Should I switch to Verizon or stay with Sprint?
[cross-posted on the Verizon forum]
I've been with SprintPCS for about 3 years. I've been reasonably satisfied with them, except for the 3-4 "dead spots" that drop my calls (I live in Houston, TX). I've never had any serious billing issues and call quality is fine.
However, my cell phone (Samsung A460) is falling apart, I don't have equipment replacement and I'd have to wait till March to get the free phone upgrade.
Three days ago, I initiated a new plan with Verizon because:
1. Almost everyone I know has Verizon, so I can take advantage of the free in-network calls.
2. People tell me that Verizon call quality is good in my area.
3. Verizon has better phones than Sprint, and I can get one for cheap if I'm a new custome...
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I've been with SprintPCS for about 3 years. I've been reasonably satisfied with them, except for the 3-4 "dead spots" that drop my calls (I live in Houston, TX). I've never had any serious billing issues and call quality is fine.
However, my cell phone (Samsung A460) is falling apart, I don't have equipment replacement and I'd have to wait till March to get the free phone upgrade.
Three days ago, I initiated a new plan with Verizon because:
1. Almost everyone I know has Verizon, so I can take advantage of the free in-network calls.
2. People tell me that Verizon call quality is good in my area.
3. Verizon has better phones than Sprint, and I can get one for cheap if I'm a new custome...
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First off if your phone is at least 6 months old, you should go back to a full service sprint store and re program your phone to update the new towers. Sprint puts up new towers and if your phone is not updated, you could be standing next to a new tower and will not pick it up, unless it was added in your phone software.. If you were happy with sprint then why leave? You should go back only if you would save a significant amount of money per mont. I know that sprint beats out most verizon plans in the notheast
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a software upgrade will not help reception. You need to get a PRL update. You can call *2 and request this, when you hang up and redial *2 it will update the PRL over the air. Also sprint by far has the best quality phones, everyone else is typically 6month behind
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prl will do nothing for your reception issues. possably you might notice greater roaming coverage with a newer prl but that is it.
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PRL is what tells your phone where the towers are. Software very rarely has anything to do with the reception. People who have reception issues almost always have outdated PRLs.
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mrblackpcs said:
PRL is what tells your phone where the towers are. Software very rarely has anything to do with the reception. People who have reception issues almost always have outdated PRLs.
That is completely wrong. there is not list of towers inside your phone. your phone picks up the tower just because it is there. PRL is Preferred Roaming List. what it is is a list of NETWORKS. roaming networks to be more exact. what it does is when you are on roaming it tells your phone which network to try to use first. how does it choose which one to use first. how does sprint determine the order of the list? the network sprint pays the cheapest roaming rate to first. prl has absolutely nothing to do with recept...
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http://denbeste.nu/cdmafaq/prl.shtml »
It seems to me that you are confusing software with firmware. You have to becareful what you ask for when in a sprint store. You can have to identical phones running the same "software" but different PRLs and get different reception in the same location. PRL tells your phone not only where roaming towers are located but also which bands to use on its own towers. Thats why the first step in sprints troubleshooting is to check the PRL then the software. Its also why the prerecorded message you hear before you do an OTA PRL update is that this may improve reception.
Any reception problem that i have had in the past 6years has almost always been fix by a PRL update
It seems to me that you are confusing software with firmware. You have to becareful what you ask for when in a sprint store. You can have to identical phones running the same "software" but different PRLs and get different reception in the same location. PRL tells your phone not only where roaming towers are located but also which bands to use on its own towers. Thats why the first step in sprints troubleshooting is to check the PRL then the software. Its also why the prerecorded message you hear before you do an OTA PRL update is that this may improve reception.
Any reception problem that i have had in the past 6years has almost always been fix by a PRL update
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i actually work for sprint i have talked to numerous tecs as well as sprint has sent out communications stating that prl does nothing for reception.
in roaming you may see a difference because maybe sprint has a new roaming partner in an aria so your phone will start to use that network. but on the sprint network it does 0.
most sprint reps will tell a customer that they need a prl because there is nothing wrong with there phone so if they tell them the update fixed there problem, then in there head that will have fixed there problem.
in roaming you may see a difference because maybe sprint has a new roaming partner in an aria so your phone will start to use that network. but on the sprint network it does 0.
most sprint reps will tell a customer that they need a prl because there is nothing wrong with there phone so if they tell them the update fixed there problem, then in there head that will have fixed there problem.
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stop trying to push your bs thru guy. I worked for sprintpcs as a supervisor and radioshack as a store manager. However I dont try to qualify my posts with job experience. If you work for sprintpcs then you know the trouble shooting steps. And they are the same for techs as well as regular CSRs, trust me, my job was to train both. The problem I find with sprint employees they think they have the answers when they dont have any hands on experience with the product. This is the reason customer service is low. I've sold and serviced sprintpcs and verizon, its the same with both. First check the prl then if the problem persists send the client to a full service store for a techninican to upgrade the software if troubleshooting warrants. Please e...
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you check to see if the phone HAS prl if a phone HAS NO prl it will just be searching for service. in the sprint coverage aria out of date prl has absolutely nothing to do with reception (things like dropped calls dead spots low reception, roaming with in the sprint network).
you said originally prl was so your phone would know where the new towers are at. that is a complete pile of crap and quit telling pcs customers that. in fact that myth has gotten so large sprint has been taking steps to debunk it in fact most of the time it is people who have been with the company for a while that is telling the lie. sprint has put out numerous communications to stop the lie. it is great you used to work for sprint woooopdeee do. i am guessing you ...
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you said originally prl was so your phone would know where the new towers are at. that is a complete pile of crap and quit telling pcs customers that. in fact that myth has gotten so large sprint has been taking steps to debunk it in fact most of the time it is people who have been with the company for a while that is telling the lie. sprint has put out numerous communications to stop the lie. it is great you used to work for sprint woooopdeee do. i am guessing you ...
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Just spell out PRL- Preferred Roaming List. As others have said, and I just wish to concur- PRL only aids in Roaming areas to tell your phone which roaming network to use to get the best reception and save Sprint money. These days reception on roaming partners networks is pretty similar so the main function is all economic to keep roaming charges down.
My old sanyo 4900 came with PRL 10017 and stayed like that until I stopped using it in October, just before PRL 10025 was released. My phone had amazing reception, because the phone itself was good, and because I always left it on Sprint only mode. People with reception issues need to do the following:
1. Use a phone with known quality reception.
2. Choose a provider with adequate c...
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My old sanyo 4900 came with PRL 10017 and stayed like that until I stopped using it in October, just before PRL 10025 was released. My phone had amazing reception, because the phone itself was good, and because I always left it on Sprint only mode. People with reception issues need to do the following:
1. Use a phone with known quality reception.
2. Choose a provider with adequate c...
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basically everyone has an opinion on this topic. I am a former Radioshack Store manager so I've delt with both first hand professionally and personally. I have had my Sprint service since 1998, a few problems here and there nothing major. I had major problesm with verizon's customer service. If you like better technology and clearer service stay with sprint and fix your phone. If you want to just make calls keep verizon. If you live in a metro area they both should be pretty much equal with reception, if you are in a rural area you may wanna check both coverage maps for your area. I have been in places where sprint worked better than verizon and vice versa. it all depends. so is one better "overall" than the other...well it depends on what y...
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If you want a phone with the tech goodies then definately stay with Sprint. Just look at the lineup of Verizon phones, especially their Samsungs. They generally have what Sprint has, but 6-12 months after Sprint. Verizon definately has a more robust coverage map, no questions there, but that's only an issue if you live out of a metropolitan area. Then again, if you live in a truly rural area then no carrier will get you amazing coverage. Personally, back in January of 2003 I made the choice for Sprint because of adequate coverage in my area and because I can add the off network option for $5 to basically have Verizon coverage as well. That and the fact that Sprint's internet, camera, multimedia phones are the current elite. If you are...
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Jen
I would stay with Verizon, Verizon has much better customer service and will have a even larger coverage area than sprint when they reroll out there Push to talk which is like Sprints ready link service. Things are usally slower getting out with verizon since they want the best for there customers. Verizon also was rated this year again as #1 Sprint wasn't close
Hope this helps
I would stay with Verizon, Verizon has much better customer service and will have a even larger coverage area than sprint when they reroll out there Push to talk which is like Sprints ready link service. Things are usally slower getting out with verizon since they want the best for there customers. Verizon also was rated this year again as #1 Sprint wasn't close
Hope this helps
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