SturgeonGeneral

This was posted in July regarding the NYC deploy.  I'd expect the same or similar problems exist everywhere.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57595175-94/why-sprint-is-taking-its-sweet-time-with-4g-lte/

I'm still trying to find the article that dealt specifically with the patchwork of permitting entities and the issues that causes.

I most likely saw it here someplace.

I understand your lack of need to high storage.  I simply don't agree.

Aviation navigation charts and service manuals are storage pigs.

This is what I want - except on the Sprint Spark network:

http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=5186&view=1&c=samsung_gt-i9506_galaxy_s4_with_lteplus__galaxy_s4_advance_32gb

I'd happily settle for the 16 gb version and put the balance on the SD card.

It's not apparently in the US / sprint pipeline yet.

I fit into that "not much" category.  I am outdoor / rural / travel a lot.

I can get reprieves from charging for as long as I have spare batteries.

If my battery goes bad from abuse, I can replace it with one of my spares within 5 minutes.

I can "top" charge my phone instantly if I find myself going someplace and don't have access to charge power for an extended period of time, (travel in fringe signal areas in a vehicle where others may be charging)

With a non-replaceable battery, you are always someplace other than at the top of the charge curve.

With a u.r battery you have far more flexibility to decide when you are at the top of a charge curve.

I'm not tied to an outlet or a vehicle, or having to attach a bulky external aux battery while I use the phone.

With a removable data card, you have the flexibility to CHANGE and upgrade at will the storage memory on your phone and carry far more data - especially memory wasting multimedia data.  I can synch a LOT more of my laptop/desktop data and have it with me for convenient reference without even a phone signal.  This was even more important with my current Wimax phone.

If the phone is damaged, the data is FAR easier to retrieve and transplant if it is physically removable.

These two options are more important to me than a minor processor upgrade.  But it'd be great to get that too if it is "coming soon."

Hmm...it'd be more exciting if I hadn't been enjoying my LG G2 "Advance" for nearly a month now...

G2 doesn't have my entire shopping list on it so I wouldn't enjoy that.  It'd be 2 steps back for 2 different steps forward.  Remove/replace data card, user replaceable battery, and tri-band (B26) I'd rather not "settle" for close if exact or "plus BETTER" is coming relatively soon down the pipe.

I realize that eventually I'm going to have to relent and get the current best option.

I was so looking forward to getting a new phone Nov 1 when I became eligible.  It's tough to stay patient with an old photon in hand, but it may be worth it to push to the end and see what comes of these threats of new devices before March.

Are there any renewal experts here?  What happens if my contract renewal comes and goes BEFORE the best option phone releases?  Is there any grace period AFTER the renewal to upgrade the phone?  How would that work?

and more...   http://www.androidbeat.com/2013/11/latest-samsung-galaxy-s5-rumors-say-expect-q1-launch-phone-4000-mah-battery/

Different civil entities -city, county, etc. to make happy.  Different inspectors to get permits and approvals signed off on, different people you are renting land, data, and tower space from, etc. etc.  it's a mixed bag of problems.

Another consideration is that they may not have them in hand yet.  They may not want to deplete stock too early on a phone that is selling well on its own and the replacement may be hung up in the supply chain.

This sale is for the entire S4 line:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/promo/samsung-gs4-114738

I was in the neighborhood last night so I bs'd with a Sprint store guy that was a phone geek too.  His thought was to watch for sale ads pushing the GS4s for $50 or other such November / Black Friday promos.  There are thousands of them in the inventory system that corporate will want to move first.

Based on previous experience he speculated that they will hold back a month and shoot for Mid December or Mid January depending on the success of the promo in rotating out the old stock.

Once they get "T's" into the store's hands, the sales people will abandon the old devices in favor of the new -just to keep consumers from coming back to complain about being sold an inferior device.  Not that it won't happen anyhow once the new ones release and the Black Friday sale-buyers realize WHY their phones were on sale.

He got me looking at a ONE MAX, but while the thing gains the SD card (still no U.R. battery), it's too big for my taste and the reviews on it are less than glowing regarding digit scanner, camera, and build quality (back cover mostly). 

Is that irritating spark connection icon going to be the same on all the spark phones?  What were they thinking?

The long awaited update has released today.

I think it is taking over all of Sprint's site bandwidth and knocking it offline.

It is installing on my phone as I write this.