Sprint 4G in Detroit launched?

**Supersport** · March-29-11, 07:12 PM

After the article in the paper on 4G in Detroit, I started getting a little pissed off. As a Sprint customer for nearly a decade, an owner of and EVO since November, as well as switching from Comcast to Sprint's 3G/4G hotspot in November, I've been patiently waiting for 4G to launch.

After the article, I checked my current 3G speeds, which hovered in the .76 mbs range. The article listed Verizon as having the fastest service at 37 mbs in the downtown area! I was preparing to call Sprint in a month or two, once my wife's Sprint contract expires, and pay the $200 fee to break my contract for our 3G/4G hotspot. Today, I noticed that service seemed significantly better, as I could now stream videos without waiting for them to load. A speed test proved that rates were now 2.5 mbs. In addition, I see that my hotspot is picking up a 4G signal, albeit at a weak 20% signal strength. My EVO seems to be spuratically grabbing a 4G signal too.

Anybody else experiencing the same? What surprises me is that Sprint has made no announcements, and today is the first day my internet is noticably faster. Is 4G knocking on our door? Are they preparing for an unannounced launch, or just doing testing? Most importantly, is anybody in metro Detroit picking up 4G with Sprint?

**Goose** · March-29-11, 07:52 PM

I will check later tonight and see if I have the same results. Stupid me, a Sprint customer since forever, bought the Evo on the assumption that as all the advertising leads one to believe, that it would have 4G coverage, didn't even think to look [[yeah, stupid me).... but what really bothers me is that they charge $10 extra per month for the 4G phones for enhanced data service which currently doesn't exist..... raping me for an extra $240 a year with two phones.....

where are you located when getting the weak 4G signal?

**edgar_rhode** · March-29-11, 08:11 PM

nothing in grosse pointe park. longtime sprint customer. had an evo from the day they went on sale. only time i picked up 4G was in san antonio. wicked fast there and then - here not so much.

**SaintMe** · March-29-11, 08:21 PM

Two of my siblings have the Evo and they love them. But I will not buy one until Sprint gives our area 4G.

**Magnatomicflux** · March-29-11, 08:36 PM

I'm not too tech savvy, but my understanding is you guys won't start getting it until sometime in August. This is when Windsor area/Canadian TV will be going digital, and the 4G system would screw up our signals until then if it were up and running now.

....something like that. I dunno for sure. I think there was a thread a little while ago about this.

**Supersport** · March-29-11, 08:41 PM

Near Wayne State. My EVO picks up a signal occasionally, but it's so weak it simply shows "4G" without any signal strength. My hotspot on the other hand, I can set up "4G Only" and it's registering the 20% strength.

Best Buy had told me a few weeks ago that a customer lived next to a tower and had talked with a technician working on the tower who informed him they are updating all the towers to 4G, but didn't have a date for launch. That's been the only promising news I've heard since I bought my phone/hotspot. So perhaps a tower or two is up, and the roll out will be gradual. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, as today's internet access was the fastest I've had since I switched to Sprint.

**Supersport** · March-29-11, 08:42 PM

As far as the Windsor tv signals, I read somewhere that they had resolved that issue and it was no longer a problem. I believe it was in the same article I read in the Freep or Detnews.

**mwilbert** · March-29-11, 09:50 PM

I believe you are correct. This is from a Verizon press release announcing their 4G service going live in Detroit:

Much of metro Detroit has been impacted by spectrum interference with a Canadian TV station that has since been resolved, allowing the company to make this significant early expansion.

**Supersport** · March-29-11, 10:00 PM

Without a doubt, my computer is now operating exclusively on 4G, as I adjusted my settings to only connect to 4G. Also, my data transfer is only being recorded under 4G connection, which is awesome, because Sprint's 4G is unlimited. I'm guessing this initial roll out may be one tower in the downtown area coming on line.

**Goose** · March-29-11, 10:19 PM

no 4G at 8 Mile Rd. and Mack Ave.

**DetroitHabitater** · March-29-11, 10:24 PM

3g in corktown

**CLAUDE G** · March-30-11, 12:19 AM

I did a speed test the other day with my sprint 3G card and got 1 Meg down, bit got 2.5 Meg up.

But this is really pissing me off, because you would think they would upgrade the towers in Detroit first before they setup Grand Rapids for 4G.

I hear Verizon has got 4G in Detroit, but im not too crazy about their 3G service

**fryar** · March-30-11, 07:06 AM

Clear [[formerly Clearwire) claims they have 4G coverage in parts of Detroit [[at http://www.clear.com/coverage, you have to zoom in). As they are a Sprint partner [[both, along with the local cable co, are piggy-backing off the same 4G network in NYC), downtown and northwest Detroit apparently have some 4G coverage.

**Jared9903** · March-30-11, 08:33 AM

being an EVO owner in Ann Arbor, the only time i expect to pick up a 4G signal is when I move to Orlando this summer.

**Supersport** · March-30-11, 11:02 AM

I found several confirmations on the internet. One tower appears to be at WSU, and another either in SW, or perhaps NE by City Airport. While my computer is running fine exclusively on the 4G network, my EVO doesn't pick up the signal as easily, though on the second floor, I get a bar or two. We have our hotspot on the second floor, which may explain why the computer is picking up a better signal. Here are a few links confirming the 4G launch.

http://community.sprint.com/baw/thre...art=0&tstart=0

http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...roit-Sprint-4G

Here is a map of the coverage area, though it seems a bit optimistic based upon my signal strength.

http://sensorly.com/Map/4G/USA/Sprin...etroit%2C%20mi

**Supersport** · March-31-11, 09:36 AM

One last update:

Today, leaving downtown heading north on Woodward, I checked out the 4G signal strength. From downtown, all the way to WSU where the tower is, I only had 1 bar signal strength. As I headed west on Warren, around the Lodge, the signal increased to 2 outta 3 bars. As I got to the alley at home, I lost my signal. Inside our home, the signal on my EVO is still hit or miss, and for the most part, unusable.

As for the internet via our 3G/4G hotspot, after some internet searching, I relocated the hotspot to the rear of the house, on the side towards WSU. That doubled our signal strength to 40%, and significantly increased our transfer rates. One final test, I relocated the hotspot to the third floor. I was rewarded with even faster speeds, though maintained 40% signal strength. Download speeds range from 3.5-6 mbps, with upload speeds from .5-1mbps. Speeds in which I have VERY happy with. With the 4G speeds, we now get unlimited data use.