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Sprint confirms unlimited data for iPhones, but not so fast

by Mike Schramm Oct 5th 2011 at 7:30PM

Just in case you missed the news at the end of the conference yesterday, the rumors are all true: Sprint is indeed carrying the iPhone 4S, and a spokesperson for the company confirms Sprint will offer an unlimited data plan for iPhone users. That means if you were one of the many users (myself included) who switched away from Sprint for AT&T way back when the iPhone debuted, you can now consider the option of switching back, at least later on this month when the iPhone 4S debuts.

But you may want to think about that option carefully. While Sprint is offering an unlimited data plan on the CDMA 3G network, that network is relatively untested for iPhone levels of traffic, so there may be just as many issues there as AT&T and Verizon have had with the iPhone in the past. Yes, it's possible that fewer customers will be using Sprint's network, but the iPhone drags a lot of data down, and the iPhone 4S will call for and send data back and forth even faster than the current model. Customers who run over to Sprint may not find the grass is as green as they thought. [It's also worth noting that both AT&T and Verizon offered unlimited data plans for the iPhone at launch, but both companies quickly rescinded them and rolled out tiered data plans. --Ed]

Still, options are always nice, and a three-way iPhone battle between US carriers will be interesting. AT&T is obviously still the grandfather of running the iPhone, but Sprint may set its targets on Verizon first, making for some real competition between those two services. We'll see how it all plays out.



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Just in case you missed the news at the end of the conference yesterday, the rumors are all true: Sprint is indeed carrying the iPhone...
 

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19 Comments

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James

I have a Evo 3D and use much more data (3-4GB/mth) vs 1-2 on my iPhone 3G on ATT...i can't see just because it's a iPhone that it will be any different... Unless people use their phone "ONLY" to download apps, music, movies, etc, i do 80% of my app purchases on my computer with iPhone than on 3G....

October 06 2011 at 10:11 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
71-RTW

This is getting worked up over nothing. Sprint has many handsets that consume just as much data as the iPhone (substantially all android handsets). Sure there might be an influx of customers from VZ and T coming to Sprint, but certainly not enough to hinder the network, as this article suggests.

October 06 2011 at 3:28 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
InKC

I live about 5 minutes from the Sprint World headquarters, and everybody in my house is with Sprint except me, I switched to At&t for the iPhone. (I barely get signal in my house). I work for the pre-paid sector of Sprint and they just introduced some new phones yesterday, with a increase in the price of the plan. Kind of disappointed about that, so I would not rule out Sprint changing up there services later on.

October 06 2011 at 12:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chris Mori

Sprint will be fine. They have plenty of android phones.

October 06 2011 at 12:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Aaron Hill

Fantastic, I got off ATT because my service suffered. Now my Sprint service will be treated to the iPhone data bog as well. I knew there was a reason that Sprints stock had dropped.

October 06 2011 at 11:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Marty Mankins

Agree with elranzer comment about the networks. Sprint's data network is pretty solid and for those of us that have been on it for many years, it's only gotten better.

I've always heard complaints about AT&T's network and it only got worse when they got the iPhone. I'm really hoping that Sprint has prepared for this day.

October 06 2011 at 11:45 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
icenfs46

In my area (southern New England), Sprint service is awful. I'm happy with AT&T because of more coverage and better overall customer service.

October 06 2011 at 11:34 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bjbjohnson

Are there places where Verizon is struggling to manage data traffic? Because I certainly haven't seen it. I've had my Verizon iPhone since March and my data coverage has been solid all along.

October 06 2011 at 11:32 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tjp

AT&T supports simultaneous voice (phone call) and internet connections. Verizon does not. I seem to recall in the mists of time my Handspring Treo on Sprint supported simultaneous connections as well. (Though Internet access was unlimited and cost only $10 a month too...) Does the current Sprint network and iPhone on Sprint perhaps support Internet access while on a voice call? This could pull a lot of people over to Sprint if it does ...

October 06 2011 at 11:26 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Tjp's comment
lwandrewo

> Does the current Sprint network and iPhone on Sprint perhaps support Internet access while on a voice call?

No. Like Verizon, Sprint uses CDMA technology and it is CDMA that imposes this limitation. AT&T uses GSM which is what let's the ATAT-iPhone surf while talking.

October 06 2011 at 5:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
LEFAN4

Essentially simultaneous voice and data works fine on my Android phone on Sprint. The voice is broken in to data packets and interleaved with the data and it's basically seamless. I can surf and talk at the same time on 3G, no problem. 4G works better for this but the wimax coverage is lacking.

The whole "it doesn't work" thing is just repeated by people who have never actually tried it, or they read that it doesn't work and take it for granted.

October 06 2011 at 10:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ray Marotta

Just Remember, The iPhone 4S (AT&T Version) will be twice as fast at downloading data than VZ or Sprint, (CDMA),

And I STILL Love my Unlimited Data Plan on AT&T from my Original iPhone...

Reviews:
PC Mag: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2394164,00.asp#fbid=u31QwzSE3bx

October 06 2011 at 6:00 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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