Develop Bugs

moving to T-Mobile from Sprint for a G2?

so, i have an HTC evo "4g" with sprint that i got on launch day, but im really disappointed because sprint 4g has sucked in seattle and chicago. it only works outdoors and even then it feels like sudden bursts and not sustained speed.
i had a g1 on T-Mobile and was happy with it, but I've been in the evo/sprint world for a while so i need some help:
i see that T-Mobile is having an "any phone free" deal this weekend. it seems like it might be worth it to sell my evo, pay the etf fee with sprint, and go back to T-Mobile. what I'd like are some honest unbiased answers if possible, to the following questions.
1) sprint seems to have good prices, $69. unlimited data and 450 any mobile minutes + $10 data fee. is it the same price with T-Mobile? seems to be (500 minutes)
2) what rate of speed does T-Mobile throttle to after 5gb is exceeded?
3) the g2 is what im looking at, but what are similar phones from T-Mobile that I should look at and what are the drawbacks or advantages of the top two or three other phones?
4) can any new T-Mobile phone be rooted easily or do recent hboot/radios/firmware updates make it difficult on the g2 or other phones?
5) how is indoor T-Mobile hspa+ or hsdpa signal? wimax at its 2.x ghz and barely penetrates windows so indoor reception is basically none. what frequency is T-Mobile 4g, how is their coverage?
thanks for any responses. I'd like to make a decision tonight or tomorrow morning to switch or not (and choose the right phone).
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

Short awnser: BUY A G2.
Sent from my HTC Vision

I'll try to answer as best I can.
Although the G2 is my very first Android device, I've been so impressed by it. I would definitely recommend it!
I believe that you're throttled down to EDGE speeds, which is damn pretty horrible because I actually get EDGE where I live and only get HSDPA signal (3G signals) on campus. When I'm on EDGE, I only get about 10kbps... yes, it sounds horrible. But when you are in a good part of town, I've seen mine go to as high as 7mbps!
As of right now, I'm sure that if you get a G2 this weekend, that the root process will be the same. I rooted last month using the gfree method by first getting a temp root and then permanent root. It's pretty cool since a lot of people say that this is the method that results in the least bricked devices. If I can do it, it'll be easy.
T-Mobile signal will really just depend on your location.
The alternative to the Tmobile G2 is the MyTouch4G. I've read that the MT4G is faster; however if the physical keyboard is what you want, then the G2 is the way to go. Both devices are pretty similiar.
Hope I helped.

interesting. thanks for the replies. so when you get throttled after 5gb they always restrict you from the hspa+ network and only let you connect to edge, at whatever connection speed you can manage to pull in from those towers? I figured it would be a set kbps limit. I was also looking at the mytouch 4g and dell streak because I love the huge screen, but the dell streak support community seems to be basically non existant for some reason.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

I actually did EXACTLY this almost a month ago (kinda weird since I live near Seattle too, lol). Bought an Evo on launch day because of the hype etc. and don't get me wrong its a great phone, but the battery life left a lot to be desired, and the 4G sapped battery extremely hard and almost never worked indoors, even when the area was blanketed in 4G coverage.
Eventually I really got put off by the way Sprint treated me after I went through 4 different replacement phones but thats a whole different story. I demanded to be let out of my contract and I've been with T-mo since then w/ a G2. They're great so far and I really love the Even More + plans. $59.99/month and no contract. Can't be beat in my opinion and there's just no way I can go back to a contract, I know I wont have the G2 for 2 years that's just impossible the way technology goes.
So anyways.
1) Plans are about the same price, except the one good thing about Sprint is unlimited calling to ANY mobile carrier, not just T-mo. But it really depends how you call, I really don't call much. Also as I said the Even More+ no contract plans are the beeeest if you're like me.
2) I can't give you good info, never capped. I know a lot of people can give you good info though.
3) Most hardcore Android users will say to just get the G2. It is 99.9% stock android, and has great features. The Streak doesn't have the best support but that's your own deal depends wat you're into. The MyTouch4G isn't your best bet because man that skin is terrible, and to be honest the design is just terrible compared to the G2 (chrome + cheap plastic = ew).
4) G2 is easily perm-rootable, not exactly one click but not impossible. Can't say for the other T-mo offerings.
5) I get great cell penetration inside. Haven't had tons of HSPA+ experience, but its on the same spectrum as their UMTS and HSDPA (1700 I believe?) which is pretty high frequency but I think they space their towers well. A quick comment on the UMTS/HSDPA speeds is that I've been consistently pulling 1.8mbps down AND up. On Sprint I could maybe push that down, but never up. Oh and one other thing, WiFi calling is awesome. I'm home for the weekend and there's very weak service here. Hop on WiFi and you can make calls/texts. I don't like having to rely on it because I wish service would just work here, but its nice to have just in case.
Obviously you're gonna get some positive views of the G2 in this forum but I think I can offer some good perspective cuz I did have the Evo before.

wrb123 said:
so, i have an HTC evo "4g" with sprint that i got on launch day, but im really disappointed because sprint 4g has sucked in seattle and chicago. it only works outdoors and even then it feels like sudden bursts and not sustained speed.
i had a g1 on T-Mobile and was happy with it, but I've been in the evo/sprint world for a while so i need some help:
i see that T-Mobile is having an "any phone free" deal this weekend. it seems like it might be worth it to sell my evo, pay the etf fee with sprint, and go back to T-Mobile. what I'd like are some honest unbiased answers if possible, to the following questions.
1) sprint seems to have good prices, $69. unlimited data and 450 any mobile minutes + $10 data fee. is it the same price with T-Mobile? seems to be (500 minutes)
2) what rate of speed does T-Mobile throttle to after 5gb is exceeded?
3) the g2 is what im looking at, but what are similar phones from T-Mobile that I should look at and what are the drawbacks or advantages of the top two or three other phones?
4) can any new T-Mobile phone be rooted easily or do recent hboot/radios/firmware updates make it difficult on the g2 or other phones?
5) how is indoor T-Mobile hspa+ or hsdpa signal? wimax at its 2.x ghz and barely penetrates windows so indoor reception is basically none. what frequency is T-Mobile 4g, how is their coverage?
thanks for any responses. I'd like to make a decision tonight or tomorrow morning to switch or not (and choose the right phone).
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
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I was in the exact situation as you. Loved my EVO but Sprint's customer service is absolute ****, 4G coverage is poor, reps constantly lied about when coverage was coming to my area, and the battery life of the EVO was horrible.
1.) Base plan is $79.99. I get 10% off through student rate and talked customer care into giving me Android preferred web plan which is $20 instead of $30. So my net bill is quite a bit lower than my Sprint Everything Plus bill was.
2.) Don't know. I've personally never gone over 5 GB of data on any phone I've owned.
3.) Galaxy S 4G and MyTouch 4G. Both have FFCs. Neither have keyboards. GS4G has faster data but poor upgrade history and it's yet to be seen if the Vibrant dev community efforts will be compatible.
4.) Don't know. This is better handled at whatever other phone your considerings respective community.
5.) T-Mo 3G is 1700 MHz downlink and 2100MHz uplink. Coverage is fair in Eastern Washington. Certain areas are still EDGE only. Haven't had any issues keeping a decent 3G signal indoors in dense areas. My EVO actually roamed indoors in a few places which I thought was pretty pathetic. My average speeds range from 2-6 Mbs down and 1-1.8 Mbs up.

I was in the same boat. Wanted to leave Sprint for T-Mobile.
It's 2011 and all T-Mobile could give me was EDGE indoors and out. Not worth the money. Especially when the coverage map showed HSPA+ coverage. I live in Tampa, FL.
Sprint isn't any better (claims indoor 4G, can't get it outside or inside), but it was cheap at the time. Not so much now since they keep jacking up prices. First removal of employee discount on almost everything, and then the stupid +$10 premium data on EVERY smartphone.
I guess I'll be letting AT&T or Big Red milk me for money in the near future.
TL;DR - Coverage maps are bull****. You have to take the hard credit pull hit and try the phones out for yourself. I returned my T-mobile phones in less than 24hrs with no questions asked.

Man I am LOVING my G2. And believe it or not, one of my favorite things about it is the battery life!!!! I've gone almost two days without much charge at all and I'm still sitting at 22%. Seriously impressive. I am running the cyanogenmod 6.1.1. It's pretty damn smooth but it seems to have a few quirky behaviors. But then again, most custom ROM's do too. But for the most part it's simply the ****. I show this phone off to the iphone 4 followed by plenty of questions afterwards.
It's a dope phone. Go for it. You won't be disappointed.

Hot_Hands said:
1.) Base plan is $79.99. I get 10% off through student rate and talked customer care into giving me Android preferred web plan which is $20 instead of $30. So my net bill is quite a bit lower than my Sprint Everything Plus bill was.
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Could you give a little more info on the $20 Android Preferred web plan over the normal web plan? never heard of this.

martonikaj said:
Could you give a little more info on the $20 Android Preferred web plan over the normal web plan? never heard of this.
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I also have have the $20 andriod preferred web, you have to ask to speak to customer loyalty dept. And you have to have been with Tmo for a certain number of years, I don't know how long the requirement is but I have been with Tmo for Nine Years.
Sent from my HTC Vision

I believe the requirement is 1 or 2 years. I was a customer for 4 before my EVO misadventure so I smooth talked them into letting me have it. You must talk to the loyalty department. No other department will be able to do it and will probably have no idea what you're talking about.

joemm said:
I also have have the $20 andriod preferred web, you have to ask to speak to customer loyalty dept. And you have to have been with Tmo for a certain number of years, I don't know how long the requirement is but I have been with Tmo for Nine Years.
Sent from my HTC Vision
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Alright thanks, well I got a while to go before I'm there . It just seemed like they were pretty reluctant to make my plan any cheaper than it already is. The Even More+ $59.99 plan is pretty cheap already and I can't argue with it.

I'm not sure if it'll apply to Even More Plus plans since the data plan is included and not a separate add-on.

Swithching Verizon with ... Help me out:-)

I would like to dump my relations with Verizon a hope that some of you guys can help me. Sprint.T-Mobile.at&t is what I have to use so thanks lol
Sent from my Incredible 2 ReMix using Tapatalk

Edit I have a incredible and really love the hell out of it so you could call me an HTC fan boy
Sent from my Incredible 2 ReMix using Tapatalk

You didn't request anything you need help with.

Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T are not compatible with the Verizon CDMA phones so you won't be able to use your Verizon Incredible on their networks. AT&T and T-Mobile are GSM networks. Sprint I believe uses a different bandwidth than Verizon besides their old PCS network being incompatible. This is why you only see threads for how to use Verizon smartphones on Cricket and Boost mobile. W
When my first Verizon Eris died it was going to be a week before I could get a new phone so I called Verizon to see if I could activate my old Sprint Motorola Krzr as both companies sold them. Verizon can activate old phones from other companies, they verified this when I called, but unfortunately Sprint phones aren't ones they could activate.

@slim I did but will help you understand. I need to switch carriers and would like to see what people use and like to offer me suggestions on what company and phone to get. That's what I wanted to know lol
Sent from my Incredible 2 ReMix using Tapatalk

Well, I'd say to go with Sprint, as they are pretty much the only carrier left to offer truly unlimited data without throttling (although that probably won't be for long). They have some nice HTC phones over there like the Evo 3D, Evo Shift 4G, etc.
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App

computerwiz908 said:
Well, I'd say to go with Sprint, as they are pretty much the only carrier left to offer truly unlimited data without throttling (although that probably won't be for long). They have some nice HTC phones over there like the Evo 3D, Evo Shift 4G, etc.
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
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I mow through between 10 and 20 gig a month on my phone and I've NEVER been throttled on either the dInc or Tbolt I'm using. The last Sprint rep I spoke with 3 days ago made no attempt to hide Sprint's data throttling policy. I'm not sure where you heard that wasn't the case.
Concerning the OP's post, Sprint has consistently brought cream of the crop Android devices to the table. The primary reason the dInc garnered the dev community that it did was because the EVO 4G is nearly identical under the glass. Sprint has announced a transition away from WiMax for 4G in favor of LTE. When it appears they're making dramatically more headway on that front than they ever did with WiMax, I'll likely switch. I wouldn't be a customer of AT&T if they paid me. Or T-Mobile. I mean, unlimited 20-30 Mbit LTE in my pocket for $40 a month... you can't beat that with a stick!

OP the best way for you to decide is to look at each providers coverage in your area then go with the one with the best coverage. If they all have equal coverage then go with the one that offers the best plan that fits your needs/budget.

ew. I switched from Sprint to Verizon and don't regret a thing. I didn't have a bank account and couldn't get one until I paid off some debts and regardless of this, I was charged $4.99 every bill for NOT using their automated payment crap. on top of this, my plan originally was 69.99 for unlimited data, text, and maybe 450ish minutes. out of nowhere, random surcharges kept getting added to my bill and it got to the point where I was paying $102 because they added $30+ surcharges and taxes onto my account. I also never had good reception. really think going to Sprint is a bad idea.
if you are switching so that you can pay less, I can recommend that you go to Verizon and ask if your employer makes you qualified for a discount on your bill or (if you attend a college) see if you can use that. I get up to 17% off my bill and since I was grandfathered in with the old data plan, I pay only $47 a month for my phone bill with unlimited data+text.

I would also recommend sprint but wait until a better phone than the 3d come our since like the Htc evo soon after it came out the shift came out and now the 3d so that could mean that theres another one coming out with better specs... I personally was thinking on swtching to T-mobile and get the Thc Sensation but like "computerwiz908" I dont like the idea of getting rip with throttling..... Also if you decide let us know what you got...

dincdoes.me said:
@slim I did but will help you understand. I need to switch carriers and would like to see what people use and like to offer me suggestions on what company and phone to get. That's what I wanted to know lol
Sent from my Incredible 2 ReMix using Tapatalk
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Well take note you're asking a bunch of Verizon users.
Sprint is the best company out of the bunch as far as price but it depends on what type of reception you get where you're at. Sprint also has a nice selection of android phones, and if you like the INC then sprint has the EVO line of phones that are sort cousins to our phone- I actually like them better than the INC and INC2.

If you're switching to Sprint, you could get the Photon 4g. They're unlocking bootloaders now. The Photon 4g seems like a better upgrade to the Evo 4g rather than the Evo 3D. (Kickstand?!)
http://androidcommunity.com/motorola-photon-4g-bootloader-unlock-available-now-20110815/

Keep your DInc and switch to Pageplus. Their service is over the Verizon network, but costs a lot less. You get the superior coverage of Verizon's network, without the add-on fees. Search "pageplus" for more detailed posts on this.
DInc with CyanogenMod 6.1 & Invisiblek #28 kernel.

OlafTheOx said:
Keep your DInc and switch to Pageplus. Their service is over the Verizon network, but costs a lot less. You get the superior coverage of Verizon's network, without the add-on fees. Search "pageplus" for more detailed posts on this.
DInc with CyanogenMod 6.1 & Invisiblek #28 kernel.
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100mb data limit?
100$ per GB over
.10 per MB

cvbcbcmv said:
and that's where they get ya.
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yeah I used 30GB last month, I'd rather pay $60 on verizon than 3,000$ there lol
Looks like a good deal as long as you don't use data

I think ill stick with the Dinc for a bit I'm thing of switching carriers bcuz of horrible data coverage where I live.. but I'm moving at the end of September so I think ill tuff it out I saw that there is a chineese phone coming unlocked with the choice of 16gb dual core or a 32gb ver. With 4 cores which sounds tasty to me!! But .. from what I understand it can't be used on Verizon .. so I might switch to a carrier that allows similar cards and works on GSM not CDMA
Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

No way id switch from verizon here in the midwest. Excellent service out in the sticks.
If ive helped you, please hit the damn thanks button!

Donny in Traverse City Mi I average about 1 - 2 bars ... lol
Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

Im always about 1-2 bars, but thats even out of town where tmobile, sprint, and att get zero signal, atleast in kansas and oklahoma. I rarely get 4 bars. Coverage area more important to me than a smaller high signal area.
If ive helped you, please hit the damn thanks button!

donnyp1 said:
Im always about 1-2 bars, but thats even out of town where tmobile, sprint, and att get zero signal, atleast in kansas and oklahoma. I rarely get 4 bars. Coverage area more important to me than a smaller high signal area.
If ive helped you, please hit the damn thanks button!
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Yeah having full bars doesn't do much. You don't get faster rates and the quality isn't lower, if you have 1 bar or less is the only reason you should worry about slowdowns and possible dropped calls.
Honestly I've never had 0 signal except while on a plane in high altitude or underground / tunnel. I live in VA and traveled out to California, went out to a rather remote lake and still got very nice 1x coverage, although 3G was very weak- it went in an out. Still good considering how far out it was and how there was practically nobody for miles and it wasn't near any interstates.

[Q] Sprint and the future of 4G?

While this is not necessarily an Epic question...I have been lurking in here for the last year or so, so I feel pretty comfortable with the Epic folks. I have been the goto guy for my family in regards to phone support and advice. In the past, I have always had a pretty good answer to "Which new phone should I get?"
Now, one of my family members wants an Android phone...one that is pretty fast and does "stuff" like internet, gps, apps, blah, blah, blah.
So what do you think? Would you recommend a 4G phone, knowing that Sprint is not going to be expanding the current 4G network? I know that they said current 4G phones will continue to be able to use the available 4G network, but if you live in an area without 4G...and they aren't expanding...???
Would you recommend waiting for the new 4G phones to come out? Are they 'around the corner' or years away?
What are your thoughts?

New 4G phones with Sprint LTE won't be available to mid 2012. If you have WiMax in your area now then a current 4G phone from Sprint will serve them well. Otherwise it will be a bit of a wait.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

Depends on your location. My concern would be if sprint would be keeping the current data plans when they switch over to LTE or if they will increase the price and limit the usage. If you have WiMax available and it works well i would suggest getting a current 4g model, otherwise i would say get if a phone is needed now, get it second hand lock in the contract, then when LTE is avail use the discount to get one of the new lte phones.

ok, i just did some reading about sprint's data network problem. it sounds from my understanding that, if they were to put a data cap, that it will be higher than all the other carriers and it would be for LTE. to answer your question, go ahead and get that android phone that you want. don't worry about will be in the next couple years or so, just worry about what is available now. you never know, you may win or you may lose. it's part of the data game.

What? No 4g expansion?! They have been working on it in my area but never got it fully functional.
Now I'm mad.
Why am I paying a $10 service charge for this device?
sent from my secret underground bunker

I think the $10 was so they could be the first to roll out sub-par 4G and then have some cash to scrap it and roll 4G again to compete with other carriers.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

Coming from T-Mobile G2x

I'm switching plans from T-Mobile in hopes that Sprints unlimited data will be able to serve as a home internet out in the middle of no where. Knightsen, CA if you have to ask.
With the 5GB of data not being enough and I can hit that in a matter of a few days of my average data use. Let alone I have the $30.00 prepaid plan now that gives me 100 minutes, unlimited text and data(lies imo).
I just would like a few questions answered before I finally make the switch:
Is this phone easy to root? Super One click?
Roms doing well? I'm using EaglesBlood with Faux123 kernal with the messed up battery readings that are driving me nuts sometimes but get alot of hard use out the phone.
I somewhat use the HDMI mirroring but the phone will go to my wife. Will I have any issues with the screen vs the G2x having some LCD bleeding?
All in all I just want this phone for unlimited calling now for work, unlimited data from home and just want a cheap phone with a low plan.
I was reading about having to pay for a hotspot plan but would I just need to root the phone to be able to turn it into a hotspot for free? Or would I have to use a app like this: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.USB&hl=en

if you pay for the hotspot your data is not unlimited. That is all I am going to tell you. The rest of the information you are looking for is here for you to read.
Sent from my Xoom using xda premium

Paid hotspot is not unlimited, however the hacked hotspot that comes in many roms and mods is.
Easy enough to root, run the one-click-root and you're set.
Can't really comment on battery life/screen quality, as I've never seen the T-Mo variant to compare it to, but based on my own usage, there's no screen bleeding and the battery life is excellent, especially when compared to another 4G device

As a home internet connection do some investigation about sprint data speeds in your area. Most places aren't sufficient enough lol
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

bbedward said:
As a home internet connection do some investigation about sprint data speeds in your area. Most places aren't sufficient enough lol
Tmobiles is faster regardless if your covered.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
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I live in San Jose, a few hours away from OP. There is pretty good 4G coverage here, which I tend to depend on since 3G is VERY slow.
I made the switch from T-Mo to Sprint the day the Epic Touch was released and be prepared for slow data speeds. On my Samsung Vibrant, I was averaging ~330KBps down on 3G (not even HSPA+ that they now have available), with Sprint I get about 50KBps down with 3G..
4G wimax speeds are much better (tops out at a 1MB/s down for me, ~400KBps near my house) BUT coverage is spotty and possibly non-existent where you live OP. Not to mention that due to the frequency of wimax, it doesn't penetrate buildings very well so I tend to get the best 4G signal outdoors.. I would seriously contemplate sticking with T-Mo for the time being. There is no guarantee that unlimited data will stick around when Sprint upgrades to LTE this year BUT Sprint 3G speeds should improve drastically from what I've read. I just wanted to give you a heads up before making the switch, good luck!

This phone is pretty easy to root. Method I recommend is sfhub's auto root script to obtain root and install cwm recovery (see 2 videos below). Once you follow both videos you have full root and CWM but a stock kernel and rom... with the ability to flash any ROM/kernel currently available if you wish to change.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be2evusAwOM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZRnH-_XZmM
I would highly recommend checking coverage for your areas before making the change just to make sure you will have decent service in your area.
Phone is awesome, and so are our developers.

I switched from the g2x, myself, but I was very happy with the g2x -- just hated tmo and their bs policy about throttling (I agree with the idea of throttling, just not to 8kbs speeds!).
The E4GT is an excellent phone that you'll love. I, too, use it for home internet, and where I am, my coverage is acceptable. I get about 4mbps download, maybe 300kbps upload, but there's only one spot in my house that gets reliable 4g reception. Please note that there's a hack available to allow your phone to get better 4g reception, and you'll definitely want to do that if your area's coverage is spotty: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1265990.
Best of luck, and enjoy your new phone!

To cds0699 and Erislover I would like to thank so much for the posted info. I'll look into those 3 things before and after I get the phone.
As for the spotty coverage I think I should be ok as there is a data tower about 2 miles away. http://maps.google.com/ mapped it out
Even if I only get 3g and its not as fast as my t-mobile I am still only getting about 500kbps.... which is so horrid it takes for ever to even download some few MB apps.
After the issues of using the phone for internet and even if it was the same speed as my T-Mobile I would still want unlimited minutes + true unlimited data when I'm running around at work.
Plus I can get the E4GT for $80.00 that is a steal!!!

Awesome, sounds like you've done your research
One last thing I can think of is that the micro usb port on the bottom is an MHL port. What that means is you can get an MHL adapter (I think they're like $10-$15) and use that with an hdmi cable for hdmi out. I haven't personally used this because that's not something I would use, but I have heard of others doing it without a problem.

Should I dump Sprint and go with Verizon?

Hello,
I love the Epic 4g Touch but I am getting beyond frustrated with the Sprint service. I am feeling more and more like I should have waited a couple months and gotten the Galaxy Nexus instead. The problem is not that I don't love the phone I have or that the Nexus hardware is better, but I just feel like the Verizon network is light years ahead of Sprint. I chose Sprint because I had already been waiting for the Galaxy S2 for many months and I expected Sprint coverage and speeds to be better. I also originally expected the Galaxy S2 to come to Verizon last fall.
I just didn't want to wait. However, the usability of this phone is coming into serious question with the poor network performance. Call quality is decent, but internet speeds are pretty bad. Plus, there are numerous spots where I lose internet altogether. The speeds fluctuate wildly and it is very rare that I can get decent speeds for an extended period of time.
This means that most apps become difficult to use. I can't stream video or audio without it being horribly choppy. Web browsing can be frustrating as well.
If I could get any 4g service where I live, the speeds would be fast enough. But I only can get 3g service nearly everywhere. Not only that, but since WiMax is outdated, it is unlikely they will be expanded coverage and instead rolling out LTE coverage across the country. Thus, it is unlikely that the situation will improve in the future.
It seems to me that I had my priorities out of order when I decided to get this phone. I was looking only at the hardware and didn't pay nearly enough attention to the network speeds and reliability of the coverage.
So, do you think I should switch to Verizon? I understand that the Nexus hardware is remarkably similar to the Epic 4g Touch.
Is there a way to get out of my Sprint contract without paying a large amount of money to be let out early? Is there some loophole or method to voiding the contract somehow?
And, if I DID decide to go with Verizon, do you think it would be wise to go with the Nexus, or should I wait for the next super phone to come to Verizon? Do you anticipate that the Galaxy S3 will launch on Verizon?
So, do you all think I am overreacting to the network problems? For those who have switched, is the network improvement on Verizon vs Sprint dramatic and worth it for you?
I still haven't made a final decision on this, but trying to use my phone on the go has become more and more frustrating of late. I cannot stream video reliably or use many apps without frustration due to poor coverage and wildly fluctuating internet speeds.
Please advise me on what you would suggest.
Thanks.

I'm in almost the Same situation, I'm going to wait it out because as they update to lte it is my hope that it Will increase my 3g speeds with tower upgrades. Sprint is still the best deal for me with 4 phones and I just use wifi at home.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

im getting pretty frustrated also. 3g speeds are horrible. 4g works well but is so spotty here. works in one place, 5 feet away, its disconnected lol.
i wnt be switching as i have a $400 deposit from Verizon lol. And I do enjoy having no data caps, which comes in handy when downloading roms and music right from the phonr when I do get 4g coverage

no, and here is why
limited data sucks a big fat one, i cannot survive on limited data, that is the only reason you need

To answer your question, yes, there are ways to get out of your contract that will *probably* by ETF free. If you find yourself roaming too much, Sprint will kick you off their network, normally without an ETF. Do a forum (or Google) search to learn more about people being kicked off Sprint for roaming.
Whether or not you want to switch to Verizon is up to you. Yes, you will likely notice significantly increased data speeds. I notice that when I'm roaming, my data speeds are far more consistently "usable" than when I'm on Sprint's native network. The reason I haven't switched is twofold... First, Sprint is cheaper, and because I spend 90% of my time connected to WiFi somewhere. When I'm not on WiFi and experiencing slow network speeds, I use Roam Control. The second reason I haven't switched is because Verizon does not work in some areas that I travel to frequently. I'm sure its a rarity nationwide, but I happen to fall into the category of going places that Verizon doesn't (or doesn't reliably, anyway).
So, if data speed is your only concern, you will likely be happier with Verizon. But the faster the data speeds, the more you use, which means you might need to pay for more bandwidth.

I've had this same thought for so long but Sprint customers are so close to them finally getting their Network Vision upgrades complete and LTE rolled out that i don't want to leave until I see if they are right or full of crap.

Thanks for the responses,
I am really leaning towards switching. I just have a couple more questions.
Could you guys elaborate on how I can get out of my Sprint contract without paying anything? Is it very difficult to do?
Second, exactly how limiting do you think the data caps are? When I am on the network, I could see it not being very difficult to refrain from downloading massive files. I could see myself generally only downloading larger files at home with wifi and only web browsing or streaming video or audio on the road.
I just am not sure how limiting the data cap would be. On the whole, however, I think the slow data speeds on Sprint are much more limiting than a data cap that I would hardly ever reach.
How easy is it for you to reach the data cap? Also, I heard if you pay a little more, you can get twice the data each month. How much extra is that and is it worth it?
And I asked this question in my original post but no one has responded yet. If I DID choose to switch, would it make sense to get the Galaxy Nexus or wait for the next great phone to come to Verizon?
Thanks for your help.

epic touch > galaxy nexus

My 3G speeds were slow when I first got this phone (no 4G here), but since then it has gotten better and better. I think the speed is awesome now!
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA

Don't any of you guys utilize roam control and swapping PRLs? I too was leaning toward dropping Sprint because of their horrible 3g speeds, they were more like 1x constantly. Don't forget fellas we do roam on Verizon for free, so for the OP I would recommend downloading roam control, swapping your PRL to 1115 and giving that a try prior to cancelling your contract. Then if you still cant live with the speeds, then I would just use roam-control to roam,roam,roam until you get kicked off ETF free. Just my suggestion...

jasone4gt said:
Don't any of you guys utilize roam control and swapping PRLs? I too was leaning toward dropping Sprint because of their horrible 3g speeds, they were more like 1x constantly. Don't forget fellas we do roam on Verizon for free, so for the OP I would recommend downloading roam control, swapping your PRL to 1115 and giving that a try prior to cancelling your contract. Then if you still cant live with the speeds, then I would just use roam-control to roam,roam,roam until you get kicked off ETF free. Just my suggestion...
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yeah thats the only way i survive but I only get 1x data. im gonna have to load a diff prl, wasnt aware of that! thanks gonna try it

Success100 said:
yeah thats the only way i survive but I only get 1x data. im gonna have to load a diff prl, wasnt aware of that! thanks gonna try it
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So you have just been using roam control with the 60683 PRL? If so, yeah I would definitely give another one a try. Korey has a thread in the general section which he runs through the different PRL options.

i had verizon then i switched to sprint because of how expensive they are but i did like there service and signal. I would think about switching back to verizon if they lowered there prices which i doubt they would.

Why don't you just switch so we don't have to waist time and space on threads like this, Sprint is going through upgrades right now and it's gonna be hit and miss with service if your in a shady area. Sprint has a lot of plus to their service right now, like the no data cap. I don't think it's fair to compare this company to a giant like Verizon, they have come a long way since taking over Nextel and their crappy service....

Verizon phone n plan suck. I rather go with att or t-mobile if I ever thing about dishing sprint.

Have you tried different modems and ROMs? Not sure what to do tbh. I think they'll charge you early termination fees which can cost quite a lot. And I would go with the Nexus. The GS3 probably won't come out for awhile in the US since I hear it will be released internationally first. And the S2 took like 5 months to come to the US after international so yeah.

I was on Verizon and switched to Sprint the day they started throttling the unlimited data they sold me to the point it was unusable. After repeatedly complaining to corporate and the BBB, the etf was waived.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

Sprint is cheaper and no data limits. These are 2 huge factors for keeping me. Yeah they have limited 4G now but as soon as LTE rolls out, could be much better.

abusedcloth said:
Why don't you just switch so we don't have to waist time and space on threads like this, Sprint is going through upgrades right now and it's gonna be hit and miss with service if your in a shady area. Sprint has a lot of plus to their service right now, like the no data cap. I don't think it's fair to compare this company to a giant like Verizon, they have come a long way since taking over Nextel and their crappy service....
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Don't be a [email protected]&k.
Back on topic. I've been with sprint for 10 years. They just decided to dump me for to much roaming data. ( Prl 11115 and roam control). I had to use it. Data out here if any was painfully slow. Oh well, Im headed to at&t for the note
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium

yamaford said:
Don't be a [email protected]&k.
Back on topic. I've been with sprint for 10 years. They just decided to dump me for to much roaming data. ( Prl 11115 and roam control). I had to use it. Data out here if any was painfully slow. Oh well, Im headed to at&t for the note
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium
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Yeah, my contact tells me they are getting really strict about that.
I hear AT&T has a 200MB roaming limit... Even a worse option for me, since they have virtually no coverage in northern Wisconsin...
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA