• Sprint Taking Action for iPhone Users Reporting Slow Data

    by
    Anthony Bouchard
    Published on 2011-10-25 12:51 AM
    38 Comments Comments

    Customers of Sprint that bought the iPhone 4S have been reporting insanely slow 3G data speeds since its launch.

    Speeds have been extremely slow on the iPhone for users on Sprint. The company claimed that they were perfectly capable of handling the extra traffic before the iPhone 4S launch. As a bonus they opted to keep their unlimited data plan in contrast to Verizon and AT&T. This attracted a lot of people to Sprint, but did they bite off more than they could chew?

    Yesterday we reported that Sprint was killing the unlimited data plans of numerous bandwidth hogs including tablets, mobile hotspots, and connect card users. This might have been a move by Sprint to help cause users of major bandwidth volume to back off a little bit – being capped at 5GB instead of having unlimited data, effective starting this November.

    Data speeds from Sprint are undoubtedly slow:


    Now, Sprint and Apple are teaming up to take a closer look at the issue. At the beginning, when users were complaining about data speeds, Sprint denied that there were any issues. However, the volume of users having problems seems to point otherwise – Sprint has finally acknowledged it. The iPhone 4S broke a record for Sprint on its opening day. I doubt Sprint will blow this off. The problem will likely be fixed soon. These 3G speeds aren't as slow on Verizon (also a CDMA carrier), so it seems that the problem isn't the iPhone 4S itself, but rather than Sprint needs to rethink their cellular data system.

    Have you experienced slow speeds on your iPhone on Sprint? Some have reported slow 3G speeds on Sprint before the iPhone was even released. Share below!

    Sources: MacRumors, TNW
    This article was originally published in forum thread: Sprint Taking Action for iPhone Users Reporting Slow Data started by Anthony Bouchard View original post
    1. Categories:
    2. iPhone,
    3. Apple
    Comments 38 Comments
    1. shoohorn0plenty's Avatar
      shoohorn0plenty - 2011-10-25, 12:55 AM
      I returned my Sprint 4S the day after launch because it was insanely slow. Call quality and reception was fine, but data made dialup speeds seem like a luxury. I'm back with AT&T now, and my data is back to normal (and improved in the office - which is always a good thing).
    1. i.Annie's Avatar
      i.Annie - 2011-10-25, 01:07 AM
      I thought Sprint would've been equal or better in terms of speed with Verizon, guess I was wrong. And here I thought I was having it rough with Verizon 3G.
    1. Outrager's Avatar
      Outrager - 2011-10-25, 01:20 AM
      The sad thing is the upload speed on the top picture is double what my cable at home is giving me. Timewarner Cable Road Runner... terrible upload speeds with decent download speeds.
    1. iPod's Avatar
      iPod - 2011-10-25, 01:30 AM
      Sprint has always been slow, even before the iPhone.
    1. jose060789's Avatar
      jose060789 - 2011-10-25, 01:31 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by ipodtouchman77 View Post
      Sprint has always been slow, even before the iPhone.
      +1
    1. frjuan's Avatar
      frjuan - 2011-10-25, 02:16 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by i.Annie View Post
      I thought Sprint would've been equal or better in terms of speed with Verizon, guess I was wrong. And here I thought I was having it rough with Verizon 3G.
      Same here but with AT&T. Even though I had unlimited data with AT&T I wanted to switch and try Sprint. HUGE mistake, I was pulling around .01 megs down and it totally ruined the experience for me. I've had the iPhone since day 1 and I don't remember getting these crappy speeds on edge. Sold the Sprint phones on Friday and jumped back on AT&T. I lost unlimited data and I have Sprint and myself to thank for that!!! Thanks Sprint.... Lol @ that comercial where Sprint advertises unlimited data.... The one showing the phones shooting up and it blowing AT&T and Verizon out of the water.... hahahahahah
    1. i.Annie's Avatar
      i.Annie - 2011-10-25, 02:22 AM
      If I had unlimited on AT&T I would've stayed. The speed is amazing, but I always went over 2GB by a little. Like 2.5 and it sucks to have to pay $10 more for it.

      But yeah sucks for you bro, lol. You had it good!
    1. Z¡G's Avatar
      Z¡G - 2011-10-25, 02:47 AM
      Yeah. I definitely thought I had it bad with Verizon.
    1. Kory569's Avatar
      Kory569 - 2011-10-25, 03:08 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by frjuan View Post
      Same here but with AT&T. Even though I had unlimited data with AT&T I wanted to switch and try Sprint. HUGE mistake, I was pulling around .01 megs down and it totally ruined the experience for me. I've had the iPhone since day 1 and I don't remember getting these crappy speeds on edge. Sold the Sprint phones on Friday and jumped back on AT&T. I lost unlimited data and I have Sprint and myself to thank for that!!! Thanks Sprint.... Lol @ that comercial where Sprint advertises unlimited data.... The one showing the phones shooting up and it blowing AT&T and Verizon out of the water.... hahahahahah
      If you want AT&T unlimited data just put a new sim card in your original iPhone and activate it then once you have unlimited edge get a micro sim card for iPhone 4S and call AT&T to activate it. Enjoy unlimited data on AT&T's "4G".
    1. nipsey's Avatar
      nipsey - 2011-10-25, 03:13 AM
      to be honest i havent had a problem and im in chicago
    1. Darkflame's Avatar
      Darkflame - 2011-10-25, 03:17 AM
      I love sprint but I have to admit their network has been going south lately. I've patiently waited for the iphone for years and now that it's available on sprint i'm like the happiest kid on the block but the network has really been killing the user experience. My friend has a AT&T iPhone 4 (no S) and I keep checking in with him to see if the network is down or the app store is down etc. We both accomplish the same tasks and while my phone loads things up twice as fast it's stuck pulling data from the net 10 times slower.

      It took me 20 seconds just to see what new updates I had available and it took his phone about 3 seconds.

      We both downloaded the same app and he was done downloading before my phone even attempted to start the download.

      *sigh* I'll just have to accept "Sprint speed". I'm not complaining since i'm getting what I pay for. 50$ a month for a iphone ain't too shabby.

      I know I could pay 100$ a month like my friends on AT&T and get 10 times the speed but i'm getting what I pay for so no complaints.
    1. iBwizzle's Avatar
      iBwizzle - 2011-10-25, 03:29 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Kory569 View Post
      If you want AT&T unlimited data just put a new sim card in your original iPhone and activate it then once you have unlimited edge get a micro sim card for iPhone 4S and call AT&T to activate it. Enjoy unlimited data on AT&T's "4G".
      Sure you'll get unlimited data but what about mms? The original iPhone doesn't support it. Good luck getting past that....
    1. frjuan's Avatar
      frjuan - 2011-10-25, 04:08 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by Kory569 View Post
      If you want AT&T unlimited data just put a new sim card in your original iPhone and activate it then once you have unlimited edge get a micro sim card for iPhone 4S and call AT&T to activate it. Enjoy unlimited data on AT&T's "4G".
      Shhhhhh!!!!!
      MMS works like a charm, BTW.
    1. MacJax50's Avatar
      MacJax50 - 2011-10-25, 04:09 AM
      I returned my on day 14 (Today) thank god I kept my unlimited plan from AT&T... Im just going to wait for the iPhone 5.. the 4 I have isn't much different from the 4s.. I can live without Siri till then.. Plus the inability to not surf and talk was a killer... I couldnt give it up.. I waited almost 2 hours in a sprint corporate store to cancel.. it was lame.. I give sprint less then 2 years before merger or buy out.smh
    1. jose060789's Avatar
      jose060789 - 2011-10-25, 04:39 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by ibwizzle View Post
      sure you'll get unlimited data but what about mms? The original iphone doesn't support it. Good luck getting past that....
      fail.
    1. HovikGas's Avatar
      HovikGas - 2011-10-25, 05:26 AM
      Epic fail... I'm lucky I stuck with AT&T... I still have unlimited data and damn would I be paying a fortune if I didn't have it...

      But even if you fake out AT&T by using the above method to get unlimited data, won't they notice after a couple days/weeks of usage with the new phone and automatically change you over to the capped plan?
    1. SoldierRican's Avatar
      SoldierRican - 2011-10-25, 06:57 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by iBwizzle View Post
      Sure you'll get unlimited data but what about mms? The original iPhone doesn't support it. Good luck getting past that....

      I have 5 lines on AT&T all 3 iPhone 4 and 2 iPhone 4Ss. Only I was grandfathered on my unlimited but 2 people were currently on my line and I just switched their lines over to an old regular motorola razor with no data then used iPhone 2G to get their unlimited plans after you just either cut your sim to fit iPhone 4 or 4S or buy a new sim and have them activate it and switch IMEI # to new phone an bam their unlimited. As for the other two lines I just went to AT&T and had add a line to my account and once I had the sim I went home plugged iPhone 2G up to iTunes an there is where I activated and got unlimited data plans for them as well. So needless to say my Dad enjoyed his father's day gift and he doesn't blow my pocket up tethering his phone with MyWi. So Basically it is possible to get your unlimited data plan back even if you don't have it. I only had to deal with them on one line as I had trouble activating but found out AT&T actually have a dedicated team that handle iPhone 2G activations so if there is any issue when you call ask to speak with them or call apple and they will get them on the phone. That's how I found out about this special department.

      Hope this helps and if you have any questions ask me or if you need help getting your unlimited plan as i Have a iPhone 2G and have had numerous success at obtaining unlimited plans. ))
    1. vavi's Avatar
      vavi - 2011-10-25, 07:10 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by SoldierRican View Post
      I have 5 lines on AT&T all 3 iPhone 4 and 2 iPhone 4Ss. Only I was grandfathered on my unlimited but 2 people were currently on my line and I just switched their lines over to an old regular motorola razor with no data then used iPhone 2G to get their unlimited plans after you just either cut your sim to fit iPhone 4 or 4S or buy a new sim and have them activate it and switch IMEI # to new phone an bam their unlimited. As for the other two lines I just went to AT&T and had add a line to my account and once I had the sim I went home plugged iPhone 2G up to iTunes an there is where I activated and got unlimited data plans for them as well. So needless to say my Dad enjoyed his father's day gift and he doesn't blow my pocket up tethering his phone with MyWi. So Basically it is possible to get your unlimited data plan back even if you don't have it. I only had to deal with them on one line as I had trouble activating but found out AT&T actually have a dedicated team that handle iPhone 2G activations so if there is any issue when you call ask to speak with them or call apple and they will get them on the phone. That's how I found out about this special department.

      Hope this helps and if you have any questions ask me or if you need help getting your unlimited plan as i Have a iPhone 2G and have had numerous success at obtaining unlimited plans. ))
      All I have to say is WAOW I soo wish I could do this with 3g or wish I had my old 2g..
      how much would an old 2g cost any ideas?
    1. SoldierRican's Avatar
      SoldierRican - 2011-10-25, 07:29 AM
      Quote Originally Posted by vavi View Post
      All I have to say is WAOW I soo wish I could do this with 3g or wish I had my old 2g..
      how much would an old 2g cost any ideas?
      I paid $50 off Craigslist for mine but if you PM me we can get together an I can do it for ya. I'm located in North Carolina by Greensboro an all I would need is a SIM card and a little of your time an we could get it done. As long as you are the Account holder of course.
    1. confucious's Avatar
      confucious - 2011-10-25, 09:08 AM
      Why is the pic of an iPhone 4 when the story is about the 4S?
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