Sprint/Verizon EVDO compared

[xenophon]

Performance as of Feb 4, 2006

__________________________________________________ __________
Sprint
Performance
Entries: 122
Average: 774Kbps
Median: 746Kbps
Peak: 1868Kbps
>1Mbps: 27%
>600Kbps: 64%
<400Kbps: 17%

Verizon
Performance
Entries: 159
Average: 594Kbps
Median: 610Kbps
Peak: 1976Kbps
>1Mbps: 7%
>600Kbps: 51%
<400Kbps: 24%

Performance results from.....

Verizon:
http://www.broadbandreports.com/archive/myvzw.com

Sprint:
http://www.broadbandreports.com/archive/spcsdns.net

To test yourself...
http://speedtest.frontiernet.net/

Perfermance Methodology: Filtered out are unrealistic results (dl over 2Mbps and ul over 200K) and multiple entries by zipcode within a few hours. For duplicate zips near same time, the highest speed was kept. This should give more realistic averages and factor out people who test multiple times in a row. These are all entries that have over 130Kbit/sec. The assumption is, if under 130K, it might have been a 1xRTT connection.



Sprint
EVDO Coverage claimed: 150m+ population (dec), 110+ distinct markets (jan), expansion to 260m in 2007. EVDO Coverage Map

Verizon
EVDO Coverage claimed: 150m+ population (dec), 70+ distinct markets (jan), no source on expansion plans. . EVDO Coverage Map - select Vcast

Sprint
EVDO Terms of Service: No specific restrictions other than unlawful or excessive abuse. Sprint actually promotes streaming video and online game use.

Verizon
EVDO Terms of Service: Not allowed... Legal streaming music/movies/radio, VoIP, online games among other things.

Sprint
EVDO Rates: Laptop cards $60-$80/month. PowerVision phones start at $15/month, includes unlimited data/browsing within phone. USB tethering to laptop officially available on all PowerVision phones with two plan options - $25/month for 40MB with per KB charge that caps to $70/month OR (new) $40/month unlimited flat charge.

Verizon
EVDO Rates: Laptop cards $60-$80/month. VCast phones start at $15/month, includes unlimited data/browsing within phone. USB tethering to laptop officially available on new BlackBerry EVDO phone and some VCast phones. $60/month unlimited flat charge.

Sprint
Key Points:
- More markets have EVDO, especially <1.5 million; large expansion plan to 100% of network
- Avg performance currently higher
- Lower priced EVDO USB/Bluetooth phone tethering
- Almost entirely unrestricted Terms of Service
- EVDO built in some Panasonic Toughbooks
- Free EVDO laptop cards til April 1 '06
- Sprint support monitors/responds on evdoforums.com
- Sprint's first level support is often poor, go direct to Tier 2 data group - 1.866.818.1944

Verizon
Key Points:
- Can roam slower 1xRTT data on some partners
- May have broader coverage on outskirts of some larger metro areas
- Official Mac support for some laptops
- EVDO built in some IBM/HP laptops
- Call-in customer support generally considered better

Voice and 1xRTT Networks:
According to the Sprint/Nextel FCC application in 2005, Sprint had over 24,000 cell sites and will be adding 14,000 more on Nextel sites by 2008, adding 1000 for end of 2005. According to this in Feb 2006, Verizon had "over 24,000" cell sites. This suggests Verizon had 22,000 and Sprint had 25,000 sites in Aug 2005.

Verizon claims to reach over 250 million population with native network. Sprint claims to reach over 250 million population with native network and 268 million combined with Nextel sites. Both Sprint and Verizon claim to reach over 290 million with roaming.

[xenophon]

Found the source on Sprint free EVDO laptop cards with 2yr agreement.
http://www.Sprint.com/business/produ...ctionCards.jsp

According to RCR Wireless news, Sprint is adding EVDO on towers at a rate of covering 13 million more population each week. I can't find the online version but is on page 8 of Jan 23 print edition.

[xenophon]

The info in the first post will be updated regularly at this location....

http://www.evdoforums.com/viewtopic....63badc199985d6

Cingular HSDPA comparisons now as well.

[cryogenic]

I have Verizon's EVDO and I fall into the less than 400kbps category most of the time... I'll occasionally get over 500 but more often than not I'm in the 250-350kbps range. Speeds tend to fluctuate pretty wildly in my area, though and I've actually seen sub-100kbps speeds without my phone going into 1x. I'm not sure what Verizon's issue is here but the network speeds aren't so hot.

[xenophon]

The reason may be because Knoxville is apparantley an 800mhz market only for Verizon...
http://wirelessadvisor.com/checkzip.cfm?zip=37901

The 800mhz towers do not have as much EVDO capacity as 1900mhz towers. This appears to be part of the reason why Sprint's performance averages are higher than Verizon's as Sprint has all 1900mhz towers.

[strunke]

Thought that I would give my 2 cents about the Alltel EVDO. I am getting about 775 kbps after three tests. Alltel has the cellular band here.

[gubak]

Very nice speed comparisons. Thank you xenophon!