Deval

You know, you can joke all you want about that, but when there's a solution to this problem and you're paying a good chunk of money, you'd kinda hope the problem would be solved.

The solution isn't viable for Sprint at the moment, so for all intents and purposes it may as well not exist.

The biggest issue is iMessage. Now, I don't know if your close friends or significant other or family also have iPhones like you, or how frequently they message you, but personally, everyone I know has an iPhone. And when I have a phone call, it's never for 5-10 minutes, it's usually an hour or two. And that usually translates to me hanging up, and seeing all the messages pour in late or get double messages (one as SMS, one as iMessage). It's EXTREMELY frustrating, and part of a bigger reason why I want VoLTE so damn bad. Plus, my dad uses his iPhone for calls & navigation in the car. If mom calls him while he's on the road while he's using Maps, there's a reasonable chance he'll miss an appropriate exit or something like that.

I know what you mean, my wife and family all have iPhones as well.

As for phone calls, it varies on every user though. I talk to my wife on the phone for a few minutes here or there, otherwise it's primarily over messaging since we're both at work.

Sometimes we'll just use Facetime Audio if messaging is that important.

Also, Maps works offline so the directions will still keep going while a call is in session. The more dangerous moment is having to leave the call screen to go find the Maps icon to switch back.

One of the reasons why I'm replacing my car radio with a Car Play/Android Auto supported unit.

17 years. Powerhouse smartphones have only been around since 2011. Now companies are using the internet for everything and thats only been around on a wide scale for 3-4 years. Your point is not valid because the industry has changed drastically in the past 5 years of your 17.

 

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I'm well aware of that, as I've worked in the industry for 13 of said 17 years.

My point is that people find a reason to complain about something every day, and soon as Sprint solves that one complain, they just move down the list.

Leased devices

 

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You get that automatically with iPhone Forever, and I believe they already have an option to pay more per month and get annual upgrades already.

 

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There it is, PCS B Block LTE carrier!

Hopefully they add an early upgrade feature.

 

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Early upgrade for what?

I hate doing something and a phone call comes and interrupts up my whole data session. I messed up a bill because it cut off when it said don't reset internet. I have also been on support with people and couldn't look up info because of that too. I'm sure plenty would be excited about volte and I'm sure plenty won't care.

 

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Anyone who has used Sprint ever knows the limitations in voice and data. 17 years now as a customer and I've never found the need to use voice and data at the same time.

That's my personal experience, but is still valid.

I hope you're right about that. I'm not so sure though, because I remember that when Dan Hesse was there, despite the issues during the NV period, at least it got done. From what I've read, he fixed a lot of problems left over from those CEOs before him and had some great ideas for Sprint that unfortunately got rejected by the board.

 

Time will tell, but one thing lately is the disappointment in the news for quite some time now about Sprint network development. Sprint has such a vast amount of spectrum and amazing potential, but the most going on lately in the news is either about finances, Verizon's former spokesman, or rate plan stuff, with the occasional news story about Masa considering T-Mobile acquisition. I'd really like, as I imagine many here would too, about the network expansion project updates of NGN, etc.

Sprint has repeatedly said that NGN and other projects will continue to get worked on without press releases every 30 seconds.

30 new small cells in NYC without a press release is excellent work.

Here's a question that I'd like to ask you all who are still ripping VoLTE as a technology. How many of you have actually used VoLTE? 

 

My experience on Verizon voice wise has been way better on VoLTE. Before I had a VoLTE device I would have never believed this. Now, I'd have to say it is the truth. 

 

On CDMA here I had:

• Dropped calls
• Crappy voice quality
• No simultaneous voice and data

Contrast with LTE that 

• Almost always holds calls
• HD Voice quality
• Simultaneous voice and data

 

If anything I'd say VoLTE is keeping me much stickier on Verizon than I thought I would be. 

I use Skype for Business and Facetime Audio, which are both OTT applications over a data session, and really don't see the value to be honest. 

Out of all the complaints that people have about Sprint, 1x voice coverage is the least of them.

Again, another reason why I think if Dan Hesse were still in charge of Sprint, things would be much better for Sprint right now, and there wouldn't have been this months old focus on "50% off" blowing away Sprint's earnings. Instead, Dan Hesse likely would have revised "Framily" a bit to bring it into a more financially sound, yet still attractive offer to actually bring in customers with the network improvements he had wanted to make with the 2.5ghz band.

 

I'm still waiting to hear what Masa and Marcelo are going to do now since Nikesh Arora is out of the picture. I thought that was finally going to bring back focus on Sprint's developments, yet there still hardly is any news about Sprint's progress. As much I hate to say this, but I really wouldn't mind some other party with intent on improving Sprint taking over from Softbank at this point.

 

Besides, I know Softbank really wants T-Mobile and how it will help them, and perhaps Masa is trying to get sprint into a desperate situation where the government might look more accepting of such a merger, but it is my opinion now that it may be too late. T-Mobile is in a much better position now than it was back when the talks happened before, and if a company that does have a chance to acquire T-Mobile, its got to be a company with a lot of money to spare on it, such as AT&T.

No, no, and more no.

Marcelo is the right man for the job, in more ways than a lot will ever know.

It is my understanding that The Small plans (S,M,L,XL,XXL - not unlimited) have a $20/line charge for leasing and installments.  This is the fee I'm talking about.  Also I have seen countless unlimited customers doing installments or leasing get hit with anywhere from a $20-25/month charge on sprint forums when the customer service or telesales person never told them of it, and it is like pulling teeth getting it taken off. 

 

So it seems if the $25 charge is not for easy pay or leasing then there are a lot of customer service reps and telesales employees that don't know what the heck they are doing because there are way too many customers on the sprint forum complaining about these fees that shouldn't be there.  I'm not willing to change over to find out whether you are right or they are right, as it would be a big pain in the butt if I was right and had to get them to remove the charge or get me back to where I was previously.

 

But just to continue the conversation, lets say I get lucky and get a well trained rep that doesn't somehow mark some box charging me the $20-25 fee for my easy pay.  I would be paying $160.04 a month.  Over 24 months that is $3840.96 which is $16.42(most of that coming probably from getting more out of my 18% corporate discount versus the new plan) more than my old plan which is not enough for me to complain about, but until they remove the limited streaming of video, audio, and gaming that plan is a non-starter for me.  Once they remove that throttling then I might be willing to be onboard for a new plan.

The older family plans had a line access charge of $20 per line, which was eliminated with the Unlimited Freedom plans. Now it's simple.

I'm fairly certain it wasn't from the site across the street. The signal dropped off fairly quickly (within about 2 blocks) as opposed to how the macro on the building would have performed.

 

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I'd love to see a picture of that temp site.

Transit wireless has a station there on that corner? Maybe signal leaking from the Das?

 

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Doubtful, none of the antennas are at surface level.

Something has happened around 34th st and 8th ave, speeds are double from only a month ago.

Getting anywhere from 15-40mb/s with my 6S.

Could be a new small cell.

I'm finding a lot more Transit Wireless equipment in Brooklyn train stations but still not live. I believe Atlantic Terminal is now live though. I got a really strong Band 25 signal while waiting for the train.

 

I also found a new temporary site in Brooklyn in Crown Heights near the Jewish Children's Museum broadcasting LTE. I don't know why it's there though.

 

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Got an address?

The fact the NV 1.0 remains unfinished and they failed to deliver on their goal of putting 2.5 on every macro site that is killing them in the speed category.

 

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Any proof on NV 1.0 not finished in its entirety? Perhaps there are at most 1-5% of the total sites left.

Also who said they stopped the 2.5 deployment?

It went live late last week. At the same spot I was getting 5 to 10 down. Now I am getting over 65 down and 14 up with pings around 14.

 

The funny thing is Sprint and the big boys have macro sites 3 blocks north. I guess since it's a hill with a lot of tall buildings, Sprint decided to dense the hell out of it.

 

 

The

Also offloads macro coverage onto the small cell for people walking in the street so more capacity exists for inbuilding coverage.

Got an address?

Samsung is slowly shutting down some of their redundant programs for better direction in the future with less bloatware. With the Note7 they took 4 discreet applications and merged them into Samsung Notes.

I understand that but right now that unlimited data, legacy plans, or contract subsidy is what keeps a lot of people with them especially in areas where the coverage is spotty or where LTE is slower compared to the other networks.  You take away some of that stuff and Sprint loses its advantage and loses subscriber base.  Until they can upgrade their LTE speeds and network to equal Verizon they can't be like the rest of the carriers and stay alive.

 

I don't think mine is some sweetheart plan like SERO, I am paying a huge subsidy cost built into my ED1500 plan, I just have an 18% discount that saves me like $5-10 more a month because it come off the whole cost of the service instead of just the data.  Subsidized phones on legacy plans like ED1500 were supposedly making Sprint money or they wouldn't have continued with them for so long.  The cost of the phone being built into the plans to recoup it, so I can not see how a plan like mine loses Sprint money.  In fact it actually makes them even more money if I decide not to upgrade immediately after 24 months as I am paying high subsidy plan cost with no subsidized phone on the account.  

 

As far as unlimited data, I'm not crazy.  I use between 5-10 GB's per month.  My wife uses between 3-7 GB's per month.  That is not some crazy amount, and all other carriers offer data plans up that high.  I'm not sure I'm the problem.  I understand people that tether illegally and use 20+ or 50+ GB's per month are the issue.  I would never dare do that.

 

I think they should get rid of any plan that is costing them money, like SERO, but ED1500 was obviously making them money at some point, and it is a legitimate plan that made money for years.  I'm not getting some crazy discount, so I don't see why my particular situation is a drain on Sprint?

To be honest, I don't think you are a drain on Sprint, not in that regard. No one thinks that of any customer.

The challenge becomes at what point does Sprint make a move which makes the best sense for them? 

A few years ago T-Mobile had 100% of their subscribers on subsidy plans, and pulled the plug overnight on their customer base. Every customer who walked into a store looking to upgrade was told to switch to newer plans or finance their devices. At least Sprint is giving customers an option by letting them continue to keep their subsidies for as long as possible.

At a certain point there won't be any options other than Unlimited Freedom and IB/lease for devices. At that point the customers who want to stay will hang on, and others will jump ship if they want to pay more for their services.

Sprint's Fair & Flexible plan was one of the best rate plans offered by any of the carriers, in my opinion. Plus, they had great commercials to go with it, and I usually hate advertising. I would have liked, and maybe still would like to see a carrier use a Fair &  Flexible plan-like rate scheme for data buckets, at least for customers who'd prefer that.

 

I read your other response regarding Unlimited Data, so I'll respond here. I agree with you with regard to Unlimited. I like the idea T-Mobile is presenting, just not the cost. Hence why I haven't criticized Sprint's new plan, as the cost reductions after the initial line are more fair, plus they still offer data bucket plans for those not wanting unlimited, with overage protection.

 

If data buckets are to be eliminated, then there ought to be a starting cost at $60, not $70, unless there is some sort of speed cap option to give a lower cost option to differentiate from the $70. I read online today T-Mobile is going to keep the 2gb and the 6gb option, for now. Although they may eliminate it in the future, which I expect they'll do. Hopefully when they do, they'll reduce the starting rate down to $60, though I expect they'd just rather use that pricing point to get people over to MetroPCS instead. 

This is the problem, all the stuff you mentioned makes the world more complex. The industry shifting to a simple plan rate card, and the carrier introducing traffic shaping to keep their networks up and running.

I want the ability to turn on network side compression/bandwidth limitation for my Brother In Law who uses 18-20GB per month of our 80GB share plan.  Maybe someday.

Change the plan lol

I don't mind unlimited, so long as its done not to break the networks and it begins at an affordable price. My starting point reference for that is $45, but $60 is still within the range of being good. I just don't like this move to charging people $70, or telling them to go prepaid. That would be my main talking point at these meetings if I were to be invited. Although, I think Verizon would hate me.

The problem is that point of reference has no real world basis to it. Picking an arbitrary number doesn't work because there is significant additional cost considerations in picking MRCs.

Looks like every carrier including Sprint just took a dump on net neutrality. [emoji45]

 

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It's a grey area, all Sprint has to do is not offer premium upgrades and it becomes the norm that you'll get network side compression unless you're on WIFI.

That's the only way to stop the network from being crippled by people who refuse to pay for home internet or spend their entire work day watching Netflix instead of working.

It's not about existing customers, it's about new customers. That's where T-Mobile made the right call with this plan.

Yeah and Sprint made the same right call. The price is right for many existing customers as well.