Can Spint use Verizon Towers?

Dilbert65 · 09-25-2009, 10:45 AM

Currently a Verizon customer and my contract is up. Went into the Spint store as the deals seem to be much better than verizon. I was asking about coverage and trying to compare it to verizons coverage.
The sales rep told me that Sprint could use Verizons towers but Verizon could not use Sprints. Is this True?
Basically saying that Spints coverage is better than Verizon. When looking at coverage maps from both companys Verizon seems to have more coverage

nvguy · 09-26-2009, 04:02 PM

Yes although verizon has superiour coverage sprint roams on verizon in verizon areas not coverd by the sprint network, it also roams in alltel and us cellular among other cdma carriers when not in sprints network.

I have used sprint for 8+ years and have used verizon in my sales territory, I can tell you that verizon and sprint have good and bad zones so it all depends on where you spend your time as to weather or not you will be happy with the coverage.

highlighter · 09-29-2009, 03:57 PM

Very dependent on where your main base is going to be. The question is- how's your SPRINT coverage there? You don't want to have fading signal or roaming in your home!

Everywhere else, there are hacks to force roaming so you can either ignore sprint towers all together or force the sprint network if necessary so you won't be losing signals or jumping from one sprint bar to roaming bars (force roam comes in handy for this!). I've traveled all over the US and there have only been a couple spots where I've had NO coverage at all and these were remote locations (a 2 mile area near Devils Tower, WY was one of them, and a very rural area in Idaho was another.) Freeways and major highways seem to always have excellent sprint signals, rural areas seem to be roaming only.
Roaming is free on most plans.
Hope that helps in your decision.

Tony E! · 09-29-2009, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nvguy

Yes although verizon has superiour coverage sprint roams on verizon in verizon areas not coverd by the sprint network, it also roams in alltel and us cellular among other cdma carriers when not in sprints network.

I have used sprint for 8+ years and have used verizon in my sales territory, I can tell you that verizon and sprint have good and bad zones so it all depends on where you spend your time as to weather or not you will be happy with the coverage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by highlighter

Very dependent on where your main base is going to be. The question is- how's your SPRINT coverage there? You don't want to have fading signal or roaming in your home!

Everywhere else, there are hacks to force roaming so you can either ignore sprint towers all together or force the sprint network if necessary so you won't be losing signals or jumping from one sprint bar to roaming bars (force roam comes in handy for this!). I've traveled all over the US and there have only been a couple spots where I've had NO coverage at all and these were remote locations (a 2 mile area near Devils Tower, WY was one of them, and a very rural area in Idaho was another.) Freeways and major highways seem to always have excellent sprint signals, rural areas seem to be roaming only.
Roaming is free on most plans.
Hope that helps in your decision.

Very good answers, thanks guys for contributing.

nicknrm · 09-29-2009, 07:27 PM

As far as Verizon not being able to use Sprint's towers, that's completely false.

Sprint has much, much less on network coverage, so Sprint will use Verizon's network more so than Verizon would NEED to use Sprint's.

Remember, if at all possible AVOID roaming.

If you roam for an extended period of time (while paying and having a Sprint phone) they can terminate your service. Generally, special features do not work while roaming and calls are more likely to drop (as the main wireless carrier is going to honor their customers more so than the roaming ones).

nvguy · 09-29-2009, 08:56 PM

On the roaming issue Sprints new everything plans specify a maximum of 800 minutes of roaming per month before you get into trouble

Those of you that have older plans are limited to 50% of their minutes roaming before getting into trouble

highlighter · 09-30-2009, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicknrm

Remember, if at all possible AVOID roaming.

If you roam for an extended period of time (while paying and having a Sprint phone) they can terminate your service. Generally, special features do not work while roaming and calls are more likely to drop (as the main wireless carrier is going to honor their customers more so than the roaming ones).

Not entirely true -- when we were in the black hills in SD for 2 weeks, we were EVDO roaming the entire time. ALL sprint features were available - even while climbing Harney Peak (a mountain!) - we could browse the web, watch sprint TV, send/receive email, text message, use sprint nav (although I prefer google maps!!), etc. all in EVDO speeds even though we were roaming the entire time. It was pretty awesome that we happened to be roaming on an EVDO network.

Now when I'm down visiting my folks in rural SW Minnesota where their primary network used to be Alltel and is currently switching over to Verizon- we roam there too- I have to push roaming using a registry hack that forces the roaming as there is a weak sprint signal coming from somewhere far away that fades in and out causing dropped calls otherwise. If I force roaming on the otherhand, the signal is crystal clear at all bars and doesn't fade. Once again- I can use data connection, email, and etc. What's NOT available on this roam as it's not an evdo is Sprint TV and Sprint Nav. - all other data is and it's INCLUDED in the plan as long as you have data roaming included (which most plans do).

As I said before- I travel alot, so do go to rural areas on a regular basis and have to force roam off and on. I've never had a problem with Sprint charging me or terminating my plan due to it. My home base is definitely good with the sprint signal though and so at least 50% of my minutes and data is on a sprint network.

Hopefully that helps even more and clarify's that yes- data is available while roaming, there ARE EVDO roaming signals out there! (cool!) force roam is available with a hack, you should choose a network that fits your HOME first, travel needs second.

shappy · 10-07-2009, 12:16 PM

Sprint roams free on VZW towers, but data is at 1X speed

sanchezkk · 10-07-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by highlighter

Very dependent on where your main base is going to be. The question is- how's your SPRINT coverage there? You don't want to have fading signal or roaming in your home!

Everywhere else, there are hacks to force roaming so you can either ignore sprint towers all together or force the sprint network if necessary so you won't be losing signals or jumping from one sprint bar to roaming bars (force roam comes in handy for this!). I've traveled all over the US and there have only been a couple spots where I've had NO coverage at all and these were remote locations (a 2 mile area near Devils Tower, WY was one of them, and a very rural area in Idaho was another.) Freeways and major highways seem to always have excellent sprint signals, rural areas seem to be roaming only.
Roaming is free on most plans.
Hope that helps in your decision.

How do you hack the sprint network to lock on or off the network when needed?
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