Will Sprint Still Have Roaming Coverage After Verizon 3G Shut Down?

[techguru]

I'm in Texas where Sprint pretty much only covers major highways and major towns & cities so anywhere inbetween you roam on Verizon 3G for voice and data coverage.

So my question is what is going to happen after the end of December 2019 when Verizon shuts down their 3G network?

Will us Sprint users be SOL with no roaming coverage?

I can't imagine roaming on Verizon VoLTE when I don't even have VoLTE on Sprint's network. I have even run across some areas where Sprint is using COW's (that use Satellite internet!) to offer a LTE signal that gives 800ms+ ping times then you go to make a phone call and the phone drops to Verizon 3G roaming to make the phone call.

[SterlingJ85]

You get unlimited T-MOBILE roaming right now any time it's available and Sprint is not. You'll then use AT&T and be limited on how much data you can use with them, and be severely speed throttled on what you can use.

[Austin520]

I'm not sure where I saw it (maybe you can google it), there was information about Verizon keeping the older 1x/EvDO network on a little longer for IoT/wholesale/roaming purposes. So perhaps the roaming will last a little while longer.

[SterlingJ85]

I'm not sure where I saw it (maybe you can google it), there was information about Verizon keeping the older 1x/EvDO network on a little longer for IoT/wholesale/roaming purposes. So perhaps the roaming will last a little while longer.

My understanding is that only 1X MAY remain available for some Enterprise customers. EVDO will not be preserved and will have it's spectrum reallocated for LTE. 1X can still transfer data at a 144 Kbps rate.

[comintel]

I'm in Texas where Sprint pretty much only covers major highways and major towns & cities so anywhere inbetween you roam on Verizon 3G for voice and data coverage.

So my question is what is going to happen after the end of December 2019 when Verizon shuts down their 3G network?

Will us Sprint users be SOL with no roaming coverage?

I can't imagine roaming on Verizon VoLTE when I don't even have VoLTE on Sprint's network. I have even run across some areas where Sprint is using COW's (that use Satellite internet!) to offer a LTE signal that gives 800ms+ ping times then you go to make a phone call and the phone drops to Verizon 3G roaming to make the phone call.

Sprint has roaming arrangements with all of TMobile, AT&T and Verizon, as well as regional carriers. There are already areas where people roam on AT&T. So it will be taken care of one way or another when needed. Some of these roaming partners charge Sprint exorbitant amounts for roaming, so you should not expect to see them put into effect until Sprint actually needs to use them.

VoLTE is currently only on iPhone 8 and above and a few Android models. It is also only so far in 50% of Sprint's territory. National commercial deployment of VoLTE will be later this year. So that will change some cost trade-off decisions when it happens.

Sprint currently does not use VoLTE with any roaming partners but this can be arranged where needed later this year. Sprint says it is the first national carrier to have a totally virtualized VoLTE core, so it has lots of flexibility in interfacing to other carriers. Combinations of other-carrier VoLTE interfaced to Sprint's conventional voice network would also be possible.

[techguru]

If anyone has working LTE roaming can you please pop out your sim and tell me the version number at the bottom xx.xx

Thanks.

[comintel]

If anyone has working LTE roaming can you please pop out your sim and tell me the version number at the bottom xx.xx

Thanks.

I hope they do so, but I would also keep in mind that only iPhone 8 and above is eligible to use the new sims that connect to the new core. If you are not at iPhone 8 or above (which uses different sims), perhaps this is the reason you do not get the same level of Sprint features including roaming.

[techguru]

I hope they do so, but I would also keep in mind that only iPhone 8 and above is eligible to use the new sims that connect to the new core. If you are not at iPhone 8 or above (which uses different sims), perhaps this is the reason you do not get the same level of Sprint features including roaming.

That makes no logical sense at all. The other carriers use the same SIM for all phones. The iPhone 6 and newer are "all carrier compatible".

I've been a Sprint post paid customer for over 13 years now and I'm seriously considering switching to TotalWireless's new $50 plan as my iPhone 6 is compatible with all but the newest band that Verizon uses.

If it truly is a SIM capability keeping me from connecting to Sprint's LTE roaming partners and Sprint will only give the compatible SIM's to iPhone 8's and newer then that means I will have no roaming access at all once Verizon shuts down the 3G. and if I'm no longer going to have roaming capability then there is no reason for me to stick with post paid.

The weird thing is, I select "iPhone 6" on the Sprint coverage map site and it STILL shows there is supposed to be solid LTE where I am. Which from knowing the area I know would most likely have to actually be T-Mobile's LTE unless Sprint put up some LTE only towers with no non VoLTE voice support... you switch from the data map to the voice map and it shows roaming voice here.

[comintel]

That makes no logical sense at all. The other carriers use the same SIM for all phones. The iPhone 6 and newer are "all carrier compatible".

I've been a Sprint post paid customer for over 13 years now and I'm seriously considering switching to TotalWireless's new $50 plan as my iPhone 6 is compatible with all but the newest band that Verizon uses.

If it truly is a SIM capability keeping me from connecting to Sprint's LTE roaming partners and Sprint will only give the compatible SIM's to iPhone 8's and newer then that means I will have no roaming access at all once Verizon shuts down the 3G. and if I'm no longer going to have roaming capability then there is no reason for me to stick with post paid.

The weird thing is, I select "iPhone 6" on the Sprint coverage map site and it STILL shows there is supposed to be solid LTE where I am. Which from knowing the area I know would most likely have to actually be T-Mobile's LTE unless Sprint put up some LTE only towers with no non VoLTE voice support... you switch from the data map to the voice map and it shows roaming voice here.

It is probably an error or oversight.

My S8 here in Raleigh Durham switches to TMobile the moment I lose Sprint LTE. It now does this even in places where it used to switch to Sprint 3G. It started doing the latter only at the moment I applied the update to enable VoLTE, although that could have been a coincidence.

You could try calling U.S. tech support at 888-206-3585 during the week. Or maybe go to a Sprint corporate-owned store.

[techguru]

I've played with the maps selecting different phones and here are the results.







I'm in the middle of the solid yellow that is in the middle. But my phone acts like it's a iPhone 4s here... I get Sprint LTE in the major cities just fine...(over where the orange 3G is...)

[october262]

That makes no logical sense at all. The other carriers use the same SIM for all phones. The iPhone 6 and newer are "all carrier compatible". I've been a Sprint post paid customer for over 13 years now and I'm seriously considering switching to TotalWireless's new $50 plan as my iPhone 6 is compatible with all but the newest band that Verizon uses. If it truly is a SIM capability keeping me from connecting to Sprint's LTE roaming partners and Sprint will only give the compatible SIM's to iPhone 8's and newer then that means I will have no roaming access at all once Verizon shuts down the 3G. and if I'm no longer going to have roaming capability then there is no reason for me to stick with post paid. The weird thing is, I select "iPhone 6" on the Sprint coverage map site and it STILL shows there is supposed to be solid LTE where I am. Which from knowing the area I know would most likely have to actually be T-Mobile's LTE unless Sprint put up some LTE only towers with no non VoLTE voice support... you switch from the data map to the voice map and it shows roaming voice here.

also you may want to dump your iphone 6 for something newer - https://9to5mac.com/2019/05/10/ios-1...port-iphone-6/

[techguru]

also you may want to dump your iphone 6 for something newer - https://9to5mac.com/2019/05/10/ios-1...port-iphone-6/

Can't afford to upgrade since they did away with the new phone every 2 years with a contract.

Irrelevant anyway.

I can pop in a Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile SIM right now and I get full LTE here. It's something to do with Sprint.

Their Dominican Republic tech support is useless. I give them my address, they look up the area and show there is LTE here and my phone is compatible then have me do ##UPDATE# and expect a different result. They have escalated it to their "network department". I have not heard back yet.

What I may do is bypass their support crap and make direct contact by obtaining the FCC contact info for one of their towers to contact someone who can get me in touch with someone that can actually figure out what the problem is.

Also their site states: "Extended Non-LTE and Extended 4G LTE use will be included with your on-network use. The use will not count towards your roaming limits and will simply be included with your plan use."

If Extended Non-LTE is included in my plan, then why do I keep hitting a 300mb limit on this Verizon 3G?

[october262]

Can't afford to upgrade since they did away with the new phone every 2 years with a contract. Irrelevant anyway. I can pop in a Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile SIM right now and I get full LTE here. It's something to do with Sprint. Their Dominican Republic tech support is useless. I give them my address, they look up the area and show there is LTE here and my phone is compatible then have me do ##UPDATE# and expect a different result. They have escalated it to their "network department". I have not heard back yet. What I may do is bypass their support crap and make direct contact by obtaining the FCC contact info for one of their towers to contact someone who can get me in touch with someone that can actually figure out what the problem is. Also their site states: "Extended Non-LTE and Extended 4G LTE use will be included with your on-network use. The use will not count towards your roaming limits and will simply be included with your plan use." If Extended Non-LTE is included in my plan, then why do I keep hitting a 300mb limit on this Verizon 3G?

see this - https://community.sprint.com/t5/Acco...ce/td-p/275369

[kevink1]

This is the similar to the many MVNOs that may advertise unlimited voice, but a customer who regularly uses several thousand minutes/month hits limits. And isn't cost effective.

Other carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T have harder limits on roaming. Can't go over even occasionally. Sprint sounds like they would work if the heavy usage month (not that 300MB is heavy usage) was occasional. Such as a road trip or business trip.

[techguru]

Thing is, I'm not in the roaming area of that map, I'm in the solid yellow. My phone says Extended 3G not Roaming 3G, roaming switch is turned off and my usage on the Extended 3G is still going towards the 300mb limit...Sprint is f***** messed up!