sleet

Any Idea why the change? It sounds like it's mostly cosmetics? so Perhaps the marketing department is trying to make them more appealing to the masses so they can get more of them out and installed in places where they'll be useful.. I actually connected to one recently @ the Sprint Store in Midvale, UT

Question for those that have the G6 for a while. When you're on speaker phone how is the voice quality for those listening to you at the other end? My mom picked one up yesterday and on regular calls the sound is really good, but when she puts it in speaker mode it's really bad. I've asked her to change how she's holding the phone, set the phone down, slowly turn it while talking to see if it's a orientation problem but it's just all around bad. Practically unusable. It's just really muffled. It's almost as bad as it was when she had a defective lifeproof case on her S3. I'm not sure if it's typical for the G6 or if she should take it back.

Thanks, I suppose I should have clarified. I wasn't wondering if they would switch off 1x/3G. I figured they'd keep that around for a bit for legacy users. It was more along the lines of "odds are you won't ever get VoLTE unless you get a phone that supports it out of the box. - Except for maybe a couple of flagship phones that came out the previous year" I initially thought that any LTE phone should support it but with how the roll out of the "hybrid" setup I'm starting to think it'll be more likely that it'll just be phones that came out the previous 6 months to a year that will support VoLTE and everyone else who wants it will have to just get a new phone.

So I've been using a Nexus 5 (yeah I know a bit old) and it's worked great. I read here about others with newer smartphones getting voice calling plus (or whatever it was called) and calls started on wifi but then handing over to the LTE network and they could get voice and data at the same time. Obviously it's not VoLTE in it's final form but better than nothing and at least it's a start in the right direction. So what I'm wondering is how will this affect us with older phones? I mean I understand that my Nexus 5 would have VoLTE on any other carrier but if Sprint finally runs with VoLTE will it cover all (or at least "most") phones. or will all of us have to run out and get the latest Samsung Galaxy Sx or LG Gx models etc? I mean is VoLTE a general spec and all phones that support it once the carrier support it will work fine? or is it pretty much carrier to carrier how they roll their only hybrid version of it?

The deal is live at best buy right now if you go in person. there's a huge thread over on Slickdeals.net regarding the LG G6 with a ton of details. I was able to walk into a best buy yesterday morning and get 2 phones changed out on the Framily plan I'm on. Another member on our Framily plan was able to get a phone as well. I wasn't sure if I was going to use the G6 for myself of another family member so I had them put my Nexus 5 back on my line (so I don't know if I could have then bought another G6 on my line?) but rather then risk it I had them upgrade another line on our Framily plan that's not being used this month. If you're considering it I'd try to get into a Best Buy today and see if you can get it before they're out of stock. The store said I could order but based on things people in the slickdeals.net thread are saying the online ordering could be hit or miss. -J

I don't change phones often so I'm not really up on lease/easy pay details- I actually plan on keeping my phone but for others on the "Framily" plan would they be able to purchase this? I'm assuming they'd have to pay the $4.99 / month for whatever the length of the lease is but then could they pay the buyout at the same time? So I'm not sure what that total cost would run but does anyone have any idea what that might cost? I was going to suggest they get the Essential Phone that's going for $145 plus tax right now but that does't have HPUE and this does. so if this doesn't cost much more this might be a better way to go.

Not sure if you've been following sprint much lately but you know if you port over you can get unlimited service for a year for free right? (Just in case you were seriously about possibly jumping back in) https://www.sprint.com/en/shop/offers/free-unlimited.html?ECID=vanity:1yearfree

Just fyi in the mobile version of the site where is lists unread posts I get a message mixed in with the unread posts saying "This post cannot be displayed because it is in a password protected forum. Enter Password" I'm assuming it's in a forum or thread I don't have access to. I just figured everyone who could change it would have access to the thread/forum so they would be unaware of this. Thanks for all the hard work keeping the site up and going!

I'm not currently using a high end router. The one with the VPN is actually a thrift store pickup that was $5. It doesn't have GB, doesn't have a USB port etc. Model number is a linksys e900. And I'm currently running tomato by shibby http://tomato.groov.pl/ If you're looking for a more high end router that has great cababilities look over on slickdeals.net and search for post mentioning dd-wrt. That's where I've learned most of what I know. This router has popped up from time to time over there https://slickdeals.net/f/10017620-asus-tm-ac1900-dual-band-gigabit-router-open-box-57-free-shipping?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1 Here's a better link discussing this router in more info and why it's so great and changing the firmware instruction. https://slickdeals.net/f/9330575-asus-tm-ac1900-wireless-ac1900-dual-band-gigabit-router-59-free-shipping (yes it's a T-Mobile discounted router and they're talking about modding the stock firmware so I'm not sure if I'm pushing any SRGRU rules or policies by discussing it here) but this router was top of the line a couple years back and it's still within the top 10 or so routers out there today. Even if you were the high end gamer this router would probably be just fine. Just search around for that router on slickdeals and you'll find instructions to roll it back from the TMobile firmware to the stock firmware and then from stock you then flash one of these custom firmwares and go from there and have fun. I don't know if it'll support the exact version of tomato I'm using for VPNs and such but I'd guess there are other versions of dd-wrt, openwrt, merlin that it would support it (along with running a VPN) and you could do a whole ton of fun stuff with it. Stick with a popular router like this one and ask around on slickdeals and see what other open source firmware (and the build number) people are running and how stable they run. But back to my current router (e900) I'm doing stuff on a $5 router from a thrift store that you'd never be able to do with any other router that would be anywhere close to the price. Open source can be buggy and have issues. Since it's sort of like a patchwork of different people and it's spread across different brands and models of routers. Yes sometimes there might be a bug so you then load up a different build number of the firmware until you find a firmware that works. I leave the thing running and my e900 has been going for about 2 years with no restarts. Running a VPN, 4 different wifi networks each mated with an individual subnet and a back port of the router so it works great for my needs. If I was torrenting or doing other high demand stuff this router might not cut it but for basic web browsing and netflix and such this router is golden

I know funding is tight and I'm not trying to say I sprint should have their cake and eat it too but... Is there a reason Sprint doesn't just slowly start to run their own back haul? Like get a crew or two going and working on it slowly? From tower to tower and eventually start to have their own fiber backbone? Like they say they're being surgical on how they spend CapEx to deploy the network in the future. Couldn't this same logic be applied to slowly running their own fiber back haul? Maybe it would take years (probably more like decades) to finish but I'd imagine it would eventually pay for it's self in the long run? I seem to at least think that would be way more profitable in the long term than spending money on Tidal or pokemon go

How has it worked out for you?

I've mentioned it on here before but I try to go with a router that's compatible with www.dd-wrt.com firmware (or one of the many branches from it tomato, openwrt, etc.) Depending on your level of tech and how comfortable you are with flashing custom firmware on a router you can get ones that support lots of features and I had a VPN running for a time on mine. One of the tomato routers even will allow you to have I believe 2 different VPNs up and running. you can even set it up so if you VPN in you'd be on a different subnet than the rest of your home network. My goal was to have one VPN that I'd use for myself if I needed to get access to my network or resources. Then another VPN that would be on a different subnet and isolate it from the rest of the network and then let others - say friends and family - use it as a VPN that way they'd have the security of a VPN on public wifi and yet not have access to all my stuff. Probably a bit more of an answer that you were looking

What do you mean by idle mode reception? Is this meaning the phone is stationary aka say sitting on a table? Or is this something else like the radio is idle and nothing is being transmitted? I thought it would boost the phones transmission power output so (I assumed) this as its ability to stay connected to B41 longer so something regarding idle mode reception is new to me.

Someone said in another thread that the coverage map was updated. Do they now show up on the coverage map?

I believe you can use DD-WRT (a router firmware) installed on some basic routers and make this happen. If you already have wires running to where you'd want the Access Poings (APs) then it's even easier and faster. I seriously can't believe someone would go out and spend hundreds on the latest and greatest mesh networking when a few that I've looked up really don't do much better than just a few dd-wrt routers setup in repeater mode. And yes AC is great and will eventually be awesome for everyone but odds are you don't have every device in your home with AC (plus I only think bleeding edge users would need the speed of AC anyway) or people who are streaming a ton of stuff to multiple tvs over wifi. So unless you're one of those just stick with N. You can probably hit up a few thrift stores around you and pick up some used routers for under $5 a pop - just check on the dd-wrt.com website in their router firmware database to make sure the router will be compatible with dd-wrt before you buy. You could get such a network for under $20 and a few hours setting it up. Again this is for someone who has some time (and desire) to learn. but then you can forget about it. I've had several dd-wrt routers running for parents, in-laws, siblings, friends etc. and they can host VPNs, and run for years without ever needing a restart. Plus you can install adblock stuff on them (I haven't taken that step yet myself) and then all computers/devices on your network will be much less bothered by ads.

I would think that if someone gets the service for free and it works well for them. Perhaps after getting out of school they might stick with the provider that gave them free service. Again that's assuming the perspective customers are loyal which probably wouldn't be the case but I'd like to hope...

I would support too, I'm a lot more interested in Android than iOS

Perhaps I'm a bit out of the loop but I read this so I think Washington is done rebranding. https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:vjM3FiO4gTkJ:https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1090269256629/800%2520MHz%2520Monthly%2520Report%2520September%25202016.pdf+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us Sorry I had to use the Google cache version because the actual link wasn't working for me. Here's the part that makes me think it's completed

Thanks, I apparently had selected the "Only Content I Follow" and just had to click it again and it's back to normal. Yes, I figured that one out a few months ago but my problem was what AJ had suggested and was completely my fault. Thanks for the help!

I've just noticed that maybe for the past week or so that the "View New Content" button hasn't been working. I'll click on it and it will show "No New Content" but if I go to the forums posts with new conect are highlighted. I'm not sure if it's just on my individual account level or if it's site wide for everyone. I hadn't seen it mentioned so I thought I'd just mention it here. Note to Mods: if this is the wrong place for this post or if this is just an individual issues that's only to my account please move or delete this post as appropriate. Either way thanks for the great site!

Power buttons (well technically its the power switch) on the nexus 5 have issues. Mine got stuck in a reboot loop which comes from the power switch getting stuff in it (like Corrosion from use) you can get replacement buttons in a 5 pack off eBay for about $5. Either fix it yourself if you have the tools or some shops can do it. I got mine working again and its like new

Edit: (Mods if this should be in another Thread Please move it where appropriate) So I'm road tripping this holiday weekend from Seattle To Salt Lake City. I'm hoping they filled in some of the gaps along I-84 in Idaho and Northern Utah but not holding my breath. I figured I'd enable logging in SignalCheck Pro while driving but wasn't positive if I should enable the option for "Log Sites with Missing GCI? Is that really beneficial at all? or is it something that would just make the log file more bloated without any useful info? -J

Just Saw this and hadn't seen it posted here... http://www.twincities.com/2016/03/26/sprint-owns-up-to-past-problems-hopes-to-win-back-customers/ So they might be quiet about where they're installing the small cells but at least we can find a tidbit here and there

I just was on a trip and had the global roaming enabled before I left. London, UK and Helsinki, Finland worked great. Estonia was supposed to work but no luck there. A bit upsetting but not much I could (or knew I could do) in Estonia.

Looks like it's just a $50,000 contest, sign up tonight and win during the Super Bowl.