LTE Plus / Enhanced LTE (was "Sprint Spark" - Official Name for the Tri-Band Network)

[Calvin200]

Any attempt to excuse this inadequacy  is an attempt to excuse away something people currently want on their current devices.  If their was not a desire for it they would not have to have prepared responses such as.... you can do voice and data while on wifi.  As always... vote with your pocketbook. 

[JosefTor]

Any attempt to excuse this inadequacy is an attempt to excuse away something people currently want on their current devices. If their was not a desire for it they would not have to have prepared responses such as.... you can do voice and data while on wifi. As always... vote with your pocketbook.

Just thinking out loud though, Sprint is not preventing manufacturers from adding the capability to their phones. I do recommend voting with your wallet because that is how capitalism works, but I'm not sure where a good viable option is for you to turn.

[Calvin200]

Just thinking out loud though, Sprint is not preventing manufacturers from adding the capability to their phones. I do recommend voting with your wallet because that is how capitalism works, but I'm not sure where a good viable option is for you to turn.

I'm staying because I don't think anyone could come close to the plan in relation to the coverage I have where I live.  

[JonnygATL]

Any attempt to excuse this inadequacy is an attempt to excuse away something people currently want on their current devices. If their was not a desire for it they would not have to have prepared responses such as.... you can do voice and data while on wifi. As always... vote with your pocketbook.

 

People don't need to be told to vote with their pocketbooks; they do it by default.

However, in 2015, how often are you out of WiFi range? Seriously. Even in a McDonald's in the middle of nowhere, you've got reasonably useful WiFi. And at your home, I'm sure you do. If you don't, you certainly should. That said, when would you not be able to use WiFi data while on a call? School..work...home....coffee shop? Nope! They all have WiFi. So I'm struggling to see a usage case where WiFi isn't available, aside from a small, insignificant portion of your day.

[nick]

I know this is going to sound crazy. I like not having simultaneous voice and data. I had a really bad habit of talking to my wife on speakerphone and browsing the web at the same time while driving 45mins from work to home.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6

I hope you aren't behind the wheel while taking and browsing the internet.   

[tybo31316]

I hope you aren't behind the wheel while taking and browsing the internet.

I used to do that a few years ago before buying the Nexus 5 I used to own. I have a couple instances where I could use voice and data at the same time. Most of the time I have my iPad with me now.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6

[greenbastard]

People don't need to be told to vote with their pocketbooks; they do it by default.

However, in 2015, how often are you out of WiFi range? Seriously. Even in a McDonald's in the middle of nowhere, you've got reasonably useful WiFi. And at your home, I'm sure you do. If you don't, you certainly should. That said, when would you not be able to use WiFi data while on a call? School..work...home....coffee shop? Nope! They all have WiFi. So I'm struggling to see a usage case where WiFi isn't available, aside from a small, insignificant portion of your day.

Lots of places still don't have WiFi. Even if there is, it's very inconvinient to scan for WiFi and register and accept their user agreement all while in a phone call (and then hoping it works). You can also forget about it if you're juggling a phone call, searching for something, and then having to log in/pay for the services. Also, you have to hope the WiFi is reliable after you gain access. At that point, its easier to hang up, search for it, and then start your phone call back up.

 

This is a feature Sprint lacks in their handset lineup and no amount of WiFi can make up for it. Having said that, I have little use for it and don't notice it often. But I can see some people leaving Sprint for another carrier that has this feature on their latest phones.

[JonnygATL]

I guess I'm just playing devil's advocate here but I think its utility is vastly overrated.

[WiWavelength]

I guess I'm just playing devil's advocate here but I think its utility is vastly overrated.

 

I feel sorry for people who are required to or feel the need to talk on their cellphones.  It is such an unpleasant form of communication.  I cannot recall the last time that I made an actual cellphone call.  Oddly, I have made two phone calls in the past two days.  But both calls were via Gmail VoIP from my laptop, and this was an anomalous week.  I might go another month without making a phone call.

 

AJ

[kct1975]

People don't need to be told to vote with their pocketbooks; they do it by default.

However, in 2015, how often are you out of WiFi range? Seriously. Even in a McDonald's in the middle of nowhere, you've got reasonably useful WiFi. And at your home, I'm sure you do. If you don't, you certainly should. That said, when would you not be able to use WiFi data while on a call? School..work...home....coffee shop? Nope! They all have WiFi. So I'm struggling to see a usage case where WiFi isn't available, aside from a small, insignificant portion of your day.

Not to be rude here, but WiFi is not always the best option.

 

First of all, in the office where I work, my phone won't connect to the Office WiFi because of the company network security settings, and the Guest WiFi isn't a good option either because everything is blocked except for Web Browsers.

 

Also at a lot of restaurants, you have to ask a member of the staff for a special password.

 

Lastly, I have found a lot of public WiFi Hotspot completely useless because the data speed (even for accessing Tapatalk) is significantly slower than 1x data.

 

Don't get me wrong...I do use WiFi at home and I try to use WiFi as much as possible in restaurants, hospitals, schools, etc, but it is not as available or as useful as some people think.

[Terrell352]

People don't need to be told to vote with their pocketbooks; they do it by default.

However, in 2015, how often are you out of WiFi range? Seriously. Even in a McDonald's in the middle of nowhere, you've got reasonably useful WiFi. And at your home, I'm sure you do. If you don't, you certainly should. That said, when would you not be able to use WiFi data while on a call? School..work...home....coffee shop? Nope! They all have WiFi. So I'm struggling to see a usage case where WiFi isn't available, aside from a small, insignificant portion of your day.

Just because your at work does not mean they have WiFi nor does it mean they give employees access to it. Walmart just got WiFi less than 3 months ago. Movies theatre will not support WiFi. And then of course there's those times when your on your phone talking to someone and need info at the same time. Not driving, more like on the passengers side of your best friend's ride. WiFi is not there yet but its getting there. Family dollar, dollar general, Burlington, amscot,small business restaurants etc. I could name so many places.

[Deval]

This is a feature Sprint lacks in their handset lineup and no amount of WiFi can make up for it. Having said that, I have little use for it and don't notice it often. But I can see some people leaving Sprint for another carrier that has this feature on their latest phones.

 

Anyone who has been a Sprint customer would already expect that they couldn't do that.

[Deval]

I think people can come up with hundreds of scenarios where having that feature would have been useful, while others can come up with hundreds of scenarios where it wasn't as useful.

 

No one is right, no one is wrong, but the fact of the matter is, Sprint will not have simultaneous voice/data till VoLTE is deployed.

[AppleFanBoy]

I think people can come up with hundreds of scenarios where having that feature would have been useful, while others can come up with hundreds of scenarios where it wasn't as useful.

 

No one is right, no one is wrong, but the fact of the matter is, Sprint will not have simultaneous voice/data till VoLTE is deployed.

I have a guy at work that would leave AT&T for Sprint if only he were able to do voice and data at the same time.

 

He does a lot of tethering (legal) with his iPhone and Macbook and would hate to lose a data connection when receiving or placing phone calls.

 

I've never really used voice and data at the same time so I can live without what I've never had, but potential new Sprint customers may not want to give up that capability.

[JonnygATL]

Not to be rude here, but WiFi is not always the best option.

First of all, in the office where I work, my phone won't connect to the Office WiFi because of the company network security settings, and the Guest WiFi isn't a good option either because everything is blocked except for Web Browsers.

Also at a lot of restaurants, you have to ask a member of the staff for a special password.

Lastly, I have found a lot of public WiFi Hotspot completely useless because the data speed (even for accessing Tapatalk) is significantly slower than 1x data.

Don't get me wrong...I do use WiFi at home and I try to use WiFi as much as possible in restaurants, hospitals, schools, etc, but it is not as available or as useful as some people think.

If you're at work, just use the computer (while talking on the phone). That would be my actual initial reaction anyway.

 

That said, yeah, WiFi can be horribly slow at times but for a simple query while on a phone call, it usually is more than sufficient. If it's more than a simple query you seek, then you should wait until the call is over anyway.

 

I do understand your point though.

[RAvirani]

I have a guy at work that would leave AT&T for Sprint if only he were able to do voice and data at the same time.

 

He does a lot of tethering (legal) with his iPhone and Macbook and would hate to lose a data connection when receiving or placing phone calls.

 

I've never really used voice and data at the same time so I can live without what I've never had, but potential new Sprint customers may not want to give up that capability.

When I first left AT&T for sprint I was appalled that you couldn't use data while on calls and it still bugs me so I can't wait until the VoLTE launch.

[Terrell352]

If you're at work, just use the computer (while talking on the phone). That would be my actual initial reaction anyway.

 

That said, yeah, WiFi can be horribly slow at times but for a simple query while on a phone call, it usually is more than sufficient. If it's more than a simple query you seek, then you should wait until the call is over anyway.

 

I do understand your point though.

Lets not forget that public WiFi is not always secure. A few years ago there was a app on rooted devices that allowed me to kick anyone off of WiFi on a open network or one that I had the password to and hog the bandwidth to myself while hidding my phones presence. Brought down a denny's just to test it. I use it but I don't trust public WiFi. The other carriers don't have to make this choice only Sprint. Most don't care but it doesn't take much to hack a open network.

[RAvirani]

Lets not forget that public WiFi is not always secure. A few years ago there was a app on rooted devices that allowed me to kick anyone off of WiFi on a open network or one that I had the password to and hog the bandwidth to myself while hidding my phones presence. Brought down a denny's just to test it. I use it but I don't trust public WiFi. The other carriers don't have to make this choice only Sprint. Most don't care but it doesn't take much to hack a open network.

WEP and WPA TKIP can be hacked easy in most cases too.

[Houston_Texas]

When I first left AT&T for sprint I was appalled that you couldn't use data while on calls and it still bugs me so I can't wait until the VoLTE launch.

One reason why I left Sprint.

 

Sent from my SM-N910T

[Calvin200]

People don't need to be told to vote with their pocketbooks; they do it by default.

However, in 2015, how often are you out of WiFi range? Seriously. Even in a McDonald's in the middle of nowhere, you've got reasonably useful WiFi. And at your home, I'm sure you do. If you don't, you certainly should. That said, when would you not be able to use WiFi data while on a call? School..work...home....coffee shop? Nope! They all have WiFi. So I'm struggling to see a usage case where WiFi isn't available, aside from a small, insignificant portion of your day.

I can deal with it, but no I don't enjoy not being able to do both.  I am one of those who aren't voting with my pocketbook because I have faith and have seen improvement.  So much that I've made 650 on referrals on the hope of a better network.   So needless to say I'm a bit of a cheerleader and route for the underdog--45 unlimited everything doesn't hurt either.  That being said, I don't think new customers would like to be told that the time they want to use data and talk are small and insignificant.   

Edited October 29, 2015 by Calvin200

[JonnygATL]

I can deal with it, but no I don't enjoy not being able to do both.  I am one of those who aren't voting with my pocketbook because I have faith and have seen improvement.  So much that I've made 650 on referrals on the hope of a better network.   So needless to say I'm a bit of a cheerleader and route for the underdog--45 unlimited everything doesn't hurt either.  That being said, I don't think new customers would like to be told that the time they want to use data and talk are small and insignificant.   

They don't have to like it for it to be true.  Of course, they're always free to go elsewhere.  

[JonnygATL]

Lets not forget that public WiFi is not always secure. A few years ago there was a app on rooted devices that allowed me to kick anyone off of WiFi on a open network or one that I had the password to and hog the bandwidth to myself while hidding my phones presence. Brought down a denny's just to test it. I use it but I don't trust public WiFi. The other carriers don't have to make this choice only Sprint. Most don't care but it doesn't take much to hack a open network.

It's a known risk, sure.  But if I'm on public wifi, I'm generally not doing anything that I would need to be terribly secure.  Looking up cat videos or checking the weather or a flight arrival time are hardly things I need a great deal of privacy for.  

 

Personal things..finance and otherwise..I tend to leave for my home wifi connection.

[Terrell352]

It's a known risk, sure. But if I'm on public wifi, I'm generally not doing anything that I would need to be terribly secure. Looking up cat videos or checking the weather or a flight arrival time are hardly things I need a great deal of privacy for.

 

Personal things..finance and otherwise..I tend to leave for my home wifi connection.

That's your practices but yours doesn't speak for the rest of the nation. There are plenty of business people with sensitive information that could be comprised over a open WiFi network.

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

[WiWavelength]

Personal things..finance and otherwise..I tend to leave for my home wifi connection.

 

That's your practices but yours doesn't speak for the rest of the nation. There are plenty of business people with sensitive information that could be comprised over a open WiFi network.

 

That traffic is HTTPS and/or VPN encrypted.  Minimal risk.

 

AJ

[JonnygATL]

That's your practices but yours doesn't speak for the rest of the nation. There are plenty of business people with sensitive information that could be comprised over a open WiFi network.

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

You seem horribly argumentative and, I might add, quite unnecessarily.  We don't have to agree.  My goal isn't to make you agree.  In fact, I don't care if you agree.  So let's move along, shall we?