Buy Microsoft Office Home & StudentSprint vs. T-Mobile: Which is the best Android carrier?
With its new HTC Hero, Sprint is about to join the Google Android community. But how do its new offerings stack up against the handsets and services of T-Mobile? If you're looking to purchase an Android phone, which carrier is better?
Phones
Sprint: The HTC Hero will be the first Android phone from Sprint, but rumors suggest that Sprint will also launch a Samsung Android phone later this year. And since Sprint also carries LG phones in its lineup, it could also be a destination for LG's new Android phone.
T-Mobile: Currently, T-Mobile remains the only U.S. carrier to sell Android phones. The G1 debuted almost a year ago and the company sells the MyTouch 3G. What's more, Motorola has chosen T-Mobile to launch its first Android handset, the Cliq, which will come out later this year. T-Mobile USA could also snag the Huawei Pulse that its UK counterpart adopted earlier this month.
Winner: T-Mobile wins this round by default since it is the only carrier with two Android phones and more on the way.
Calling and data plans
Sprint: The carrier just announced its Any Mobile, Anytime calling plans, which offer unlimited calls to any cell phones. Plans range from $69.99 to $99.99 and include unlimited data. For $69.99 a month, you can get 450 anytime minutes, unlimited minutes to any mobile network, and unlimited data and texting.
T-Mobile: Unlike its competitors, T-Mobile has yet to bundle any of its data plans with calling plans. For data plans, users can choose between $24.99 for unlimited data or $34.99 for unlimited data and messages. T-Mobiles MyFaves plans allow you to get unlimited minutes to five phone numbers of your choice. The cheapest plan is the MyFaves 300, which cost $39.99.
Winner: Sprint offers the best deal for Android users with its new Any Mobile, Anytime plan. When you compare plans with unlimited data and messaging, Sprint offers more minutes at a cheaper price.
Network
Sprint: Sprint has a strong EV-DO 3G network and is expanding its new 4G network. It expects to cover 20 markets by the end of the year. The carrier also has announced it will be offering a 4G handset sometime in 2010.
T-Mobile:It is rapidly expanding its 3G network, but T-Mobile was the last major carrier to launch wireless broadband. After months of promises it finally activated 3G in 2008, more than three years after Sprint's 3G became available.
Winner: With more experience behind it, Sprint offers a larger 3G network and has already begun to expand its 4G network.
Exclusive software
Sprint: If you sign up for its Simply Everything plans, Sprint offers GPS navigation, streaming video, NFL Mobile Live, and Nascar Sprint Cup Mobile. Sprint has ported the NFL and Nascar applications to the
Palm Pre and I expect to see them appear on Android.
T-Mobile: T-Mobile has released several Android applications, including My Account, Visual Voicemail, and HotSpot Connect. My Account allows users to access all their account info, receive usage and payment alerts, get live chat support, and more.
Winner: We'll have to wait and see which Android-specific apps Sprint releases, but I give T-Mobile the edge for now. Its My Account application is one of the most useful services I've seen a carrier offer. You can check your minutes and text usage instantly, which can help you avoid overage fees.
Intangibles
Sprint: It remains unclear how committed Sprint is to Android. The company took the wait-and-see approach before finally deciding to offer an Android phone. It will be interesting to see how many marketing and development resources Sprint gives to Android in comparison with the focus devoted to the Pre.
T-Mobile: The carrier has supported Android from day one. CTO Cole Brodman has appeared at multiple Android events and praises the mobile operating system every chance he gets. T-Mobile has also said that it plans to release Android-powered home phones and a tablet computer in 2010.
Winner: T-Mobile has been the biggest champion of Android to date. As time goes on, we expect it to offer more and more Android devices. Yet, Sprint could surprise us.
Conclusion
Both carriers have their advantages, but as of now I think T-Mobile offers the best Android experience. It was the first carrier to take a chance on Android and it continue to increase its support for the mobile platform. Sprint offers very competitive calling plans, but we'll have to wait and see how the Hero launch develops.
Seriously, all this article does is say, T-mobile had android first, so it is better there. No the logical conclusion is, both carriers will have Android sets, so go with the better network for data and pricing. Since support for android depends on adoption.
They arent perfect. They def need to keep rolling out the 3g, but all the major cities have it, and many more. I dont really have any complaints for em.
Then, even after you say that Sprint has a superior network and better priced plans, T-Mobile comes out on top because they "took the chance with android first". O_o What the hell does that have to do with anything. I'm not even going to mention the fact that the hero is a more updated version of T-mobile's android phones. You can't even judge what the Hero will be like on sprint because it's not around yet!
This article should really be revised and perhaps pushed back until maybe Christmas once Sprint at least has one phone that is actually out and a decent comparison can actually be done.
Consumers get to upgrade to the new hot phone on the market and their monthly bill does not require them to pay through the nose. Now 80% of those users most likely will add a data plan later on but you still get to lock-in the remaining 20% for at least a year that you wouldn?t have gotten otherwise. And as a T-Mobile user for the last 5 years who had in the passed talk people into joining them, if I have to pay an extra $30 for data that I won?t be using very much of. I am going to be switching to the carrier with the better network where I?ll get better value for the money.
By buying a smart phone without data service, you are effectively getting a free nokia brick phone; calling and texting (and a handy door stop in a pinch!) only. So if you are afraid of spending (or investing) $20 / month in a tool with nearly unlimited uses, get yourself a texting phone or an early model blackberry. Just my 2 cents.
Firstly, folks who want to use the PDA functions (calender, reminders, contacts, notes) without having to carry a second device. Secondly people who are locked to a desk all day and their corporate network isn't locked down like Fort Knox and are surrounded by free hot spots. People over the age of thirty that don't want a sidekick but a real keyboard and on the rare occasion needs to edit a word doc but doesn't want to pull out a full laptop. GPS on phones are getting better but stand alone ones are still be better choice.
I see your point about needing your calendar/contacts/notes on you at all times but I had all of these on a regular phone before I got a Blackberry and didn't pay for a data plan (because you couldn't access the web).
Also, who sits in front of a desk anymore WITHOUT a computer, as you imply? I don't need my Blackberry at work other than to text message which I wouldn't do anyways because that's not productive ;-)
I DIDN'T say people are sitting at desks without computers but that there are many firms in which people can not access sites like twitter, youtube, cnet or facebook.
A 3G phone needs a 3G network, T-mobile has absolutely terrible 3G coverage, so it's not a good carrier for a 3G phone. I'll be looking into sprint as soon as I can play with their Android phone.
Ooh, what about running one virtually inside the other? Like running iPhone inside of the Palm OS.
That filthy company screwed me over in the past.
I called to cancel my service and was told that they did. I moved state so I have no use for it. What I didn't know was that the idiot I spoke with over the phone to cancel my service did NOT do so.
They continued my service and continued to send my old house my bills despite NOT USING ANY MINUTES.
The way I found out that they didn't cancel my service was when I bought a car and it was in my credit report. Sprint sent me for collection for 3 months of unpaid service. I called Sprint and told me that they are no longer handling the account and there's nothing they can do since they have forwarded it to the collection agency. I wanted to dispute it and take them to court. However, I'd lose more money taking time off from work just for $140.
I wound up paying it and it still haunts my credit until it washes off.
All I can say is that I hope Sprint collapses as a company and for their doors to close.
I'm going to go with Sprint, but only because their 3g network dwarfs T-Moble's and their plans are cheaper.
I switched from ATT to Tmobile for the Android phone, which I don't really like, however I discovered that Tmobile has AMAZING service compared to ATT in Los Angeles. My God my edge service with Tmobile trumps ATT 3G service. It's scary. Really.
What I dislike about Tmobiles Android phone: The keyboard is short stubby and hard to press, makes typing a chore compared to phones like HTC 8225/tilt or blackberry phones.
The screen is COLD. Touching a cold touchscreen irritates my fingers and using it for long periods of time pains me. I don't have this prob with T9 / Qwerty phones. Though after a while the phone will get quite hot too and then the battery goes south...
Give me a stylus touch screen phone or physical keys any time over these cruddy "Ooh, I can touch with my finger" phones.
On a keypad like the G1, I feel the keys being pressed so I know it's registering. The phone does get hot after long use, specially if you have 3G on. The battery does drain fast if you have every feature turned off.
Turn off GPS and 3G when not needed and your battery will last up to 3 - 4 days in stand by. The good thing about the G1 is that if the battery is depleted, you can buy a new one and replace it in seconds. Can't say that about the iphone.
Want more memory? Just buy a bigger micro sd. How do you increase the memory on an iphone? By buying A NEW PHONE.
They're still losing customers by the hundreds of thousands every quarter and they are ranked at the bottom in just about every category by all consumer reports.
Sprints family plans are a joke, you can get a better deal or at least the same deal with Verizon which is far superior to Sprint.
Switch to sprint thinking you'll be saving money but in the long run they will surely screw you over and you will pay big time, and good luck wasting your time taking them to court.
Sprint $129.99 1500 unlimited everything else, plus free minutes to any mobile phone, $19.99 an add a line
Verizon $159.99 1400 unlimited everything else, Pick 10 people for free, $29.99 an add a line
Sprint family plans are a joke??
On a recent road trip to grand canyon had solid data coverage the whole way on edge in the middle of the desert, in the mountains and was surprised even video worked on edge. I was uploading video to utube, tracking the whole trip on instamapper, checking thunder cells and lightning strikes on imap weather, emailing photos on gmail, used google maps alot and even broadcasted live on ustream just for fun.
The G1 is fun, works good and is only the first google phone that came out. Tmo sent out a extra battery for free so can just switch out when needed. I use tmo because of the unlimited talk minutes since I canceled my landline several years ago.