Best Reviewed
Cell Phone Plans
- Best cell phone plans Verizon Wireless *Est. $40
- Top regional cell phone carrier U.S. Cellular *Est. $30
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Pros
- Unlimited night minutes after 7 p.m. on most plans
- Affordable monthly plans
- Unlimited 4G data usage
Cons
- Customer service average at best
- Call quality varies by region
- Slower 3G and 4G data speeds than rivals
Sprint falls behind Verizon Wireless (*Est. $40 per month and up) and regional carrier U.S. Cellular (*Est. $30 per month and up) in all of the top surveys. Customers say call quality ranges from good to poor, depending on region. Customer service has improved to average in one survey, and it ties with T-Mobile for first place in J. D. Powers and Associates' 2011 survey of the wireless purchase experience. However, Sprint is in MSN.com's customer service hall of shame for the fourth straight year. Sprint does offer a 4G network in major markets, with unlimited service and no data caps, but it's not as fast as Verizon 4G, reviewers say. Sprint's 3G network proves slower, too, in two nationwide tests. On the positive side, reviewers note that Sprint has a good selection of cell phones and affordable plans. The carrier offers free unlimited evening and weekend minutes starting at 7 p.m. with most of its plans, which is two hours earlier than other providers. Sprint also has a Simply Everything flat-rate plan for smartphones (*Est. $100 a month) that includes unlimited voice, messaging, data and direct connect. A comparable plan at Verizon Wireless starts at $120 per month.
Large cell phone user surveys from ConsumerReports.org, J.D. Power and Associates and PCMag.com offer the most comprehensive information and reliable methodology for evaluating cell phone service. These surveys poll large numbers of users and gather feedback about key service areas, such as call quality, network coverage, customer service, plan options and cost. PC World and Gizmodo.com test Sprint's 3G speed against other carriers', and Laptop Magazine, Computerworld and PC World do 4G comparisons. MSN.com's survey rates Sprint on customer service alone. Additional sources include TopTenReviews.com, a site that compares cell phone plan features, which places Sprint in third position in its review, praising its monthly plan options in particular.
Where To Buy
Our Sources
In this nationwide survey of about 26,000 people, J.D. Power and Associates polls cell phone users about service, support and call quality. Sprint ties for first place (with T-Mobile) for customer service and purchase experience, though it receives a below-average rating for overall network quality.
Review: Telecom Ratings, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates, As of April 2012
2. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
ConsumerReports.org polls more than 66,000 of its subscribers, asking them to rate their cell service for value, voice/text/data service and customer support. Each carrier, including Sprint, gets an overall score and a separate rating in each of 26 major cities.
Review: Overall Cell Phone Service Ratings, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, January 2012
Sprint comes in at fourth place out of the five mobile phone carriers featured in this survey of wireless phone service users, just behind T-Mobile. Its call quality in the home area receives its highest score, with a low score for its fees.
Review: Readers' Choice Awards 2011: Mobile Phone and Carriers, Ben Gottesman, May 23, 2011
TopTenReviews.com provides a side-by-side comparison of national and regional cell phone providers that details features but does not evaluate call quality. Sprint wins the bronze medal, and editors praise the company for its monthly plan options, which include unlimited evenings that start at 7 p.m. -- two hours earlier than most carriers.
Review: 2012 Best Cell Phone Provider Comparisons and Reviews, Editors of TopTenReviews.com, As of April 2012
5. Laptop MagazineDetails/Subscribe
Sprint's 4G speeds finish just behind Verizon's in tests here, getting a grade of B. Sprint also earns points for accurately advertising its speeds and offering unlimited 4G plans with no usage caps.
Review: 4G Report Card: Who's Winning, Who's Failing, Mark Spoonauer, March 18, 2011
Sprint's 3G network proves very reliable in this test, but it posts the slowest average download speeds. PC World runs more than 51,000 tests on the Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T networks in 13 cities nationwide.
Review: AT&T Roars Back in PCWorld 's Second 3G Wireless Performance Test, Mark Sullivan, Feb. 22, 2010
Sprint 4G costs less, but Verizon Wireless 4G proves dramatically faster in this New York City-area test. Brian Nadel doesn't test other companies' 4G offerings, which he says are really just enhanced 3G.
Review: 4G Shootout: Verizon LTE vs. Sprint WiMax, Brian Nadel, Feb. 3, 2011
PC World says Sprint 4G is indeed slower than Verizon 4G -- but unlike Verizon, Sprint offers unlimited 4G plans with no data caps.
Review: Verizon LTE vs. The Rest: 4G Smackdown, Jared Newman, Dec. 2, 2010
9. MSN.com
Sprint, the only wireless service company on the list, earns a spot on MSN.com's customer service hall of shame for the fourth straight year. About one-third of respondents rate Sprint's customer service as "poor."
Review: 10 Companies We Love To Hate, Karen Aho, May 18, 2010
10. Gizmodo.com
Sprint lags behind AT&T and Verizon Wireless in this 12-city 3G speed test, although Sprint does win in one city (Tampa, Fla.). Testers note that they didn't try out Sprint's faster 4G network, even though it was available for laptop users in some cities at the time of the test.
Review: Our 2009 12-City 3G Mega Test: AT&T Won, Wilson Rothman, Dec. 21, 2009
Cell Phone Plans Runners Up:
AT&T *Est. $40 per month and up
3 picks including: J.D. Power & Associates, Laptop Magazine…
Sprint *Est. $30 per month and up
1 pick including: J.D. Power & Associates, Laptop Magazine…