Sprint or T-Mobile or ??? (Smartphone users only!)

I want your opinions of the network you are on.

Currently I am with Sprint, and my contract is up in January. I am considering switching providers, because Sprint has this huge plan with tons of minutes of talk time that I really don't use, and they won't downgrade because I need data as well.

All I want is a small talk plan and unlimited data.

Which network out there has the best solution for me?

Yes, I need my smartphone and data plan. I am constantly connected to the internet. If I need to research something, I do. Could I survive without it? Sure. I used to. I used to live in a time before cellphones and world-wide web. Now, not being connected is not really an option.

Tell me the good points about the network you are on, and the bad points. I'd really appreciate your input in my upcoming decision.

Thanks in advance.

Straight talk. $45/mo plus taxes of course. Unlimited talk, text and web. I use a samsung galaxy 2. Currently only 3G vs 4G, but 4G is not widely available around here anyway. Whoever you use, you usually end up for 3G. Why pay more?

I run Verizon with a Galaxy S3 and I like it. The 4g coverage is getting much better, and even the 3g is fast. My friend has Sprint and he has coverage issues where I do not. I like Verizon for the most part, my only issue with them right now is the Alltel change over issues that they still have not fixed.

I'm really digging the combo of AT&T and my HTC Inspire 4G.

Most companies don't offer an unlimited data plan anymore, so keep that in mind. Luckily, I was grandfathered into AT&T's unlimited data plan though.

If you have good coverage in your area on the sprint network, I'd recommend boost mobile. 55 dollars a month unlimited everything and after a period of time the payments go as low as 40 dollars a month. You might even be able to use the phone you already have, otherwise you have to buy one outright. There is no contracts so you pay full price for the phones unfortunately.

Unlock your phone and try them all. See which you like best

reply to post by Druid42


I've have had T-Mobile for over a decade, I had tried out Sprint and Verizon while maintaining the account but they both sucked.
T-Mobile has excellent customer service. Seriously the best.
I adjust my plan to how much I use.
I lowered my minutes and data because I'm home a lot and use WiFi.
Check out those plans.
I have a Galaxy.
What most people don't realize is that they shouldn't set apps to auto update. It ups the data usage. They should just do the updates when they're on WiFi.
So my data is $10 but they do have different levels of unlimited.

reply to post by DarthMuerte


Never heard of them. Ohio here. I'll have to research that. Thanks.

reply to post by SpaDe_


No 4g with Sprint where I am at, as they are only rolling out in metro areas. Have to wait.

Verizon, huh? I'll have to research their coverage at my location.

Oh, and BTW, current phone is HTC Evo 4g, rooted and running ICS 4.0.4, Mason kernel, undervolted 20% with a 3500 MaH battery upgrade. I'll keep this phone until something spectacular comes out.

reply to post by Daemonicon


That's a major issue, unlimited data, which Sprint still has. However, I monitor my usage, and monthly I hover around 700mb to 1.5gb, so I think I'd be good with a 2gb plan. Still, the overage fees, ugh!

Thanks for the response.

reply to post by litterbaux


Does Boost have it's own network, or does it lease from someone else? I like the figures you quote, as long as the reliability is there.

3g is fine where I am at.

reply to post by HIWATT


My Evo has no sim card. Testing on another network is out of the question.



Thanks for the response.

oh the sim card thing .... that's the best

T-Mobile was ahead of other carriers, they've had that awhile.
Everytime I've broken a phone and that's often I just take the sim out and pop it in an old phone.
All the numbers are saved.
When I heard that other companies charged $20 to transfer numbers I laughed.
All the numbers and photos can be synced now to an account. So if you think you lose your phone and all photos they're there if you sync them regularly.

reply to post by obnoxiouschick


That's what I wanted to hear, the ability to alter your plan around. Sprint is inflexible.

Next question would be if you get 4g in your area, and how good is it? The map for T-Mobile shows excellent 4g coverage in my area. That is tempting me towards the lean to switch.

Good customer service to boot, you say?

reply to post by obnoxiouschick


Well, I keep all my contacts backed up in a .vcf file (very handy!) and keep a current Nandroid of everything on my phone. It's the workaround for being sim cardless.

I don't know where you live or if Metro PCS is available but I am SO glad I switched.

I have had a Verizon Droid (one of the first ones that came out about 2 1/2yrs ago). It was a good phone but it did freeze up a lot and it was EXPENSIVE! The phone itself was $500 and my monthly bill was $140 bucks. I had unlimited everything. It was expensive. I used it for a few months and went back to my iPhone. I have had 3 iPhones, 2g, 3g and 3gs. I love my iPhones but I'm one of those Apple fans. I got tired of not being able to view flash and how limited certain things were on it. I also got tired of ATT and their $130 a month fee and it wasn't even unlimited! I got rid of it. I went to Sprint (my fiancee's phone, he is overseas so I used his.) I HATED IT! OMG that phone was a pos and it was labeled a "smart phone." It was $90 a month and it hardly EVER worked! I could never use the internet and calls dropped all the time and there was always bad service. It got so bad people wouldn't even want to talk to me because of the issues I had... So in September I switched to MetroPCS and I LOVE it.

Many people put their nose up to Metro but let me tell you I have had every main provider and this phone is amazing and so is the service. It's a smart phone and it's 4G. It has 5 mega pixel camera and the camera and video are both AWESOME! It even has a front facing camera. Now with every other provider you would pay at least $400 for a phone like this. It looks alot like an iPhone actually but I paid $130 for it and I pay $55 a month and I have unlimited internet, talk and text. There is NO contract either! I haven't had ONE problem since I have had this phone. I was a huge iPhone snob (yes I admit that) but in the end i wanted to save money when I no longer made the money to afford an iPhone. I know MetroPCS use to have bad service but check your area they are popping up every where and more people are going to them because their prices and phones are great. YOu can even get some of the fancy smart phones major providers offer for a fraction of the cost.. They aren't out to take you for everything you have. I think it's ridiculous cell phones cost $400+. It's ridiculous.

This is the phone I have
LG Motion 4G MetroPCS


Funny thing when I bought it lol. I walked 10feet from the door and DROPPED it on the concrete. It bounced and didn't even crack the screen or cause any issues with the phone. If that had been an iPhone or one of the other fancy new popular smart phone I'd have a cracked screen and I'd have been screwed. Oh in that $55 a month is my insurance, $5 bucks a month! Most smart phones you can't get insurance on!


Happy choosing!!

reply to post by Druid42


I have 4g here. Works great.
What's weird is I know people that have other carriers in my area that don't get 4g where I do get it.

I kind of think it has more to do with how many users flood those towers. There are less T-Mobile users compared to Verizon around here. That's mostly because around here they're all wanna-be types so they all want Iphones. And T-Mobile doesn't support Iphone.... perfect reason right there why I stick with them.

This is how great their customer service is...

I had a joint plan w/ hubby, he thought we were breaking up, split account and shut off my phone. He completely screwed up everything so bad. A month goes by, we're still together I get the bill it's $685. I told him you forgot to set up the plan the right way because they charged for every text.
I get on the phone to clear up this mess with customer service and they were awesome. They credited us over $500 and rearranged the plan back the way it should have been.

I had a similar problem with Sprint overcharging me before and they never credited me so I left.

reply to post by mblahnikluver


I'll be checking Metro PCS then as well. I have a lot of research to do, so I really appreciate your input!

I'll have to see if they have 4g in my area, and their phone specs.

I have had Sprint for several years; they own almost every cell tower, At&T runs the whole texting infrastructure, no matter who you are with. Sprint also invented 3 and 4G...so it's pretty funny Verizon claims to be number one in 3 and 4G using sprints towers on top of that none the less. You can get a low minute plan and add a data package to it for around 6 bucks; it's just not advertised. But I hate their billing cycle, I don't use many minutes either maybe 5 to 10 every month or so; not a fan of talking on the phone at all.

My contract has been up for about 7 months; I am switching myself; just because I get billed twice in the same month, not that far apart because I didn't start on the first of a month with them...But I am going to go with Virgin when I switch, unlimited everything; with no contracts...the same flat price as Sprints basic with no data; like 45 or 49 something like that per month. I have a prepaid Virgin one as a back up emergency phone; and it always works really well.

I was hoping Cricket and other flat rate phone plans would force the others; to a low flat rate when it came out...but bad customer service etc. ruined them from getting anywhere. Branson as the owner of Virgin; doesn't appear to be cut throat and all about the bottom line as the rest are. I'm not that big a fan of supporting Walmart either; because they poop all over their employee's. At&T is just outright horrible; if it wasn't for the I-phone, and owning the texting network; they would have folded already.

I am not a fan of Verizon at all; the annoying ad campaign's and lying about their 3 and 4G is enough for me to be turned off of them...besides their bill can be all over the place.

Good luck choosing; research is definitely good.

Coincidentally, I posted my first thread this week, and it was a rant about T. Mobile. I have found them to have the most incompetent, arrogant, useless customer service on the planet, and wouldn't touch them with a barge pole.