Is Unlimited Roaming Really Unlimited?

So far, I've never heard of people getting the boot from Sprint for excessive roaming.

 

I swear I've read something about this before... I want to say the rule is that your roaming usage can't exceed more than 50% of the total usage in a given three month period. (has anyone else heard this or am I crazy? Larry?) But I've never heard of the rule being enforced.

 

Yes, they do have the rule of:

50% of your anytime usage, or 800 minutes (whichever comes first).

 

Here is a story about people getting the boot.
Sprint boots 200 American patriots for using their phones | The Register

 

Now is this a one time thing or do you have to do it multiple times?

 

Wow, what a public relations nightmare! I can see it now "Sprint not patriotic" "Sprint supports Terrorists" he he he

 

I don't believe that mobile to mobile applies when roaming with sprint service.....other carriers are different though.....

 

If you are roaming and you have sprint mobile to mobile does not apply.

 

when any company says unlimited they pretty much mean that you wont get charged per minute and you wont be reuired to use a separate pool of minutes when you're roaming...........but there is the rule.......50% or 800 mins.........w/e ecomes first as larry said

 

It's highly unlikely that the roaming limit will ever be enforced unless it's a chronic thing where someone uses nearly all of their minutes off network.

 

I think you should be fine, just try to use your phone a lot also while on the Sprint network so you don't roam something like 95% of the time.
Whereabouts are you located in Utah?
Also remember, like Ryan said, M2M does not apply while roaming.

 

Yeah and I think those army personal were roaming every minute.

 

With my Alltel phone, I try to keep at least at least half of usage with Alltel, just to be safe.
Three different reps have told me that they've never heard of excessive free roaming,
and I should never get the boot.

I'm sure Sprint will allow some above average roaming for some time, but I guess then you can just cut back a little.
I'm not sure which carriers are too strict on this matter, and would they give you a warning?

Here's my current average minute usage by network over the last 6 months:
Alltel.....................................5,000 min
Verizon................................4,000 min
Sprint...................................750 min
US Cellular.........................50 min
Carolina West Wireless...50 min

(USCC & Carolina West in WNC on special occaisions every few months)

 

Why do you have to roam so much?

 

The Verizon tower is a mile away (signal strength = -075 Rx....5/6 bars inside....6/6 bars outside),
but the Alltel tower is 3 miles away from me (signal strength = -090 Rx....3/6 bars inside....5/6 bars outside).

I like the security for some of those important phone calls, but I don't like to go over 50% roaming.
For most of my calls, I like to have at least 3/6 bars, which most places are.

I try really hard to keep it balanced. When I'm on the road it's mostly Alltel, but at home, about 55% is Verizon because of the full signal.
So in the end, about 50-55% of my total usage is Alltel's native network

 

That's interesting. I don't think I have ever used Sprint up in Logan, but I know that a lot of people up there have Sprint- I didn't know that their coverage was that bad. I wonder why so many people use Sprint up there then, considering T-Mobile, Nextel, AT&T and Verizon are alternatives. I have heard horror stories about AT&T in Logan so I would not chose them, but I have never had problems with Verizon in Logan.

"Network Busy" messages- do they appear on your screen when you attempt to place a call or do you get a "Network Busy" recording once you place a call?
Your 7 p.m. nights, etc. will still apply while roaming- everything except Sprint M2M will apply while roaming.

You should play around with your field test on your phone- that would give you a lot more info about the towers and capacity issues in your area.

 

Come on Sprint can't be that bad in Logan. If it is you should have cancelled a long time ago. Here's the map and it shows mostly dark green:

 

Larry...you never believe when anyone says anything bad about Sprint in Utah.
You barely even believe me.

 

If someone makes a believable statement I will believe it. I certainly believe that OP is having trouble with Sprint and needs to roam in his particular places. But when people are fed up with their coverage they will tend to make generalizations or exaggerations like that. Come on Sprint is not that bad in UT and in Logan they have good coverage for the most part.

 

You are saying that Sprint is not that bad in UT, nor in Logan but you have never used that system (as far as I know). Now, Sprint has their great areas here, but they still have a lot of bad areas, even though that has been, and will continue to improve with NEXTEL synergy sites, but when I tell you I'd get Cricket service before Sprint if I were looking at coverage in this valley, I'm not lying.

 

I have found that there are not to many bad spots but I will never trust a map because a carrier says it is good.

 

I've found Sprint's maps to be quite reliable after studying them and then doing my own testing. But the maps certainly can have their mistakes from time to time.

 

LOL either way to get back on topic I would say just dont abuse the systme and it will take care of yu.

 

Nick - I have heard that if you roam excessively Sprint will terminate you. It hasn't happened to me yet though. I have been with Sprint for a long time. I have 3 phones and they are always on forced roam unless I go somewhere where I can trust Sprint coverage. 80% of my minutes are roaming and it has been that way for years. I think you will be alright.

 

Ahh ok I see.

 

Nick -- you are a perfect canidate for the Airave. Anyone know the offical date yet, I think its around x-mas time.