Disclosure: I participated in an Influencer Activation Program with Sprint on behalf of Influence Central. I received a sample device to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
In this day and age, we depend on our phones for so much more than just making calls. In any one day, my phone is my personal computer, GPS, entertainment center, cookbook, coupon resource, camera, texting device, and oh yeah, sometimes it’s simply a way to make a phone call. Because, like me, it’s such a multi-tasker, it depends on good cell service to make it function well. Otherwise? It’s likely to become a missile as well, as I’m tempted to throw it out the window if it’s not keeping up with me.
Sprint knows that we lean on our cell phones more than ever, for a variety of uses, and made improved cell service in Indianapolis a priority, by upgrading cell towers and replacing equipment at cell sites throughout metro Indy. The result? Faster speeds and better call quality. Sprint also runs on Sprint Spark and uses an LTE service uniquely built for data. Those two features combined give users improved performance in video playback and online gaming applications.
In order to put these new features to the test, I was provided with an HTC One M8 cell phone with Sprint service for a couple of weeks. In order to truly test out the phone’s capabilities and the promise of better, faster cell service, myself, Elena and Eli all took turns with the HTC One.
We all depend on top-notch cell service in a smart phone for different reasons. Eli is into the gaming aspect. He loves playing both Minecraft and Plants vs. Zombies on my cell phone. Elena is all about the videos. She’s hooked on a few shows, and her preferred method of watching is through Netflix on any device other than an actual television. We also depend on a cell phone to keep in touch with her when she’s out with friends or penny boarding through town. And me? I need a phone that takes great pictures. I also need a data plan that works, and quickly. I’m often live-tweeting and Instagramming at events, or while watching NFL games. Bad photos or tweets that are 20 minutes behind are no bueno.
So how did it do? Very well, I’m happy to report. Here’s what we liked about it:
Speed: It is, indeed, fast. In the nearly 3 weeks that we used it, we didn’t experience any lag time at all in downloads. I especially appreciate it during football games. I can easily keep up with scores, manage my fantasy team, and live-tweet during the games without missing a beat.
If only my fantasy players had been as fast and furious as my Sprint LTE service this week.
Video quality: Again, fast and good. Elena watched a marathon of “Supernatural” episodes the other weekend, all in the comfort of her bed. The picture quality is excellent and the videos load very quickly. Eli and I were pleased with our multiple viewing experiences of Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” video. Man, oh man, do we love that video (and do we secretly wish we could do that finger trick)>
Sound quality: Maybe this is because we tested the Harman/Kardon edition, but the sound was fantastic. We especially appreciated this when using the phone to stream our Spotify playlists.
Call quality: While I don’t currently have a ton of dropped call issues with my provider, we do have issues with reaching Elena at times on her cell phone. She never missed a single call on this phone. This is by far the biggest frustration for me with other networks. Dealing with slow load times is a hassle at times, but clearly a #firstworldproblem. Not being able to reach my kid because of poor cell service? That’s a safety/peace of mind issue for me, and one I’m not willing to skimp on. I’d feel much better with her out and about using the upgraded Sprint network.
In Indianapolis specifically, Sprint has made network improvements at the Indiana Convention Center, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Children’s Museum, and the Zoo. While we didn’t get to test the phone out at any of these specific venues, I imagine it will be a welcome improvement. I’ve had some frustrating moments myself at the Children’s Museum, struggling with poor cell service.
Whether it’s for individuals, couples, or families, Sprint is determine to deliver the best value in wireless, and they want Indianapolis customers to enjoy faster data speeds and better call quality with these network upgrades. Find out more, and check out special pricing plans for families, by visiting Sprint’s website.