Cell phones should be convenient, not frustrating. I've been using Sprint in Boston for about 15 months, and lately, the network coverage here and elsewhere seems to be getting worse. On the other hand, the plans are very flexible and there lots of options. Previously, I used Cellular One, which had better coverage but it lacked a good national network at the time.

Network Coverage
Sprint also has a nationwide network that covers most major metro areas. This has been very helpful since I travel about once a month. Unfortunately, reception is spotty and the network drops call frequently. For some inexplicable reason, certain areas in Boston and Cambridge have gotten worse in the past 3 or 4 months, particularly with dropped calls. I have had problems recently with the network either being busy or denying callers access to my number, as have some of my friends with Sprint phones (see under customer service below).

I see people talking on their phones in the T stations here or in other places where Sprint has zero PCS coverage. I use a dual-mode (analog and PCS) phone, but any minutes on an analog connection are counted as roaming charges, so I usually keep the phone on PCS-only mode. I travel to New York frequently as well, and the network coverage there seems to be slightly better.

Plan Flexibility
The non-contract plans are probably one of the best things about Sprint. I have 1000 anytime, anywhere minutes/month for $75 including long distance with no contract at all. The contract options with 1 or 2 year commitments are cheaper, but the obvious risk is that you're locked in with a cell phone service provider that has mediocre coverage in the Boston area.

Customer Service
I've had mixed experiences with Sprint customer service from the beginning. I had to try 3 times to set up a credit card for automatic billing to get it right. When I moved, it took 3 tries to get Sprint to switch my billing address (3 must be a magic number for them). I also had some difficulty switching between service tiers - e.g. $50/month to $75/month. Sprint switched me mid-month to the $75 plan and billed me for it, but also pro-rated the portion of the month on the $50 plan. That put me over the limit on minutes and added $10 to my bill. The service representatives are generally friendly, professional and make an effort to be helpful, but frequently don't seem to get it right.

I called Sprint recently when people were having trouble reaching me on my cell phone. Sprint said they had been experiencing some problems, possibly due to a change in Verizon's phone system, but wouldn't be able to resolve them right away. At the beginning of April, Verizon changed the phone system requiring all calls to be dialed with the area code including local calls. However, Verizon advertised this on the radio for weeks beforehand, so Sprint should have been able to handle the transition or at least diagnose and fix the problem. It seems to be better now, but it shouldn't have happened in the first place.

The Web site is good in that it allows you to check your monthly usage, but it isn't always up-to-date or available. It has the tools to do things like change your address, but at least half the time, these don't seem to work. Most times, I end up calling customer service after trying to use the site.
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Sprint's national coverage is a plus, and the plans are flexible. However, if you use your phone mostly in the Boston area, I would suggest trying a different carrier. I hate switching cell phone numbers, but I'm about ready to throw my Sprint phone out the window (and it's a Sanyo 3500, which is a great phone). Sadly, I think this kind of mediocre quality is not uncommon in the cell phone service industry, which is why I gave Sprint a reluctant 3 stars.



Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): 75