My Sprint PCS Wireless Experience Part II (Review)

[Gamer03]

As promised, here is my review, including the db reading in the areas that my family and I visited and traveled through from July 11 to July 26.

IMHO, I would give Sprint PCS and their roaming partners a 85% reliability of actual coverage and useable signal from the towers out west.

Sprint PCS Review (from July 11 to July 26):

Ft. Myers (Southwest Florida International Airport)
Db’s: -98 (1 bar)

Denver International Airport
Db’s: -68 (4 bars)

Albuquerque International (Sunport)
Db’s: -101 to -103 (1 bar)

I-40 west (Albuquerque to Laguna)
Db’s: Alltel Digital (-98)

Laguna, NM to Acoma
Db’s: -87

Acoma to Coolidge, NM
Db’s: -78 (4 bars)

Gallup, NM to NM/AZ Border
Db’s: -101 to -104 (lost signal part of the way)

AZ Border to Petrified National Forest
Db’s: -103

Petrified National Forest
Db’s: -101 (lost signal 20 miles into forest, and picked it up: Alltel Digital at the exit

180 to Holbrook, Arizona
Db’s: -101

Holbrook, Arizona to Flagstaff, Arizona (I-40 west)
Db’s: -98

Flagstaff, Arizona
Db’s: -79

Coconino National Forest (Oak Creek Viewpoint)
Db’s: Alltel Digital (-103); edge of viewpoint (-104: Sprint)

89A South to Sedona from Flagstaff
Db’s: -105

Sedona, Arizona
Db’s: -63 (4 bars)

Sedona to 170 South (to pick up I-17 North)
Db’s: -98

I-17 North to Flagstaff
Db’s: -98

Flagstaff to Grand Canyon, Arizona (via 180)
Db’s: lost signal 7 miles north of Flagstaff; picked up Alltel Digital/Analog on 180

Valle, Arizona
Db’s: -101 (Sprint); not useable

19 miles outside of Grand Canyon on 180
Db’s: -104 (Sprint)

4 miles from Grand Canyon entrance
Db’s: -81 (Alltel Digital)

Grand Canyon South Rim
Db’s: -87 to -93 (Alltel Digital); no Sprint PCS

Flagstaff to Kayenta, Arizona
Db’s: -103 (Alltel Digital/Analog)

Kayenta, Arizona
Db’s: no service

Kayenta to Four Corners (via 160 east)
Db’s: -103 (Alltel Analog)

Four Corners to Durango, Colorado (via 160 east)
Db’s: -101 (Alltel Digital)

Cortez, Colorado to Durango, Colorado (via 160 east)
Db’s: -98 (Alltel Digital)

Mesa Verde
Db’s: -101 (Alltel Digital)

Purgatory, Colorado
Db’s: -92 (Alltel Digital)

Purgatory to Durango, Colorado
Db’s: -44 (3 miles north of Durango on 550 South)

Durango to Aztec, New Mexico (via 550 South)
Db’s: -93

Aztec to Albuquerque, New Mexico (550/25 South)
Db’s: -90 (Alltel Digital)

1-25 South to Albuquerque
Db’s: -92 (Sprint)

Albuquerque, New Mexico
Db’s: -64 (Sprint)

Chicago, Illinois (Michigan Avenue & Marshall Fields in the Loop)
Db’s: -79 (Sprint)

Midway Airport (inside of the airport)
Db’s: -75 (Sprint)

[Andy]

Thanks for that report...Hope you had a good time
Some of the airports had surprisingly low db readings...wierd!

[BKKloppenborg]

Originally Posted by Andy84094

Thanks for that report...Hope you had a good time
Some of the airports had surprisingly low db readings...wierd!

When i had my Verizon phone and went to the airport i would have probelms with it. Especally MIN airport got about 0-1 bars about a (-99). Then at the airport in IA same thing but as soon as i get out of airports full signal lol.

[Gamer03]

Thanks.

Yes I did have a good time.

I know.

I guess it just depended where I was in the airport (Ft. Myers, Denver, Albuquerque, and Midway).

The scenery and elevations out west were awesome.

The highest elevation we were at was 13780 or something like that near Ouray, Colorado on the Million Dollar Highway.

The weird thing is that my sinuses were screwed up on vacation, but now that we are back home, they are back to normal. I guess it is because our house is 15-18 feet above sea level, and 13780 is definitely higher than our house...

[Airb330]

Did you see the Alltel tower at the Grand Canyon? They were the only ones to work in the village, though Verizon and ATT GSM picked up at some spots along the rim. In Tusayan (1 mile from entrance) only ATT and Alltel analog worked there. Alltel sure kicks Verizon's butt in Arizona.

[larry]

Good thing Sprint has a roaming agreement with Alltel in AZ. Since they seem to have the best rural coverage it comes in handy.

[Gamer03]

Originally Posted by Airb330

Did you see the Alltel tower at the Grand Canyon? They were the only ones to work in the village, though Verizon and ATT GSM picked up at some spots along the rim. In Tusayan (1 mile from entrance) only ATT and Alltel analog worked there. Alltel sure kicks Verizon's butt in Arizona.

We didn't go inside the village, and I didn't see the Alltel's tower.

we however had a good Alltel Digital signal around the rim, and by the visitor's center.

Alltel sure kicks Verizon's butt in Arizona.

That's true.

[Gamer03]

Originally Posted by larry

Good thing Sprint has a roaming agreement with Alltel in AZ. Since they seem to have the best rural coverage it comes in handy.

Yes it does come in handy.

I sort of wish we had Alltel, but they don't have as good as a phone selection as Sprint does.

[Gideon H]

Not only is the selection bad... but I heard from many people that Alltel is an as$ of a company.

[azcellphonejunkie]

Originally Posted by Gideon H

Not only is the selection bad... but I heard from many people that Alltel is an as$ of a company.

I work with various people in the Alltel organization and yes some of them are not the most chipper people. However that being said, the company itself is a good one and has great coverage in many places (namely here in AZ).

[BillRadio]

Originally Posted by azcellphonejunkie

However that being said, the company itself is a good one and has great coverage in many places (namely here in AZ).

I really only have good things to say about Alltel. Ocassionally, I get a call from some of them correcting something I've posted on our web site. The good news is Alltel has become a big company. The bad news is Alltel has become a big company. But in certain parts of the country, they are the coverage leader, yes even above Verizon.

[TNDan21]

I have nothing bad to say about ALLTEL. They have very good coverage in my area. They also have good rate plans and the customer service seems ok. They are a well ran wireless company. My only complaint with them is there phone selection is weak. It however is getting better.