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I've searched for ten minutes or so on this forum for discussion related to Sprint's current offer for existing customers: a free line?!

What's the catch?

We're a four phone Sprint family with, I guess, a grandfathered plan that sits squarely between the two existing Sprint plans.

If I sign up for an extra line (which has downgraded video and audio streaming bandwidths)...will my existing plan be modified in any way?

We've been with Sprint for nearly twenty years...in all that time only one real complaint.

On our iPhones, Sprint's free roaming in San Miguel de Allende (SMA) is with Movistar. You're right...Movistar is only so-so...with no LTE but lots of 3G (kind of fast) that usually worked...but had a bunch of dead spots in the SMA Central City area.

But overall, the Movistar coverage was good enough for Google Maps and texting.

I did not see any evidence of severed heads, severed heads in coolers, or anything obvious related to the cartels.

But my wife and I generally headed back to our rental apartment at or before dusk...and because of that we did not experience anything that I would refer to as scary.

There is no doubt, though, that there's a lot of smoke, in terms of what you're describing. Thankfully we saw no fire.

As I read yesterday (with sadness) about the (apparently) upcoming T-Mobile purchase of Sprint, I'm reminded how much I've enjoyed this site...and how useful it has been to me and my family...two decade Sprint customers.

Between Feb 15 and Feb 22...my wife and I will be in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Am I understanding things right...

For two dollars a day, I can use my Sprint iPhone 6s while in Mexico?!

In San Miguel de Allende, what kind of service can we expect? Great. Middling. Poor?

Anything I should know?

Thanks for reading.

An update: As of Sat noontime, decent Sprint service has returned to all four of our phones (while in Ann Arbor) ...don't know why!?

So we had spotty (at best) service for about 12-16 hours (in the Ann Arbor area). I hope the service interruptions are in the past.

For what it's worth...we are loyal Sprint customers.

Daughter attending Univ Michigan starting next month. We are a 15 year Sprint family (4 lines).

We are currently visiting Ann Arbor. Is there something wrong with Sprint's service right now? Very little LTE service throughout the AnnArbor area.

I happened upon the Sprint store in Ann Arbor's largest mall and was told by two employees that, yes, there are currently problems in Ann Arbor with some of the towers and work is ongoing.

Any and all help and info is much appreciated.

are you asking something to do with leasing or easy pay for the 6+ phone?  is that what you mean by will there be any monthly charge to your account?  Because if you do a lease or an easy pay i do not believe you can take the phone to another carrier like that.  Pretty sure with the lease option at least you cant do it.  But the easy pay you may be able to.  

 

You really need to clarify your questions here as this is a little bit confusing.

 

If she is using the iphone 6+ on a different carrier that is in the UK then i dont see why you would be paying sprint for that, but if you are making payments on the 6+ (I.E. you did the lease or easy pay) then I would imagine you would have to continue making payments on the phone. 

 

I did a 2 year lease on my Galaxy S6 Edge and I am currently active duty military with the chance of getting deployed over seas.  So I decided to ask Sprint about this before I leased the new phone.  They allow military suspensions for any of you lines (I know not really related to your question but kinda relevant to my explanation).  The only thing is if you leased a phone you must return the equipment to sprint if you suspend your line.  

 

I hope that this helps.  again please try to clarify your questions...

Thanks for the quick response.

I am considering purchasing a Sprint-capable iPhone 6+ and not making any changes to our legacy account...we still want only three lines.

I wish I hadn't added the confusing sentences.

We have three iPhones.

I want to buy a fourth iPhone (no lease...no easy pay...just buy it outright with cash)...and replace one of our currently-activated Sprint iPhones with the new fourth iPhone (we would still have three activated lines).

Sprint says after 90 days they'll unlock the 'fourth iPhone'...I would take advantage of that unlocking process...unlock the 'fourth iPhone'...then remove it from Sprint service...give it to my daughter (for her to use long-term in the UK)...then bring back the one phone we had to sit for 90 days while the 'fourth iPhone' was serving its necessary 90 days to get the international unlock from Sprint.

Does this help?

Questions About Unlocking a Sprint Phone for International Use...

The background:

My daughter has a good job in the UK.

She is currently using an iPhone 4S in the UK.

I would like to get her an iPhone 6+ that she could use in the UK.

Will the following work?

We are customers in good standing (more than a decade) with three lines on an out-of-contract legacy plan (1500 minutes Family Unlimited Data).

All three of our phones (two iPhone 5c's and one 5s)...according to our mysprint account page...are eligible for international unlocking...but as of yet have not been unlocked. We have not plans to unlock these three phones.

What I would like to do is purchase a 6+...and upgrade (replace) one of our 5c's (in other words, remove the 5c from Sprint service)...use the 6+ for 90 days...ask that it (the 6+) be unlocked...then go back and replace the 6+ (i.e. remove it from the Sprint network) with the 5c that had been taken out of service 90 days previous.

So we have two 5c's and one 5s with Sprint now. I'd like to buy a 6+...use it for 90 days...get it unlocked...give it to my daughter as a gift for her to use in the UK...and return at that time to the working devices that we have now with Sprint in the USA (two 5c's and one 5s).

Does this make sense?

Will this work?

Will my daughter be able to activate her Christmas gift (the 6+) in the UK...and use it for as long as she remains in that country (could be 2 years)?

And when she returns (permanently) will the 6+ be usable on the Sprint network?

Sprint will have unlocked it (the 6+) but it will not be active on our Sprint account...does this matter? Will there be any monthly charge to our three phone Sprint account for her using a fourth phone that is not on the account?

I am not trolling here...so real answers are appreciated.

Can I get an authoritative opinion on what I'm trying to accomplish? Or at least bring some clarity to my thinking?

Thanks much.

I realize this topic is months old but it certainly applies to our family.

We are a 3 line Sprint family...have been for over a decade. I would like to make it 4 (adding a line) as one of our children is returning from Europe.

I guess we're on what is now known as a Legacy Plan--specifically, the Everything Data Family 1500 plan (with 3 lines).

Can I add a line to this plan...and still keep it?

In other words, we want the Everything Data Family 1500 plan while using 4 lines.

All those years ago (about six, I think)...adding a line resulting in an additional $19.99/month charge for the line...along with a $10.00/month smartphone charge.

In other words, adding a line increased a bill by thirty bucks (plus tax).

When I went from 2 lines to 3...I brought my own device and did it all online--it was a painless process.

I cannot find the option to do this now (from my Sprint account page).

Is what I am trying to do impossible now?

As always...thanks for a wonderful resource. I would have left Sprint if it wasn't for the hope this site provided...after all these years we're relatively happy with our 4G service.

From the Busch press box area...just now (8:35pm)...via Sensorly

iPhone 5c LTE:

Download: FAILED

Ping: FAILED

Upload: FAILED

iPhone 5c 3G:

Download: FAILED

Ping: FAILED

Upload: FAILED

after phone restart, iPhone 5c locked in on 1x

Download: FAILED

Ping: FAILED

Upload: FAILED

...same location at 10am (prior to Game 1 of the day)...same phone via LTE:

Download: 0.53M

Ping: 465ms

Upload: 0.67M

...Band 41 makes a difference, eh?!

We've traveled in the Disney and Cocoa Beach area again; WDW has holes but is improving. Cocoa Beach is wonderful; Facetiming on the waterfront (and not far from sharks, apparently!) back home worked splendidly.

Posted this over sponsor side but realized I probably should have posted it here for better responses.

 

Did anyone notice abnormally high ping times (150+) this past week? Today it was back down to ~50 for the first time, but all last week it was high.

what is classified as a high ping time on Sprint LTE?

...spoke too soon. No LTE and no 3G on the west side of Carbondale as well as the area near John A. Logan college this afternoon. Hope things get settled soon.

I suspect there's a site in Carbondale with issues and it might be the one downtown.

Just yesterday I stopped within 100 yards of what I believe is our tower...and the Sensorly data were 0 up and 0 down...gosh I was disappointed.

But today, same spot, 20 down and 8 up...and home-based Sensorly data are 15 down and 5 up. We just made a significant investment in new phones so I am satisfied again.

I hope my satisfaction is of the long-lasting variety...so for now...good job Sprint!

Seems fine here in Louisville. Below is a B25 speedtest in South Louisville.

 

Might be doing something to your site. I've had a couple around here that act like that for a day or two.

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

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Thanks for your response...not too many posters here respond to 62901 concerns...

 

I thought I was smart by ensuring that the long-promised LTE was going to work in our area by testing it before jumping all the way in.

 

Darn if after a couple or three months of decent LTE...and I upgrade my family's stable of webOS phones to Apple's devices...the LTE here has crapped out!

...bought one and then two more iPhones in March of this year. Through May, none of these phones had any trouble at all locking onto a usable LTE signal (at home). But for the past week, these phones (from home) flip over to 3G.

Any reason for this behavior? Zip 62901

...follow-up to this post: LTE worse and worse lately--attached is from last night.

...bought one and then two more iPhones in March of this year. Through May, none of these phones had any trouble at all locking onto a usable LTE signal (at home). But for the past week, these phones (from home) flip over to 3G.

Any reason for this behavior? Zip 62901

Has anybody experienced HD voice in the market yet?

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

I would guess that when I (in downtown STL) called my wife (shopping near Brentwood Boulevard) yesterday afternoon (LTE lit on a pair of iPhone 5c's)...that we experienced HD Voice.

If it wasn't, it was still better than standard calls.

From Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter

Half hour before ballgame

I have never posted with a pic...here goes. 4G LTE is indeed in 62901.

Day 2 with iPhone 5c...FaceTime 4G from inside el Greco to home (15 minute ride) with daughter in Chicago was nearly flawless (1 hiccup).

My clock was an hour off last night...and, oddly, two radio stations I listen to did not work via LTE, but worked fine via 3G.

In case the pic doesn't work, Sensorly indicates download speeds in excess of 22 Mbps.

...will report back.

I have some indirect evidence that zip code 62901 (Carbondale IL) has been added to the LTE-active list...will poke around more. I did receive a text from Sprint today along the lines of 'LTE comong soon'. Speed-testing the 3G connection for my venerable Palm Pre yields a rdiculously high number...just as it did on MLK day while in downtown STLMO. Confirmation, fraydog?

joeynach--best post ever. Thanks

...some news here: http://gigaom.com/2013/11/19/testing-sprints-new-spark-network-in-nyc/

Interesting links and Spark in CHI

Just a reminder, this is not a Sprint forum and is not a place to merely post complaints about Sprint service. If you wish to complain there are other places out there on the web to do so.

You are right, morrisnova, there are other places on the web 'to do so'.

I, too, and my family of four, are 11+ year Sprint subscribers.

I am the IT guy in my family. I try to learn all the acronyms thrown around here. I know more than most and less than some. I read this forum daily because knowledgeable people post here, people who care dearly about Sprint and its future. I understand what you are saying about complaints but the two that you seem to be complaining about are from people who, to my eye, really do care about Sprint.

So do I.

One of our kids goes to school in Chicago; the LTE snafu in Chicago is of vital import to me as we decide which provider gets our business next. I, like the previous posters, have waited and waited for Sprint to follow through on its promises.

I am still holding out...but my patience is wearing a bit thin. I will continue to read this forum and hope that all reasonable voices are heard. I anxiously await good reports.

In the meantime...the 3G service in the Hyde Park area seems fine, as far as voice is concerned. I am always on the lookout for real-life 4G reports from this area. Thanks for reading.

Just used the chat to order the SIM, took all of 60 seconds, piece of cake.

...might I ask for you to kindly describe the steps involved?

I presume you went to the Sprint chat site mentioned a couple of pages ago.

What exactly did you order?

How much did it cost?

When will it ship?

Thanks.

At this point, the USIM/CSIM debate is pretty pointless. To an end user there is no difference. Both systems still require the correct MEID and UICC ID to be active on the account for the device to function properly. In the future it may make a difference, but at this point I'd assume the only reason that CSIMs are even being used is because of a limitation in the new iPhones not supporting old USIMs properly on the network (wouldn't be the first time Apple decided to singlehandedly change something).

 

The iPhone 5s/5c are the only devices Sprint has currently using CSIMs. No other phone being released seems to use a CSIM. There is very little (if any) advantage at the moment for a CSIM-only approach to network authentication with the way the Sprint network authentication is done. If there is no advantage, why spend the money to implement it, especially in the middle of a complete physical network replacement?

...wonderfully nuanced thread here. Thanks. My wife and I and our youngest child are ready for new phones--with the Note 3 and the 5s at the top of our lists. Is there anything that isn't obvious...that should be thought about, when making this decision? We have no real affinity to either OS...but between reading on this site that the Note 3 is single band LTE and the 5s is dual band...and that tri-band phones are on the way...I am not qualified any more to serve as my family's fully-informed IT guy.

I read stuff like this: http://www.extremetech.com/computing/166356-iphone-5s-and-5c-the-best-support-for-3g-and-4g-lte-networks-worldwide

...and sort of understand...but then don't.

Any and all suggestions are welcome...

...youngest child heading off to Univ. of Chicago (zip code 60637) in September '13; we've been with Sprint for 10+ years and are currently out-of-contract...hope all is well in Sprint LTE-Land!