LiamBanks

We're all pretty much just masochistic people at this point. On some level, I'm sure most of us just enjoy following the rollout and looking forward to getting LTE more than actually having it. Living proof by the fact that we have Sprint.

I honestly already switched to T-Mobile, but I still follow the roll out to out of my interest in how wireless services are provided. Sprint was good to me, if they ever get their network together I will be right back with them.

Is anybody having battery problems, I phone drains really fast. Is this cause by sprint? 

The biggest battery drain is usually your signal strength. If you have a poor signal your phone is going to constantly be searching to find a better one. Where I was living I was constantly switching between roaming and 1 bar of Sprint and my phone would lost like 40% battery in an hour or so even if I wasn't really using it.

If your restore your iPhone on iTunes you'll get a message on the screen that says "Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked." However, CDMA carriers like Sprint and Verizon have some tricky deals they've worked out with Apple to protect the iPhones that have been activated on their network from being used on other domestic carriers. (Side note, the iPhone 5 on Verizon ships factory unlocked, but that's only because of an FCC ruling they had to agree to when they acquired they 700 MHz licenses on which they use to broadcast their LTE).

 

An iPhone 4S that has been activated on Sprint (meaning the IMEI number is in Sprint's database) cannot be "unlocked" for domestic use - at least not currently. (For for the opposite reason, a 4s that is sold factory unlocked cannot be activated on Sprint or Verizon since the IMEI is not in their active database). The most they will do for you is unlock it for international use which will allow you to plug in a SIM from an international carrier - this actually works great when I've traveled to both Mexico and Canada and saved a boat load of "keesh". However, they will only perform the international unlock if the phone has been on an active contract for 90 days and the account is in good standing. If you search hard enough online you will find some vendors that will claim they can unlock it for domestic GSM carrier use (Tmobile / AT&T) and charge between $100 - $140, however for some reason Apple has even locked those guys out as of late (chronicunlocks.com for example).

 

You could re-activate the phone and call back to the international dept (888.226.7212 is the direct line) and with your 10 year history they should unlock it for international use, however I think you're out of luck for domestic use. You can still fetch a good rate online for a Sprint 4s, especially if its unlocked for international use and you open your shipping up to international.

 

Lastly (sorry for the long post), just for the record the 4s is capable of picking up US GSM carriers as I've used my Mexico sim from Telcel while in the US to test and I can choose from AT&T or Tmobile. However I would then be paying the roaming fees through Telcel to roam on the US carrier. My point is that the phone is "capable" of operating on the US carriers, it's just been locked out from being activated using a US SIM card by Apple and Sprint. (If you can't tell I've had some experience on this topic...)

When I called Sprint they said that you needed to have the phone on your account for at least 90 days, account in good standing, and finally YOU MUST BE ON A TWO YEAR CONTRACT. Since I bought my phone from Sprint off contract - they will not unlock it. I have been with Sprint for years and there is "nothing they can do".

Guys I really tried hard to stick with Sprint. I just couldn't handle having horrible 3g and no 4G. I left my Samsung Galaxy S3 and Sprint on Saturday.

 

This is a speed test on T-Mobile. That's not even LTE. It's HSPA+ and it's not too bad. Uploads might not be insanely high but still sufficient.

 

 

Test Date: 4/7/2013 3:39:04 PM

Connection Type: HSPA+

Server: Orlando, FL

Download: 20.58 Mbps

Upload: 1.66 Mbps

Ping: 63 ms

 

My last test with Sprint before deciding on T-Mobile.

 

Test Date: Apr 5, 2013 3:35:33 pm

Connection Type: EvdoA

Server: Cocoa, FL

Download: 143 kbps

Upload: 34 kbps

Ping: 146 ms

 

Good luck Sprint.

I am trying to stick it out, let us know how T-Mobile's coverage is!

Your Sprint variant iPhone 4S is most accurately sold as a Sprint device. In that case, you do not need it to be unlocked.

 

AJ

How can I tell if my phone is unlocked? Is there a way to check?

How can I unlock my iPhone 4S on Sprint?

I bought my iPhone 4S off contract to begin with and have been with them almost 10 years. I have been through several contracts and never missed a payment.

All I want to do is unlock my iPhone 4S so I can sell it and get the 5S (or whatever is next) when it comes out.

I called *2 from my phone and they told me to call the International Service Team at 1-888-226-7212 (They wouldn't even transfer me).

I called the number and they answered and said that they received an error and had to transfer me to an International Tech.

They transferred me and then I got a response "The subscriber is out of the the subscription area Error TX87152" and hung up on me.

I called back and spoke with another person and explained what happened and she said she could unlock it no problem.

Then... "I have to speak with my supervisor it's giving me an error code. Let me put you on hold."

10 minutes later...

"Okay, let me transfer you to the International Tech Team, I will make sure they are on the line before I disconnect with you."

Another 5 minutes later...

"Since you are not on a current 2 year contract we cannot unlock your phone. Sorry there is nothing we can do."

I don't understand why I am being punished for being a good customer and fulfilling my contract with them. If I had called earlier before my contract expired, there wouldn't be a problem. But now since my device is paid off and my contract is up there is nothing they can do.

Do I have any other options for unlocking my device?

----

Edit: Sprint gave me an unlock code, but apparently the code is useless.

Was browsing around the Sprint Forums and I just saw this from a Sprint Customer Care representative - apparently the Orlando area is 13% done...

"Thanks for the reply. I understand your frustration, currently Orlando has yet to launch. I can tell you that the Orlando area is at 13% of over 600 towers. We still have a ways to go before we launch your area. I'm sure there are areas that have LTE upgrades added but we could pull the service due to fine tunning needs. When we launch and area its because its 100% ready to go. You can use the network site to see the progress of where its at. It should show you if a particular area got and upgrade and if there is LTE service near by. Also other posters on this thread gave some good words of advice about certain apps that track this progress.

Victor

Sprint Social Care"

Here is the thread: http://community.sprint.com/baw/thread/104815?start=60&tstart=0

 

If you qualify, they will send you the Airave for free and the only monthly cost is a maximum of $3.00 in taxes since it is considered and additional line. They waived the cost ($150), the monthly service fee ($5), and it includes free UPS shipping. When I called last Friday, I was advised that they have about a 5-7 day backorder on them. Hopefully this will solve my issues while making and receiving calls / voicemails at my house. If / when they get LTE working in my area, if I no longer need the Airave they will send a package to me to return the Airave for free as well.

I finally got my Airave through Sprint. It was a huge pain in the ass because I am on a SERO Plan. I actually had to pay the $130 up front and they credited it back to my account.

However when I looked at my account online it showed me as under a contract with them until 2015 - like I signed a two year contract (See attached pic). This is something they never mentioned to me so I called back and they said that I would be fine as long as I sent the Airave back.

Does your Airave show yourself under contract in your account? This concerns me.

For me I don't even care about full market, I just care about Ocoee/Winter Garden (selfish, I know).

 

Sent from my Galaxy S3

Exactly, I only care about my area by Michigan and Conway. Coverage is so abysmal there. My house is like in a black hole of coverage. If I walk across the street I get decent service, but without my Airave I can't even make calls from my house.

The unlimited data and my SERO Plan ($50/mo) are the only things keeping me around. Though I keep telling myself that if their service isn't improved by the time the next iPhone comes out I will be jumping ship to Verizon. Honestly I don't even care that much about LTE, I just want to be able to get 3G speeds .5mbps-1mbps consistently.

The Conway area has gotten worse the past two weeks as well. Conway and Hoffner used to get 1 MB+ three weeks ago, but now averages 0.3 MB. I'm now getting dropped calls and voicemails take forever to download. Sprint is sending me an Airave to help, as where I live is even worse.

I live near Conway and Michigan, the coverage is awful. I can't even make phone calls from my house. I was seriously thinking about cancelling and switching this weekend when I had some free time since I'm not on contract. I was trying to call a support number and 3 times I was 15 minutes on hold only to have Sprint drop my call after being connected.

I will call them about the Airave today - thanks for mentioning it!

Will these updates improve coverage or just enhance existing coverage? I just moved and at my house I bounce between "Searching" and "Extended" with one bar of Sprint occasionally.

Wondering if I should tough it out or switch

That is what I am counting on! I have been with Sprint since I was 14 (11 years).

I have the $50 SERO plan for my iPhone so I have been sticking it out with Sprint in hopes of network improvements.

I hope LTE launch will Help with the 3G. Even when I had my Palm Pre a couple years ago the speeds wee WAY better. I can barely stream pandora righ now.

Looks like they are on the right path at least.

 

I getting about .02kbps down & up at the most and the tower for sprint is not even 2miles away

That is pretty much my entire experience with Sprint in Orlando. Full 5 bars of service and maybe 40kbps down.

Really have high hopes for Network Vision. Hoping there is some progress by the time the next iPhone comes out.