Went on a road trip and Sprint LTE was very disappointing

[Smashed Ixnay]

I live in central FL and traveled east on i4 to i95 and went to Bennetsville, SC.    My LG G2 is out of commission getting it's 2nd screen replaced under warranty, but my wife had her LG G3.   I was really hoping Sprint's LTE network would be vastly improved, but I guess it needs more time.   I can say about 80% of the time the phone would be on 3G and wouldn't connect to LTE.    My work just gave me an iPhone 6, which is used on Verizon service.    I can say probably about 90% of the time LTE worked great.   There were some areas where it would connect only to 3G, but Sprint was on 3G also.

 

 

I know B26 is still rolling out, but I hoped LTE service on Sprint's end would be much better than what we experienced.    I just hope once B26 is rolled out that I can experience the type of service I got with my Verizon work phone.   Sometimes I had to roam with the LG G3 to get service, while the iPhone on Verizon's network had LTE working.

 

 

Anyways, I guess this was just a quick rant, but I have hope.   I've been with Sprint for so long and want to continue with them, so I'll stick it out with them.

[centermedic]

Very surprising that you had issues on I-95. I generally do not have any issues with LTE until I get to Florida.

[JosefTor]

I live in central FL and traveled east on i4 to i95 and went to Bennetsville, SC. My LG G2 is out of commission getting it's 2nd screen replaced under warranty, but my wife had her LG G3. I was really hoping Sprint's LTE network would be vastly improved, but I guess it needs more time. I can say about 80% of the time the phone would be on 3G and wouldn't connect to LTE. My work just gave me an iPhone 6, which is used on Verizon service. I can say probably about 90% of the time LTE worked great. There were some areas where it would connect only to 3G, but Sprint was on 3G also.

 

 

I know B26 is still rolling out, but I hoped LTE service on Sprint's end would be much better than what we experienced. I just hope once B26 is rolled out that I can experience the type of service I got with my Verizon work phone. Sometimes I had to roam with the LG G3 to get service, while the iPhone on Verizon's network had LTE working.

 

 

Anyways, I guess this was just a quick rant, but I have hope. I've been with Sprint for so long and want to continue with them, so I'll stick it out with them.

were u streaming music or watching videos during the trip? Most of yr true should have been on LTE. if you were streaming though, that would have caused what you noticed due to the way phones scan for LTE.

[CaryTheLabelGuy]

were u streaming music or watching videos during the trip? Most of yr true should have been on LTE. if you were streaming though, that would have caused what you noticed due to the way phones scan for LTE.

^^^^^This.

 

I get LTE almost everywhere on i95 from i26 in South Carolina, almost all the way to South Florida, with the exception of a few places.

 

Streaming music or video will cause the phone to stop scanning for LTE if you loose your LTE signal, though. Most of the sites through there are NV upgraded, so if you do get knocked down to EVDO and stay there, you shouldn't have a problem streaming music as Post-NV EVDO provides decent speeds.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6+ using Tapatalk

[Paynefanbro]

Yeah, if you're in an active data session your phone won't search for LTE again. In going from Boston to NYC, I went through quite a few areas that I thought were 3G only and an airplane mode toggle parked me on a good LTE signal.

[Smashed Ixnay]

The phone was streaming Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Netflix most of the trip for our 11 month old daughter because that's what keeps her entertained, .   It was constantly buffering and she would let us know because she would start spitting out gibberish and signaling her hands towards the phone, .     

 

A few times I would have my wife turn the phone on airplane mode on, then off and hope it'd pick up a better signal.   Sometimes it would connect to LTE, but next thing we know it'd be buffering again on 3G.    We are going back up north in March, so hopefully the service will be better for us next trip.   I hated the death stare I kept getting from my wife everytime it'd buffer, yet my iPhone 6 via Verizon had great LTE (but I couldn't stream with that because I'm on a data share plan    ).     That's why also stay with Sprint because we have unlimited data and I know everything is going to get better.      I'm not sure if we'll be taking i95 of i75 in March, but I plan to go visit my brother again, so hopefully I'll use i95 to get some redemption.   

 

 

On that note, we traveled 181 miles via i95 in SC and that has got to be the WORSE highway I have ever driven on.  They need to add a 3rd lane to each side of the highway because it took forever to get out of that state.   I was so happy once I reached GA because traffic sped up once it went to 3 lanes.       We also ate at Logan's Roadhouse in Savannah, GA.   Do yourself a favor and skip over that place if you ever decide to eat there.   I want to say it was off exit 104.   Everyone I ate at before have been great, but the steaks there had zero taste.   Of course I still ate it and didn't complain because it was better than fast food, lol.

[Smashed Ixnay]

were u streaming music or watching videos during the trip? Most of yr true should have been on LTE. if you were streaming though, that would have caused what you noticed due to the way phones scan for LTE.

 

 

I kinda skipped over this.    I see this is probably why as I mentioned in the other post that it was streaming Mickey Mouse clubhouse for the baby.  I didn't realize the phone would stop scanning for service while streaming.     At least I know why it didn't stay connected as much now.

[thewezgrays]

I drive the stretch of I-95 in SC once a month, usually (sometimes I cut off and go through Charleston for various reasons -- and that is not a better option!) and

(a) that road really does suck.. it was worse -- the worst of the cracked up concrete was paved over a few years ago..

 

( there are still a half dozen or more cell sites ("towers") that are not upgraded to LTE yet... Your a premier sponsor, check out your route on there and you will see what hasn't been done yet, what is about to be done, and what will be done someday...

 

The phone was streaming Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Netflix most of the trip for our 11 month old daughter because that's what keeps her entertained, .   It was constantly buffering and she would let us know because she would start spitting out gibberish and signaling her hands towards the phone, .     

 

A few times I would have my wife turn the phone on airplane mode on, then off and hope it'd pick up a better signal.   Sometimes it would connect to LTE, but next thing we know it'd be buffering again on 3G.    We are going back up north in March, so hopefully the service will be better for us next trip.   I hated the death stare I kept getting from my wife everytime it'd buffer, yet my iPhone 6 via Verizon had great LTE (but I couldn't stream with that because I'm on a data share plan    ).     That's why also stay with Sprint because we have unlimited data and I know everything is going to get better.      I'm not sure if we'll be taking i95 of i75 in March, but I plan to go visit my brother again, so hopefully I'll use i95 to get some redemption.   

 

 

On that note, we traveled 181 miles via i95 in SC and that has got to be the WORSE highway I have ever driven on.  They need to add a 3rd lane to each side of the highway because it took forever to get out of that state.   I was so happy once I reached GA because traffic sped up once it went to 3 lanes.       We also ate at Logan's Roadhouse in Savannah, GA.   Do yourself a favor and skip over that place if you ever decide to eat there.   I want to say it was off exit 104.   Everyone I ate at before have been great, but the steaks there had zero taste.   Of course I still ate it and didn't complain because it was better than fast food, lol.

[greenvillesc]

^^^^^This.

I get LTE almost everywhere on i95 from i26 in South Carolina, almost all the way to South Florida, with the exception of a few places.

Streaming music or video will cause the phone to stop scanning for LTE if you loose your LTE signal, though. Most of the sites through there are NV upgraded, so if you do get knocked down to EVDO and stay there, you shouldn't have a problem streaming music as Post-NV EVDO provides decent speeds.

Sent from my iPhone 6+ using Tapatalk

Do all carriers or devices do this or is it just Sprints network or devices? I noticed this too, and I'm sure this doesn't help with the Sprint bashing. Is there a post that explains more about why this happens?

[anthony.spina97]

Do all carriers or devices do this or is it just Sprints network or devices? I noticed this too, and I'm sure this doesn't help with the Sprint bashing. Is there a post that explains more about why this happens?

All devices do it, regardless of the network.

 

-Anthony

[S4GRU]

Do all carriers or devices do this or is it just Sprints network or devices? I noticed this too, and I'm sure this doesn't help with the Sprint bashing. Is there a post that explains more about why this happens?

On AT&T LTE, if I'm streaming and drop down to 3G, it will not go back to LTE no matter if I go back into LTE service...unless I stop streaming. Like cycling airplane mode. It's not limited to Sprint. Same with VZW and Tmo.

 

When you have an active data session, your device will not scan for another technology. And steaming is the ultimate in active data sessions, because it is continuous.

 

Using Nexus 5 on Tapatalk

[milan03]

All devices do it, regardless of the network.

-Anthony

I've never had that issue on Verizon's LTE over the past few years on my trips to Boston or D.C. The user device (iPad or smartphone) was always able to perform intercell LTE handoffs and keep the consistency of that video streaming experience. Granted, Verizon's LTE coverage throughout northeast corridor is second to none.

 

On AT&T the experience would differ wildly, as the device would constantly fallback to HSPA for multiple reasons (lack of LTE coverage, incoming calls, etc).

T-Mobile experience is similar to AT&Ts, with much more "4G" and EDGE.

[S4GRU]

I've never had that issue on Verizon's LTE over the past few years on my trips to Boston or D.C. The user device (iPad or smartphone) was always able to perform intercell LTE handoffs and keep the consistency of that video streaming experience. Granted, Verizon's LTE coverage throughout northeast corridor is second to none.

 

On AT&T the experience would differ wildly, as the device would constantly fallback to HSPA for multiple reasons (lack of LTE coverage, incoming calls, etc).

T-Mobile experience is similar to AT&Ts, with much more "4G" and EDGE.

Yes, but when you do drop off LTE on VZW, it will happen the same way. And in the West and Midwest, you can drive out of VZW LTE coverage for a few moments easily. I'm sure it happens in the rural South too.

 

Using Nexus 5 on Tapatalk

[anthony.spina97]

Granted, Verizon's LTE coverage throughout northeast corridor is second to none.

I was just about to point that out. Verizon's LTE is, in most places, ubiquitous. Sprint's, on the other hand, will have some dead zones in Band 25 only areas. So we aren't talking LTE to LTE handoffs, we're talking LTE to 3G to LTE handoffs.

 

-Anthony

[Smashed Ixnay]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.    Lots of useful information!

 

Just to make it clear, I really do love Sprint, although service at times can be a pain in the butt while the upgrades happen.   This is a Sprint forum and I kind of bashed them, but I do know upgrades are still happening, so service will get better.  Patience will be key, which I'm willing to wait for as they are the best cell phone company for me in my line of work where I am always traveling to different job-sites all over FL.   I just thought service would be much better than we got, but it was explained since we did a bunch of streaming Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for the baby and I didn't understand how cell service hand offs worked during data streaming.       I now understand why Verizon would have much better streaming services while traveling than other carries, but that's not a deal breaker for me.    Next time I'll let my wife keep her phone to surf the web and will bring a portable DVD player so the baby doesn't have to speak gibberish and point her finger to the screen.

[Dkoellerwx]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.    Lots of useful information!

 

Just to make it clear, I really do love Sprint, although service at times can be a pain in the butt while the upgrades happen.   This is a Sprint forum and I kind of bashed them, but I do know upgrades are still happening, so service will get better.  Patience will be key, which I'm willing to wait for as they are the best cell phone company for me in my line of work where I am always traveling to different job-sites all over FL.   I just thought service would be much better than we got, but it was explained since we did a bunch of streaming Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for the baby and I didn't understand how cell service hand offs worked during data streaming.       I now understand why Verizon would have much better streaming services while traveling than other carries, but that's not a deal breaker for me.    Next time I'll let my wife keep her phone to surf the web and will bring a portable DVD player so the baby doesn't have to speak gibberish and point her finger to the screen.

 

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