I get really crappy service where I live.... - Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III

At my house I get the most sh** service you could imagine (1 bar or roaming 95% of the time) I do have an AirRave but I think it's broken or faulty because only 3 of the green lights are on and my phone SHOULD have full service but I never get more than 3 bars (as previously stated, before I had the AirRave it would be at 1 bar or roaming, so I guess it's somewhat working). However, like a 5-10 minute drive outside of my neighborhood, I get 3 bars to full service so switching carriers probably isn't the best thing to do (plus my parents pay for my bill ). My questions to you guys are:
1. Can I somehow flash my phone to get it on Verizon/AT&T/Boost/etc. when I'm at my house, then when I leave go back to the Sprint service? If so, how?
2. Is that even legal?
Thanks to anyone/everyone that can help guide me!

You can force your phone to roam onto Verizon with an app called Roam Control. You could try using that while you're at home.

Fire Ball said:
You can force your phone to roam onto Verizon with an app called Roam Control. You could try using that while you're at home.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I already know about that. But I think it costs like $4, and I've bought apps before (HD Widgets and MANY games) and regretted it after and just lost my money lol.

Roam control has been worth way more then the $4 i paid over 2 years ago....
That's the easy way to force roam on Verizon or whatever carrier you roam on.
Or....
You can flash a modded PRL and roam 24/7 unless you flash back.
Sent from a planet far far away.

Do not force roam. All of you people who do that are annoying. I'm mainly talking about the people that debut to get out of their contract.
But in your case I guess you could do that. Just be aware that yiy may get a letter from sprint.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

daniel4653 said:
Do not force roam. All of you people who do that are dumb annoying. I'm mainly talking about the people that debut to get out of their contract.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Daniel, I'm one of the dumb annoying people who force roam. I guess you don't understand why this has legitimate uses. Let me "educate" you.
Imagine you have to spend time in an area where Sprint has 1 bar service at best, but the roaming partner (Verizon) has good service. How do you think the phone deals with that? It constantly switches from Sprint to Roam and back. What do you think that does to the battery life? Kills it. When I am working in one of those areas I can expect my battery to go dead in 6 to 8 hours unless I force roam using Roam Control, in which case the phone lasts all day.
I like Sprint, but when you have to work inside a facility that is basically a Faraday cage, the 800 mHz roaming signal gets through much better than the 1900 mHz PCS. So sometimes Roam Control is a life/battery saver.
Hope my dumbness hasn't annoyed you too much .
---------- Post added at 03:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:21 PM ----------
Joe0113 said:
Yes, I already know about that. But I think it costs like $4, and I've bought apps before (HD Widgets and MANY games) and regretted it after and just lost my money lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
4 dollars is a bargain for what this does. It's way better than having to constantly reinstall PRLs, which is the other option. It works well on a Sprint GS3.
I just noticed on their web page that they claim you have to be rooted for this to work on Samsung phones. They also have a 7 day refund policy.
http://www.roamctrl.com/

daniel4653 said:
Do not force roam. All of you people who do that are annoying. I'm mainly talking about the people that debut to get out of their contract.
But in your case I guess you could do that. Just be aware that yiy may get a letter from sprint.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea.... I force roam when I'm on a jobsite (hvac, i do a lot of traveling) that has crappy sprint signal so i can get calls and text i dont use much data while roaming...
But my house has great signal. I'm pleased with sprint
Sent from a planet far far away.

poit said:
Hi Daniel, I'm one of the dumb annoying people who force roam. I guess you don't understand why this has legitimate uses. Let me "educate" you.
Imagine you have to spend time in an area where Sprint has 1 bar service at best, but the roaming partner (Verizon) has good service. How do you think the phone deals with that? It constantly switches from Sprint to Roam and back. What do you think that does to the battery life? Kills it. When I am working in one of those areas I can expect my battery to go dead in 6 to 8 hours unless I force roam using Roam Control, in which case the phone lasts all day.
I like Sprint, but when you have to work inside a facility that is basically a Faraday cage, the 800 mHz roaming signal gets through much better than the 1900 mHz PCS. So sometimes Roam Control is a life/battery saver.
Hope my dumbness hasn't annoyed you too much .
---------- Post added at 03:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:21 PM ----------
4 dollars is a bargain for what this does. It's way better than having to constantly reinstall PRLs, which is the other option. It works well on a Sprint GS3.
I just noticed on their web page that they claim you have to be rooted for this to work on Samsung phones. They also have a 7 day refund policy.
http://www.roamctrl.com/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah in fact I still deal with 1 bar or none at my parents place where I spent 4 years with no signal in my room or anywhere in my house. Have you dealt with it for that long ?
So do yourself a favor and don't try to educate me on something that I am familiar with. You don't even know how long I had to deal with crappy service. Having to call sprint 4-5 times a month for 4 years. Do you know how frustrating that is???
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

nevermind

Bear in mind that Roam Control only allows for EvDo 850 roaming capabilities. If Verizon has 1900 PCS spectrum in your area, Roam Control will NOT work.
I bought Roam Control awhile back and unfortunately this has been the case for me. I have been unable to get response from the developer about this, either. From what I hear, it's awesome if you're in a non-Alltel tower area.

Overstew said:
Bear in mind that Roam Control only allows for EvDo 850 roaming capabilities. If Verizon has 1900 PCS spectrum in your area, Roam Control will NOT work.
I bought Roam Control awhile back and unfortunately this has been the case for me. I have been unable to get response from the developer about this, either. From what I hear, it's awesome if you're in a non-Alltel tower area.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How will I know though? Are there ay coverage maps I could look at before hand?
Also there is another roaming app called "Roaming Control". Might give that a try because it has a free 7 day trial period.

Related

[Q] Just got off the phone with CLEAR...

I'm looking into getting CLEAR's home internet service but I had a question for them first. I told them, "I am currently a Sprint customer with a 4G phone (my E4GT) and I am aware that Clear and Sprint use the same 4G network. I live in a very strong 4G area according to your coverage map and Sprint's coverage map, yet 4G signal doesn't penetrate my apartment. I have to step outside to get 4G signal. I am considering getting CLEAR home internet service but since my phones don't get 4G inside my apartment, would the same be true for CLEAR's home internet modem?"
They told me that even though they use the same towers and same technology, and that they built Sprint's 4G network for them, they are not the same signal. They told me CLEAR operates their service on a slightly different frequency and they don't share that network or bandwidth with Sprint 4G customers so I wouldn't be sharing the network with Sprint.
Is this all true or are they just trying to get me to sign up?
kindaskimpy said:
I'm looking into getting CLEAR's home internet service but I had a question for them first. I told them, "I am currently a Sprint customer with a 4G phone (my E4GT) and I am aware that Clear and Sprint use the same 4G network. I live in a very strong 4G area according to your coverage map and Sprint's coverage map, yet 4G signal doesn't penetrate my apartment. I have to step outside to get 4G signal. I am considering getting CLEAR home internet service but since my phones don't get 4G inside my apartment, would the same be true for CLEAR's home internet modem?"
They told me that even though they use the same towers and same technology, and that they built Sprint's 4G network for them, they are not the same signal. They told me CLEAR operates their service on a slightly different frequency and they don't share that network or bandwidth with Sprint 4G customers so I wouldn't be sharing the network with Sprint.
Is this all true or are they just trying to get me to sign up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
without knowing if this is technically true in any way...
i wouldn't trust a Clear rep with 2 cents, having dealt with them as a reseller for several years before dropping them for BS practices and dishonesty, and dealing with Other resellers lies.
kingdazy said:
without knowing if this is technically true in any way...
i wouldn't trust a Clear rep with 2 cents, having dealt with them as a reseller for several years before dropping them for BS practices and dishonesty, and dealing with Other resellers lies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know. I'm not completely uninformed. I know that Clear operates on more frequencies than just the ones our phones are able to pick up on but from that to saying they don't share bandwidth or network at all with Sprint 4G customers is a bit of a stretch for me. I'm not so sure that's true...
kindaskimpy said:
Good to know. I'm not completely uninformed. I know that Clear operates on more frequencies than just the ones our phones are able to pick up on but from that to saying they don't share bandwidth or network at all with Sprint 4G customers is a bit of a stretch for me. I'm not so sure that's true...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure there was a thread here on XDA that showed you how to change your WiMax MAC address so if you weren't on Sprint, you could use the MAC of your CLEAR modem in order to get 4G on your phone... So I'd think that the frequency is the same.
nivron said:
I'm pretty sure there was a thread here on XDA that showed you how to change your WiMax MAC address so if you weren't on Sprint, you could use the MAC of your CLEAR modem in order to get 4G on your phone... So I'd think that the frequency is the same.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One thing has very little to do with the other actually, because the same is true of Comcast 4G WiMax modems that use CLEAR's network. Changing the MAC address is simply a way of getting the network to recognize your device as active but it has nothing to do with frequencies. I've heard CLEAR operates anywhere between 2.3 - 2.7 GHz while our phones' center frequencies put us between 2.5 and 2.6.
There has been lots of talk here on XDA about changing center frequencies (especially on the EVO) to take advantage of a bigger range of frequencies, which leads me to believe these other frequencies are indeed in use. I don't know if anyone's been able to do it, though. But even if they are in use, I'm just not sure how true their claim is that those frequencies provide better signal, are faster, and don't share bandwidth with Sprint 4G. That last claim seems a little out there for me.
You're good. I had a neighbor with clear that I used to leech of of and even with no sprint four g. In my place either from sprint, I was wifi at high speeds
Touched by an Epic 4G w/Cm9 & Fueled by the NY Giants 2012
I've even had a few people with boost epics that got clear Wimax on their phones instead poof sprint but that's a tutorial that breaks warrantee
Touched by an Epic 4G w/Cm9 & Fueled by the NY Giants 2012
justlovejoy said:
You're good. I had a neighbor with clear that I used to leech of of and even with no sprint four g. In my place either from sprint, I was wifi at high speeds
Touched by an Epic 4G w/Cm9 & Fueled by the NY Giants 2012
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! That was my worry, that if I didn't have Sprint 4G indoors, I wouldn't get CLEAR 4G either. You just helped. I'll give them a try and hope for the best. Worst case scenario, I'll return the equipment before the first 15 days are up.
kindaskimpy said:
Thank you! That was my worry, that if I didn't have Sprint 4G indoors, I wouldn't get CLEAR 4G either. You just helped. I'll give them a try and hope for the best. Worst case scenario, I'll return the equipment before the first 15 days are up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll be lucky if they let you return the equipment within that window. One of my idiot roommates in college signed us up for their shady ass service in our apartment... We got one "bar" and 56k speeds. They would not let us cancel (even within the window) because we technically "had service". It took months to get that straightened out without having to pay cancellation fees... I can't remember how many conversations we had or how many techs they sent out... But hey, maybe they are different now? This was over four years ago... We ended up with Comcast.
Check out clearwiresucks.com
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
EmperorX said:
You'll be lucky if they let you return the equipment within that window. One of my idiot roommates in college signed us up for their shady ass service in our apartment... We got one "bar" and 56k speeds. They would not let us cancel (even within the window) because we technically "had service". It took months to get that straightened out without having to pay cancellation fees... I can't remember how many conversations we had or how many techs they sent out... But hey, maybe they are different now? This was over four years ago... We ended up with Comcast.
Check out clearwiresucks.com
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the heads up. They assured me since there is no contract, I could cancel at any time within that window and get all my money back but I've made my decision and I am not going to get service with the. I gave their "Acceptable Use" policy a read and it sounds like a lot of double talk. "Unlimited but only under our terms and if we think you are using too much data we will throttle you without warning and we won't tell you what we deem is 'too much data'... blah blah blah."
I bet they copied-and-pasted that stuff from AT&T's stance on their customers who were grandfathered in with their unlimited plans.
kindaskimpy said:
Thanks for the heads up. They assured me since there is no contract, I could cancel at any time within that window and get all my money back but I've made my decision and I am not going to get service with the. I gave their "Acceptable Use" policy a read and it sounds like a lot of double talk. "Unlimited but only under our terms and if we think you are using too much data we will throttle you without warning and we won't tell you what we deem is 'too much data'... blah blah blah."
I bet they copied-and-pasted that stuff from AT&T's stance on their customers who were grandfathered in with their unlimited plans.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you made the right choice. Check out that site rofl
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
Haha, CLEAR. What a joke of a company. Stay far away from their lies and shady practices.
I tried out CLEAR ~1.5 years ago, and they assured me I'd get good data speeds, but I would get even better speeds in about 1-2 months as they were going to build a tower even closer to where I live (the rep even gave me the cross streets).
Well, I got crap data speeds, and returned it within 2 weeks. And to this day, their data map still shows no new towers where I live.
Clear is terrible. Customer right now and I signed a contract. Can't wait to get out of it
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Wow, I've yet to find someone who says something complimentary about CLEAR. So glad I'm staying away.
kindaskimpy said:
Wow, I've yet to find someone who says something complimentary about CLEAR. So glad I'm staying away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You guys don't know anything about Clear !!! If you want optimized download speeds, all you need it to rotate your modem ... problem solved... at least that's what they're saying here, and I can't stop laughing ...
http://www.clear.com/support/faq/connection-issues/connectionsignal/optimizing-your-connection
STAY AWAY FROM CLEAR !!!
Their lowest plan is $35/month for 1.5 Mbits/sec ... Even if this service would be $15/month, I would still have a hard time justifying the amount of money for the service. 3G runs at this speed (for me at home, not everywhere else) and it comes part of the service without additional cost, so why spend the money in the first place ???
Stay away biggest mistake of my life
Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk
Same here downloading leaked ics at 62/kbs
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
T.C.P said:
Same here downloading leaked ics at 62/kbs
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uploading ICS at 5/kbps
Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk
T.C.P said:
Same here downloading leaked ics at 62/kbs
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to be getting on Sbrissen's case so you can start uploading aokp!! lol

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...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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

[Q] anybody else get " the letter"

i just got my letter (about my unlocked phone/ wifi tethering ). the same day i got my new S3,
the phone is nice but cleveland has no LTE...and won't until mid 2013
i've been with sprint 10 years so if they terminate F U C K ' E M
i'll get the Galaxy note 2 (cheap ) / wit a new contract.:highfive:
How much data did you use while tethering?
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
I had that letter numerous time with my Epic. I used roam control and strictly roamed for 3 months straight. Nothing ever came off it though. No Sprint data, 10gb a month of roaming data.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
It would be nice if their network was at least useable enough that you don't have to force roaming just to check your email or load a damn Facebook page.
BWFBezerk said:
I had that letter numerous time with my Epic. I used roam control and strictly roamed for 3 months straight. Nothing ever came off it though. No Sprint data, 10gb a month of roaming data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's a lot. maybe if people had consideration and didn't abuse tethering it would be included in the plans.. obliviously downloading 10gb of data while roaming seems blatantly excessive. surprised they didn't pull the plug, perhaps it takes a bit for the system to raise a flag. the fees must be costing them more than you're worth having as a customer, as harsh as that may sound..
I'd rather use roam control and get 3g Verizon speed, instead of 1 bar of Sprint 3g. So if they upped their network then I wouldn't have to. I'm not complaining though, just giving op my situation.
I wasn't tethering though. Just lots of high quality Spotify. I don't think they'd even know the difference.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
I got the phone call from sprint about 5 months ago, after only one month of high roaming data (was using samsung epic 4g touch at the time). I wasn't force roaming. I was just doing my usual work, home, kids stuff routine. That's how bad the sprint signals are in pockets of where I live. So for one month I used 6g of data roaming, which is my monthly average. Pandora, email and facebook.
In fact, my house, which is about 6 blocks from LTE coverage is a dead zone with roaming only (even with an air rave).
I reverted the modem back a couple versions the next month and problem was solved, of course with much slower data.
What I don't really understand is how sprint can know that the 2 mile stretch of area I live and work in is a deadzone and still give me crap for it. Basically, the rep said turn roaming off and have no service, or terminate. I like sprint, I've got 6 lines. It's the only carrier i can afford. I never call to complain, specifically because of that. I am happy with what I get.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
i live in Michigan and have no 4G service. I pay $10/mo for "premium data" services. IDK about you but 3G speeds so slow that you dont even wanna use data is hardly "premium". i only use about 1.5GB/month. I am sure as soon as 4G LTE becomes available for me (end of year or early next year) i will get the same letter/call from them.
dgn_sandibalz said:
I got the phone call from sprint about 5 months ago, after only one month of high roaming data (was using samsung epic 4g touch at the time). I wasn't force roaming. I was just doing my usual work, home, kids stuff routine. That's how bad the sprint signals are in pockets of where I live. So for one month I used 6g of data roaming, which is my monthly average. Pandora, email and facebook.
In fact, my house, which is about 6 blocks from LTE coverage is a dead zone with roaming only (even with an air rave).
I reverted the modem back a couple versions the next month and problem was solved, of course with much slower data.
What I don't really understand is how sprint can know that the 2 mile stretch of area I live and work in is a deadzone and still give me crap for it. Basically, the rep said turn roaming off and have no service, or terminate. I like sprint, I've got 6 lines. It's the only carrier i can afford. I never call to complain, specifically because of that. I am happy with what I get.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the thing that gets me is why don't they at least give out some numbers on how much you're allowed to roam data.. or are people not allowed data roaming at all?
i also assume if you tether, unless you do some type of work around on the device they can tell whether it's tethering or normal phone data.
Call to action!
TO ALL!!!! this is a call to action. I too, like many others are experiencing unacceptable data speeds while on 3G and in great reception while using the Galaxy S III. the speeds I should be receiving are 1.5-3 MB/s but instead I am receiving around 128Kb/s in the city and within excellent service. We all have to pay a 'Premium Data Add-On' charges just to own these phones and this is unacceptable. Please write an Email to [email protected], vice president of customer experience at sprint and let him know what you are experiencing. Maybe if enough pissed off customers write, they will finally listen!
4g4me said:
TO ALL!!!! this is a call to action. I too, like many others are experiencing unacceptable data speeds while on 3G and in great reception while using the Galaxy S III. the speeds I should be receiving are 1.5-3 MB/s but instead I am receiving around 128Kb/s in the city and within excellent service. We all have to pay a 'Premium Data Add-On' charges just to own these phones and this is unacceptable. Please write an Email to [email protected], vice president of customer experience at sprint and let him know what you are experiencing. Maybe if enough pissed off customers write, they will finally listen!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a good idea. Cause I was thinking of doing the data roaming thing here and there when I need too. Some parts of Long Island is like a dead zone for Sprint. Esp, where I use to work. Now I work in New York City, signal is great there, but still tends to be funky and speeds are different (enough to notice) with all full bars. My friend who has Verizon, goes through his pandora, without skips, or downloads much quicker. I am just trying to wait it out for this 4G move to take place so my $10.00 extra a month addition won't feel that bad.....but its taking them forever!
It does suck. I've been paying the "premium" data few now for almost 3 years. I've never had had 4g and my 3g is pretty terrible.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
tft said:
the thing that gets me is why don't they at least give out some numbers on how much you're allowed to roam data.. or are people not allowed data roaming at all?
i also assume if you tether, unless you do some type of work around on the device they can tell whether it's tethering or normal phone data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They do its in your contract. And to the previous guy. 1.5GB of data is a lot for someone who doesn't get signal...
Sent from my SPH-L710 using XDA Premium HD app
Use the hell out your phone tethering included, we pay way more than it cost to use data. Roaning cost them money that's why the carrier get mad, but on there network they could careless. Most people ain't power users only most people on xda, well in the real world we make up a small group I highly doubt we would interrupt service. Sprint 3g is just slow it don't matter if 1500 people are connected or just 2 it sucks. I Been tethering over 20 gigs a month along time atleast five years. That's not a lot when you consider downloading games from gameloft downloading roms on xda tethering to use your xbox 360 online watching netfrix and so on. It needs to be unlimited all times free tethering an all I rather pay more for that.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium App
Since Dec 16,2012-Jan 9, 2013 I have used 20.40GB and have not received any letters from sprint
Patrickw6789 said:
Since Dec 16,2012-Jan 9, 2013 I have used 20.40GB and have not received any letters from sprint
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am trying to roam using roam control but my GS3 won't get a signal in Chicago. I others on here roaming fine. I'm using version 2.6.2 which is the latest version. I have the app set to Samsung GS3. What can I do to get this working?

Tmobile sucks

T-Mobile is really spotty in some states thought they had better coverage
Could be a tower issue...plus your complaining about cancelling your service over the fact you get edge...just so you know T-Mobile is in the works right now restructuring there network/towers...plus integrating LTE too...dont give up!
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
Yup sure am I pay a 100 dollar phone bill and I'm on technology that's outdated not cool. I should never have a bad signal in a major city total bs. Even the T-Mobile rep said I shouldn't be on edge and he said all the towers are up and running none bring updated
Stupid question but did you try powering down, pull the battery, wait about 5 minutes and reboot?
Also, are you on the latest radio?
I'm almost willing to bet it's on your end and not T-Mobile...
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
uoY_redruM said:
Stupid question but did you try powering down, pull the battery, wait about 5 minutes and reboot?
Also, are you on the latest radio?
I'm almost willing to bet it's on your end and not T-Mobile...
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure if Im on the latest radio I dont like flashing radios unless I know for sure itll help. Ill power her down and reboot and she how she does
Dano79 said:
Yup sure am I pay a 100 dollar phone bill and I'm on technology that's outdated not cool. I should never have a bad signal in a major city total bs. Even the T-Mobile rep said I shouldn't be on edge and he said all the towers are up and running none bring updated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the technology you're 'on' isn't outdated and if the tmobile rep says that shouldn't be the case probably means that there's some other issue. And do you usually have bad service? I probably wouldn't change service since it's poor in an area your visiting temporarily... If it's not bad service where you usually live... And were you asking for advice or did you just want to vent to everyone?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
That is quite ironic, because when I was visiting family in Philly/DE/NJ I was getting excellent 4G around 10GB download speeds and great voice coverage.
Sent from TMO GS3 via TapaTalk
We were having some issues too over here in south texas, they are probably just updating the towers like they were over here. Working great now
Sent from my Galaxy S3 using neighbors wifi
I got only EDGE while visiting my dad. My reaction was to be stoked because I expected only GPRS or nothing at all. It's not like I'm there very often - it doesn't really matter. Even if he lived a few miles over in the "major city" nearby, it's not like I'm there for a significant portion of my life. That'd be like cancelling my service if it was crap when I was visiting my grandparents in Massachusetts - I'm there.. what, a week a year ? Whoopee. Unless you're in college and visiting this family for months at a time... what's the big deal ?
And paying $100/mo on T-Mobile ? Why ? How ? I went with T-Mobile because I DIDN'T want that kind of ridiculous bill - and because they specifically offer plans that aren't that high.
They have an unlimited everything pre-paid for $70/mo - still lower than others. I'm on the $30/mo pre-paid plan.
Yeah, tmos coverage is pretty spotty. At my house I'll randomly switch from fast 4g to 2g, even if i didnt move the phone.
Pay the extra loot and switch to Verizon if you want epic signal.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
Yesterday i went to upstate new york and mistakenly i forget to put gps on my car so i had to be dependent on phone gps BUT BUT there was no 4g at all. Not even full Edge. My friend has att and he had two bars of 4G LTE but my network was making me feel like ****.
I wish i can cancel it but have 4 lines in order to get new phones
T-Mobile has pretty spotty coverage outside of urban areas, whenever I go on a road trip I spend most of it on edge.
CitrixLemon said:
T-Mobile has pretty spotty coverage outside of urban areas, whenever I go on a road trip I spend most of it on edge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok cool so its not just me from what it sounds like. Now I know why t mobile is losing a lot of there post paid accounts most likely from there spotty network
I came from 2 years on att to simple mobile but I can speak on the t mobile signal quality. Compared to att, it should be known that t mobile service is a heck more spotty than others and your data will suffer big time. I went to the middle of no where a few months back with a friend that had att, I had 1 bar and edge in an open field while he had 2 bars with hspa+. He didn't have an lte phone at the time but from experience, att has better coverage. In the same areas t mobile is said to have good coverage and truthfully, although t mobile will roll out lte, I doubt it will be as good. I searched for their new towers, and they have over 10 new ones in Manhattan all clustered up so yeah, t mobile has the best coverage in the ny central park region. Going back to att when I get a job and am able to pay for my own cell. For the time being, simply mobile works good. T mobile will be getting better and better through the years
Sent from my Rooted Gameboy
LMAO @ OP... Cancel service because one time you traveled out of Colorado you don't get 4g??? I mean, if u went to Philly often u would have known this already I'm sure, so its apparent u don't travel to Philly often.
Was a thread really needed? Think if everyone that traveled to an edge location complained and threatened to leave their provider on an internet forum... LOL do whatever u want dude... we really don't care.
Hope u can find enough signal in Philly to read the threads comments
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
Sorry but I like things to work when I pay 500 out of pocket for a phone. Your phone should be running tip top in every major city no reason for this in 2013. Do some research about t mobile they lost a good bit of post paid customers so Im not the only one that thinks their trash. Their also one of the 3rd most hated companies in the US. I follow them on google plus if anyone needs some citations.
How can you be one of the 3rd? Arent you either 3rd or you are not?
If i helped hit thanks
Whatever have fun with your trash network.
you're your, there their there one of the third? Weigh it for what it's worth......
Good riddance, go pay more for the same service on VZW like all the other dummies, more bandwidth for me, not that I'm lacking any here

Love my G3, hate T-Mobile

So what are my choices for other carriers? I know verizon has different radio bands... Is ATT a possibility? I'm reaching the end of my patience with TMO.
Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
You've probably heard it before but I think Straight Talk is a great choice if you only need 3gb of high speed data. I just recently switched from TMO to ST using the ATT sim card. It works virtually flawlessly and I've had atleast 4g everywhere I've went (NW Georgia to E Kentucky so far). I got fed up with TMO when I left GA for work for the first time. It worked great in my little corner with flawless 4g LTE. However, as soon as I left and started travelling for work I got stuck with 2g service or wifi only. 2g is abysmal on TMO. It actually functions on ATT the few times I've had it.
So that's my suggestion. Paying off the phones and getting them unlocked was a fairly simple process as well.
I'll be switching to ATT service myself soon. Since T-Mobile wont' stand behind their products with my cracked phone they sold me. LG wants me to hold my phone hostage and then decide if it's actually a problem. Also annoyed by the fact that if you don't have LTE or HSPA service with TMUS, you basically have a dumb phone. And honestly, texts don't even function half the time outisde of their 3G/LTE areas.
Mnorton1228 said:
You've probably heard it before but I think Straight Talk is a great choice if you only need 3gb of high speed data. I just recently switched from TMO to ST using the ATT sim card. It works virtually flawlessly and I've had atleast 4g everywhere I've went (NW Georgia to E Kentucky so far). I got fed up with TMO when I left GA for work for the first time. It worked great in my little corner with flawless 4g LTE. However, as soon as I left and started travelling for work I got stuck with 2g service or wifi only. 2g is abysmal on TMO. It actually functions on ATT the few times I've had it.
So that's my suggestion. Paying off the phones and getting them unlocked was a fairly simple process as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is the tmo g3 radio compatible with ATT and ST for 4G LTE service?
Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
decaturbob said:
So what are my choices for other carriers? I know verizon has different radio bands... Is ATT a possibility? I'm reaching the end of my patience with TMO.
Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So what exactly is your problem with tmobile, you never stated.
Sent from my LG-D851 using XDA Free mobile app
I would never leave t mobile. Fix your issue with phone. If u pay off you still have issue on att. So fix what is bad. Lg and all the phone makers are the same. That us why you deal with t mobile for fix.
NOTE 4
decaturbob said:
Is the tmo g3 radio compatible with ATT and ST for 4G LTE service?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, LTE service on the D851 ONLY works with T-Mobile, but you will get the other bands ("4G"/3G/2G) with AT&T.
BACARDILIMON said:
I would never leave t mobile. Fix your issue with phone. If u pay off you still have issue on att. So fix what is bad. Lg and all the phone makers are the same. That us why you deal with t mobile for fix.
NOTE 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have NO issues with my G3 its T-Mobile. Their coverage is plain bad, no fixing that until they double the amount of cell towers. I looked at their coverage map before changing over and nowhere did it indicate the dead zones that we have found and TMO acknowledges. My wife has zero coverage in her office and would have to go a block or better to make a call and she works in Springfield where you would expect at least 2G everywhere but there are major dead zones. Major interstates lack complete coverage. I can understand state highways and secondary roads but interstates? T-Mobile messed my ETF reimbursement up, additionally T-Mobile "lost" my trade-in phones that they have had since first week of August....their online system sucks, I couldn't process an order and I spent almost 2 hrs working with their IT folks who finally gave up and acknowledge their portal has some issues. My Sim card faulted out and its gonna take 7-10 business days to get the replacement from T-Mobile as they wanted to charge me $25 for expedited delivery that the online chat people couldn't process as that must be charged to a credit card and not to my account WTF!!! I would have to call customer service and waste another hour of time to make that happen....screw that, I order one off of Amazon and paid for one day delivery...total cost $14 of delivery and shipping.....and I still don't have the T-Mobile free replacement Sim yet. I figure I have wasted 12hrs at least dealing with T-Mobile on problems on their side. I get alot of "we are sorry"......why asking what other carriers will my TMO G3 will 100% function on as I know it won't with verizon because of the radio bands
JustLok said:
decaturbob said:
Is the tmo g3 radio compatible with ATT and ST for 4G LTE service?
/QUOTE]
No, LTE service on the D851 ONLY works with T-Mobile, but you will get the other bands ("4G"/3G/2G) with AT&T.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may need to consider this then and thank you. 4G is better than what my wife gets with TMO....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personaly, I love T-mo. I switched from Verizon and am saving a boat load. I think it's absolutely wonderful how they've effectively turned every WiFi hotspot into a cell tower. In Charlotte nc, I've run into some areas where i rome but it's usually in a big building and there's always some WiFi. Their CEO has a great mindset imo and their customer service is always responsive as nice to me.
decaturbob said:
I have NO issues with my G3 its T-Mobile. Their coverage is plain bad, no fixing that until they double the amount of cell towers. I looked at their coverage map before changing over and nowhere did it indicate the dead zones that we have found and TMO acknowledges. My wife has zero coverage in her office and would have to go a block or better to make a call and she works in Springfield where you would expect at least 2G everywhere but there are major dead zones. Major interstates lack complete coverage. I can understand state highways and secondary roads but interstates? T-Mobile messed my ETF reimbursement up, additionally T-Mobile "lost" my trade-in phones that they have had since first week of August....their online system sucks, I couldn't process an order and I spent almost 2 hrs working with their IT folks who finally gave up and acknowledge their portal has some issues. My Sim card faulted out and its gonna take 7-10 business days to get the replacement from T-Mobile as they wanted to charge me $25 for expedited delivery that the online chat people couldn't process as that must be charged to a credit card and not to my account WTF!!! I would have to call customer service and waste another hour of time to make that happen....screw that, I order one off of Amazon and paid for one day delivery...total cost $14 of delivery and shipping.....and I still don't have the T-Mobile free replacement Sim yet. I figure I have wasted 12hrs at least dealing with T-Mobile on problems on their side. I get alot of "we are sorry"......why asking what other carriers will my TMO G3 will 100% function on as I know it won't with verizon because of the radio bands
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hand in the phones and go to another carrier. If any fees they will pay for them.
NOTE 4
---------- Post added at 09:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:02 AM ----------
allin1der said:
You guys make the most technically complicated tasks... SO EASY!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What state you live in
NOTE 4
Just my two cents, I have a dead spot on Verizon near home but tmo is fine. Also I love their international approach free 2g and texting, and I'm in Europe every month. Would have cost hundreds more on vzw. So far here in north east haven't noticed coverage ant worse than the other guys but haven't travelled the midwest or south yet.
Oh, and free music streaming.
Sent from my LG-D851 using XDA Free mobile app
BACARDILIMON said:
Hand in the phones and go to another carrier. If any fees they will pay for them.
NOTE 4
---------- Post added at 09:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:02 AM ----------
What state you live in
NOTE 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Illinois.
Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
JustLok said:
No, LTE service on the D851 ONLY works with T-Mobile, but you will get the other bands ("4G"/3G/2G) with AT&T.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is both correct and incorrect. You'll get a few of the LTE bands from ATT(2 and 4 to be exact). I can confirm that that's true. The most obvious indicator is that the symbols on my phone change from 4g to 4gLTE depending on if I'm covered. I can also run speed tests and see a difference. 4g I get 1-2mbps and LTE I get 7-9mbps. Not perfect but I'm not using my phone for any heavy data usage either. As long as I can browse reddit and stuff from my phone I'm good.
As for "just sticking with a carrier"... Um... NO. Absolutely not. If you're not able to make phone calls or are dependent upon finding free wifi to make a call then I don't think it's worth the money. I don't know what that guys talking about but he's obviously missed the point of this discussion.
Look into Straight Talk, Net10, or Cricket. All work on the ATT network and all will give you just as good of a price as TMO. Cricket offers 10gb of data for 55$ a month. Net10 does something similar I believe. I went with ST just because of the convenience. ST and Net10 are both owned by Tracfone so regardless of who you use it's going to be the same thing. Cricket is actually an ATT owned company. There is some literature floating around the web saying that Tracfone phones will allow you to roam on other carriers services but I'm not sure how true that is or if that even matters anymore.
I really love T-Mobile. I have had the best customer service with them. When I had my Z2s I had issues with the overheating problem and I went through 3 phones and ended up talking to their tech department. They informed me its a known issue and I could try another one. Seems great to me, just had a phone that overheated (not T-Mobiles fault).
I have told many people that reception is quite spotty. I live in Washington and service is great along the I5 corridor but once you start to stray too far off you will lose service. But in data speeds none of my friends with other carriers have come close. I routinley hit speeds of at least 35 mbps.
I can completely understand where most people do have issues. I just use my phone as a mini computer though. I probably use >200 min a month.
decaturbob said:
Illinois.
Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hate to say it, but you live in the worst area of the country for cell service (other than the Montana mountains, where there's no coverage at all). All four carriers' networks are really thin, and even Verizon's mighty network has holes where they roam onto partner networks there. Unless you live in Chicago, coverage is pretty spotty as soon as you leave the city limits of any town, no matter what carrier you pick. All I can tell you is talk to people who have usage patterns like yours and get their opinions, because blindly switching may end up getting you the same or worse coverage depending on your location.
Illrigger said:
I hate to say it, but you live in the worst area of the country for cell service (other than the Montana mountains, where there's no coverage at all). All four carriers' networks are really thin, and even Verizon's mighty network has holes where they roam onto partner networks there. Unless you live in Chicago, coverage is pretty spotty as soon as you leave the city limits of any town, no matter what carrier you pick. All I can tell you is talk to people who have usage patterns like yours and get their opinions, because blindly switching may end up getting you the same or worse coverage depending on your location.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had verizon for years but got tired of paying thru the nose.. No small decision to go to TMO and based on their coverage map we should have been OK.... But their map is essentially a lie. I spent an hour on phone with tmo thru 3 levels of management who understood if their map is fake and/or the tmo cell phones they sold us can't receive their signals then this situation is going to take a turn for the worse.
Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
Hopefully G3 will get band 12, but it's OK if it's not because I have AWS repeater installed and it works fine.
I refuse to get Note 4 because it does not support Trad Chinese. I'd go for Z3 or even G4 instead.
decaturbob said:
I had verizon for years but got tired of paying thru the nose.. No small decision to go to TMO and based on their coverage map we should have been OK.... But their map is essentially a lie. I spent an hour on phone with tmo thru 3 levels of management who understood if their map is fake and/or the tmo cell phones they sold us can't receive their signals then this situation is going to take a turn for the worse.
Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I lived in the IA/IL corridor area for a few years and pretty much every carrier had issues. Verizon was the best in the city, but would drop to 2G in many areas outside the city, or go dead completely. AT&T was a little better from what my co-workers were saying but again they were on 2G once you left the highway corridors. This was before the LTE rollout, so things may be better, but considering that LTE is GSM, and GSM is pretty short range from the towers (vs CDMA, anyway), I would not make any big bets. You can try your luck with either; you will probably get more consistent service with both, but I would not count on them being overly fast once you are away from the cities and highways.
decaturbob said:
Illinois.
Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off, hi from the north of you. I'm by the Kankakee area. I do have a buddy that does work at a T-mo corp store in Bradley that has been saying that the area I live and lower Illinois is getting the tower upgrades in Q1 2015. He's trying to get some more info for me since I too live a dead T-Mo area (I get no signal in my office). I maybe stopping in tomorrow if my wife wants to jump to the Note 4. If he's working, I'll ask him if he found out anything more about the IL tower upgrades. I'll let know you if he has any other news.
Edit: Decatur should have LTE coverage for T-Mo looking at sensorly.com. You should check and see about getting a LTE signal booster from T-Mo. Check out sensorly.com to even find what carrier does have the best coverage for you.

Categories

Resources