and use it on straight talk until Sprint upgrades their network.

[WiWavelength]

and everyone keeps talking about this "bright future", but honestly, will it be any better than AT&T or Verizon at that point?

 

You really do not want to go that route. AT&T and VZ have become horrible companies that are actively working and lobbying against the public interest. Do not encourage them by giving them more market share.

 

This article published today is a good place to start reading:

 

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Rick-Boucher-From-Fair-Use-Champ-to-ATT-Sockpuppet-122806

 

AJ

[RJSinMO]

You really do not want to go that route. AT&T and VZ have become horrible companies that are actively working and lobbying against the public interest. Do not encourage them by giving them more market share.

 

This article published today is a good place to start reading:

 

http://www.dslreport...ckpuppet-122806

 

AJ

 

And Sprint is somehow a better company because they SOLD off their wireline businesses? I'm not trying to be anti-Sprint in this thread, as I've said I've been a very positive customer for 10 years. I was just asking if it was worth waiting for Sprint, if after waiting for them to get LTE in place, they will just then be equal to AT&T & Vzw, that I could have now.

[Rickie546]

And Sprint is somehow a better company because they SOLD off their wireline businesses? I'm not trying to be anti-Sprint in this thread, as I've said I've been a very positive customer for 10 years. I was just asking if it was worth waiting for Sprint, if after waiting for them to get LTE in place, they will just then be equal to AT&T & Vzw, that I could have now.

I have got to enjoy LTE for around 6 months, and yes it will be worth it to have unlimited LTE instead of limited!

[Boosted20V]

 

 

And Sprint is somehow a better company because they SOLD off their wireline businesses? I'm not trying to be anti-Sprint in this thread, as I've said I've been a very positive customer for 10 years. I was just asking if it was worth waiting for Sprint, if after waiting for them to get LTE in place, they will just then be equal to AT&T & Vzw, that I could have now.

 

Generally, if you need to state you're not anti-Sprint... You may be coming off just that way.

[RJSinMO]

Generally, if you need to state you're not anti-Sprint... You may be coming off just that way.

 

haha, well, I was just responding to his comment that AT&T and Vzw are "horrible" companies with a link that says it was because they are wanting to abandon their wired products.

 

But, more back to my original post(s), yes, I'm frustrated with Sprint for the situation that I'm in personally (with my specific phone) and that St Louis (and other wimax cities with no announced LTE) is in with real dis-incentive to buy a new phone. I would think it would be frustrating for Sprint retailers too.

[Boosted20V]

 

 

haha, well, I was just responding to his comment that AT&T and Vzw are "horrible" companies with a link that says it was because they are wanting to abandon their wired products.

 

But, more back to my original post(s), yes, I'm frustrated with Sprint for the situation that I'm in personally (with my specific phone) and that St Louis (and other wimax cities with no announced LTE) is in with real dis-incentive to buy a new phone. I would think it would be frustrating for Sprint retailers too.

 

Of course it can be frustrating. All we can offer you here is the information that Sprint is putting all of its resources into modernizing its network. No one will try to change your mind or beg you to stay but good things are coming and for many of us, it already has.

[pyroscott]

I'm closing this thread. Please continue discussion of the St. Louis rollout in the St. Louis market thread.