Sprint flier

[KevinJames]

I went shopping at Best Best for a product that, as it turns out, doesn't exist. In the meantime, I decided to take a look at the latest phone offerings and picked up Sprint's flier (CFRESEP03). In a comparison grid, Sprint provided the following--Here is an excerpt from the flier:

Largest, all-digital, advanced nationawide network so your calls are crystal clear Sprint: Yes; Other carriers: No
Offers more advanced services like Picture Mail email, Ringers, Screen Savers, Games.... Sprint: Yes; Other carriers: No
Voicemail, Caller ID, PCS to PCS calling and PCS Voice Command works the same ... Sprint: Yes; Other carriers: No
Offers yo the broadest selection of phones, the most full-color screens & ...accessories Sprint: Yes; Other carriers: No

The truth of the matter is that ATT and Cingular offer all those products & services. I'm sure Verizon must also.

Larry, this is not a affront or an effort to provoke. Surprisingly, I have been considering Sprint as an alternative for some time now. But I personally find this sort of advertising very reprehensible & a real turn-off.

[ComicalMoodyDan]

Kevin if you think about it. What Sprint PCS says is actually true. They do have the largest all digital network nationwide. It covers more pops digitally then any other carrier. The data offerings from Sprint on a handset are pretty good right now better then any other carrier out there.

When Sprint talks about voicemail, caller ID, PCS to PCS, etc... thats true also. You have to understand Sprint is a totally all digital network. So as long as you are on the Sprint Network your features will be the same nationwide. That's not true with other carriers such as Verizon whom you may hit a analog spot on there network and some of your features such as Caller ID and voicemail notification may or may not work. Sprint also does have a pretty good selection of phones but thats all about a personal prefence. That one is argueable.

While the flyer may be "Stretching" the truth a bit. All carriers pretty much do that so don't blame it all on Sprint. All wireless companies stretch the truth a bit.

[ILUVSOCAL]

It may be the largest in their view, but it doesn't serve either where I live in California or many of the areas I travel to in the state, and my features (voice, data, vm indicator, sms, caller id, mms, etc.) all work seamlessly across all networks with my GSM AT&T and Cingular GSM phones, one of the advantages of GSM over CDMA in my opinion. It sounds like the marketing guys at Sprint got a little TOO over zealous, maybe they have been reading Bush's playbook [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

[danny boi]

T-Dan 21, let me clear up a common myth. Verizon's network is all digital now. All voicemail, caller id, and text messaging work the same unless there is a transmission error which all carriers are subject too. What is not 100% consistent is their web service which is not available in all areas. Because the FCC mandates that their older towers continue to emit analog until they say to stop, some fringe areas will see analog only because the signal travels farther. Roaming is different. No carrier can guarantee their enhanced services to work off their native network whether roaming digital or analog. Using web services from other carriers, I can tell you that there still needs to be decent reception to utilize everything to the fullest. Even if a carrier has service in a particular area, if the service is weak, wireless internet suffers and is prone to "network error" or "connection aborted" messages.

I was impressed with Sprint's wireless internet as I used it for the first time the other day at work. It kept consistent speeds over 100k. We are going to roll out a wireless internet service for our employees as part of an added benefit of working for our company. We will be testing out different ones including the EDGE service currently offered by AT&T Wireless.

[AnthroMatt]

Originally posted by: YourDaddy T-Dan 21, let me clear up a common myth. Verizon's network is all digital now. All voicemail, caller id, and text messaging work the same unless there is a transmission error which all carriers are subject too.

Sprint is, as Dan said, "stretching" the truth a bit. What I think Sprint is considering when they make their claims are the places where you will not be charged for roaming (no roaming plans aside). With Sprint you will not be charged for roaming on Sprint's own network and that is it. Everything works the same in all "non-roaming areas." With Verizon's AC plan you can not see roaming charges but lose features like VM, web, PTT, etc. while on an AC extended network carrier. It's splitting hairs for sure...Verizon "in" network is now the same as Sprint as far as services go, but Verizon's AC Network is not necessarily the same.

[larry]

Kevin,

Yeah you might have a point but notice they don't get specific about which carriers they are comparing themselves to. There are some carriers who don't offer all of those services or at least don't offer them as good. Dan brought up a few good points. I think Sprint does have the best data services of any carrier. Most would agree on that. They do have the largest all digital network nationwide (although Nextel and T-Mobile are becoming close seconds). I'm pretty sure they do offer more color screen phones than the other carriers do as well. Also notice the brochure is dated SEP03. That means it was orginally made up last September when Sprint did have a bigger advantage over other carriers in some of those offerings. Maybe it's time they change their advertising a little now but I don't think those claims are untrue for the most part.

[ComicalMoodyDan]

YourDaddy I am aware that Verizon's Network is all digital now. At least I've heard claims that it is now. The thing is its still possible to hit a analog signal with Verizon because the analog signal does travel further. Therefor you can lose features when you go into analog mode.

That doesn't happen with Sprint if you are on network period because they have no analog. As I said Sprint is exagretting a bit. If you think about it though they aren't straight out lying.

[larry]

I'm surprised Sprint doesn't add in the PTT (Ready Link) feature on that brochure. There are plenty of carriers who don't offer that service.

[Andy]

Originally posted by: TNDan21 YourDaddy I am aware that Verizon's Network is all digital now. At least I've heard claims that it is now. The thing is its still possible to hit a analog signal with Verizon because the analog signal does travel further. Therefor you can lose features when you go into analog mode. That doesn't happen with Sprint if you are on network period because they have no analog. As I said Sprint is exagretting a bit. If you think about it though they aren't straight out lying.

Well but then I'd rather have Verizon analog service available with my Verizon phone if I go out of the all-digital area than not have any native system available with my Sprint phone without being charged roaming.

[larry]

Sprint doesn't charge for roaming if you have the $5 F&C America add on.