Switching to Sprint? Opinions?

My Verizon contract is up, and I went to Radio Shack today to compare
phones. I'm very happy with Verizon, except, and this is important, I
can only get a Verizon signal in one room of my house, and even that is
a bit spotty. My daughter tells me that one of her friends has Sprint,
and she gets reception everywhere in my house. My daughter also can't
get Verizon reception in her dorm room back in Massachusets, and she
says her friends with Sprint phones can.

The sales rep at Radio Shack told me that he uses Sprint and likes it.
He said that he has found a more stable, stronger signal from Sprint
than Verizon here in Marin County California. I don't know if he has
any particular agenda, but Radio Shack sells both Verizon and Sprint
service, so I would assume that it's all the same to him.

I like Verizon very much-- had customer service issues with them in the
past, but they've been better this past year, and they work well for me
when I travel in Los Angeles, where I spend a lot of time, and in the
East Coast, where I often do work as well. Reception in my home is a
significant issue, however, and I'd like to have it.

The sales rep at Radio Shack pointed out that Sprint, like Verizon, is a
CDMA system and that many Sprint phones are tri-mode. I've read that
1900 MHZ systems are not as good as 800 Mhz, but he pointed out that the
tri-mode Sprint phones are 1900, 800, and analogue, and he said that
with Sprint's Expanded Voice Coverage, a Sprint phone can roam nearly
everywhere in the US.

I have a few technical questions about that: does that mean that a
tri-mode Sprint phone would pick up the SAME analogue signal as my
Verizon phone in the outer reaches of Marin, where I sometimes rely on
an analogue signal? Does that mean that when a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal
is not reaching my phone when I travel, it will pick up the same 800 MHZ
signal that my Verizon phone would? I understand that, all other things
being equal, the Sprint phone will default to a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal;
I'm just not clear what happens when roaming on Sprint and, more
importantly, how it would compare with Verizon.

Obviously, the easy answer to this would be to try Sprint for 14 days
and see how I like it. Unfortunately, I'm on a family plan with 4
phones, so it would be a huge pain to try it, not like it, and go back
to Verizon.

I must say I haven't heard much good about Sprint in the past, but these
companies change all the time. Any opinions? I remember in particular
that Sprint had weak coverage in the Los Angeles area. Has that
changed?

Does anyone have any comments comparing the 1900 MHZ CDMA Sprint quality
with Verizon's 800 MHZ CDMA quality?

Thanks in advance,
Michael

---

› See More: Switching to Sprint? Opinions?

In article <[email protected]>,
"Michael L." <[email protected]> wrote:

> My Verizon contract is up, and I went to Radio Shack today to compare
> phones. I'm very happy with Verizon, except, and this is important, I
> can only get a Verizon signal in one room of my house, and even that is
> a bit spotty.

Ask also in the Verizon group, maybe your current model phone is a dog
as far as reception goes. Some LG and Samsung models of 2 years ago were
poor.



> My daughter tells me that one of her friends has Sprint,
> and she gets reception everywhere in my house. My daughter also can't
> get Verizon reception in her dorm room back in Massachusets, and she
> says her friends with Sprint phones can.
>
> The sales rep at Radio Shack told me that he uses Sprint and likes it.
> He said that he has found a more stable, stronger signal from Sprint
> than Verizon here in Marin County California. I don't know if he has
> any particular agenda, but Radio Shack sells both Verizon and Sprint
> service, so I would assume that it's all the same to him.

No, if he didnt tell you Sprint was better he wouldnt sell you.
Certainly SprintPCS has millions of happy customers, and 1,400,000
who left during the first quarter of this year.

I'd say borrow your daughter's friends Sprint phone this weekend.


>
> I like Verizon very much-- had customer service issues with them in the
> past, but they've been better this past year, and they work well for me
> when I travel in Los Angeles, where I spend a lot of time, and in the
> East Coast, where I often do work as well. Reception in my home is a
> significant issue, however, and I'd like to have it.
>
> The sales rep at Radio Shack pointed out that Sprint, like Verizon, is a
> CDMA system and that many Sprint phones are tri-mode. I've read that
> 1900 MHZ systems are not as good as 800 Mhz, but he pointed out that the
> tri-mode Sprint phones are 1900, 800, and analogue, and he said that
> with Sprint's Expanded Voice Coverage, a Sprint phone can roam nearly
> everywhere in the US.

Sprint natively uses only 1900 MHz. You can only roam where SprintPCS
allows you to roam, not just anywhere.


>
> I have a few technical questions about that: does that mean that a
> tri-mode Sprint phone would pick up the SAME analogue signal as my
> Verizon phone in the outer reaches of Marin, where I sometimes rely on
> an analogue signal? Does that mean that when a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal
> is not reaching my phone when I travel, it will pick up the same 800 MHZ
> signal that my Verizon phone would?

If SprintPCS has a roaming agreement with the same analog provider, then
yes.



> I understand that, all other things
> being equal, the Sprint phone will default to a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal;
> I'm just not clear what happens when roaming on Sprint and, more
> importantly, how it would compare with Verizon.

Everyplace is different depending on each companies roaming agreements.

>
> Obviously, the easy answer to this would be to try Sprint for 14 days
> and see how I like it. Unfortunately, I'm on a family plan with 4
> phones, so it would be a huge pain to try it, not like it, and go back
> to Verizon.
>
> I must say I haven't heard much good about Sprint in the past, but these
> companies change all the time. Any opinions? I remember in particular
> that Sprint had weak coverage in the Los Angeles area. Has that
> changed?
>
> Does anyone have any comments comparing the 1900 MHZ CDMA Sprint quality
> with Verizon's 800 MHZ CDMA quality?

All things being equal (and they never are), 800 MHz would be better;
but you've already indicated you think SprintPCS has better coverage in
your area.
Your best bet is to borrow your daughter's friends' Sprint phone
this weekend. Pay her $20 for the insult, it's a bargain to get good
hands-on knowledge of how good SprintPCS would be for you.

>
> Thanks in advance,
> Michael

"Michael L." <[email protected]> wrote:

>The sales rep at Radio Shack told me that he uses Sprint and likes it.
>He said that he has found a more stable, stronger signal from Sprint
>than Verizon here in Marin County California. I don't know if he has
>any particular agenda, but Radio Shack sells both Verizon and Sprint
>service, so I would assume that it's all the same to him.

I assume he gets a commission for selling new service, so he doesn't
care whether you change from Sprint to Verizon Wireless or Verizon
Wireless to Sprint - as long as you change.

>Obviously, the easy answer to this would be to try Sprint for 14 days
>and see how I like it. Unfortunately, I'm on a family plan with 4
>phones, so it would be a huge pain to try it, not like it, and go back
>to Verizon.

Why is that? You don't have to port all your numbers, or even one
number, to try a different carrier. When I was thinking of switching
from ATTWS to Verizon, I tried out the phone for a week and then ported
my number. It would have cost me a bit of money if I hadn't switched,
but not a lot (one prorated plan week).

>I must say I haven't heard much good about Sprint in the past, but these
>companies change all the time.

Yes, ATTWS was good when I started with them, but deteriorated greatly
over the past few years, in both coverage and customer service. I had
previously had Sprint service, but switched when I started to need
better roaming capabilities. With their new plans, that wouldn't be as
big a concern.

Have you tried a different Verizon phone? Maybe the model you have is
just a poor performer.


==
Jack Hamilton
[email protected]

==
In the end, more than they wanted freedom, they wanted comfort and security.
And in the end, they lost it all - freedom, comfort and security.
Edward Gibbons

"Røbert M." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Michael L." <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > My Verizon contract is up, and I went to Radio Shack today to compare
> > phones. I'm very happy with Verizon, except, and this is important, I
> > can only get a Verizon signal in one room of my house, and even that is
> > a bit spotty.
>
> Ask also in the Verizon group, maybe your current model phone is a dog
> as far as reception goes. Some LG and Samsung models of 2 years ago were
> poor.

Phillipe aka: Robert M. may be right ... however the bottom statement says
the daughter's phone has coverage problems as well.

> > My daughter tells me that one of her friends has Sprint,
> > and she gets reception everywhere in my house. My daughter also can't
> > get Verizon reception in her dorm room back in Massachusets, and she
> > says her friends with Sprint phones can.
> >
> > The sales rep at Radio Shack told me that he uses Sprint and likes it.
> > He said that he has found a more stable, stronger signal from Sprint
> > than Verizon here in Marin County California. I don't know if he has
> > any particular agenda, but Radio Shack sells both Verizon and Sprint
> > service, so I would assume that it's all the same to him.
>
> No, if he didnt tell you Sprint was better he wouldnt sell you.
> Certainly SprintPCS has millions of happy customers, and 1,400,000
> who left during the first quarter of this year.

I've noticed you've brought back that 1,400,000 number in the past two days.
So Phillipe, just where is that simple copy and paste, along with a page
number out of the 10Q. After 20 plus requests from quite a few people here,
including yours truly, you still haven't backed up your statement.

> I'd say borrow your daughter's friends Sprint phone this weekend.

That would be a good idea, as long as she didn't need it and had the N & W
option on here account.
>
>
> >
> > I like Verizon very much-- had customer service issues with them in the
> > past, but they've been better this past year, and they work well for me
> > when I travel in Los Angeles, where I spend a lot of time, and in the
> > East Coast, where I often do work as well. Reception in my home is a
> > significant issue, however, and I'd like to have it.
> >
> > The sales rep at Radio Shack pointed out that Sprint, like Verizon, is a
> > CDMA system and that many Sprint phones are tri-mode. I've read that
> > 1900 MHZ systems are not as good as 800 Mhz, but he pointed out that the
> > tri-mode Sprint phones are 1900, 800, and analogue, and he said that
> > with Sprint's Expanded Voice Coverage, a Sprint phone can roam nearly
> > everywhere in the US.
>
> Sprint natively uses only 1900 MHz. You can only roam where SprintPCS
> allows you to roam, not just anywhere.
>
>
> >
> > I have a few technical questions about that: does that mean that a
> > tri-mode Sprint phone would pick up the SAME analogue signal as my
> > Verizon phone in the outer reaches of Marin, where I sometimes rely on
> > an analogue signal? Does that mean that when a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal
> > is not reaching my phone when I travel, it will pick up the same 800 MHZ
> > signal that my Verizon phone would?

Actually, with SPCS's newly issued PRL, if you were out of SPCS's coverage,
you could be roaming on 800 CDMA before 800 Analog. It all depends on who
the agreement is with.
>
> If SprintPCS has a roaming agreement with the same analog provider, then
> yes.
>
> > I understand that, all other things
> > being equal, the Sprint phone will default to a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal;
> > I'm just not clear what happens when roaming on Sprint and, more
> > importantly, how it would compare with Verizon.
>
> Everyplace is different depending on each companies roaming agreements.
>
> >
> > Obviously, the easy answer to this would be to try Sprint for 14 days
> > and see how I like it. Unfortunately, I'm on a family plan with 4
> > phones, so it would be a huge pain to try it, not like it, and go back
> > to Verizon.

Well, you can try one phone on their new F & F plan, within the 14 day trial
period. If you find that it works for you, then you can decide whether you
want to port all your numbers off to SPCS.
> >
> > I must say I haven't heard much good about Sprint in the past, but these
> > companies change all the time. Any opinions? I remember in particular
> > that Sprint had weak coverage in the Los Angeles area. Has that
> > changed?
> >
Yes, it has. SPCS has added a lot of towers in the LA, SF & SD metro areas.
We have a few folks who post here from the LA & SF areas, and all find
satisfactory coverage.

> > Does anyone have any comments comparing the 1900 MHZ CDMA Sprint quality
> > with Verizon's 800 MHZ CDMA quality?
>
> All things being equal (and they never are), 800 MHz would be better;
> but you've already indicated you think SprintPCS has better coverage in
> your area.
> Your best bet is to borrow your daughter's friends' Sprint phone
> this weekend. Pay her $20 for the insult, it's a bargain to get good
> hands-on knowledge of how good SprintPCS would be for you.
>
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Michael

Anytime ...

Bob

In article <[email protected]>,
Jack Hamilton <[email protected]> wrote:

> Why is that? You don't have to port all your numbers, or even one
> number, to try a different carrier. When I was thinking of switching
> from ATTWS to Verizon, I tried out the phone for a week and then ported
> my number. It would have cost me a bit of money if I hadn't switched,
> but not a lot (one prorated plan week).

Sprint will charge you

Activation Fee
Prorated charges for initial short billing period
a Full month if you go 10 seconds past initial billing period.


So even a short 1 week trial on Sprint commonly will cost ~ $100

I switched to Verizon because I had a very poor reception with my Sprint
phone inside my house.

Before I switched to Verizon, I borrowed a Verizon phone from one of my
friends at work. During one lunch break, I took the phone home. I was
impressed because I can place/receive calls with a very good quality signal.
That made me decide that I have had it with Sprint. I had discussed this
problem with Sprint for almost 2 years but there was never a hint of
improvement on my signal quality in my house!


"Michael L." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My Verizon contract is up, and I went to Radio Shack today to compare
> phones. I'm very happy with Verizon, except, and this is important, I
> can only get a Verizon signal in one room of my house, and even that is
> a bit spotty. My daughter tells me that one of her friends has Sprint,
> and she gets reception everywhere in my house. My daughter also can't
> get Verizon reception in her dorm room back in Massachusets, and she
> says her friends with Sprint phones can.
>
> The sales rep at Radio Shack told me that he uses Sprint and likes it.
> He said that he has found a more stable, stronger signal from Sprint
> than Verizon here in Marin County California. I don't know if he has
> any particular agenda, but Radio Shack sells both Verizon and Sprint
> service, so I would assume that it's all the same to him.
>
> I like Verizon very much-- had customer service issues with them in the
> past, but they've been better this past year, and they work well for me
> when I travel in Los Angeles, where I spend a lot of time, and in the
> East Coast, where I often do work as well. Reception in my home is a
> significant issue, however, and I'd like to have it.
>
> The sales rep at Radio Shack pointed out that Sprint, like Verizon, is a
> CDMA system and that many Sprint phones are tri-mode. I've read that
> 1900 MHZ systems are not as good as 800 Mhz, but he pointed out that the
> tri-mode Sprint phones are 1900, 800, and analogue, and he said that
> with Sprint's Expanded Voice Coverage, a Sprint phone can roam nearly
> everywhere in the US.
>
> I have a few technical questions about that: does that mean that a
> tri-mode Sprint phone would pick up the SAME analogue signal as my
> Verizon phone in the outer reaches of Marin, where I sometimes rely on
> an analogue signal? Does that mean that when a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal
> is not reaching my phone when I travel, it will pick up the same 800 MHZ
> signal that my Verizon phone would? I understand that, all other things
> being equal, the Sprint phone will default to a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal;
> I'm just not clear what happens when roaming on Sprint and, more
> importantly, how it would compare with Verizon.
>
> Obviously, the easy answer to this would be to try Sprint for 14 days
> and see how I like it. Unfortunately, I'm on a family plan with 4
> phones, so it would be a huge pain to try it, not like it, and go back
> to Verizon.
>
> I must say I haven't heard much good about Sprint in the past, but these
> companies change all the time. Any opinions? I remember in particular
> that Sprint had weak coverage in the Los Angeles area. Has that
> changed?
>
> Does anyone have any comments comparing the 1900 MHZ CDMA Sprint quality
> with Verizon's 800 MHZ CDMA quality?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Michael

"Robert M." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Jack Hamilton <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Why is that? You don't have to port all your numbers, or even one
> > number, to try a different carrier. When I was thinking of switching
> > from ATTWS to Verizon, I tried out the phone for a week and then ported
> > my number. It would have cost me a bit of money if I hadn't switched,
> > but not a lot (one prorated plan week).
>
> Sprint will charge you
>
> Activation Fee
> Prorated charges for initial short billing period
> a Full month if you go 10 seconds past initial billing period.
>
>
> So even a short 1 week trial on Sprint commonly will cost ~ $100

Oh, I think it would be more like $50-$70. Can't see it coming close to
$100.

Bob

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> I switched to Verizon because I had a very poor reception with my Sprint
> phone inside my house.
>
> Before I switched to Verizon, I borrowed a Verizon phone from one of my
> friends at work. During one lunch break, I took the phone home. I was
> impressed because I can place/receive calls with a very good quality signal.
> That made me decide that I have had it with Sprint. I had discussed this
> problem with Sprint for almost 2 years but there was never a hint of
> improvement on my signal quality in my house!
>
>
> "Michael L." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > My Verizon contract is up, and I went to Radio Shack today to compare
> > phones. I'm very happy with Verizon, except, and this is important, I
> > can only get a Verizon signal in one room of my house, and even that is
> > a bit spotty. My daughter tells me that one of her friends has Sprint,
> > and she gets reception everywhere in my house. My daughter also can't
> > get Verizon reception in her dorm room back in Massachusets, and she
> > says her friends with Sprint phones can.
> >
> > The sales rep at Radio Shack told me that he uses Sprint and likes it.
> > He said that he has found a more stable, stronger signal from Sprint
> > than Verizon here in Marin County California. I don't know if he has
> > any particular agenda, but Radio Shack sells both Verizon and Sprint
> > service, so I would assume that it's all the same to him.
> >
> > I like Verizon very much-- had customer service issues with them in the
> > past, but they've been better this past year, and they work well for me
> > when I travel in Los Angeles, where I spend a lot of time, and in the
> > East Coast, where I often do work as well. Reception in my home is a
> > significant issue, however, and I'd like to have it.
> >
> > The sales rep at Radio Shack pointed out that Sprint, like Verizon, is a
> > CDMA system and that many Sprint phones are tri-mode. I've read that
> > 1900 MHZ systems are not as good as 800 Mhz, but he pointed out that the
> > tri-mode Sprint phones are 1900, 800, and analogue, and he said that
> > with Sprint's Expanded Voice Coverage, a Sprint phone can roam nearly
> > everywhere in the US.
> >
> > I have a few technical questions about that: does that mean that a
> > tri-mode Sprint phone would pick up the SAME analogue signal as my
> > Verizon phone in the outer reaches of Marin, where I sometimes rely on
> > an analogue signal? Does that mean that when a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal
> > is not reaching my phone when I travel, it will pick up the same 800 MHZ
> > signal that my Verizon phone would? I understand that, all other things
> > being equal, the Sprint phone will default to a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal;
> > I'm just not clear what happens when roaming on Sprint and, more
> > importantly, how it would compare with Verizon.
> >
Funny - I'm now having this problem with Verizon, when I never had it
before.

I think we should try to post with our location - btw, I'm in Manhattan

Louise

In alt.cellular.sprintpcs Michael L. <[email protected]> wrote:
> My Verizon contract is up, and I went to Radio Shack today to compare
> phones. I'm very happy with Verizon, except, and this is important, I
> can only get a Verizon signal in one room of my house, and even that is
> a bit spotty. My daughter tells me that one of her friends has Sprint,
> and she gets reception everywhere in my house. My daughter also can't
> get Verizon reception in her dorm room back in Massachusets, and she
> says her friends with Sprint phones can.

Ok, how does Sprint work at YOUR house and in other places where you use
it? That's what counts. Verizon and Sprint both work well in most of Southern
California, for example, but Verizon has a few issues up here in the Victor
Valley that are causing me to move to Sprint - but I already know Sprint
works everywhere I need it to, since my wife has a Sprint phone. It is
essential that you check coverage BEFORE you make a committment, since you
know someone who has the service.

> Obviously, the easy answer to this would be to try Sprint for 14 days
> and see how I like it. Unfortunately, I'm on a family plan with 4
> phones, so it would be a huge pain to try it, not like it, and go back
> to Verizon.

So don't get rid of the Verizon contract until you're sure a Sprint phone
will work where you need it to. Obviously, only try one phone at first.

> I must say I haven't heard much good about Sprint in the past, but these
> companies change all the time. Any opinions? I remember in particular
> that Sprint had weak coverage in the Los Angeles area. Has that
> changed?

They're solid in the areas where I go, but I hang out primarily in the Inland
Empire, especially Rancho Cucamonga and San Bernardino, and I live in the
High Desert (Apple Valley, and I spend tons of time in Victorville, Adelanto
and Hesperia too). Coverage in the places I've been to (Anaheim and Orange
County, and west and south of LA) has been good. However, there are probably
other people here who can give you a better picture of LA proper.

> Does anyone have any comments comparing the 1900 MHZ CDMA Sprint quality
> with Verizon's 800 MHZ CDMA quality?

1900 MHz is supposed to have a harder time penetrating buildings than
800 MHz. However, I've not seen any major differences. (Remember that Verizon
is 1900 in certain areas too.)

I am both a Verizon *and* Sprint customer right now, with my phone being
a VZ phone and my wife's a Sprint phone, but I'm porting my number to Sprint
due to some issues at my house and in a couple spots in Victorville where I
spend a lot of my time.

--
JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, http://JustThe.net/
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / [email protected]
PGP Key available from your friendly local key server (0xE3AE35ED)
Apple Valley, California Nothing scares me anymore. I have three kids.

"Michael L." <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> My Verizon contract is up, and I went to Radio Shack today to
> compare phones. I'm very happy with Verizon, except, and this is
> important, I can only get a Verizon signal in one room of my
> house, and even that is a bit spotty. My daughter tells me that
> one of her friends has Sprint, and she gets reception everywhere
> in my house. My daughter also can't get Verizon reception in her
> dorm room back in Massachusets, and she says her friends with
> Sprint phones can.
>
> The sales rep at Radio Shack told me that he uses Sprint and likes
> it. He said that he has found a more stable, stronger signal from
> Sprint than Verizon here in Marin County California. I don't know
> if he has any particular agenda, but Radio Shack sells both
> Verizon and Sprint service, so I would assume that it's all the
> same to him.
>
> I like Verizon very much-- had customer service issues with them
> in the past, but they've been better this past year, and they work
> well for me when I travel in Los Angeles, where I spend a lot of
> time, and in the East Coast, where I often do work as well.
> Reception in my home is a significant issue, however, and I'd like
> to have it.
>
> The sales rep at Radio Shack pointed out that Sprint, like
> Verizon, is a CDMA system and that many Sprint phones are
> tri-mode. I've read that 1900 MHZ systems are not as good as 800
> Mhz, but he pointed out that the tri-mode Sprint phones are 1900,
> 800, and analogue, and he said that with Sprint's Expanded Voice
> Coverage, a Sprint phone can roam nearly everywhere in the US.
>
> I have a few technical questions about that: does that mean that
> a tri-mode Sprint phone would pick up the SAME analogue signal as
> my Verizon phone in the outer reaches of Marin, where I sometimes
> rely on an analogue signal? Does that mean that when a 1900 MHZ
> Sprint signal is not reaching my phone when I travel, it will pick
> up the same 800 MHZ signal that my Verizon phone would? I
> understand that, all other things being equal, the Sprint phone
> will default to a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal; I'm just not clear what
> happens when roaming on Sprint and, more importantly, how it would
> compare with Verizon.
>
> Obviously, the easy answer to this would be to try Sprint for 14
> days and see how I like it. Unfortunately, I'm on a family plan
> with 4 phones, so it would be a huge pain to try it, not like it,
> and go back to Verizon.
>
> I must say I haven't heard much good about Sprint in the past, but
> these companies change all the time. Any opinions? I remember
> in particular that Sprint had weak coverage in the Los Angeles
> area. Has that changed?
>
> Does anyone have any comments comparing the 1900 MHZ CDMA Sprint
> quality with Verizon's 800 MHZ CDMA quality?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Michael

If you have a phone that allows it, you may be able to force Sprint PCS
on your Verizon phone. I'm in the San Francisco Bay area and on my
LG4400B I can force roaming on Sprint (extended network) by going to
menu 0 (then 000000) -> 3 -> PCS only. This will allow you to test
Sprint in your home. Restore Verizon by selecting Automatic (or CDMA
only if you want to block out analog).

--
regards,
jerry

Michael -

I live in SF and work in Oakland, have 4 phones on my plan, and am very
satisfied with Sprint PCS service here, and in LA when we visit there.
I've been a customer since 1997 and have had no customer service issues.

Verizon is Sprint's primary roaming partner in the SF Bay Area, so yes,
if your Sprint phone can't find a Sprint signal in West Marin, and if
you set your Sprint phone to allow it to roam off of Sprint, then it
will use the same Verizon signal (CDMA 800 or analog 800) that your
Verizon phone uses. But it will cost 69 cents/min, unless you have a
Free & Clear America Plan for $5 extra per month (then no extra cost).

In other cities around the country, the preferred roaming partner may be
Verizon, or it may be some other carrier that gave Sprint a better deal,
so roaming coverage (off the Sprint network) may not be the same as for
your Verizon phone. Sprint's map shows they have roaming agreements
nearly everywhere, but they may not all be using the same providers that
your Verizon phone was using. In Cleveland, Ohio, the two cellular
providers are Verizon (A-side) and Alltel (B-side). I was just there,
and when I was in a weak Sprint signal area between towers on the Ohio
Tpk west of Youngstown, or if I set my phone to 'analog only', it used
Alltel, not Verizon.

--
Frank Harris in San Francisco with an A620

I do not think that there is much difference in building
penetration between 800 and 1900 Mhz systems. The real difference is
how far you are from the antenna site and what is between you and it.
In most places there are two cellular (800 Mhz) carriers. If
verizon or Sprint PCS do not have service in a certain area, they can
choose either analog carrier. Sometimes they are the same. Sometimes
verizon roams on Sprint PCS. Sometimes Sprint PCS roams on verizon.


Michael L. wrote:
> My Verizon contract is up, and I went to Radio Shack today to compare
> phones. I'm very happy with Verizon, except, and this is important, I
> can only get a Verizon signal in one room of my house, and even that is
> a bit spotty. My daughter tells me that one of her friends has Sprint,
> and she gets reception everywhere in my house. My daughter also can't
> get Verizon reception in her dorm room back in Massachusets, and she
> says her friends with Sprint phones can.
>
> The sales rep at Radio Shack told me that he uses Sprint and likes it.
> He said that he has found a more stable, stronger signal from Sprint
> than Verizon here in Marin County California. I don't know if he has
> any particular agenda, but Radio Shack sells both Verizon and Sprint
> service, so I would assume that it's all the same to him.
>
> I like Verizon very much-- had customer service issues with them in the
> past, but they've been better this past year, and they work well for me
> when I travel in Los Angeles, where I spend a lot of time, and in the
> East Coast, where I often do work as well. Reception in my home is a
> significant issue, however, and I'd like to have it.
>
> The sales rep at Radio Shack pointed out that Sprint, like Verizon, is a
> CDMA system and that many Sprint phones are tri-mode. I've read that
> 1900 MHZ systems are not as good as 800 Mhz, but he pointed out that the
> tri-mode Sprint phones are 1900, 800, and analogue, and he said that
> with Sprint's Expanded Voice Coverage, a Sprint phone can roam nearly
> everywhere in the US.
>
> I have a few technical questions about that: does that mean that a
> tri-mode Sprint phone would pick up the SAME analogue signal as my
> Verizon phone in the outer reaches of Marin, where I sometimes rely on
> an analogue signal? Does that mean that when a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal
> is not reaching my phone when I travel, it will pick up the same 800 MHZ
> signal that my Verizon phone would? I understand that, all other things
> being equal, the Sprint phone will default to a 1900 MHZ Sprint signal;
> I'm just not clear what happens when roaming on Sprint and, more
> importantly, how it would compare with Verizon.
>
> Obviously, the easy answer to this would be to try Sprint for 14 days
> and see how I like it. Unfortunately, I'm on a family plan with 4
> phones, so it would be a huge pain to try it, not like it, and go back
> to Verizon.
>
> I must say I haven't heard much good about Sprint in the past, but these
> companies change all the time. Any opinions? I remember in particular
> that Sprint had weak coverage in the Los Angeles area. Has that
> changed?
>
> Does anyone have any comments comparing the 1900 MHZ CDMA Sprint quality
> with Verizon's 800 MHZ CDMA quality?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Michael

In article <%[email protected]>,
Jerome Zelinske <[email protected]> wrote:

> I do not think that there is much difference in building
> penetration between 800 and 1900 Mhz systems. The real difference is
> how far you are from the antenna site and what is between you and it.
> In most places there are two cellular (800 Mhz) carriers. If
> verizon or Sprint PCS do not have service in a certain area, they can
> choose either analog carrier. Sometimes they are the same. Sometimes
> verizon roams on Sprint PCS. Sometimes Sprint PCS roams on verizon.

I am not aware of SprintPCS using 800 MHz anywhere. I am not aware of
SprintPCS having any analog service of its own - anywhere.

In article <[email protected]>,
Frank Harris <[email protected]> wrote:

> Michael -
>
> I live in SF and work in Oakland, have 4 phones on my plan, and am very
> satisfied with Sprint PCS service here, and in LA when we visit there.
> I've been a customer since 1997 and have had no customer service issues.
>
> Verizon is Sprint's primary roaming partner in the SF Bay Area, so yes,
> if your Sprint phone can't find a Sprint signal in West Marin, and if
> you set your Sprint phone to allow it to roam off of Sprint, then it
> will use the same Verizon signal (CDMA 800 or analog 800) that your
> Verizon phone uses. But it will cost 69 cents/min, unless you have a
> Free & Clear America Plan for $5 extra per month (then no extra cost).

ONLY if total roaming minutes are less than half of the total minutes
used that month.

On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 22:44:31 -0700, Frank Harris
<[email protected]> wrote:

>In other cities around the country, the preferred roaming partner may be
>Verizon, or it may be some other carrier that gave Sprint a better deal,
>so roaming coverage (off the Sprint network) may not be the same as for
>your Verizon phone. Sprint's map shows they have roaming agreements
>nearly everywhere, but they may not all be using the same providers that
> your Verizon phone was using. In Cleveland, Ohio, the two cellular
>providers are Verizon (A-side) and Alltel (B-side). I was just there,
>and when I was in a weak Sprint signal area between towers on the Ohio
>Tpk west of Youngstown, or if I set my phone to 'analog only', it used
>Alltel, not Verizon.

This may not have been what you think. In the Youngstown area,
Verizon HAS no network... in fact, even VZW phones use Alltel in that
area. If you look at a VZW coverage map, Mahoning and Trumbull
counties are "Extended Network".

I forget who the other A/B carrier in the market is...I think it's DBA
Cellular One.

Mike