IMHO, Sprint in Chicagoland is not really bad, nor does everyone say it is. I have been on Sprint for over 10 years, and while there have been worse times and better times, I feel that Sprint customer service has been very good, especially recently. WIMAX has been a disappointment, and I haven't yet forked over for LTE, but where I live in the Far Northwest Suburbs, 3G coverage has recently improved (NV is installed all around me), and Robert's update this week shows 2 new 3G/4G sites within 6 miles. I took a drive earlier today, and saw that 4G NV hardware has been installed on several local towers, so should be turned on soon (no visible bird nests!). I am encouraged by reported local LTE sightings (Huntley, Fox River Grove, etc). Also, I travel throughout the western US, and consistently get good coverage in virtually every urban area where I go. BTW, I my family has 3 EVO's, a Samsung, and an IPhone 4S on a family plan, and we are all happy.