For the most recent info, see the 2011 Sprint 4G Coverage Review
<< (Page 4 of 5: 2010 Sprint Mobile Broadband Review) >>
After multiple years, the same statement on Sprint coverage still stands:
Sprint has 3G speeds on most interstates and just about everywhere in any major city.
Despite their horrible churn (customer retention rate), Sprint has a pretty robust 3G network following the acquisition of Nextel some years back.
I’ve personally tested it over 1001 miles of highway at 70 miles per hour (New Orleans to Jacksonville and Tampa to Atlanta) and I had my connection get dropped once…for 15 minutes total. That’s solid. It’s even helped me out when I blew a tire at 80 miles/hr“.
Sprint’s got a really bad reputation when it comes to cell phone service. Fortunately, that bad reputation doesn’t carry over into their mobile broadband network.
As a testimony to this, Amazon’s Kindle (an E-book reader) uses Sprint’s 3G network exclusively to connect to the online store.
With expected sales of $1 billion dollars in 2010, the Amazon Kindle is entirely dependent on Sprint’s mobile broadband network to make their digital book sales.
That speaks a large volume about their faith in the network’s 3G coverage, reliability and speed.
As covered in “Who’s Got The Best 3G Coverage?“, Sprint got 90.5% reliability in establishing and maintaining connections (AT&T had 68% reliability rating according to PCWorld.com).
Sounds Awesome, What About My Backyard?
Check out the Sprint coverage tool by clicking the map below. Be sure to click on ‘Data, Email and Multimedia’ before plugging in your street address.
But What About 4G Coverage?
While the gameplan is to have 80 markets with 4G coverage by the end of 2010, current 4G coverage is scattered across the 50 states.
You’ll be able to tell at a glance if it’s available where you are below:
If Clear’s map isn’t loading, find coverage info here.
Your city not covered? Sprint has a handy tool that’ll notify you when 4G gets to your house.
How Do I Get On The 3G or 4G Network?
Whether you get a nifty MiFi or James Bond-esque Sprint Overdrive 3G/4G personal hotspot, you’ll be needing some kind of Sprint broadband device to soak up some mobile broadband.
Next up, compare personal hotspots and Sprint broadband cards.
<<PREVIOUS PAGE | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NEXT PAGE >>
Sprint is a joke. They claim to have all this coverage. Well, they don’t. Having purchased a Galaxy Tab from Sprint, the 3G coverage in our area is horrid. I personally have Verizon’s version and NEVER loose 3G signal. But in Raleigh, half the towers aren’t putting out a decent 3G signal even with 4 bars showing on device. Sprint customer support is horrible. Spent literally ALL DAY on phone with tech support, while looking at a 3G signal meter showing their towers signals weak. They kept demanding that it was my device. The Sprint cell phone also doesn’t connect 3G most of the time. After spending all day on the phone, they offered a $10 refund. Oh thank you Sprint.
Called Samsung tech support since device is under warranty, thier official answer? “Jailbreak (unlock) the tablet and switch to a QUALITY CARRIER”.
Samsung even hates Sprint.