Haven't had LTE in Houston for a month. Advice needed please!

[Ognib311]

I work in the Galleria area, zip 77057. I used to get excellent service from around Aug. of last year through the end of the year. It got noticeably slower after that but still usable.

 

For over a month now 4G has been almostly completely unusable. I get a very slow 4G (< .5 Mbps) or it'll switch to an equally bad 3G. Same phone, same exact area it used to work. My phone works OK elsewhere. It currently shows -97 dBm.

 

I've called and emailed Sprint multiple times and either get "everything's fine" or the issue is based on system upgrades. Is it true they have to take down a tower to work on other towers in the area? That's the lastest story. For over a month though?

 

I've updated the PRL, profile, etc. multiple times and other phones seem to be as bad in this area too.

Should I keep calling Sprint? Sit tight and hope service resumes? Suggestions?

 

[avb]

I work just south of the galleria near Bellaire and 610, and for the last couple of weeks I noticed my phone would periodically switch to 3g. I normally stayed on LTE prior to this, so I'm not sure what's going on. My contract recently ended though and I switched to AIO wireless (AT&T prepaid with LTE)

[shawn_aten]

I work just south of the galleria near Bellaire and 610, and for the last couple of weeks I noticed my phone would periodically switch to 3g. I normally stayed on LTE prior to this, so I'm not sure what's going on. My contract recently ended though and I switched to AIO wireless (AT&T prepaid with LTE)

 

Kind of random to this topic but how are you liking AIO? I've been really interested in them. Wondering how AT&T's coverage is, in general and indoors, and what kind of speeds you're seeing. Also curious if you've hit your data limit and if so what speeds you get when you're throttled. They don't specify on the site.

[BenChase7]

Kind of random to this topic but how are you liking AIO? I've been really interested in them. Wondering how AT&T's coverage is, in general and indoors, and what kind of speeds you're seeing. Also curious if you've hit your data limit and if so what speeds you get when you're throttled. They don't specify on the site.

 

What's a "data limit?"  

[shawn_aten]

AIO has three plans, that give you 250 MB, 2 GB, or 7 GB of full-speed data and once you reach that amount each month they throttle you to slower speeds although they don't specify they just say slower.

[avb]

Kind of random to this topic but how are you liking AIO? I've been really interested in them. Wondering how AT&T's coverage is, in general and indoors, and what kind of speeds you're seeing. Also curious if you've hit your data limit and if so what speeds you get when you're throttled. They don't specify on the site.

 

From my post in the Tmobile LTE vs Sprint LTE thread:

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97640493@N02/

 

I'm at work and don't have an imgur account, but that's a screenshot from Flickr.  I'm using a Nokia 920 so this speedtest app is from Windows Phone 8.  The screenshot doesn't show ping times, but they were typically in the 250 -270 ms range, which is slow for LTE.  It probably goes through a proxy server so AIO can keep track of data usage.

 

We're starting to get off topic though, so it's probably better to create another thread if you want to discuss AIO or AT&T Go Phone LTE service.

 

I'm happy with the service, but with the high ping times on AIO it feels like Sprint's LTE is snappier when you have a solid LTE signal.  AIO speeds are always good enough though, AT&T's LTE is more extensive and in weak signal areas where Sprint would fall back to 3g, with AIO I'm still on at least HSPA+.  I haven't hit the data limit yet, but I spoke to tech support when they launched LTE, and they said once you pass your data limit you're throttled to 256 kb/s.

 

The rate plans on AIO's website are just for the Florida market though.  In Houston, the choices are $50 for 1gb and $65 for 5gb (both with unlimited minutes and text).  There is a $25 activation fee however. Overall I'm very pleased with the service and don't plan to ever sign a contract again with all the mvno choices out there.  I'm on the $65 plan, and that includes taxes so you don't pay anything on top of the $65.  I bought the Nokia 920 off of craigslist for $300 to try out Windows phone and AIO and so far so good.

[shawn_aten]

Hey thanks for the info. I wonder if they'll improve the ping time eventually and also where their prices will end up. Anyways you're right don't want to veer off topic. Might make a thread to see what anybody else on here has to say about them.

[S4GRU]

This thread has been run off topic and off course.  AIO needs to pay S4GRU to advertise on our pages.

 

Robert

[WiWavelength]

Not to mention, E and U are feeling left out.

 

AJ