Sprint wireless - how is your service in SA? (Del Rio: how much, house)

[abner463]

I am looking into switching to Sprint from Verizon because I can get a pretty good deal. My big concern, of course, is will I have coverage? DH does have to drive to some far off places sometimes, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, to name a few. I'm mostly in SA, live in 78258, and drive mainly 10 mi. radius from there. I know there are going to be minor drop zones w/ any carrier, but how much different is Sprint than Verizon, is what I'm trying to figure out. I would be doing iPhone 5S on Sprint, if that matters, let me know! I did do a search on this forum, but most of the threads were a little dated, and I know they update their towers and whatnot quite often. Would appreciate any input you are willing to give. Thanks!!!

[Bo]

Phone or data? I use a prepaid provider that gets its signal from Sprint towers and I have not found a place in the city where I don't get a signal for phone service. I don't always get the fastest data, because some towers are more congested than others.

As for data, Sprint is updating towers to LTE nationally. The changeover's not complete here yet, but there's LTE in many areas of town and it's blazing fast.

[abner463]

Originally Posted by Bo

Phone or data? I use a prepaid provider that gets its signal from Sprint towers and I have not found a place in the city where I don't get a signal for phone service. I don't always get the fastest data, because some towers are more congested than others.

As for data, Sprint is updating towers to LTE nationally. The changeover's not complete here yet, but there's LTE in many areas of town and it's blazing fast.

I want to know about call-quality and service, plus data ability. W/ verizon I notice that when I'm in the Rim area, there are times when I can't use data or make a phone call. I was also looking in to Virgin mobile, for my DD12 for a phone for her. I understand they use Sprint towers, what service do you use, Bo? Thanks!

[nismospec]

been with Sprint for nearly 10 years. you'll find posts by me around the forum about signal with sprint.
i just upgraded to try out their LTE network (old phone was Wimax only) and I now have 4G at my house where I used to not have it.

as far as signal at the rim, for some reason there are spots in certain stores where I go into roaming.
Ex. JC Penney at the rim, as soon as I walk in...roaming. Target at the Rim, enter the door...roaming.
Lowes at alamo ranch, walk in the door....roaming. Outside all of these places I have signal, but something about the walls in these stores makes me drop signal.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by abner463

I was also looking in to Virgin mobile, for my DD12 for a phone for her. I understand they use Sprint towers, what service do you use, Bo? Thanks!

I use Virgin Mobile. Have been a customer of that provider since 2003. I don't need a lot of voice minutes or the latest phone and I dislike big wireless bills.

North of the city in the rural areas around Boerne, I have experienced signal loss. But I have never have had a problem within a mile of an interstate highway, like The Rim is. Maybe Sprint was working on the towers around The Rim that day?

Sprint phones (postpaid) roam onto Verizon Wireless towers when you get outside of their coverage area. So in theory, you should be able to get at least as much coverage with a Sprint phone as you would with VZW. Virgin Mobile doesn't roam.

[abner463]

Originally Posted by Bo

I use Virgin Mobile. Have been a customer of that provider since 2003. I don't need a lot of voice minutes or the latest phone and I dislike big wireless bills.

North of the city in the rural areas around Boerne, I have experienced signal loss. But I have never have had a problem within a mile of an interstate highway, like The Rim is. Maybe Sprint was working on the towers around The Rim that day?

Sprint phones (postpaid) roam onto Verizon Wireless towers when you get outside of their coverage area. So in theory, you should be able to get at least as much coverage with a Sprint phone as you would with VZW. Virgin Mobile doesn't roam.

This is great info, I am feeling better about switching now. Contract plans seem to be less and less necessary, which is great.
I had bought my DD12 a Tracfone a year ago, which would be great but the service isn't at all reliable. I was disenchanted w/ the idea of buying another phone in a box at the store w/ prepaid card, not knowing if the service would be any better. Do you have the Pay Lo or the other one, I think it's $35/ mo.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by abner463

Do you have the Pay Lo or the other one, I think it's $35/ mo.

One son and I have Android phones on the $35 Beyond Talk plan. Mrs. Bo has an iPhone 4 on the $30 plan.

Until 2-3 years ago, all Virgin Mobile offered was phones like the PayLo lineup. The other son still has one. He uses his 2 year-old feature phone so infrequently that I'm glad I'm not paying more than ~$7/month for the service.

[abner463]

Originally Posted by Bo

One son and I have Android phones on the $35 Beyond Talk plan. Mrs. Bo has an iPhone 4 on the $30 plan.

Until 2-3 years ago, all Virgin Mobile offered was phones like the PayLo lineup. The other son still has one. He uses his 2 year-old feature phone so infrequently that I'm glad I'm not paying more than ~$7/month for the service.

Also great info, thanks so much!

[NWTX1293]

Originally Posted by abner463

I am looking into switching to Sprint from Verizon because I can get a pretty good deal. My big concern, of course, is will I have coverage? DH does have to drive to some far off places sometimes, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, to name a few. I'm mostly in SA, live in 78258, and drive mainly 10 mi. radius from there. I know there are going to be minor drop zones w/ any carrier, but how much different is Sprint than Verizon, is what I'm trying to figure out. I would be doing iPhone 5S on Sprint, if that matters, let me know! I did do a search on this forum, but most of the threads were a little dated, and I know they update their towers and whatnot quite often. Would appreciate any input you are willing to give. Thanks!!!

I live in 78258 as well and unless I'm on WiFi or sitting under a tower I can't do anything on my iPhone! I came from AT&T and can definitely tell you there is a noticeable difference in HOW SLOW SPRINT IS!

[pasttense]

The answer is... it depends. The service will vary with any carrier depending on your location, but right now Sprint's service can go from outstanding to nonexistent, depending on where you go. If it's possible, I'd see about either borrowing a device or using a prepaid plan just to try out Sprint before you go through the hassle of switching to make sure it works for you.

Myself, I have been with Sprint for 10 years and am just running out my contract at this point. I have spotty coverage at best at my house, and that's with an airrave. At work I have LTE data but for most of the year the speeds have been less than 3G.

It's true that Sprint is in the midst of it's "Network Vision" upgrade, but for a lot of people there really isn't anything to show for it. When they first launched their LTE network the speeds were great, and again, depending on where you frequent that might still be the case. But it is also the case that in many areas they have spread themselves too thin and the service has become essentially unusable. I would suggest you test drive it to make sure it works for you.