Sprints iPhone 4s vs. AT&T's iphone 4s...

**Booju16** · 10-04-2011, 02:29 PM

Which carrier will have the faster iPhone 4s? Explain...Also, when sprint release their LTE, would the iPhone 4s get speedier or would they need to create a new phone?

**Baldilocks** · 10-04-2011, 02:34 PM

AT&T obviously. It has 14.4Mbps HSPDA.

**akayareal** · 10-04-2011, 02:38 PM

Really depends on your area. You may live in a area with no ATT 3g and my only have Sprint or Verizon as a 3g option.

On paper though, ATT has the fastest one with Verizon and Sprint only having Rev A speeds at best

**gambit57** · 10-04-2011, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by akayareal

Really depends on your area. You may live in a area with no ATT 3g and my only have Sprint or Verizon as a 3g option.

On paper though, ATT has the fastest one with Verizon and Sprint only having Rev A speeds at best

This. My house is in AT&T Edge whereas signal is strong with Sprint. Considering the demographics of this area, AT&T is stupid to not put up a tower ASAP. Their only saving grace is that Verizon is also crappy here. Since Sprint is generally an afterthought, people here just assume cell coverage is bad for everyone since they only check btw AT&T and Verizon with a handful having T-Mo.

Still, if you're in an area with HSPD+, then AT&T would be faster. Currently, that's still a pretty big if.

And yes, when Sprint releases LTE, they're gonna need to wait til a new iPhone comes out. Prolly times out to the next iPhone 5 or 5S anyways.

**mdasen** · 10-04-2011, 04:00 PM

Even without HSPA+, if you have UMTS coverage, AT&T will be 2x as fast. If you're in an EDGE coverage area on AT&T, Verizon or Sprint might cover you with EV-DO and that would be faster. There are areas where AT&T offers 3G that Sprint doesn't and vice-versa. If you're covered by all three with 3G, AT&T will be quite a bit faster.

That said, the new iPhone almost assuredly supports EV-DO Rev B. There are rumors that Sprint will be rolling that out so that might help Sprint a lot. It likely won't be as fast as HSPA+ since the iPhone probably just supports aggregating 3 EV-DO Rev A channels, but it would mean a nice speed boost for Sprint users.

**Rrazr-X7** · 10-04-2011, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by akayareal;14566674[B

]Really depends on your area. You may live in a area with no ATT 3g and my only have Sprint or Verizon as a 3g option.[/B]

On paper though, ATT has the fastest one with Verizon and Sprint only having Rev A speeds at best

THIS^^^
That is what is bad about the whole "who has the faster network?" question because every area is covered differently. Heck, I can pull down Sprint 4G speed where I live, but if I drive a few minutes away....zilch....

**billm261** · 10-04-2011, 04:40 PM

Is it all that big of a deal?

In all seriousness, it's a phone with a relatively small screen compared to the 4.3+ monsters that have been rolling out.
If Sprint can sustain (with any quality) a truly unlimited 3G data offering I'd rather have it a bit slower but unlimited.

If Rev B is for real will it matter that it may take a couple of seconds more to post a pic on Facebook?

**bigsnake49** · 10-04-2011, 05:13 PM

Pings in my area are faster on Sprint than on AT&T. I usually get pinggs of 350+ on AT&T and 120-150 on Sprint.

**Extraordinary** · 10-04-2011, 05:36 PM

This is why you need 3 iPhones!

1 Verizon
1 AT&T
1 Sprint

All coverage problems solved.

If you still have coverage issues you shouldn't be there anyway.

**gambit57** · 10-04-2011, 05:41 PM

For what it's worth, either CNET or Engadget (forget which) has it listed as Rev A

**mdasen** · 10-04-2011, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by bigsnake49

Pings in my area are faster on Sprint than on AT&T. I usually get pinggs of 350+ on AT&T and 120-150 on Sprint.

Are you using an Android phone on AT&T? I know that some of AT&T's Android lineup has sub-par connectivity because of the software. Put Cyanogenmod on it (if you can) for much, much better connectivity (going from pings that were almost always 350+ms to 100-150ms). That's one of the things about the iPhone: with minimal to no carrier involvement, it's a much cleaner, high-quality feeling interaction. I feel like Android's potential sometimes gets sullied by handset makers looking at their bottom line and trying to make some random customization to differentiate their product from every other Android device.

For what it's worth, either CNET or Engadget (forget which) has it listed as Rev A

I'm sure that the iPhone 4 is listed as Rev A as well (since that's what the carriers support). However, the MDM6600 that the iPhone 4 uses supports Rev B according to Qualcomm. I'm guessing that the iPhone 4S uses the same chipset given its support of CDMA and HSPA+ 14.4. It must be a disappointment for AT&T users to not get HSPA+ 21. While it will be a great improvement over the HSPA 7.2 of the last phone, it would have been nice for AT&T users to get HSPA+ 21.

It's also good to see, from Apple's website, that the iPhone 4 CDMA will be coming to Sprint. That gives Sprint two iPhones to sell and while the iPhone 4 is older, the iPhone 3GS has been the second best selling smartphone during the iPhone 4's tenure.

**newyork4me** · 10-04-2011, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by mdasen

I'm sure that the iPhone 4 is listed as Rev A as well (since that's what the carriers support). However, the MDM6600 that the iPhone 4 uses supports Rev B according to Qualcomm. I'm guessing that the iPhone 4S uses the same chipset given its support of CDMA and HSPA+ 14.4. It must be a disappointment for AT&T users to not get HSPA+ 21. While it will be a great improvement over the HSPA 7.2 of the last phone, it would have been nice for AT&T users to get HSPA+ 21.

It's also good to see, from Apple's website, that the iPhone 4 CDMA will be coming to Sprint. That gives Sprint two iPhones to sell and while the iPhone 4 is older, the iPhone 3GS has been the second best selling smartphone during the iPhone 4's tenure.

That would also require Apple to enable RevB on the phone. Given they don't like putting in technology before it is vetted, I wouldn't be surprised if it was disabled.

**bigsnake49** · 10-04-2011, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by mdasen

Are you using an Android phone on AT&T? I know that some of AT&T's Android lineup has sub-par connectivity because of the software. Put Cyanogenmod on it (if you can) for much, much better connectivity (going from pings that were almost always 350+ms to 100-150ms). That's one of the things about the iPhone: with minimal to no carrier involvement, it's a much cleaner, high-quality feeling interaction. I feel like Android's potential sometimes gets sullied by handset makers looking at their bottom line and trying to make some random customization to differentiate their product from every other Android device.

I'm sure that the iPhone 4 is listed as Rev A as well (since that's what the carriers support). However, the MDM6600 that the iPhone 4 uses supports Rev B according to Qualcomm. I'm guessing that the iPhone 4S uses the same chipset given its support of CDMA and HSPA+ 14.4. It must be a disappointment for AT&T users to not get HSPA+ 21. While it will be a great improvement over the HSPA 7.2 of the last phone, it would have been nice for AT&T users to get HSPA+ 21.

It's also good to see, from Apple's website, that the iPhone 4 CDMA will be coming to Sprint. That gives Sprint two iPhones to sell and while the iPhone 4 is older, the iPhone 3GS has been the second best selling smartphone during the iPhone 4's tenure.

I have tried on both Android and iphone 4.

My area has not been upgraded yet, I don't think.

**gambit57** · 10-04-2011, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by mdasen

It's also good to see, from Apple's website, that the iPhone 4 CDMA will be coming to Sprint. That gives Sprint two iPhones to sell and while the iPhone 4 is older, the iPhone 3GS has been the second best selling smartphone during the iPhone 4's tenure.

I wish Sprint is getting the iPhone 3GS too. I know plenty of people who would be plenty happy with the 3GS, particularly if they don't have to pay anything out of pocket. In particular, I'm thinking nephews (kids) as well as some adults who are still on dumbphones.

**mdasen** · 10-05-2011, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by gambit57

I wish Sprint is getting the iPhone 3GS too. I know plenty of people who would be plenty happy with the 3GS, particularly if they don't have to pay anything out of pocket. In particular, I'm thinking nephews (kids) as well as some adults who are still on dumbphones.

Yeah, I'm a little disappointed in Apple there. However, GSM equipment tends to be cheaper than CDMA equipment and I'm guessing they don't want to deal with the development, testing, and FCC process. While Sprint and Verizon are important, the iPhone is a device sold to the world, not just Americans. I'm also disappointed that Apple isn't giving the new antenna technology (diversity Tx/Rx) to the iPhone 4 since it seems like it wouldn't change the price of the unit much.

However, I think the 3GS won't be too popular. I mean, when you're going to shell out $15-50/mo for a data plan, are you worried about $100 up-front? Granted, the iPhone 3GS became the second most popular smartphone when it had only a $100 advantage over the iPhone 4 so I guess plenty of people do feel that way (the iPhone 4 is such a better device, though).

That would also require Apple to enable RevB on the phone. Given they don't like putting in technology before it is vetted, I wouldn't be surprised if it was disabled.

It's possible that it could be disabled, but it is a part of the chip they're using (http://www.qualcomm.com/news/release...y-technologies). It isn't so much that Apple worries about vetting as it is that new technologies often involve tradeoffs they don't want to make. For example, WiMAX and LTE chipsets ruin battery life. Apple has already put a Rev B chipset in its device.

Maybe I'd rather just be hopeful give its real-world technological feasibility.