halcyoncmdr

Which is why its the same as Sprint...

 

When youre under contract, youre effectively renting the phone for the duration of the contract. Sign a new two year contract with Sprint and ask them to unlock your sim (obviously for the phone that has it). Theyll say " no until x days have passed". They can do this because by getting a subsidized phone, youre essentially renting it - it's not fully your phone.

 

Which is why Sprint should provide the warranty service. As I said, if you buy full price, then yes, it makes sense to talk to the manufacturer. But as long as youre locked in, the point of contact is Sprint.

 

When your phone is acting up, and you call customer care, do they transfer you to Sprint Tier 2 tech....or to the Samsung phone system?

Actually, that's not the reason the SIM is locked and you can only unlock it after a set time. The time frame is set to avoid fraudulent account activity. World phones have an exponentially higher fraud risk than non-world phones. The delay is designed to be long enough that fraudulent accounts/purchases/etc. are unlikely to occur. Fraud in the mobile telecom business is HUGE and most policies that seem anti-consumer are in place because of fraudulent activity in the past. Cell phone locking by carriers is covered under the DMCA (whether it should be or not is up for a debate in another thread). The ability to unlock your phone is not a protected consumer right in the U.S. (yet), and most US carriers have limitations on unlocking devices. I would also point out that every Sprint world phone released to date (except the iPhone) is unlocked out of the box.

When you call up Samsung support do they send you to Sprint saying the warranty isn't handled by them because they aren't the carrier or the place you bought it from? No, they handle the warranty because they made the product. They may recommend that you go another route like through a carrier S&R store because it would be faster, but they also provide their own support options (the same as Sprint recommending you go through the manufacturer if you don't have Sprint's protection plans because it would be free instead).

All of this is pointless. Sprint does not provide warranty support for free, they are not required to, they aren't going to change this fact because a handful of people don't think it's right when the business bottom line results in millions of cost savings by not doing so. It's a business, during a recession, still recovering after a horribly failed Nextel merger, maintaining two separate networks, in the midst of a $20 billion network replacement, while still maintaining lower prices than the competition in most cases.

 

 

it seems to vary greatly tower by tower

Each tower is always going to vary. The users in a given tower Determine the performance of it. If you have a ton of people streaming Netflix on a tower it's going to be more loaded than another tower with 10x the people but they are only browsing the web.

The industry standard (Verizon and AT&T) handle warranty claims directly, at no cost. If its a full-price phone it makes sense to go to the manufacturer. For a contract? not so much.

 

When the standard is set, and youre offering a policy that is less convenient, thats not a good thing at all. Especially because people switch from carrier to carrier and come to expect certain policies.

Sprint used to provide in-store warranty service free of charge. That changed. I do not know the reasoning for this, my best educated guess as a technician in the industry and working with customers daily, is that a few customers out of the many were taking advantage of this system (like always) and it was determined that the cost savings associated with no longer offering this would outweigh potential (and unlikely) subscriber loses associated with it. As an upshot, it also likely would drive more customers to purchase Sprint's protection plans as they would effectively cover not only warranty issues in store, but also wear and tear damage on the devices as well, and potentially lost/stolen/liquid if customers went with TEP and not just ESRP.

When you buy a car, you rarely ever buy it from the manufacturer, you buy it from the middle man. But they will handle warranty claims directly, at no cost. When Toyota has a recall, you dont send your car to Tennessee for three weeks, you go to the middle-man you bought it from and it's fixed on the spot.

Not all dealers provide warranty service, and they are not required to. Again, Sprint does not make the devices, Sprint just sells authorizes their use on the network, and provides a direct sales channel to customers. There's nothing preventing you from purchasing your Sprint authorized phone from any place other than a Sprint store, Best Buy, RadioShack, Amazon, etc. all sell the devices as well. Do you think they should be required to provide warranty service as well? Because that's exactly what Sprint's sales channels are in comparison to the manufacturers of the devices.

When your Motorola internet modem breaks, you call Comcast and they replace it for free, not Motorolla

Actually, I would because I own my modem. If I were to be renting it from Comcast, then they would replace it because it is their property. Instead of paying the $3/mo to rent the box, I paid $50 up front and it's mine. It's running on 8 years and counting without issues, because I take care of it (the same can't be said for 90% of the phones I see come into my store for S&R).

The list goes on....if I have a dell laptop, and my NVidea graphics card breaks, I dont call them for the warranty, I call Dell, and they fix it (for free).

That is because Dell offers their own warranty on their pre-built computers. Computers that they manufacture The physical hardware in the laptop also has a warranty from the individual part manufacturer usually. You could go through nVidia to get it replaced if you wanted in most cases, but Dell offers a more convenient warranty option. They even advertise their own warranty on their products that they build. Sprint does not build the phones, Sprint just sells them. This is where people seem to get things confused all the time.

If the companies dont want to lose out on money, perhaps they should build more reliable products? It's a simple trade off. Cut costs at manufacturing, increase costs when you have to replace your bad product.....

Again, this doesn't have to do with Sprint. Sprint does not make the phones; HTC, Samsung, LG, ZTE, etc. do and they have their own warranty service options.

Sprint offers TEP and ESRP to cover the manufacturer's warranty in store with no charge. Sprint also offers a very reasonably priced $50 deductible essentially for the convenience of having your phone serviced in store instead of having to go through the manufacturer. This is not your only option, and the free alternative is to go through the phone manufacturer instead. Sprint no longer wants to be the middle man eating the cost of products being exchanged that aren't going to be covered by the manufacturer under the warranty.

 

 

Thanks for the clarification! Do you know when sprint stopped doing 1yr replacements for free. I remember way back when I did it for free a couple of times.

At least a couple years. Before I switched from sales to tech.

True but you can always try another Sprint repair center if you don't like the similar phone. I know one offered me a Motorola Photon when they didn't have an Epic (OG) in stock. Kicker was I had to wait until the middle of the week to get either device so I visited another store to get another Epic.

 

All together the process is a great value to consumers. Typically defective devices should be handled through the manufacturer so this is really a great service they offer.

Unfortunately most people don't view it this way. They EXPECT the carrier to handle warranty issues directly, for free, immediately, with a new (not refurbished) device. Even if the issue is software, or repairable.

Welcome to my day, every day.

March is open enrollment. Call cust care and add tep or be friendly with a sprint rep, the system will allow us to add tep anytime its just against policy. Or call cust care and switch phones, they will ask u to add tep anytime u swap phones, then swap back to your broken phone and presto you have tep

 

Sent from my LG-LS970 using Tapatalk 2

Open Enrollment requirements state the phone must not have issues with it to be eligible... officially. Just sayin'... Your mileage may vary, if you are denied don't get angry because that's the way it is supposed to be.

Yeah this doesnt sound right, 1 year warranty is supposed to mean if its a manufacturers defect, you get a free replacement.

It's a manufacturer warranty. Sprint is not the manufacturer. Sprint will play the middle man for you, for a fee.

Ever heard of the $50 charge for those of us without tep or who choose not to enroll?

The Repair/Exchange fee if you do not have ESRP or TEP is $50.

If you have either of those Sprint protection plans then it is free.

Honestly, I think the exchange fee should be more around the $100-200 range with today's smartphones as that's usually the cost associated with sending the device back to be refurbished/etc.

Very true about T-Mobile GSM outside of the metro. But the unmapped areas within the metro indicate nothing definite.

 

Sprint subs, for whatever reason, seem to be the most aggressive Sensorly trackers.

 

AJ

Because the ones who actually care about the Network and educating themselves about it, usually are Sensorly users, and usually decide to go with the company that historically has been the most pro-consumer when it comes to data; whether by necessity or not.

Not a problem. And I do have that issue occasionally. My download speeds tend to change daily. Sometimes they are faster, and other times they are killer slow. It confuses me lol

That is entirely based on what other users on that tower/sector are doing. It's quite possible the slow times are when everyone is using their data, whether they realize it or not. For example, Google Play updating all 50+ apps a person has downloaded because their battery saver app keeps turning data off all the time, but now they have it plugged in so it turns it on and there are a ton waiting to update.

This is why I'm an advocate for people utilizing WiFi at home and checking for app updates there, where the spectrum constraints are non-existent.

SoftBank has a ton of cash, and plenty coming in. Last year they had ¥313.7 billion in net income, that translates to about $3.33 billion. That's not overall revenue, that's net income. And that's a growth over 2011.

Tucson has 6 currently open network tickets denoting Network Vision sites being worked on. Yuma has 2. Oro Valley, Catalina, Bisbee and Willcox have 1 each.

The new practice of eliminating the cheaper per-kb tiers that most consumers choose and forcing new & renewing customers into the sole remaining & much higher priced unlimited data tiers.

 

Most people don't want, use, or need unlimited data yet people on other carriers are now being forced to pay for them.

FTFY

Same thing that always happens. It happened with data years ago, now it's happening with minutes. Actually slightly different this time, not minutes and data are just switching spots because people don't talk anymore, they use the Internet instead so that's where money on the overage charges can be made.

People like unlimited because they don't have to worry about it, regardless of their real usage. It's all marketing.

The phone won't let you format the card while it is mounted in the file system and in use. You have to unmount the SD card from any Android phone before formatting it, otherwise any application could be accessing it at the time you try and format it. Usually the unmount and format options are in the same screen (I don't know where it is on the EVO LTE off the top of my head , probably in Settings > Storage somewhere).

Sprint has 9 panels currently that doesn't support that much lol. I know the new ones are multiband but still 3? Seems a little underkill

I believe the old equipment only supported one band per panel, and only a couple of carriers each.

The new equipment is MUCH more capable than the old equipment. A single panel is capable of attaching multiple RRUs (6 I think) and those can independently support different bands within the spectrum available and multiple technologies (1xRTT/EvDO/LTE) out of the same panel.

This canned text has been available for Care reps to send to customers that are experiencing Network Vision-related disruptions since the build-out started. It may be that they are taking a more proactive approach now that NV is getting into full swing for the next phases.

Don't be. They aren't any different.

 

My favorite quote from corporate management during a meeting one day was "what do we care what the customer wants? Where are they going to go? We're they only option." This was true in nearly all markets for a long time.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

And this is why government-sponsored monopolies that were contracted 20+ years ago need to disappear. I'm hoping the threat of Google Fiber will start this trend, but Google needs to expand outside of Kansas to do it, even if by one city. It will scare the monopolies, even if only a bit.

So when NV is complete on a site. Is the site already configured and wired and such for LTE and its just a matter of flipping a switch? Or do the vendor have to go back to that site and still complete the LTE part of the site?

When NV is complete yes. For NV to be complete, a site must have the new panels, RRUs, and enhanced backhaul hooked up, with the new 3G and 4G equipment activated. If any one of these is missing, it is not considered entirely complete. Individual parts can be completed and approved however.

A site can be partially completed, either having the new 3G only or 4G only activated. This can be caused by a number of different things, and also depends on which contractor is deploying the tower. Alcatel-Lucent seems to like upgrading 3G first, then going back for 4G later. There are hundreds of different little things that go into upgrading a tower to Network Vision, since it is essentially a complete replacement of the network. If any of these are missing, it isn't completed.

Accepted sites are those that have had work done and Sprint has accepted it. AKA, the contractor gets paid because Sprint says that work was done correctly and within the contract terms. It does not mean that all work is done, a site can be accepted for 3G or 4G only as a partial upgrade.

Build-out references the actual work being done on the towers. All of the panel/wiring/backhaul/etc. upgrades being done to the towers. It may also be referred to as deployment, or just Network Vision in general.

Once in a while mine drops down to 1x in a weak 3G area, which a quick airplane mode fixes. And from purchase, I updated right away to 6.1.2. So hopefully my phone isn't affected.

 

 

Sent from Josh's iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

IF your is afffected no data would work. An AN_AAA failure prevents the phone from authenticating for ANY data on the network. This is why it constantly switches back and forth between 3G and o as it keeps trying.

Ah, Century link. I worked there for several years back when they were Centurytel. The stories I could tell you...

 

Short answer, if they're involved, be prepared to wait a loooooong time.

 

As for At&t, we're averaging 6kbps here. Yes, I said kbps. I didn't mistype.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Our area is former USWest/Qwest before CenturyLink arrived/merged. USWest was great, Qwest was horrible. I don't have a lot of experience with CenturyLink yet, but I'm not hopeful.

Is this the infamous data issue that people talk about the iPhone 5 having?

 

 

Sent from Josh's iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

That depends. The iPhone 5 has had a lot of data issues (on all carriers). One was fixed with a carrier file update. The AN_AAA authentication failure is something that gets corrupted and even a full software wipe and reflash will not correct. It requires the phone to be replaced. The iOS 6.1.2 software fixes the cause, but it cannot bring back a phone that's already corrupted.

The symptom of this issue is the phone switching back and forth between the 34G and o icon (failing network authentication). This can also be caused by a phone failing multiple times due to an outdated NAI and being locked out. The testing steps to determine whether it falls into the AN_AAA criteria:

1. Wipe the device (erase all content and settings for restore in iTunes).

2. Leave the phone OFF for at least 30 minutes (this allows the network side block to timeout if it is in effect due to failed logins).

3. Turn the phone on and go through activation again.

4. The phone will either reactivate with correct information and work correctly, or will still switch between 3G and o. IF it is still switching it is affected by the AN_AAA issue and needs to be replaced.

5. ???

6. PROFIT

while i do agree with your post to an extent, in AZ the primary fiber providers are CenturyLink, Cable One, SuddenLink, and Cox.. None of which have anything to do with AT&T or VZ $$$ wise, and even cricket has been able to roll out LTE in Phoenix before Sprint has even started to do anything meaningful with Network Vision, that's what people are upset about.

 

While yes permits take time (and Phoenix being by far one of the worst localities to deal with government wise), that can only get you so far considering every other provider has been able to pull off data upgrades years ago

I wasn't referring specifically about AZ in that post, just a generalized statement. It is quite true that the southwest is the Cable company capital, and that AT&T and Verizon don't have major networks here. However, on the same token Cable companies have very little incentive to upgrade their equipment here as well. They all have virtual monopolies in their markets here. Very little competition, and the little that is here isn't really comparable.

For example, take Tucson. Cox and Comcast are here, due to agreements with local governments dating back from their beginnings, there is only about a 5 square mile area that they overlap. The only other major player is CenturyLink. And CenturyLink I have never seen do anything to upgrade old lines anywhere here (I could be wrong, but I've never seen it). My neighborhood is only capable of receiving 1.5Mbps DSL through Centurylink, but we can get 50Mbps cable through Comcast. The new subdivision 1/8 mile from us have fiber to the box and can get 25+ from CenturyLink at the house. The majority of our neighborhood would rather have CenturyLink than Crapcast, and have been vocal about this, but they still haven't done any upgrades for 10 years here despite having 100+ potential new customers off a single box. The competition is virtually non-existent so they don't care about it.

This is one of the things that I hope Network Vision will bring about as a side effect. Since fiber to the tower is going to be a huge part of NV, it also means that new fiber is going to go live in a TON of new places, potentially decreasing the cost of the local companies to increase speeds for consumers in the surrounding areas since the lines are already down. Maybe I'm too hopeful.

For Cricket, it doesn't take much to upgrade your network when you're only planning a handful of cities. Cricket's nationwide network is entirely dependent on roaming partners, the vast majority was not native when I last checked.

AS for other providers upgreading speeds years ago, again part of this may be a limitation of the legacy equipment. I don't know exactly how the old towers are setup, but I do know most rely on T1 lines, whereas the new equipment is all Ethernet. It may be possible that the old equipment isn't financially viable to retrofit new backhaul to versus just replacing it all with NV. As it is now we're looking at a year left with deployment, with a T1 line taking potentially 6 months to install, that's pretty close to not being worth the hassle in my opinion. Don't forget anything that may already be in the pipeline to still be installed that was started who knows how long ago.

I'm just telling you what I deal with every day. People are tired of paying an extra $10 for nothing. For getting a new phone and having slower internet. Also I don't care about deployments and where work is being done. It doesn't help until it actually goes live. Till then its a non issue.

If that's the case, then you must not be doing a good job of explaining the fee and Network Vision to customers. There are always going to be the odd ones out that won't be happy, and I would be disgruntled with the current network. However, I can say that 99% of the customers I talk to and thoroughly explain Network Vision to, are much happier knowing it is acknowledged and being worked on. Explaining that Sprint isn't just duct taping the old network back together and instead if replacing it entirely makes a HUGE difference with satisfaction. Even if the time frame isn't ideal (potentially still a year out), the customer is always happier knowing what's going on, even if it isn't what they want.

Good luck with that 5. We have a ton coming in with data connection issues.

And as we all know the majority of those issues are network related. The others usually are the device itself. Out of those with the device being the cause, 90% of the phones I've seen at my store are affected by the AN_AAA authentication failure issue that CANNOT be repaired and requires the phone to be replaced, per Apple. There are always the odd phones out that the cause isn't as apparent, but I can confidently say that 95% of the phones we have come in with data issues are either network, or the AN_AAA issue, and thus we can get it fixed or the customer educated properly.

With Network Vision beginning in my City now (discovered tickets opened for NV work as I was searching for a customer's issue today) it's just going to be that much easier to show it's on its way here.

Honestly, if Sprint could just put proper backhaul in to get at least 500k/sec (it can be done with EVDO, i've seen VZW do it in several large cities), then people would not complain since they'd be able to do anything they want, but the sub 100kbps speeds at times are what's killing them.

 

I work there and honestly that's the only complaint i ever get is slow data, and i never know what to tell them other than we know and are working on it (but these are people who were told back when the OG Evo came out they'd be getting improved "3G" and WiMax then, so they're already mad about that)

Part of it may be that the old equipment isn't setup to accept a different type of backhaul, or the amount of time to get enough T1's installed to get the data speeds high enough would either match with NV or exceed NV's time line. If there's anything I can tell you working in telecom, it's that EVERYTHING takes 10x as long as it really needs to because of the BS in the industry. Permits from local government, community backlash (then complaints about reception), cashflow to get it done (not an issue with NV, but in other regards usually), and of course competition in the area being one of the few wirelines capable of providing adequate backhaul. There are a lot of areas where Verizon and AT&T are the local telcos that have the fiber available that Sprint needs for the enhancements. They obviously want it to take as long as possible to be installed within the contract terms..

I can confirm Tucson build out is currently underway.

PH63XC500

PH04XC218

PH63XC526

PH54XC614

http://reboot.fcc.go.../searchMap.seam

That shows nothing for Nextel 800mhz spectrum in Pima County (Tucson, AZ). Why would that be? It lists the 1900mhz spectrum and Clearwire's spectrum just fine.

Bluetooth does operate on the 2.4GHz frequency. It also usually uses the same antenna in the device. My semi-educated guess would be that the fact the same antenna is used is causing this issue. It may be an inherent design fault of the antenna/chip used in the device. I haven't noticed a different in WiFi throughput on my GS3, and I have my Pebble constantly paired through BT 24/7.

I also have a 802.11n router, but it only operates at 2.4GHz.