Toffer

Sorry I don't think I'm trolling, just a disappointed ex-customer trying to help a potential customer. While my comments are negative they are factually correct. And I'm sorry there is no way that you can blame the customer for confusion about what Sprint Spark is or means when they describe it as "Sprint Spark expands, bringing with it the improved in-building signal, expanded coverage and intelligence offered by the enhanced LTE network capability.

Sprint Spark is a powerful, enhanced LTE network capability that incorporates three bands of LTE to create a revolutionary tri-band experience. For you, this means our fastest-ever data speeds, stronger in-building signal and a whole new level of mobile internet experience."

Sprint Spark means three bands, which means it must have 800 MHz LTE. Anything less is a lie. I don't think that's trolling. Just pointing out a factual consistency. Thank you. I really do hope Sprint gets its act together and becomes more open and honest with their customers and creates a true competitor to the big three. I could really use an affordable carrier that works in my home and surrounding areas.

B26 is shown in orange with B25. B41 is shown in yellow. Forget Sprint's marketing. It is just marketing, not a technical explanation.

 

No Sprint device is capable of using all three bands together at the same time. They aren't used all together. They are used either, or.

 

Sprint marketers should be fired over the whole Spark confusion they created with the convoluted explanation they provided which has lead to chaos. Oh wait...they were!

 

Using Moto X² on Tapatalk

They may have been fired yet Sprint still continues to lie and claim that Sprint Spark is three-band LTE and that it provides low band LTE with better coverage and building penetration. You can't just "forget" Sprint's marketing, how else are you supposed to trust a company other than by their word. They claimed Sprint Spark includes 800 Mhz LTE, they claimed LA is a Sprint Spark market and finally their map showed Sprint Spark service all over my area but those were all a lie and ultimately they mean something entirely different when they say Sprint Spark and customers won't get in-building coverage in LA despite their claims.

It's completely inexcusable for a company to continue to use a marketing term in two completely contradictory ways. They've completely lost my trust. Upsetting since they're the only real competitor to T-Mobile and I left them because my only complaint was poor coverage in my home. Oh well Consumer Cellular has decent prices and AT&T's great coverage.

Although I am frustrated with the whole IBEZ thing and the seemingly slow rollout of LTE in Cali compared to the rest of the US, spark in the terms of the coverage maps typically refers to B41 and not B26.

But that directly contradicts Sprint's own definition and marketing. Sprint Spark is a powerful, enhanced LTE network capability that incorporates three bands of LTE to create a revolutionary tri-band experience. For you, this means our fastest-ever data speeds, stronger in-building signal and a whole new level of mobile internet experience. No where do they define it differently, yet for their maps and markets covered they lie and change the meaning in order to deceive customers.

Last time I checked, B26 was delayed due to the issues with San Bernadino County. Any updates or a timeline? S4GRU is like the only place on the Internet with *any* info about the IBEZ issues. I'm super excited for its implementation. If any market needs B26, it's LA.

Nope, Los Angeles is still a Fake Sprint Spark market, No B26 here. As you said it's pretty much impossible to find any information about Sprint's 800 Mhz LTE whether due to IBEZ or conflicting public uses but it's still blocked here in Los Angeles. Don't know why Sprint continues to lie and and say LA's a Spark market when it's not even legal for them to offer Spark service.

I wanted to like Sprint and for them to do well but they're just so dishonest and incompetent.

I am guessing by your profile you are trying out Sprint with the Nexus 5.  Some people have issues with B41 using the N5.  The N5 did not work on B41 when initially sold and had to receive and update more than 6 months later to work with B41.  Some people reported issues after the update getting B41.  Others could not stay connected.  Others had no problem.  I'm not sure if this is your issue, but it's what first came to mind.

 

However, B26 will be coming online this year in LA County.  The IBEZ 800 rebanding will be complete some time in 2015.  Sprint has already released crews to start getting sites ready for 800MHz LTE for quick fire up after the FCC allows them to use the spectrum.  We don;t have any specific information about dates in LA, but it should be some time before the end of the year.  I would guess LA will go first.

 

Other than trying another device for B41, you may need to stay with Tmo until B26 becomes prevalent in your area.  About that time Sprint with have 2x or maybe even 3x carrier aggregation on B41 in the LA area.  So it may be a good time then to get a new Sprint device that support B41 CA and make the jump then.

I have a recently clean installed Nexus 5 4.4.4 so I don't think it should have any problems connecting here and I know it was capable of connecting to B41 while driving through LA (via the Signal Check Pro app). I was told that there is a B41 tower at Lincoln and Wilshire though and yesterday just 4 blocks away I could only connect to B25 with ~1Mbps. Strange that it didn't connect there.

Thanks for all of the replies. Sounds like Sprint just isn't available in Santa Monica yet. Seems surprising to me. Looking at the Sensorly maps it looks like Sprint is still doing poorly all over the Westside (West of 405). Can't believe they've ignored Silicon Beach for this long. Since my main impetus for trying out Sprint again was becasue I learned they have 800 Mhz spectrum and I need some better coverage at my house but have now learned they not only can't implement that here for at least 6 months and they haven't even put B41 in place (despite their maps statign they have "Best" coverage here) I think I will have to stick with T-Mobile for now. Can't believe how deceptive Sprint has been. Puts a really bad taste in my mouth. Maybe I'll try them again in the Fall if they've lit up B26 and B41 as their maps claim but I'm not sure I can trust them. At least they have 1x800 voice which is nice.

Thanks so much for all of the input.

Is there any reason I shouldn't be getting B41 in Santa Monica? I'm just trying out Sprint for the last week and my phone has never connected to B41 here in Santa Monica (it didn't work in Palm Springs either but did a couple of times in LA on the drvie back). Sprint's coverage map says that my home and most surrounding areas should have "Best" Spark recdeption yet even outdoors next to an open field it is only getting B25 with ~1Mbps speeds and ~200ms pings, pretty unnacceptable. Along with learning that Sprint can't even get B26 in all of Socal has made this pretty disaapointing. While I can thankfully get 1x800 (the main reason I retried Sprint was to get better voice receptioin at home) the prevalence of poor 3G and B25 conncetions almost everywhere I've tried in Sprint makes me think I'll go back to T-Mobile.

Is there any reason that I shouldn't be experiencing this or is there any hope that it will improve?