Switching from Sprint to Verizon in Chicago

**Thudstaff** · 10-19-2012, 09:32 PM

My wife/kids have had a family plan with Sprint for years. The service had been okay. Last November I switched from AT&T to Sprint to save $60 per month by joining their plan when the 4S came out last year. The service has been mediocre at best. When we traveled to MI and CO over the summer, service was subpar.

We've decided to pay the early termination fee for the 4 phones and just switch. It seems that Verizon has the best coverage for our area and the places we tend to travel. We realized that unlimited data is pretty useless when you can't get a data connection. Unlimited talk is useless when you can't maintain a signal long enough to complete a 10m phone call.

What has been your real world usage with Verizon been like....whether you're in Chicago or not?

**Peligro911** · 10-19-2012, 09:44 PM

Never had a issue been with them for over 10 years

**End_User** · 10-19-2012, 10:48 PM

Long time vzw customer as well and have used in Chicago and Colorado and coverage is excellent. It isn't perfect everywhere but twice as good as att everywhere!

**Peligro911** · 10-19-2012, 10:55 PM

LTE is faster with att it seems but Verizon is still fast and I can't remember my last drop call

**plt3121MarineAlways** · 10-19-2012, 11:20 PM

I was a long time tmobile customer until the 4s. Tried sprint for a week was unbearable in Los Angeles. Switched to Verizon been a happy customer so far. It's a bit more expensive now but worth it.

**Apple4ever2011** · 10-20-2012, 02:22 AM

Originally Posted by Thudstaff

My wife/kids have had a family plan with Sprint for years. The service had been okay. Last November I switched from AT&T to Sprint to save $60 per month by joining their plan when the 4S came out last year. The service has been mediocre at best. When we traveled to MI and CO over the summer, service was subpar.

We've decided to pay the early termination fee for the 4 phones and just switch. It seems that Verizon has the best coverage for our area and the places we tend to travel. We realized that unlimited data is pretty useless when you can't get a data connection. Unlimited talk is useless when you can't maintain a signal long enough to complete a 10m phone call.

What has been your real world usage with Verizon been like....whether you're in Chicago or not?

You feel free to believe the Hype from overpriced service... They Nickel and Dime you for everything and Customer service is not great. You read up and down here on forum and see how good they treat their customers by blackmailing them into paying full price for iPhone 5 to keep unlimited data and still better yet make customers sign a 2 year contract for a phone the company didn't subsidize. That sounds like a Winner. FYI PLEASE CHECK PREVIOUS THREADS FOR CHICAGO DATA SPEEDS..... AT&T has a better data in Chicago.... LOOK IT UP

**plt3121MarineAlways** · 10-20-2012, 03:26 AM

Hey Apple how is that different from any other carrier?

**anygivensunday** · 10-20-2012, 08:11 AM

Verizon is great, been with them for as long as I can remember. I travel a lot and never lose signal I don't drop calls. Yes data is slightly slower than AT&T but it balances it self out. Verizon is dependable. More expensive sure but u get what u pay for. By cheap service u get cheap service.…

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**Apple4ever2011** · 10-20-2012, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by plt3121MarineAlways

Hey Apple how is that different from any other carrier?

I'm Answering a Question...Look at the Speed test in Chicago.... At&T has better speeds.... I upgraded to my iPhone 5 at 64GB for 399$ and got to keep my Unlimited Data.... Was not Coerced in paying full price like Verizon did to its Customers to keep unlimited Data.....

**plt3121MarineAlways** · 10-20-2012, 04:39 PM

Fair enough was Just a simple question. All carriers IMHO nickel and dime you.

**Thudstaff** · 10-20-2012, 05:14 PM

Thanks for the replies. Like others have said, there are pros/cons to every carrier. Verizon seems to rule the school overall, and you have to pay for that service. I'm tired of substandard voice/data.

**giper54** · 10-20-2012, 07:03 PM

Chris Zeigler from the Verge always complains about his hspa+ services in Chicago. I have AT&T and for the most part it has been great but I spend some time in areas that AT&T has edge and Verizon has LTE so I am going to switch over to Verizon.

**Apple4ever2011** · 10-20-2012, 07:35 PM

You could always return it after you really test it out I guess...

**Apple4ever2011** · 10-20-2012, 07:39 PM

I just called AT&T and inquired about why I should pay and upgrade fee after all these years being with the company... The were nice enough to recognize I've been there for a bit and refunded it. 42$ after taxes... and a bit extra for Inconvenience... I must say I'm happy customer.... I'll post a pic of next months invoice if need be....

**Bluth22** · 10-21-2012, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by Apple4ever2011

I just called AT&T and inquired about why I should pay and upgrade fee after all these years being with the company... The were nice enough to recognize I've been there for a bit and refunded it. 42$ after taxes... and a bit extra for Inconvenience... I must say I'm happy customer.... I'll post a pic of next months invoice if need be....

Hey apple, I want to take over my bro In laws T&T account but he wants to move to Verizon and port his number over. If he does that can I still take over his account and keep his unlimited and just get a new number? I want to do this and upgrade my phone.

**ups925** · 10-22-2012, 10:37 AM

I switched from sprint to verizon in the western chicago suburbs. I get 7-11mbs in my apt and 17-27 mbs at my work. No problems with verizon whatsoever so far. Att out here doesnt work so well indoors. it has a lot of blank spots inside. Sprint worked fine indoors and everywhere else for me, but their data speeds were horribly slow and I couldnt take it anymore.

**plt3121MarineAlways** · 10-22-2012, 11:59 AM

I wonder if there is anyone that can honestly say they get great data speeds on sprint.

**sj-performance** · 10-22-2012, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by plt3121MarineAlways

I wonder if there is anyone that can honestly say they get great data speeds on sprint.

If you're in an LTE market sure why not. Sprint started to deploy LTE here in Miami. Look at my speeds on my iPhone 5

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**mellimel2212** · 10-22-2012, 06:33 PM

Plus I avg about 10 mb on wimax in Chicago

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**plt3121MarineAlways** · 10-22-2012, 09:34 PM

That's awesome. Wonder when they will have LTE in LA

**ebarne** · 10-22-2012, 10:42 PM

Had AT&T on my 4S until 9/21 now with Verizon on a 5- I drive from Rogers Park to the Wheaton area daily and to the East coast regularly and rarely had issues with AT&T and don't have issues out and about with Verizon. The difference is indoors and I find Verizon better handling a signal indoors especially in the Rogers park area. Personally, I would not make a decision based on a faster LTE network, I get 8mb and above and that's fast enough for me. AT&T HSPA was awful around Rogers Park and nothing to write home about around Chicago and the burbs. AT&T customer service is definitely better than VZW. Hope this helps..

**mellimel2212** · 10-23-2012, 07:36 PM

Thank u att is not all that in the Chicago area in terms of signal strength

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**ups925** · 10-29-2012, 12:28 PM

sprint lte is now up in chicago suburbs. It launched October 21st. I was told by the sprint rep september 21st, it wasnt up, i switched to verizon and now sprint has lte. I was beginning to go over my voice cap and had to leave sprint anyways. I constantly stream pandora and between my wife and I, we dont go above 2-3gb a month. Verizon works for me in the western burbs.

**snobrdr2324** · 11-08-2012, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by ebarne

Had AT&T on my 4S until 9/21 now with Verizon on a 5- I drive from Rogers Park to the Wheaton area daily and to the East coast regularly and rarely had issues with AT&T and don't have issues out and about with Verizon. The difference is indoors and I find Verizon better handling a signal indoors especially in the Rogers park area. Personally, I would not make a decision based on a faster LTE network, I get 8mb and above and that's fast enough for me. AT&T HSPA was awful around Rogers Park and nothing to write home about around Chicago and the burbs. AT&T customer service is definitely better than VZW. Hope this helps..

I don't believe customer service is something to consider as everyone will have a different experience. With cell service on ATT your description is spot on except I go up to NE Wisconsin from Chicago and ATT is awful there while Verizon is quite good, but I can easily say their customer service in my experience was much worse than what I've had with Verizon over the last couple years.

**tekjunkie28** · 11-08-2012, 03:10 PM

Yea I have had Verizon for 4 years now and never had a single issue with customer service. I haven't really traveled much but my cousin now lives in Chicago and Verizon is excellent there. I have traveled from VA to Myrtle Beach and no issue except at the beach I had data issues on my 4s but not my wife's... I'll never understand why that was.

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