Sprint says 'all phones' next year will be triband, get HD voice

[WiWavelength]

Need to step out of the bubble AJ and try AT&T for yourself.

Nope, not gonna happen. Out of principle, I decided years ago that I will not subscribe to any services from the Twin Bells.  AT&T and VZW represent most of what is wrong with telecom/broadband regulation and infrastructure in this country.

 

It's adaptive multi rate... dynamic based on network load.  The days of AT&T forcing and locking down phones to HR 100% of t the time are over.  The bit rate lowers when absolutely needed but it no longer camps out there full time.

You do not need to tell me about AMR.  I have been reading and writing about it for years, and I could probably lecture you on it, "GinaDee."

 

AJ

[The Dave]

I can't say I know what AT&T uses, but I do know it is nearly impossible to hear my co-workers on the phone who have it. Their voices sound so tiny and quiet.

[S4GRU]

I can't say I know what AT&T uses, but I do know it is nearly impossible to hear my co-workers on the phone who have it. Their voices sound so tiny and quiet.

I have been disappointed with AT&T so far. I was expecting it to be far more wonderful given what maximus and all the other trolls have extolled over the years. I miss my Sprint service. Voice quality is awful on AT&T, their Faux G network is not as good as all the S4GRU trolls say it is and their customer service is worse than Sprint in my experiences so far.

 

If the voice quality is variable, it hasn't swung to the good side for me yet. The best quality I've experienced so far is to land lines, which is flat and cold sounding. But at least fully audible and intelligible. Mobile to mobile calls are tinny and hesitant, with some being really poor. However, if I switch to CDMA with my Sprint SIM, it does improve while roaming on VZW. So it is not the device. Sprint just wins on voice quality in my experiences.

 

Their 4G is OK. However, about 20% of their sites drop to 100-200kbps at peak times. And it is really noticeable at my office. It seems AT&T is not upgrading HSPA capacity since they are deploying LTE now. The way people post on our site, you would think that AT&T and VZW have perfect networks. I actually prefer Tmo. But they do not offer service here, either. I still have to keep a VZW hotspot as a data backup, I'm afraid.

 

Sprint customer service (through stores and call centers) get a bad rap from us. But I'm finding the same ignorance and ineptitude with AT&T customer service. At least the Sprint reps are friendlier while not solving my problems.

 

Also, it seems like AT&T turns off my passive data. I use K-9 mail app. Works great. It's set to scan for emails every minute. However, quite often no emails will come in for hours unless I wake my device and use data actively for something else. Then a flood of emails arrive. If I put my Sprint SIM in and roam on Verizon, I seem to have no problems with getting emails.

 

AT&T does have less data sites struggling in a general given area than Sprint. But in mature NV/LTE area, Sprint would be equal or better in almost every way. All things considered, you all won't have to worry about me sticking with AT&T. I will gladly come home to Sprint when I can.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

[gnoj]

You do not need to tell me about AMR.  I have been reading and writing about it for years, and I could probably lecture you on it, "GinaDee."

 

Now, now. Play nice.

 

I can't say I know what AT&T uses, but I do know it is nearly impossible to hear my co-workers on the phone who have it. Their voices sound so tiny and quiet.

 

Same here. Phone calls to my neighbor who uses an AT&T flip phone are very quiet and muffled. Calls with a friend who uses an iPhone on AT&T are louder but tend to cut out every few seconds. However, they say I sound fine on their end, so I wonder if that's actually true, or if they're just used to the crappier quality.

 

I don't think it's necessarily a GSM->CDMA thing either, since my Sprint to T-Mo calls have been passable. Overall, Sprint to other CDMA (Cricket/USCC/VZW) calls have been very good, and of course Sprint to Sprint calls are excellent after NV upgrades.

 

I have been disappointed with AT&T so far...

 

As a CDMA fan, I'm surprised you went with AT&T. If I were you, and you don't want to purchase another new phone, I would look into flashing the N5 to a Verizon MVNO like PagePlus. That way you can stay on VZW's CDMA and Ev-DO networks full-time until you move back to Sprint coverage, or Sprint moves to you. You can still pair it with your VZW hotspot for 4G data, and there are rumors PP may get access to VZW's LTE network soon, meaning you'd be able to access their Band 4 LTE when they deploy it there. It sounds like AT&T faux-G is just about as fast as Verizon 3G anyway. It also doesn't sound like lack of roaming would be a problem since there aren't any other CDMA networks there to roam to.

 

According to their coverage map, T-Mo also claims to have some partner coverage (through i Wireless?) around Sturgis/Rapid City along I-90, but I'm guessing it's just a skeleton network designed for travelers and not local customers? I suppose if you're desperate to get away from the duopoly you could try getting a T-Mo SIM and number at another address and taking it back to SD. If it is through iWireless, then since that network is no longer treated as roaming, in theory it would work.

[WiWavelength]

According to their coverage map, T-Mo also claims to have some partner coverage (through i Wireless?) around Sturgis/Rapid City along I-90, but I'm guessing it's just a skeleton network designed for travelers and not local customers? I suppose if you're desperate to get away from the duopoly you could try getting a T-Mo SIM and number at another address and taking it back to SD. If it is through iWireless, then since that network is no longer treated as roaming, in theory it would work.

 

No, it is not Iowa Wireless Services, which is confined almost exclusively to Iowa.  The only GSM centric provider that offers native service in Rapid City is AT&T, and even that came to pass only in the last 3-4 years with divested Alltel properties.

 

Prior to that, the only GSM centric service -- and it was purely GSM, no W-CDMA -- in the area was the barebones roamer network that WWC built with disaggregated spectrum from T-Mobile, circa 2004.  GSM centric service in the West has been nonexistent or a mess for a long time, while CDMA2000 has ruled the area.  But that has waned somewhat now that AT&T has taken over the former Alltel/WWC and RCC properties that VZW divested.

 

So, T-Mobile roaming service in Rapid City is either the now AT&T native network or the barebones WWC roamer network, which is in the hands of VZW or AT&T -- I have honestly forgotten which one retained it in the transaction.

 

AJ

[GinaDee]

Nope, not gonna happen. Out of principle, I decided years ago that I will not subscribe to any services from the Twin Bells.  AT&T and VZW represent most of what is wrong with telecom/broadband regulation and infrastructure in this country.

 

You do not need to tell me about AMR.  I have been reading and writing about it for years, and I could probably lecture you on it, "GinaDee."

 

AJ

 

Even old dogs can be taught new tricks.  Glad I can share.

[GinaDee]

I have been disappointed with AT&T so far. I was expecting it to be far more wonderful given what maximus and all the other trolls have extolled over the years. I miss my Sprint service. Voice quality is awful on AT&T, their Faux G network is not as good as all the S4GRU trolls say it is and their customer service is worse than Sprint in my experiences so far.

 

If the voice quality is variable, it hasn't swung to the good side for me yet. The best quality I've experienced so far is to land lines, which is flat and cold sounding. But at least fully audible and intelligible. Mobile to mobile calls are tinny and hesitant, with some being really poor. However, if I switch to CDMA with my Sprint SIM, it does improve while roaming on VZW. So it is not the device. Sprint just wins on voice quality in my experiences.

 

Their 4G is OK. However, about 20% of their sites drop to 100-200kbps at peak times. And it is really noticeable at my office. It seems AT&T is not upgrading HSPA capacity since they are deploying LTE now. The way people post on our site, you would think that AT&T and VZW have perfect networks. I actually prefer Tmo. But they do not offer service here, either. I still have to keep a VZW hotspot as a data backup, I'm afraid.

 

Sprint customer service (through stores and call centers) get a bad rap from us. But I'm finding the same ignorance and ineptitude with AT&T customer service. At least the Sprint reps are friendlier while not solving my problems.

 

Also, it seems like AT&T turns off my passive data. I use K-9 mail app. Works great. It's set to scan for emails every minute. However, quite often no emails will come in for hours unless I wake my device and use data actively for something else. Then a flood of emails arrive. If I put my Sprint SIM in and roam on Verizon, I seem to have no problems with getting emails.

 

AT&T does have less data sites struggling in a general given area than Sprint. But in mature NV/LTE area, Sprint would be equal or better in almost every way. All things considered, you all won't have to worry about me sticking with AT&T. I will gladly come home to Sprint when I can.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

 

 

Might be your location.  AT&T may not be investing the dollars in your state like they do in places like CA or New York.  

 

The best voice quality I've ever experienced on a mobile phone when using T-Mobile's AMR WB network.  They only advertise HD voice when calling other T-Mobile users but in my local tests it sounds good even when calling other mobile's or landlines.  

[WiWavelength]

Even old dogs can be taught new tricks.  Glad I can share.

 

Are you teaching tricks or turning tricks, "GinaDee"?

 

 

AJ

[GinaDee]

Are you teaching tricks or turning tricks, "GinaDee"?

 

 

AJ

 

Depends how much you want to pay hot stuff!

[WiWavelength]

Depends how much you want to pay hot stuff!

No, as I said previously, I am not buying it.

 

 

AJ

[gnoj]

So, T-Mobile roaming service in Rapid City is either the now AT&T native network or the barebones WWC roamer network, which is in the hands of VZW or AT&T -- I have honestly forgotten which one retained it in the transaction.

 

Perhaps then that WWC roamer network somehow ended up in the hands of iWireless, since there have been some reports of their MCC-MNC showing up around there. I was really only going off of that, since I also wouldn't have expected to find any IWS cell sites that far from Iowa. Substantiating that somewhat is that the IWS's "no contract" coverage map (which includes little to no non- T-Mobile roaming) includes that portion of SD.

 

It's a curiosity, but likely a moot point since I suspect Robert wouldn't want to settle for an EDGE-only network (VZW hotspot at his side or not), even if it meant he was avoiding the duopoly. I'd still try the PagePlus route- that way he can keep his N5 (in theory) and only provide Verizon with wholesale revenue. I can't say if VZW's 3G would fare any better there than AT&T's UMTS/HSPA+ during peak hours, but they 'clearly' have the leg up on call quality.

[thewezgrays]

As far as voice quality -- I can speak to all four carriers here in eastern SC -- I have had them all in some form the last two years pretty extensively (on the phone a lot for work and have bounced between prepaid carriers before settling where I am now with VXW and Sprint)... Sprint is very good for voice quality.  T-Mobile and ATT seem to have been nearly the same.  However, my new Verizon iPhone is horrible for sound quality.  I have to ask "what?" many times a day -- likewise do the other parties on the line.  Very disappointed.

 

As far as data -- I found that ATT always had 5 to 10 mbps for me no matter where I was rural or city -- HSPA -- no experience with LTE as I didn't have an LTE phone (and LTE is nonexistent in Horry County due to the local tele company screwing it up for ATT)... T-Mobile was just as fast -- but only inside city limits -- once that speed limit sign says 55 -- 2G EDGE is all ya got.  Verizon is a very solid LTE 99% of the time and only twice have I seen "3G" and once "1X" since I have had the phone.  I would love to tell you about speed tests, but due to capped data -- I am afraid to do more than one or two here and there... Thus my love for Sprint.  Sprint is slowly getting better (the 3G side is improving daily -- unless that is all the tourists having left lol) -- but I think it is going to take LTE800 to fill in the gaps to have that "solid" LTE like Verizon has -- especially away form the more dense urban sites...

 

Just my anecdotal observations of course... I am sure some of this has to do with what kind phone I was/am using -- where I am more often than not -- or what PRL I am running (joke)...

[JeffDTD]

When I tried out ATT in 2012, it was the voice quality that sent me running back to sprint. I had read about but never experienced the handoff sounds and hisses and garbles that their customers become conditioned to ignore.

 

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

 

[hescominsoon]

Here's another question...should 2015 be the year Sprint finally goes to VoLTE? Seems like Sprint will finally have better 800 MHz coverage by then.

doubt it..they haven't got things figured out for nv1.0 yet.