P_M_G

NV and Spark are different projects, running side by side in some markets. NV was not replaced. It's not quite finished everywhere, but adding Spark has not slowed down or changed the original NV rollout in anyway.

I know they are, but my point is NV 1.0 is "substantially complete" according to Sprint with 2.0 (Spark) making inroads right? So there's been minimal improvement in my area with 1.0 upgrades in place (per the maps) and my handsets aren't compatible with 2.0 triband/spark....if I hadn't found this site, I'd be long gone from Sprint, believing it'd never get any better.

Between the Corp store and affiliate store that are about a mile apart near me, I can say that the corp store folks seem a lot more laid back while the affiliate ones are super high pressure...

My last affiliate visit (only went in since it's next to the pizza place I ordered from:

"We don't have the M8 in stock, the iPhone 6 is available. Oh, no apple? Well the GS5 we have. No we don't have Sport version but you don't need that anyway"....I though I was gonna get tackled trying to leave they were so hardcore to sell me something.

I'd be happy to see it by March...but if you want it bad, there're some GPE ports on XDA.

Did you take part of the free upgrade to unlimited minutes for loyal ED customers?

The WHUT??? I don't ever recall hearing about it. But honestly, I need unlimited minutes like I need my old BlackBerry Curve. I think the max we've ever used between the 4 lines (non m2m) is 300-350.

I agree.  Triband everywhere will differentiate Sprint.  It is very exciting.  It just needs to be deployed faster.  If they take too long to get it, all their competitors will have moved on to their next big things and Spark will be old and passe.  Marcelo and Masa need to put together a plan that gets this done as soon as physically possible and fund it.  Even if it means borrowing lots and lots of money.

 ^^^This

is what worries me....coming from the OG EVO and the promise of blazing fast 4G (WIMAX) that never appeared....and then VOILA....WIMAX is dead and NVLTE is on the way with blazing fast 4G...and VOILA....NVLTE is now being replaced/modified with SPARK.....and what's next if, as Robert says, "Spark will be old and passé"? Sprint NOVA?

Maybe I'm just too gullible as an early adopter of technology but I've now burned through 4 years of promises of a beautiful internetz experience only to keep being told my device (EVO, GS3, M7) isn't compatible with the new network after the current one my phone did work (in certain limited locations) with was deemed obsolete.

I'm still gonna get an M8 though (early adopter or no, I won't buy a phablet).

Stash is conceptually no different from the old ATT Rollover Minutes...I would guess a large portion of the population doesn't ever really use what they are paying for...I'm on ED1500 plan and even though my wife uses her cell as her work phone, we have never even come remotely close to that 1500 shared minutes cap between the 4 lines in the family.

If I wasn't on unlimited data, I'd absolutely love a stash type program for when my daughter blows through 7GB in a month instead of the usual 2...

Here is a great comment from this article:

 

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/watch-t-mobile-data-stash-lets-you-roll-over-105307553349.html

 

 

And that, by and large, encapsulates the tech press.

 

T-Mobile is also the worst for coverage unless you live the poor lifestyle in the ghetto -- and pay for no home broadband.

 

Those seem to be the two ends of the spectrum of T-Mobile subs...

 

AJ

Here is the best comment I read on that article... 

If Massachusetts legalized prostitution, a lot of prostitutes would be buying more cell phones from T- Mobile. That would mean more jobs for the telephone industry and electronics industry.

We got one too. My father was quick to throw it in the trash. He said "they take over $200 month from me and all I get was this lousy card" Haha he has no clue.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Got mine yesterday...a few weeks after I got a FedEx package from him telling me about the wonderful loyalty service credit so I could lease a GS5 for only $5/mth. 

I tossed both in the trash and wondered how much those both cost to send to the everyone (especially the FedEx).

I've not given up hope even though a rep at the local Sprint corporate store suggested I go to TMO when inquiring if a swap to the M8 would help my coverage.

Guess I'll give it a shot. Worst case I won't activate it and return it right away. As to the specs not mentioning Spark, It seems like they are just using the generic specs from Samsung and not specific references to any carriers.

thanks for the input

PS Sorry for essentially a duplicate post as I just followed the link in SturgeonGeneral's text, browsed down and saw the same question asked back in June.

would it be safe to assume that if

SPHL720TWT (as shown on the box label) is the "trimode/triband"

then the

SPHL720WTS would be single band?

Asking since Amazon has the S4 for .01 with upgrade but there's no indication which model it is. I asked through chat and was told the model number was the WTS one.

Seems like TWT = T for Trimode with WT for white vs WTS = WT for White and S for Single band

I don't want to hassle with returns through amazon if this is the case and it will help convince me to do the $50 S5 upgrade since I missed the damn $1 one last week.

Does anyone know how to remove that contact card with your name on it when you pull down the top? It's the one on the page with "wifi, Bluetooth, airplane mode, etc.." I've sold my m8 and it has the 4.4.4 GPE rom flashed to it, so I'm trying to clean it up without erasing it. Thanks.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6

seems like the user card is based on your gmail. probably have to do a wipe, reinstall the rom and not go through the setup where you enter your gmail.

It has to re-enable itself. It's baked into the kernel and data won't work without it. There are plenty of mostly stock roms like BadBoyz that have successfully removed it, but they had to modify dozens of files, as well as the kernel, to get it to work.

There's a 17 page forum post in the Sprint Community 

https://community.sprint.com/baw/thread/177468?start=0&tstart=0

Looks like this was designed for managing pre-paid accounts but the numbnutz managed to bake it in to the latest 4.4.4 OTA and it's randomly getting triggered on post-paid accounts as well.

Highly recommend rooting. I haven't had a stock phone since I bought my first OG EVO. Rooted that, my 3D, my M7, and as soon as I acquire an M8 that's the first thing I'll do.

This is why you must ROOT ALL THE THINGS and go with custom ROMs...bloatware and crapware like this are awful.

If I get a new line with sprint to get the HK for $359, then immediately pay it off and cancel the line, will they try to ding me to pay for that $320 discount??

I can get the HK for a penny on Amazon right now with a re-up of my contract but I think I'd rather at this point buy the phone and not lock in again.

I'm in the less is more camp - my M7 is to me the perfect size. The M8 really seems to have a lot of unusable real estate. I'm not a fan of the phablet or QHD.

Bigger battery (especially if not removable), SD Slot, and better RF.

Honestly, I'd love a triband M7 with an SD slot.

I learned to never trust the sprint maps long ago when I got my M7 and saw my whole area with 4G LTE coverage when none existed in the real world....that eventually led me here (and to Sensorly)...and while for a while I considered a move to the dark side (or the magenta one if you will), seeing my closest tower FINALLY putting out LTE, I'm sticking around to see where it goes.

No update listed on Sprint?

http://support.sprint.com/support/article/Find_and_update_the_software_version_on_your_HTC_One/WServiceAdvisory_542_GKB48984?INTNAV=SU:DP:eek:V:UG:HtcOne:FindAndUpdateTheSoftwareVersionOnYourHtcOne

Anyone needing RUU I'd head to XDA. Never had this "smith" issue though...maybe you all are stuck in the Matrix.

Believe me, I wish I had the ability to compare exact same devices without jumping through hoops. BTW - I know speed tests do not equal QoS. I'm probably not going anywhere until the next round of devices gets released anyway.

That's nice.  Go to Tmo.  We could run Sprint tests in some areas where the opposite is true.  Sounds like Tmo is perfect for you.  Everyone has to do what's best for them.  CYA!

You should at least have tested M8 vs M8. The tri-band M8 is superior to the single band M7. You may not have B26 in your area, but you do have B41. As a Premier Sponsor, you should know that.

You should at least have tested M8 vs M8. The tri-band M8 is superior to the single band M7. You may not have B26 in your area, but you do have B41. As a Premier Sponsor, you should know that.

No need to get snarky...if I had access to a Sprint M8 I would have. But that still leaves me 3 other devices that bite for the rest of the family.

I'm just giving a real world comparison that is on topic. I have been with Sprint through thick and thin and right now it's thin. I'm not ready to give up unlimited data which is why I don't just do a new family plan deal and buy new phones. I don't necessarily trust TMO anywhere outside my little bubble so....

So the initial results from the TMO comparison are in...Sprint M7 vs TMO M8

At my house, on my couch where I have to use an Airvana to get voice...

Sprint: couldn't even connect to get SpeedTest run

TMO: 41.76 down

At my daughter's high school...

Sprint: .19 down (yes that is a decimal before the 19)

TMO: 44 down

At a spot I know I have "solid" LTE on my M7...

Sprint: 6.17

TMO: 23.7

At my desk (next to 2 windows mind you)

Sprint: no LTE, eHRPD -86dBm, 1XRTT -96dBm

TMO: LTE -100dBM

I think the writing for me is on the wall....my perception is that Sprint is getting its butt kicked in real world service in my area.

No carrier is perfect and anyone claiming thusly is an idiot. I left ATT years and years ago for horrid service and a lower price from Sprint. Sprint's CS has always been good for me, but the service has been abysmal where I live and work. I walk into our break room and my data drops completely, while the guy next to me with TMO has a solid LTE signal. I've been checking Sensorly maps and decided to give the TMO test drive a shot. I'm potentially giving up unlimited data...but unlimited really doesn't do much when you can't access it outside of wifi for the majority of the time.

I really wish it weren't the case and actually part of me hopes I don't get anything better at home with TMO to give me an excuse not to switch.

how's the M8 vs the M7 in non-complete roll out areas like the OC?? I want to grab one off swappa and hoping maybe the tri-band will improve my connectivity.

My perception is that I've been loyal for so long that it's nearly impossible to switch. I keep trying. I've been told untruths since the days of the OG EVO and how Wimax was the future (never once got a 4G wimax connection anywhere near me)....then the NV rollout where I've seen zero improvement in reception at my home where I still need to use an Airvana to have useable voice. Areas near me that are supposed to have LTE don't (even though they are mapped on Sensorly as such) and the dead zones in my local area outnumber the good zones probably 3-1 or more.

But I can't give up unlimited data. Rarely do I exceed more than 4-5GB combined, but I'm certain that's because my kids can't get a usable data signal at school. I dread switching only to find out that Verizon pumps out killer LTE and they start streaming at lunch and on the way home...I also cringe at the fake price models everyone is clamoring over (including sprint). VZW Edge sounds attractive, until you have to replace all your phones at which point it's at best a wash for 2 years if you want current non-gimped tech (save the "ooh the Kyocera edge" with it's low end spec). Oh yeah, and that VZW charges for visual voicemail (not sure about ATT/TMO) and navigation??

I remain holding out hope that NV will finally be completed in the OC, that I can send back my Airvana, get usable LTE in the areas I'm in frequently, and actually enjoy my unlimited data.

Seems to me most of the new carrier non-subsidized plans are a morass of fine print and what the ad's "don't" say.

Verizon's More Everything with Edge for a family of 4 (like mine) with 10GB shared says I save $100 versus without ($260 v $160)...but in order to get that I have to shell out for 4 brand new phones full price (there's been debate I've heard about qualifying with a non-VZ purchased device so say $2000+ up front for 3 GS5 and an M8) or pay about...wait for it...wait for it....$120 or so per month on the monthly plan. So the "cheaper" way actually costs more...and $50 more than I pay now with UNLIMITED data.

Even Sprint's new Family Share with 22GB (incl bonus) works out the same way. $100 + $60 for an Easy Pay plan, plus the $2k+ up front or $120/mth for the devices....and I still lose my UNLIMITED.

Just don't make no sense to me.

long johns