Three whole years after T-Mobile bought competing wireless carrier Sprint, Apple has now removed references to the brand from its website.

The move means that anyone wanting to buy anything from the iPhone SE through to the very best iPhone of them all can no longer choose Sprint as their carrier.

Not that it will make all that much difference to anyone, though. While Apple has continued to sell Sprint iPhones and allowed people to sign up on its website, the company itself died long ago and has been under the T-Mobile name since April 2020.

Sprint, don't walk

Anyone who was looking to buy a Sprint iPhone 14, or any other iPhone for that matter, can still head to the online Apple Store and make a purchase. But T-Mobile is the carrier to choose from here on out — although the other carriers are still an option of course. It isn't clear exactly when Apple removed Sprint as a carrier option when checking out, but it's thought to have happened within the last day or so.

Those who are already Sprint customers obviously need not do a thing at this point. It isn't clear why Apple has chosen now as the time to remove Sprint from its website, but existing customers have now been using T-Mobile for years whether they realize it or not. MacRumors does note that there might still be some stragglers who are left on Sprint contracts, however.

T-Mobile is on a bit of a buying spree at the moment of course. After completing the Sprint merger in 2020 the company has just announced that it's also buying Mint, the MVNO previously owned by actor Ryan Reynolds. The star will reportedly be kept on in a creative capacity after featuring in years of frankly awesome Mint ads. Whether we'll see Reynolds fronting T-Mobile ads remains to be seen.

What you need to know

• Users are reporting mobile network outages across all U.S. carriers, primarily with calling.
• Issues spread throughout the U.S., starting around 2:30 p.m. ET.
• T-Mobile's network seems to be the primary culprit, creating knock-on effects to other carriers.

If you're unable to make calls or use mobile data on your phone in the U.S. right now, you aren't alone. User reports directly to us, and on popular reporting site Downdetector, show outages across the country on T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. Depending on the area of the country, customers are seeing issues ranging from intermittent data service and dropped phone calls all the way to completely failed networks with no connectivity.

The first widespread reports of outages started around 2:30 p.m. ET, and only took off from there. We heard from T-Mobile customers first, particularly those in the Eastern half of the country, who were having issues primarily with calls but in some cases also data. At least according to Downdetector reports, the issues ended up being far more widespread — both in areas of the country and number of users effected.

At 5:42 p.m., T-Mobile's customer support Twitter account responded, making it clear that the carrier is aware of a "routing issue" leading to call outages, and encouraging people to use internet-based calling services instead:

Interestingly, reports from T-Mobile customers have peaked and are slowly on the decline, while we're now seeing a smaller number of reports from customers on the other major carriers showing they're experiencing similar issues across the major population centers of the country. Still, it looks like T-Mobile's having the biggest network-wide issues, with far more customer complaints of network disconnects, dropped calls and intermittent data.

And of course with T-Mobile clearly having massive calling outages, anytime calls between T-Mobile and the other carriers are unable to complete, this can often create false-positive results for the person on the other end thinking it's their carrier's problem. That situation can likely be attributed to a good number of the reports of outages on Verizon and AT&T, which have the largest number of customers in the country.

If you're experiencing problems with calls or data on T-Mobile, you can follow some general troubleshooting steps and try to use Wi-Fi calling — but chances are with a network outage this large, you're just going to have to wait for the carrier to fix things on its end.

In the last few years, phones and the mobile plans that go with them have gone from affordable to shockingly expensive. Add in the words unlimited data and suddenly your out of pocket costs rival that of your grocery bill.

Worse yet, when you want to switch carriers to save some money, you're pushed into buying a new phone that you don't need and can't afford just to recoup a little cash.

Sprint has a different approach. They know you searched high and low for the perfect phone, and you'd like to keep it. They also know unlimited doesn't have to be costly.

With Sprint's Unlimited Kickstart plan, you get the best of both worlds: You keep your phone and you trim the cost of your phone bill. Jump on one of America's best cellular networks, keep your phone and your number, and you'll pay only $35/month for unlimited talk, text, data, and DVD quality streaming.

Sprint's Unlimited Kickstart plan is a cool $35/month. No contracts, no exclusions, no fine print.

That's a deal in and of itself, but there's more.

When you sign up right now for the Unlimited Kickstart, BYOD, and port your number, Sprint will give you a $300 Mastercard. Yes, they'll actually pay you to make the switch. Keep your number with Sprint for 90 days, and you claim a prepaid Mastercard worth $300.

It's a win-win for everyone. And thanks to Sprint's 100-percent Total Satisfaction Guarantee, there's no risk.

Trade in an eligible phone and you can get the iPhoine 11 Pro for just $12.50 a month. This deal requires activating a new line with approved credit and signing up on Sprint's Flex Lease plan. But once you do, you'll get $29.17 in credit every month, bringing down the amount you have to pay. It's one of the best ways to get Apple's newest generation iPhone, and you don't have to worry about what to do with your old phone!

So what phones are eligible? Sprint isn't being picky here. If you're just upgrading an old iPhone, your iPhone 7 or newer will do just fine. For Android phones, you can trade in the Samsung Galaxy S9 or newer, the Google Pixel 3 or newer, the LG G8, the LG V40, or the LG V50. That's plenty of options worth getting rid of for something fancy and new. These phones can be in any condition.

This trade-in deal is for the iPhone 11 Pro 64GB capacity, but you can pick the color you want from Midnight Green, Space Gray, Gold, and Silver.

We've got a lot to say about the new iPhone 11 Pro. Read our initial hands-on impression and then check out a more in-depth review from a week later. In fact, a lot of people had a lot to say about it, and you can see more of that in our review roundup. Just need it all summed up for you? Here's everything you need to know about Apple's new smartphones.

That's a lot of info to digest, but the key takeaway is that this is another great phone from Apple. We gave it 4.5 stars and a The Best badge. Rene Ritchie said "Not everyone needs this pro-level iPhone, but for those of you that need OLED, can't live without the triple-lens camera system, and thinks 4x4 MIMO LTE is where it's at, let me introduce you to my friend, the iPhone 11 Pro."

What you need to know

• The FCC voted to approve the T-Mobile and Sprint merger on October 16, 2019.
• FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has previously expressed his approval of the merger.
• Even so, the companies can't fully merge until it closes an ongoing lawsuit.

Back in 2018, T-Mobile and Sprint made the historic announcement that the two companies were looking to merge with one another to form a single, new carrier in the form of "The New T-Mobile." Over a year later on October 16, 2019, the merger has finally been approved by the FCC.

The news broke courtesy of The Verge, with the publication saying:

This announcement comes a few months after the Department of Justice granted approval of the merger, and as part of that, Sprint agreed to sell its prepaid business model to Dish for $1.4 billion — including the Boost and Virgin brands.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has previously expressed his approval of T-Mobile and Sprint joining forces, so this latest development in the merger saga isn't all that surprising. Furthermore, it's worth noting that T-Mobile and Sprint still have one more roadblock to get across before the deal can finally be closed.

In June of this year, a multi-state lawsuit was opened to block the merger from going through. The lawsuit is being led by Attorney General Letitia James from New York, with the main point of contention being that the merger would result in "irreparable harm to mobile subscribers nationwide by cutting access to affordable, reliable wireless service for millions of Americans."

T-Mobile and Sprint can't call things a day until the lawsuit is shut down, so now it's a matter of wait and see for what happens on that front.

Best T-Mobile Phones in 2019

Both Verizon and Sprint have deals right now where if you buy one of the iPhone X smartphones (including the XR, X, XS, or XS Max), you can get a second new iPhone XR for free. It's a great deal but each one varies slightly, which might help you choose which carrier to go with.

The Sprint deal requires either two new lines or one new and one upgraded line. You will sign up for an 18-month lease, and you will need approved credit. If you don't need two smartphones, Sprint has an ongoing deal we reported back in April where you can get just the iPhone XR on the Flex Lease for $15 a month instead of its regular $31.25 a month. Unfortunately, you probably won't be able to stack the two deals.

Verizon's sale actually includes a $750 promo credit that's applied to your account over a 24-month period. That means for this one it doesn't necessarily have to be an iPhone XR for your second phone. You'll just save as much as $750 even if you choose to go with the $1,100 XS Max. Just add the second phone to a new line of service on the Unlimited plan. Of course, this lease is six months longer than Sprint's, and Sprint has the iPhone Forever program that lets you upgrade to the newest iPhone anytime after 12 lease payments.

The iPhone XR is available at this price in several colors including Black, White, Yellow, Coral, Blue, and Apple's (Product)Red. Some of the colors are limited in stock at different storage capacities.

Check out our review of the iPhone XR where we gave it 4.5 stars out of 5 and said "It has almost everything you'd want in a flagship phone for 2018, minus the price tag that's typically coming with them these days." Our reviewer even used the phone for a month and wrote a followup afterward where he said "iPhone XR is legit a great product and it's going to be a great phone choice for a lot of people."

While the iPhone XR does have a great battery, it also supports wireless charging. Check out our roundup of the best accessories, and don't forget to protect your new phone with a great looking case.

We also took a look at the iPhone XS seven months after its release. Renee Ritchie said "...if you need it or would benefit from getting it now, absolutely get an iPhone XS — or XR if you don't care about the OLED display or dual camera system and want to save some cash — now and have zero regrets." The review adds the "iPhone X was all new. iPhone XS is just all better. Better camera, better battery, better Face ID, better performance, and a new gold option. More than just being a great user experience, 7-months later something else is clear as well: It's a phone you can rely on."

• See at Sprint
• See at Verizon

In the United States, there are a lot of companies that can get you and your phone online, but most people use one of the four biggest: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon. Choosing between them can be difficult. Your first priority should be what service works best in the places you spend your time. It's not worth saving $10 a month if the service is bad. Once you have that sorted, you can look at what each company has to offer and the prices they charge for it.

More: Which unlimited plan should you buy?

Let's take a look at Sprint to see what they can give you and what it will cost.

Note: The details of this plan are current as of January 5, 2018.

Sprint Unlimited Freedom plan details

• Unlimited talk, text, and data (with certain restrictions)
• Unlimited data for streaming video up to 1080p
• Unlimited data for gaming up to 8Mbps
• Unlimited data for streaming music up to 1.5Mbps
• 10GB high-speed mobile hotspot with VPN and P2P support
• Add a tablet with unlimited data for $25 per month

Note: These features apply only to new accounts.

Sprint's definition of Unlimited Data means that after you use 23 GB in a single month, your service can be slowed down if you're in a congested area. You'll hear the word throttled used here but you need to know that it's only a temporary deprioritization of your data connection when you're in a busy area. It may not happen at all depending on how many other customers are using the same towers.

Sprint's Unlimited Freedom plan applies only to new customers who are also buying (outright purchases or financing) or leasing phones from Sprint at the time of purchase, and credit approval is required. There is an activation fee of up to $30 per line and the Unlimited Freedom Plan requires eBilling. Current customers can call 1-866-275-1411 with questions about changing their plan.

Sprint offers a 14-day satisfaction guarantee and devices purchased on installments are subject to a $350 early termination fee.

Additional lines can be added to a Sprint Unlimited Freedom plan. Every line has the same benefits outlined above and requires an equipment purchase. Currently, Sprint offers up to four lines for $100 per month, with a fifth line available at no extra charge. Here's a pricing breakdown.

• One line of service is $60
• Two lines of service is $100
• Three lines of service is $100
• Four lines of service is $100
• Five lines of service is $100

Sprint notes that this pricing lasts until January 31, 2019. After that date, your first line will still cost $60, while subsequent lines will break down like this:

• Two lines of service will be $100
• Three lines of service will be $130
• Four lines of service will be $160
• Five lines of service will be $190

Sprint's Unlimited Freedom plan is a no-frills option at a low price. There are few extras and add-ons available if you want international options or a few extra features.

• Mexico-Canada Plus: Unlimited calls and texts from the U.S. to Mexico and Canada, unlimited messaging to 180 countries and discounted international calling rates from the U.S. for $5 per month
• Upgrade your phone every 12 months with a $5 monthly charge with Sprint Flex.

You can also add a subscription to Hulu's limited commercial tier of service, which offers unlimited access to the streaming service's vast TV and movie library at no extra charge. Existing Hulu limited commercial subscribers can link their Hulu account to their Sprint account to take advantage of the offer. You only get one Hulu subscription per eligible Sprint account, and you cannot add a Hulu commercial-free plan or Hulu with Live TV plan.

Sprint also will offer "unlimited access to exclusive artist content not available anywhere else" now that the company has bought one-third of Tidal, though exact details on this aren't yet available.

Updated January 2017: Added updated pricing information, including changes taking effect on January 31, 2019. Added a new overview graphic and a section about Hulu.

Pokémon Go wants to keep going and that means following up on its first three events with its first promotions. What kind of promotions? Sprint, Boost, and Radio Shack stores are becoming PokéStops or Gyms, and so are Starbucks in the U.S.!

New: Latest Pokémon Go Updates | Next Pokémon Go Event

Hot: Best movesets | Best Power-Ups | Find rares | Catch bonuses

Guides: Pokémon Go tips + tricks | Pokémon Go cheats

What's the deal with Sprint?

From Pokémon Go:

And Starbucks?

From Starbucks:

There will also be an exclusive Pokémon GO Frappuccino...

Pokémon GO Frappuccino? Is it made from Razz Barries?!

Close! It's based on a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino with raspberry syrup blended with freeze dried, whole blackberries and topped with whipped cream.

Sugary enough that you'll be seeing Stardust!

Will this be international or U.S.-only?

So far, yes. Sadness.

So, way more PokéStops and Gyms? And in warm places?

Way, way more. And for anyone who lives in a place where winter means cold temperatures, snow, and ice, going into a store, especially a Starbucks, will be welcome respite.

• Best way to win battles and conquer gyms in Pokémon Go
• How to play Pokémon Go In winter without freezing

What should I do now?

Save your items! If Gen 2 is coming next week or soon thereafter, you'll want plenty of balls to catch them, Stardust to power them, and candy to evolve them!

Also, your Lures, so you can drop them while sipping your Starbux and bring the Pokémon to you!

• How to get more candy and stardust in Pokemon Go
• How to place a Lure in Pokémon Go

What candy should I save?

• Zubat, so you can evolve Golbat into Crobat
• Onix, so you can evolve into Steelix
• Scyther, so you can evolve into Scizor
• Horsea, so you can evolve Seadra into Kingdra.
• Porygon, so you can evolve into Porygon2
• Chansey, so you can evolve into Blissey
• Oddish, so you can evolve Gloom into Bellossom (split from Vile Plume)
• Poliwag, so you can evolve Poliwhirl into Politoed (split from Poliwrath)
• Slowpoke, so you can evolve into Slowking (split from Slowbro)
• Eevee, so you can evolve into Umbreon or Espeon (split from Vaporeon, Flareon, and Jolteon)

There will also be some pre-evolutions you won't need candy for, but could help you get candy for the higher evolutions:

• Pichu, which can evolve into Pikachu
• Cleffa, which can evolve into Clafairy
• Igglybuff, which can evolve into Jigglypuff
• Tyrogue, which can evolve into Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, or the Gen 2 Hitmontop
• Smoochum, which can evolve into Jynx
• Elekid, which can evolve into Electabuzz
• Magby, which can evolve into Magmar

Anything else we need to know?

There'll likely be a Christmas/Holiday event of some sort, similar to the Halloween (double candy) and Thanksgiving (double XP and Stardust) events. Stay tuned for details!

Sprint has announced that people who buy an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus from the carrier will be able to get another for free. The "free" part comes in the form of a monthly offset credit.

Here's how Sprint describes the offer:

This BOGO offer works if the customer adds one new line of service and is eligible for an upgrade. In addition, buyers of the iPhone 6s or 6s Plus can also save $200 if they also buy an iPad (iPad Mini 4, iPad Air 2, iPad Pro 9.7, and iPad Pro 12.9) with a lease or monthly installments.

See at Sprint

If you wanted to try out Amazon Prime but don't have the $99 on hands for its normal annual fee, you might want to switch over to Sprint. The carrier has announced that new or current customers have the option to access Amazon Prime as an option on their bills for $10.99 a month.

This is the first time that Amazon Prime has been available on a month-to-month basis. Sprint says:

If Sprint customers stick with their Amazon Prime option for 12 months, they will pay more than the regular user of the service as the yearly cost will be about $132. On the other hand, Sprint customers could also check it out for a few months to access Amazon Prime Video's exclusive shows like Transparent and The Man in the High Castle and then remove the option from their bill and not have to pay the $99 annual fee.

Sprint has published the company's financial earnings report for Q3 2015. The major U.S. carrier made an operating loss of $197 million, which is a substantial improvement over Q2's $585 million in the red. The company also added the highest number of porting postpaid phone customers in three years. Net additions for this most recent quarter totalled 501,000, which is an improvement of 471,000 year-over-year.

Postpaid smartphone additions were 366,000. The report boasted Q3 2015 seeing the highest postpaid net ports on record, as well as a net port positive for the fourth consecutive quarter. Finally, the EBITDA guidance has also be adjusted for the 2015 fiscal year, bumped up from an expectation of $6.8-7.1 billion to $7.7-8 billion.

For more details on the company's financial standing from Q3 2015, be sure to hit the link below to see the full press release.

Source: Sprint

Sprint customers can now order the 128GB Wi-Fi and cellular version of Apple's iPad Pro. Sprint is offering a number of pricing options for the 12.9-inch tablet, including $200 down and $36.67 per month for 24 months on Spring Easy Pay.

The carrier is also selling the iPad Pro for $979.99 with a two-year contract or $1,079.99 without a contract. It added:

There are also individual monthly data plans that range from $10 per month for 100MB to $110 for 30GB. Sprint is also selling the Smart Keyboard accessory for the iPad Pro. The tablet is availale to buy now at select Sprint retail stores, and any of those stores can order it and have it shipped directly to the customer. Sprint is not currently accepting orders for the iPad Pro on its website.

Source: Sprint

Sprint has announced a new offer for those who want to pick up the iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus to compete against T-Mobile. The US carrier will let you walk away with the new iPhone from just $1 per month. For a limited time only, and starting this Friday morning at Sprint stores, you'll be able to take advantage of the new offer, which is part of Sprint's iPhone Forever program.

The $1 a month is for the 16GB iPhone 6s, while the iPhone 6s Plus will start at $5 per month, when you trade-in an iPhone 6. The company will also take iPhone 5s units, but this will add an extra $9 to each option, meaning you'll pay $10 for the iPhone 6s per month, or $14 for the iPhone 6s Plus. Higher memory configurations will cost slightly more.

It's an interesting offer and one we're sure many will look into this coming weekend. As a reminder, through December 31 of this year, Sprint will also offer anyone who switches from another carrier, or happen to be an existing customer with an eligible upgrade, a promotion of $15 per month for the iPhone 6s 16GB, which is usually $22 a month without a trade-in.

Your move, T-Mobile.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), September 24, 2015 - Sprint has the world's best offer for iPhone fans who can't wait to get their hands on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. For a limited time, beginning Friday morning in Sprint branded retail stores, Sprint will offer the iPhone 6s 16GB for $1/month and the iPhone 6s Plus for $5/month with the trade-in of an iPhone 6.

This new offer is part of Sprint's iPhone Forever program, which allows new and upgrade-eligible Sprint customers to get the newest iPhone as soon as it is available.

Higher memory configurations of the iPhone 6s are also value-priced at $5.77/month for the 64GB and $10.53 for the 128GB with the trade in of an iPhone 6. For the 6s Plus, higher memory configurations cost $9.77/month for the 64GB and $14.53 for the 128GB with an iPhone 6 trade–in.

"Once again it is clear that the best place to get the new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus is Sprint," said Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure. "New and existing customers who trade in their current iPhone 6 can now get a device for only $1/month, making it the best way to get the iPhone – and a yearly upgrade is included in this charge. We are certain that more people will continue to switch to Sprint because of the great service and value we offer."

Sprint will also offer a $10/month price on iPhone 6s 16GB or $14/month on iPhone 6s Plus 16GB with the trade-in of an iPhone 5s.

Through Dec. 31, 2015, customers on any other carrier who switch to Sprint or existing Sprint customers who are upgrade-eligible and turn in any other smartphone will get a promotional rate of $15 per month on iPhone 6s 16GB, regularly $22/ month without a trade-in.

Source: Sprint

Sprint will be expanding their personalized delivery and set up service, Direct 2 You, to three new cities in June. Customers in Denver, San Francisco, and New York City will soon be able to have their phone delivered and set up in the comfort of their own home. Sprint first rolled the service out in the middle of April for customers in Kansas City, Chicago, and Miami. The Direct 2 You service is simple, a Sprint representative will deliver your new smartphone to your location, set it up, and even help personalize the device for you.

By the end of August Sprint hopes to reach 10 additional cities, with 30 more cities by the end of September.

Source: Sprint

The Best Buy One Plan allows customers to lease a 16GB iPhone 6 starting for $65 per month with unlimited talk, text and data. While Sprint specifically names the 16GB flavor of the iPhone 6 in the press release, it notes that other devices are available for lease at different price points. The cost is for a two-year contract, but customers also have the option to choose a 12-month lease option for an extra $10 per month. Additionally, anyone who starts a new line of service before March 28 will snag a $200 Best Buy gift card to sweeten the deal. Finally, Sprint says that certain, well-qualified customers will be able to take advantage of the deal with no money down and no sales tax at the time of purchase.

This Best Buy exclusive plan follows up on recent offers by Sprint to cut AT&T and Verizon customers' bills in half, as well as a $200 guarantee on smartphone trade-ins for customers switch from T-Mobile.

Update: Corrected pricing information

Source: Sprint

Press Release:

Sprint Launches "Best Buy One Plan" – Unlimited Talk, Text and Data, Plus Your Phone – for One Low Price; Available Only at Best Buy

Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) and Sprint (NYSE:S) today introduced a simple way to get a wireless phone, simplifying the wireless selection process for customers. The Best Buy One Plan (SM), an industry-first, all inclusive plan, gives customers unlimited talk, text and data, plus the hottest Sprint smartphones, for one low monthly price (excluding taxes and fees )1. This plan is available exclusively at Best Buy locations nationwide beginning March 1.

"Customers told us they wanted an easier, more simplified way to get a phone. With the Best Buy One Plan, that's exactly what we're offering," said Jaime Jones, president, Postpaid Consumer and General Business Sales, Sprint. "Best Buy One is the industry's first all-inclusive plan, offering one price for unlimited talk, text and data and the phone. It's that easy."

Details of the Offer

Well-qualified customers can walk out of a Best Buy store with no money down and no sales tax at the time of purchase, and the option to:

• Lease an iPhone 6 16GB including unlimited talk, text and data while on the Sprint network, at $65 per month (excluding taxes and fees) for two years
• Lease Android devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy S®5 or LG G3 including unlimited talk, text and data while on the Sprint network, starting at $75 per month (excluding taxes and fees) for two years
• Additional devices are also available for lease and pricing may vary
• For an additional $10 per month, customers can choose the 12 month lease option and have the ability to upgrade every year
• Customers activating a new line of service before March 28 will also receive a $200 Best Buy gift card The Best Buy One Plan saves customers up to $1,300 over two years versus other national carriers.2

"This is the least expensive option for consumers to get the latest smartphone and an all-inclusive plan to go with it," said Scott Anderson, vice president of mobile phones at Best Buy.

New customers and existing customers upgrading into a lease at Best Buy can take advantage of the Best Buy One Plan at all Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile specialty stores.

ABOUT SPRINT

Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things they care about most. Sprint served nearly 56 million connections as of Dec. 31, 2014, and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America for the past four years. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

Sprint is launching yet another price promotion, this time for its Family Share Plan. The limited time offer will give customers up to 10 lines of shared unlimited talk and text, along with 12GB of data, for $90 a month. The carrier says that the offer will end on March 12.

From Sprint:

The waving of the access charge, included as part of this promotion, will end on March 31, 2016 for those customers. In addition, Sprint says that customers from rival carriers that switch to Sprint, and activate a 12GB or higher Family Share Pack plan, will get an American Express Reward Card worth up to $350 per line to help with canceling their contracts.

Source: Sprint

Sprint is launching a new bundle promotion that will allow buyers to get both an iPhone and iPad for one monthly contract price. The starting price for the limited time offer is $100 a month for the 16GB iPhone 6 and the 16GB iPad Mini 3.

CNET reports on the specifics this new promotional offer, which ends on April 9:

Wireless Week adds that Sprint customers can also bundle the iPhone 6 Plus with the iPad Air 2 with a similar promotional offer, but the monthly fee will be higher. At the moment the deal doesn't appear to be live but we will update this post when it is available.

Source: CNET, Wireless Week

A new report claims that Sprint is among the many companies that might be thinking about acquiring FreedomPop, the wireless carrier that offers a number of voice minutes and data for free each month to US customers.

USA Today, citing unnamed sources, also claims that some of the other companies that might be in the running to purchase FreedomPop include an unnamed but "large U.S. technology company" as well as another wireless carrier that's smaller than Sprint. Both Sprint and FreedomPop's official spokespersons would not comment on the rumors.

Sprint ended its acquisition talks with rival T-Mobile in August, and fired its old CEO Dan Heese around the same time. Its current leader, Marcelo Claure has been trying to gain more subscribers with price cuts on its plans. An acquisition deal with FreedomPop, which launched in 2011, could help boost Sprint's revenues but that increase could be small since FreedomPop is tiny and Sprint's numbers are small compared to its two biggest rivals, Verizon and AT&T.

Would a Sprint-FreedomPop deal make you more interested in using Sprint?

Source: USA Today

You've decided to get an iPhone 6 or an iPhone 6 Plus, and now it's time to figure out which carrier to go with. In the U.S., the major carriers are Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint. All of them will carry the new phone, so how do you decide? We've gone over their plans and their coverage, and here are the details.

The Big Four: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint

Each of the big four carriers are the first out of the gate in the United States to offer the new iPhone models. And each are trying to sweeten the pot to get customers to jump at the new iPhones too. Some are giving billing credit incentives, some are offering generous trade-in allowances for working phones, and more.

Regardless of which carrier you choose, the 16 GB iPhone 6 will start at $199 on contract, with $299 on contract the base price for the larger iPhone 6 Plus. Add $100 to increase either phone from 16 GB to 64 GB, and another $100 for 128 GB.

Over the past year all four companies have changed the way they handle phone sales, all with an emphasis on helping you turn over your phone more quickly.

For Verizon, it's called Edge — buy an iPhone in 20 payments. After 30 days and once you've paid off 60 percent of the cost of the phone, you're eligible for an upgrade. Verizon is also giving a $200 credit if you buy a new iPhone 6 (not the 6 Plus) from them, assuming you're willing to trade in an iPhone 4 or newer and agree to a new two-year contract. They're billing this as a "free iPhone 6." Not quite, but a $200 trade-in gift card may be a strong incentive for some customers.

AT&T's program is called Next. It's 20 monthly payments as well, but you're not qualified to upgrade until the 12th installment. (There's a 24 month, 18th installment version available too). Once you upgrade, the cycle starts again. AT&T also incents customers to use Next by offering a $100 billing credit if you sign up. Like Verizon, AT&T's offering a trade-in credit for working phones, with a pretty generous allowance - you can get $200 for a working, unblemished iPhone 4.

Sprint's new program is called "iPhone for Life," and it's specifically geared towards customers interested in the new iPhone models. You can get the 6 or the 6 Plus for $20 per month. And after 24 months, you can trade in your old phone for a new one. It's essentially a leasing arrangement that makes you pay out $480 for the privilege of using the phone, then turning it in when you're eligible for a new one. You can get up to $300 in credit for an eligible iPhone trade-in.

T-Mobile breaks up the cost of the iPhone over 24 months, and your cost depends on your credit (with a 16 GB iPhone 6 starting at $27.08 a month). The company offers a trade-up upgrade called Jump that lets you upgrade as soon as you've paid off 50 percent of the balance of the phone. T-Mobile is also offering its customers a trade-in value guarantee: They'll meet or beat all the other major carriers' deals, and if you find a better deal within seven days, you'll get the difference back plus $50.

Pricing plans

It's enough to make your head spin. There are a lot of different plans available from each wireless company. What you'll pay depends on how many lines you're managing and how much bandwidth you're willing to pay for, but here's a quick breakdown. I'm going to focus on each company's shared plans for now, since so much consumer attention is focused on that right now. All the plans offer unlimited domestic talk and text.

Verizon's program is called "More Everything." A pool of data that can be shared on up to ten devices (smartphones, tablets and so on), personal hotspot support for your iPhone, and some other perks, like cloud storage, international messaging and more. Line access for each phone costs $40, with a fee for data on top of that which varies depending on how much bandwidth you're paying for. Verizon incents its customers to enroll in its Edge program by offering them $10 off per smartphone for the More Everything plan.

AT&T's variation is called Mobile Share. Just like Verizon, up to 10 devices can share a pooled data allotment. International messaging, and 50 GB of free cloud storage using AT&T's Locker service. Plan charges start at $20 per month for 300 MB of data, running up to $375 for 50 GB of data, with lots of stops in-between. Each smartphone costs $40 for line access, though you get a better price break than you do with Verizon if you're in AT&T's Next upgrade program: 6 GB or less data plans knock that line service fee down to $25 per month; 10 GB or more play only $15 per month for each smartphone line.

Sprint's new Family Share plan waives monthly access charges through 2015. Up to ten devices can be connected, with data plans available ranging from 1 GB per device to 6 GB per device. The company is also pushing a single-line unlimited data offer for iPhone customers for $50 per month.

T-Mobile's Simple Choice plan lets you scale savings based on how many lines you need. You can pick and choose data allotments for each line, with 2.5 GB to unlimited data available. T-Mobile also offers unlimited data and text in more than 120 countries, along with music streaming that doesn't count against your data cap, and a recently announced deal that gets you Visual Voicemail and texting capabilities on board airplanes equipped with GoGo Wi-Fi.

Who should get their iPhone 6 on Verizon?

Verizon remains the dominant player in the U.S. market, with the biggest 4G LTE network and the biggest footprint. After focusing on modernizing their network over the past few years and migrating to 4G LTE, They've spent a lot of 2014 building out capacity to improve network congestion in urban areas. However, you will pay for the privilege. Verizon isn't the most competitive on price, simply because they don't have to be.

One problem that Verizon has faced with the iPhone in the past is going away: simultaneous voice and data communication; namely, that iPhones on Verizon's network couldn't do it. That's changing thanks to two factors: Verizon will soon bringing online Voice over LTE (VoLTE), voice call technology that is encoded as data instead of a dedicated radio channel, and the iPhone 6 can do VoLTE. So users in the past who were worried about not being able to access the web while they were talking, or pull up map information and so on, won't need to worry going forward.

Who should get their Phone 6 on AT&T?

AT&T is second to Verizon in terms of customer base, but the company hasn't let that stop it from aggressively building out its 4G LTE network. AT&T boasts better reliability than the competition, with high scores from independent testers for call quality and Internet speed.

While VoLTE will level the voice/data playing field in the future, AT&T's use of the GSM networking standard makes simultaneous voice/data communication the way things have long worked on their network, so you don't need to worry about the switch getting flipped in the future — it works now, just as it always has.

Who should go with Sprint?

Sprint's been playing catchup as they build out capacity and speed on their 4G LTE network. They've tried to make up for it by offering some really good deals to sign up new customers, which makes them an attractive offer for bargain-hunting mobile users looking for the best possible deals.

There's a big glimmer of hope from the iPhone 6 - it's the first iPhone to support Sprint's "Spark" service, which offers faster data speeds on their network. It's something already available on some Android phones, but the iPhone 6 will be Apple's first phone to support Spark.

Who should go with T-Mobile?

shook up the mobile industry in the U.S. a year ago with their "Uncarrier" program. It seems like every month or two they're giving customers a new reason to come, whether it's eating Early Termination Fees (ETFs) for customers switching mid-contract, making music-streaming available without dinging your data allotment, free Visual Voicemail and texting on some Wi-Fi equipped airplanes, and more.

They're also aggressively building out their 4G LTE footprint and really have improved their network over the past year. They still have a long way to go before they'll catch up to AT&T, but their customer-friendly attitude and their simplified pricing plans make them an attractive choice for a growing number of mobile users.

Still undecided?

If you're not sure which carrier to go with, pop on over to our iPhone discussion forums and chat with the fine folks there, or drop a message here and hear what others have to say.

Sprint today released its earnings report for the first fiscal quarter of 2014, detailing a net income of $23 million, the best result in over seven years. The US mobile operator also confirmed that 3G network maintenance was largely complete, while LTE coverage expands to cover approximately 254 million people. Sprint had previously been struggling with new affordable plans to attract custom and forking out for upgrading 4G infrastructure.

It's safe to say Sprint is starting to turn things around. The company's EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of $1.83 billion grew by 30 percent year-on-year and the adjusted margin of almost 24 percent was the best recorded in six years. The main issue Sprint was experiencing was losing customers, which totalled 383,000 last quarter. This has been reduced to 220,000 and while it's still a sizeable figure, the amount of customers switching is at least dropping.

However, bearing the above in mind, Sprint also reports the network was able to increase postpaid gross additions by 16 percent compared to the same quarter in 2013 and retail smartphone sales almost hit 5 million. The network also added a total of 503,000 wholesale and affiliate customers during this quarter, serving over 53 million subscribers at the end of fiscal Q1 2014. As well as finances, Sprint also touches on the collection of awards obtained in the report.

Forecasting the future, the company expects calendar 2014 adjusted EBITDA to be between $6.7 and $6.9 billion. The quarterly earnings conference call will be held at 8:30am (ET) today.

Source: Sprint

Softbank is making an end-run around concerns about a merger of Sprint and T-Mobile US by instead hitting up T-Mobile's parent company Deutsche Telekom. As reported by Japanese news agency Kyodo, Japan-based Softbank has entered into an agreement with Germany-based Deutsche Telekom to buy the latter's ownership stake in US carrier T-Mobile. The US Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice have expressed their concerns about the potential for such consolidation in the US cellular market, and the move by Softbank would likely end up still being heavily scrutinized.

The end result (a Sprint/T-Mobile merger) would likely still be the same, though this move might bring the two companies as separate entities under the same umbrella corporation first. Softbank bought Sprint last year for $21.6 billion, and they've been vocal about their desire to also buy T-Mobile. Sprint, too, has been pursuing T-Mobile, though it's more likely that Softbank's even deeper pockets would be better suited to such an acquisition.

We don't have any indication right now of how much the deal may end up costing Softbank (estimates range up to $50 billion), though T-Deutsche Telekom's 67% stake in T-Mobile US. When AT&T attempted to buy T-Mobile and was shot down in 2011, the purchase prices was set at a whopping $39 billion. T-Mobile of 2011 was a radically different company than T-Mobile of today. A good portion of T-Mobile's success today actually comes thanks to the failure of that acquisition, which garnered T-Mobile a multi-billion-dollar break-up fee from AT&T, as well as the spectrum needed to enhance their network.

Deutsche Telekom has expressed interest in the past in unloading their share of T-Mobile US, much like last year's massive sale of Vodafone's stake in Verizon Wireless to Verizon. With Deutsche Telekom wanting out of the US, and Softbank wanting to expand rapidly in the US, it seems all but inevitable that T-Mobile will trade hands. But will such a sale and merger be good for US consumers, and what will happen to the Uncarrier in the process?

Source: Kyodo; Via: Reuters

Sprint has released its financial report for Q1 2014, which boasts a record operating income of $420 million, the company's best in over seven years. That's where the good news comes to an end as the company's report also highlights a loss of $151 million in the quarter alone, but compared to Q1 2013 this is at least a substantial improvement. The carrier is still experiencing issues with 4G LTE upgrades, more affordable plans launched and customers switching providers.

The report also states the carrier had a net loss of 231,000 postpaid customers during the quarter, which was down to network outages associated with the company's network upgrades. The prepaid sector of the business posted a net loss of 364,000 customers, which was primarily caused by alterations made to the Lifeline program recertification process, impacting customers subscribed to Assurance Wireless. This was offset by the addition of 121,000 wholesale and affiliate customers in Q1.

The report closed with the announcement that almost 3 million customers are subscribed to the Sprint Framily plan. Things aren't looking too bright for the carrier, but we'll have to see how reports shape up once network upgrades have been completed.

Source: Sprint

Sprint has today announced that its new 4G LTE network is available in 41 more cities, now covering more than 225 million people in total. Sprint Spark, the carrier's enhanced LTE service delivering peak wireless speeds of up to 60Mbps, has launched in 6 new cities and is expected to reach 100 million customers by the end of 2014. The exciting part about Sprint's enhanced LTE is the company boasts that speeds of up to three times as fast can be achieved in the future.

As well as the new network rollouts, Sprint is also offering HD Voice in numerous cities, with the aim to cover nationwide by mid-year. Becoming the standard for voice calling, the HD upgrades will surely please those who find themselves on the phone an awful lot. 4G LTE data speeds are now available in locations, including Long Island, New York, Minneapolis and Phoenix. Those who reside in the likes of Newark, New Jersey; Oakland, California and Orlando, Florida can now enjoy Sprint Spark.

Are you using Sprint's new network? How do you find the service?

Sprint Spark Delivers Powerful Peak Wireless Speeds of 60Mbps in Six More Cities

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), April 29, 2014 - Sprint (NYSE:S) today announced that its all-new network offers 4G LTE service in 41 more cities. Sprint 4G LTE now covers more than 225 million people and remains on track to cover 250 million by mid-year. Sprint Spark™, an enhanced LTE service delivering peak wireless speeds of 60Mbps, is available in six new cities, and is expected to cover 100 million people by year-end.

4G LTE data speeds are now available to more customers in such locations as Long Island, N.Y., Minneapolis, and Phoenix. Customers in Newark, N.J.; Oakland, Calif.; Orlando, Fla.; Tacoma, Wash.; Waukegan, Ill.; and West Palm Beach, Fla. will also now benefit from even faster data speeds with the availability of Sprint Spark.

"We're making great progress on Network Vision and customers are pleased with the faster data speeds and crystal clear voice calls," said John Saw, chief network officer at Sprint. "Today our network is delivering significantly better service. Furthermore, it's a strong foundation for tomorrow – a time will ultimately come when customer demands for bandwidth, and technology changes with 4G and beyond, will require the kind of platform we now have in place."

Sprint Spark is an enhanced LTE service that's built for data and designed to deliver peak wireless speeds of 60Mbps today on capable devices, with the potential for speeds three times as fast by late next year.1 Sprint offers 14 Sprint Spark-enabled devices, including the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S® 5 and HTC One (M8). With its unique combination of network technologies, spectrum capacity and tri-band devices, Sprint Spark is designed to greatly improve the performance of video and other bandwidth-intensive applications. It enables stutter-free video chat on-the-go and mobile gaming that leaves lag behind.

Sprint's all-new network also includes HD Voice in many cities today, with nationwide availability expected by mid-year. HD Voice is a new Sprint standard for crystal-clear voice calls. It provides a fuller, more natural-sounding voice, plus noise-cancelling technology that virtually eliminates background noise from places like a busy road or crowded restaurant. 2

Sprint 4G LTE is available in 443 cities. Sprint Spark is available in the following 24 cities: Austin, Texas; Baltimore; Chicago; Dallas; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Fort Worth, Texas; Houston; Jacksonville, Fla.; Kansas City, Kan./Mo.; Los Angeles; Miami; New York; Newark, N.J.; Oakland, Calif.; Orlando, Fla.; Philadelphia; Provo, Utah; Salt Lake City; San Antonio; Tacoma, Wash.; Tampa, Fla.; Trenton, N.J.; Waukegan, Ill.; and West Palm Beach, Fla.

Innovation at Sprint is not limited to advances with the network. Customers with Sprint Spark-enabled devices can select the new Sprint FramilySM Plan – a pricing program available to new and existing customers. The more people added to the group, up to 10 phone lines, the greater the savings for everyone on the plan. Build a group of at least seven people and everyone gets unlimited talk, text and 1GB of data for $25 per month per line (pricing excludes taxes and surcharges). For only $20 per month per line, Sprint Framily Plan members can buy up to unlimited data, and they are eligible for a new phone every year. Unlimited features are while on the Sprint network.

Customers of Sprint's prepaid brands – including Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA – also benefit from the enhancements to the 3G, 4G LTE and Sprint Spark services. Both brands offer a number of 4G LTE devices and Virgin Mobile now offers the NETGEAR® Mingle™ Mobile Hotspot, the first Sprint Spark device available for U.S. prepaid customers.

Source: Sprint

With AT&T reporting its financial results this week the media is buzzing about comments they (and others) have made to the effect that smartphone subsidies may eventually come to an end. The theory being floated is that future mobile phone buyers will be aware of exactly how much how much their smartphone costs. This new financial awareness will somehow prompt fewer people to pony up for an expensive iPhone.

I find the whole thing laughable. It's a financial shenanigan that really has no effect on the consumer at all.

To explain my point of view I want to invent a scenario where Apple controls all phone sales through its own retail channels. Let's pretend carriers don't sell iPhones anymore, but they are happy to sell iPhone owners a monthly plan.

In this scenario the carriers would have to compete with each other on network quality, monthly service pricing and creative offers. What kind of creative offers? They would buy your loyalty in the form of discounts or cash back.

A carrier might offer you $400 cash back if you sign a two year contract. The carrier gets a guaranteed revenue stream and you get what amounts to a subsidy on the new phone you just bought. It isn't called a subsidy, but it's the same thing.

Another carrier might not offer cash back, but instead offer you a $15 monthly discount over two year period if you activate your phone on their network. If you're thinking that this sounds a lot like the carrier helping the customer finance his new phone, you'd be right.

Let's now turn back to the models carriers are using today. They do sell hardware. And the financing plans have become more complicated such as the AT&T "Next" plan that looks more like a hybrid rental / financing plan. There are only so many ways to skin this cat. A carrier can help you finance a phone by adding a monthly fee to your bill. This fee may be transparent to you, or it may be a built-in premium in return for a device subsidy. Other carriers may offer you a discount on your monthly plan if you bring your own phone, which is the same thing as subtracting the monthly premium the carrier has added to its rates to make up for the device subsidy.

The carriers can spin this any way they like, but I don't think anything has changed. At the end of the day customers are still going to want to use the best phones they can afford, and there will still be financing arrangements that help people spread out the monthly payments to make the phones seem affordable.

Speaking of expensive phones, the Wall Street Journal mentions that the Apple iPhone costs more than a low-end laptop computer. They say this as if to imply that a mobile phone is a lower class of product than a laptop. This is nonsense. Over the last 5 years we have witnessed mobile traffic on the web go from almost nothing to a very significant portion of the total. We are in a world where a large number of people spend more time on their phone than they do on a traditional PC. And the trend is only going to continue.

The more our phones dominate our electronic lives, the more we're going to justify paying high prices for them. Don't get me wrong. There will always be a market for budget phones, and the low-end is clearly growing. But just like any market for any product there is a spectrum of people with differing needs and budgets. The existence of a low-end market does not mean less people will buy expensive products. And the financial shenanigans around hardware prices and monthly rates are unlikely to alter who buys what device.

One day carriers may stop selling phones just as cable companies don't sell TVs. But until that day comes the world of data plans, phone subsidies, financing plans, discounts and rebates will all seem like a big confusing mess to most people.

I think the better journalists out there can help more by educating readers rather than publishing sensational headlines that only serve to obfuscate the truth.

American carriers are making progress in being more open and customer-friendly — particularly T-Mobile — but Sprint is preparing to take a significant step forward by ensuring that the devices they sell to customers are able to be SIM unlocked. Eventually. In 2015. In an FAQ on Sprint's unlocking policy, the company states that they are "working to ensure that all devices developed and launched on or after February 11, 2015 are capable of being unlocked domestically."

Seeing as more and more phones these days (including high profile devices like the Apple iPhone 5s and Samsung Galaxy S5) are being built with the CDMA radios that Sprint and Verizon need in addition to the GSM radios that everybody else uses, the only thing holding them back are restrictions like these carrier locks. Even T-Mobile, the self-proclaimed Uncarrier — still locks phones sold in their stores to their network. By making the phones that they sell capable of a domestic carrier unlock, Sprint customers will be able to take their phones to other networks if they leave.

From Sprint's unlocking policy:

Sprint does note that many devices they currently sell will not be able to be unlocked. Sprint-branded iPhones, for example, "have been manufactured in a way that prevents them from being unlocked". So while phones that Sprint plans to sell in a year's time will be able to have their SIM locks lifted, there's no guarantee a phone you buy today or before February 11, 2015 will support such an unlock. And, of course, the phone actually needs to offer the radio support for it to be worth unlocking to begin with.

That said, it's still a step forward and a commitment to openness that other carriers haven't yet made. What do you think — is Sprint making the right move here?

Source: Sprint; Via: 9to5Google

Imagine a boss at a company with a really great salesperson who lands all the best, highest valued customers for the company. Now imagine that boss hates having to pay that salesperson their really high commission, even though it's the salesperson who's closing all those deals and ensuring all that money comes to the company. The boss can't afford to lose that salesperson but they're desperate to find anyway they can to cut that salesperson's commissions. Likewise, the salesperson knows their value and insists on being richly compensated for the deals they close. That's the relationship between the carriers and the iPhone, and between the price carriers pay Apple for the revenue the iPhone generates. It's also why the carriers hate Apple and the iPhone, and why when a new iPhone — like the iPhone 6 — is on the horizon, we get articles like this: "As Phone Subsidies Fade, Apple Could Be Hurt". The Wall Street Journal:

What's meant by "subsidies" in North America is "loan". The carriers front you the phone and then add an extra ~$20 a month to your plan to pay it back. That does hide the true cost of the iPhone — which historically starts at $650 for the base flagship model — but the carriers certainly aren't giving anyone anything for nothing. Some carriers have even double-dipped under more recent plans, keeping the ~$20 "loan repayment" in plans and adding an extra "installment charge" on top of it. Lovely people, they.

As to Apple charging more for their phones than low-end laptops, iPhones are computers, and better ones than low-end laptops. That's how premium products — from Apple, Samsung, or any vendor — are priced. It's how typically un-"subsidized" products like iPads and MacBooks are priced.

And the carriers, spin aside, have zero interest in lowering prices for us. They have complete interest in keeping more of our money for themselves. Witness everything from AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint over the last decade, and the more recent antics of T-Mobile.

• Best iPhone carrier plans (spring 2014)

All things considered, I find paying Apple more in line with my interests than carriers. They're the ones who manufacture phones to exceedingly hight quality levels, who refrain from festooning them with logos and clogging them up with crapware, who provide services like iMessage and FaceTime that work around often exorbitantly priced carrier cash-grabs. It's a glimpse at what a carrier-as-dumb-pipe world could truly be like.

Which, of course, the carriers know and why, of course, they hate Apple even more. Hence why these types of articles — and articles about Apple raising prices — pop up every time new phones, like the upcoming iPhone 6 start working their way towards distribution.

It's negotiation by media. It's theater. And it's absurd.

Or does anyone here really feel sorry for the carriers, and their having to pay Apple a premium for the premium profits the iPhone delivers them every month?

Note: There's an absolutely valid argument to be made that, in an "unsubsidized" market Apple won't sell as many $450-$850 phones as other vendors will sell budget under-$400 phones. Apple will either have to move into lower segments, as they did with iPod, or content themselves with less market share but more profit share, as they did with the Mac. But that's an argument for a different piece and a different day.

Note 2: It occurs to me I pay $750 on average for a new iPhone every year. (Contracts, until recently, were 3-years in Canada.) That sounds like a lot, but it works out to roughly $60 a month, or $2 a day, for a computer I use every day, all day, more than any other object. Yes, I could get a cheaper one, but cheapness isn't always the most important feature.

Spotify and Sprint may be about to announce a partnership wherein customers of both will be entitled to receive exclusive deals. According to re/code, the proposed partnership will offer a similar product to the AT&T/Beats Music partnership, offering a package deal to customers on Sprint's Framily Plan.

Some other Sprint customers may also be eligible for discounts on Spotify subscriptions, as well as free trials and the ability to pay using carrier billing. Carrier billing on Sprint for Spotify subscriptions is something that reared its head a while back, but given the context of what is being reported it would make sense here.

The deal is reportedly set to be announced on April 29 at an event in New York City.

Source: Re/code

One anonymous Sprint retailer is apparently refusing to sell iPhone 5 devices to customers unless they also buy a bundle of accessories to go with it. The sure, the bundles they were offering were 20% off, but the cheapest ones started at $84. Sprint commented on the issue and said that it's not corporate policy to do this kind of thing, though indirect retailers can do whatever they want. The package this particular customer ended up getting included a Body Glove, Zagg Invisible Shield, and a y-charging car kit, all of which you can see above. 

That is some pushy, and outright rude up-selling. Don't get me wrong, we love accessories here at iMore, but holding a device purchase hostage for a few extra bucks will not only scare off customers, but also earn them quite a few negative reviews - assuming of course customers don't buckle under the pressure. 

How pushy have you seen mobile salespeople get? Have any of you picking up an iPhone 5 experienced anything like this?

Source: Consumer Reports

During today's iPhone 5 press event, they made a point of paying special attention to the new radio chip at use in the new smartphone. Like iPhones before it, the iPhone 5 uses a single chip to manage all of the various radios and bands it has to address in order to be used on networks around the globe. Problem is, throwing LTE into the mix makes things a little more complicated. LTE actually adds seven - yes, seven - new bands into the mix, nearly doubling the number of bands needed to be supported between the 4G standard, HSPA, GSM, and CDMA.

Unlike GSM and HSPA networks, which with the exception of the US have all managed to settled on a common and interoperable set of frequencies across international borders, LTE networks around the globe are all on different bands, making building a device that will work on all a pain and a half. Case in point, in the US alone, AT&T's LTE is on bands 4 and 17, while Sprint is on 25 and Verizon takes up band 13. Internationally there's even more frequency flavor, with bands 3 and 7 getting a lot of traffic around the globe, band 4 getting picked up by Bell and Telus in Canada (to maintain compatibility with AT&T LTE devices), and a smattering of other bands.

So how does the iPhone 5 fit into this LTE banding mess? With two different models, one for US GSM+LTE (A1428), and another for CDMA+LTE and global GSM+LTE (A1429). Both support the full range of GSM and HSPA frequencies, but for LTE the GSM version runs on bands 4 and 17 (good for AT&T, Bell, and Rogers - and technically T-Mobile USA, if not for want of an actual LTE network and GSM compatibility), while the CDMA version supports LTE bands 1, 3, 5, 13, and 25. That's band 1 NTT DOCOMO in Japan, 3 for over thirty networks around the globe, 5 for South Korea's SK Telecom, 13 for Verizon in the USA, and 25 for Sprint in the USA. The global GSM+LTE version drops support for the US-specific LTE bands 13 and 25, though for all intents and purposes it's the same device as the CDMA+LTE version (hence the identical model numbers)

To break that down into something easier to understand… the GSM+LTE A1248 iPhone 5 is good for GSM networks in North America, namely AT&T, Bell, and Telus. The CDMA+LTE/global GSM+LTE A1249 iPhone is good for Sprint and Verizon in the US and a large majority of other LTE networks around the globe. If you live in the US and travel to Canada and want LTE while you're there, go with the AT&T version. If you're in the US and travel often to the rest of the world, go with Sprint or Verizon for international LTE coverage. If you happen to travel between Canada and the rest of the world and want LTE, sorry.

There's one more wrinkle: LTE band 7, which isn't supported by either version of the iPhone. That becomes an issue if your preferred carrier is somebody like O2 in the UK, Yota in Russia, or any of the other 20-odd LTE networks that only operate on band 7. In fact, whole countries like Austria, Brazil, Columbia, Denmark, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland that already have operational LTE networks are completely cut out of getting LTE from the iPhone 5 thanks to their choice to rely entirely on Band 7. That could be fixed with the next iPhone, or when a network running on one of the iPhone 5's many supported bands is launched. Regardless, they all have 3G networks that the iPhone 5 will work on just fine, and get better battery life to boot.

Why did this happen? Because LTE is hard. The bands on which LTE operates vary from country to country due to political and economic reasons. For example, in the USA, LTE band 25 is in the 1900 MHz range, and is shared with HSPA+, while Verizon's 700 MHz Band 13 was won at auction from the United States government and was formerly dedicated to broadcasting UHF channels 52-69 on analog television. AT&T's band 17 fits into that same 700MHz auction block, but band 4 operates in the 1700MHz and 2100MHz frequency ranges - both common to UMTS AWS, i.e. the frequencies used by T-Mobile's HSPA+ network. The spread of LTE bands means less interference and more bandwidth in those frequencies (not that that's been a problem when networks do occupy the same frequency bands, as in all of Europe), but also mean that getting all of that into a single chip is an exercise in radio magic.

Thus, there are two iPhone 5 smartphones. There's the A1248 for AT&T and Canada, and the A1249 for Sprint, Verizon, and almost everybody else. In the end, unless you're a globetrotter who travels between the United States and Canada or the United States and Europe, you probably won't care or notice which iPhone 5 you get, it'll just be the one assigned to your network or the unlocked one you picked up to work on not-AT&T/Canada. Only US-based international travelers need worry about the LTE bands of their selected iPhone, and even then that's going to be determined by the carrier you choose for your service at home. Chances are the two iPhone 5 models are actually the same device and carry the same chip inside, but due to the capabilities of that chip and the phone's radios they have different firmware to deal with the multitude of LTE bands it must process.

We do have to admit, though, it's odd to be recommending a Sprint or Verizon device for people who want comprehensive international coverage instead of AT&T. It wasn't that long ago that things were the other way around.

Source: Apple; Via: The Verge

If you have a Verizon or Sprint CDMA iPhone 4 that's showing it's age and exhibiting some hardware issues, and you don't have the benefit of AppleCare or insurance, we can help you give it some love and get it back in working order. Whether it's time to replace that problem battery, fix that cracked screen, replace a recessed power button, or get that broken Home button back in working order, iMore will help you get the longest life possible out of your iPhone 4, and walk you step by step through all the major repairs, with detailed instructions, photographs, and links to high quality parts from suppliers we trust.

Not exactly sure what the issue is? Read the descriptions for each repair below and match up the symptoms. Also make sure you check back often and bookmark this page as we'll be updating and adding even more guides on a regular basis.

• How to replace the battery in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• How to replace the back casing on a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• How to replace a cracked or broken screen on a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• How to replace a stuck or unresponsive Home button in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• How to fix a stuck or broken on/off button in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• How to fix a broken vibrator assembly in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• How to fix a blown earpiece speaker in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• How to replace the loud speaker assembly in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• How to replace the rear camera in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• How to fix cellular reception issues in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• How to replace the dock connector and lower mic in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• How to replace the front facing FaceTime camera in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• How to fix common sound issues with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S
• How to choose quality colored parts for your iPhone 4
• How to check for water damage on an iPhone 4

How to replace the battery in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

If you're iPhone 4 is going on a few years old and your battery just isn't what it was before, replacing the battery can make a huge difference and possibly prolong the life of your device another year if not longer.

An iPhone 4 battery replacement is a super easy repair to perform and only takes about 10 minutes. It'll also cost you a lot less than shelling out money for a brand new phone, especially if you're out of warranty.

Symptoms of a dead or dying battery can include drastically reduced battery life, random reboots, and sluggishness even after a restore. In rare instances, a completely dead battery may result in an iPhone 4 only powering on when plugged into a charging source and when unplugged, the iPhone will turn off instantly.

• How to replace the battery in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

How to replace the back casing on a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

If you've cracked the back casing on your iPhone 4 or just want to change it out for a different color, an iPhone 4 back replacement is one of the easiest repairs to perform but if you need some help along the way, check out our guide for reference.

• How to replace the back casing on a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

How to fix a cracked or broken screen on a Sprint or Verizon iPhone 4

Whether you've cracked the glass on your precious iPhone 4 or the touchscreen has stopped responding, a digitizer/LCD replacement will solve the problem in just about an hour or two. It'll also solve any issues with the LCD whether there is discoloration, lines through the display, or no image at all.

This may not be the easiest repair to perform but if you've got some patience and a little technical know-how you should be able to get the job done for a lot cheaper than what a replacement phone out of warranty will cost you.

• How to fix a cracked or broken screen on a Sprint or Verizon iPhone 4

How to replace a stuck or unresponsive Home button in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

If your Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4 is having Home button issues, it's possible to replace the flex cable to resolve the issues. If your symptoms include an unresponsive Home button, a single click registering as two or vice versa, or a tacky feeling you probably need to replace the flex cable.

This one isn't a simple repair by any means but if you feel up to the task, you'll spend a ton less cash than you would on a new iPhone.

• How to replace a stuck or unresponsive Home button in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

How to fix a stuck or broken on/off button in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

Over time, the cable underneath the on/off button in the iPhone 4 can wear down causing the button to become recessed or "unpressable". Symptoms typically range from having to push extremely hard in order for a press to register, no "click" feedback when pushing the button, or the button doesn't respond at all anymore when pushing it.

If you're up for fixing it yourself, you can do so by following our guide.

• How to fix a stuck or broken on/off button in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

How to fix a broken vibrator assembly in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

If your Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4 has stopped vibrating or the vibrator is providing bad feedback in the form off a rattling noise or other unpleasant sound, you can DIY replace it yourself to resolve the issue.

• How to fix a broken vibrator assembly in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

How to fix a blown earpiece assembly in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

If your earpiece volume is extremely low, giving a bad feedback noise, or you just can't hear out of it at all, it may be time to replace the earpiece. It's a relatively easy repair to perform and we can walk you through from beginning to end.

• How to fix a blown earpiece assembly in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

How to replace the speaker assembly in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

If the sound on your Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4 is cutting out when playing music or games, taking a call on speakerphone, or when a system tone clicks in, the loud speaker assembly may be going out. This isn't a hard repair to perform and will cost you a boat load less than an out of warranty replacement or brand new iPhone.

Follow our guide and we'll get you back to working order in no time.

• How to replace the speaker assembly in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

How to replace the rear camera in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

If you're having image quality issues with the camera in your Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4, it may be time to replace it. One thing to be certain of before proceeding is that the issue is with the actual camera and not the rear housing. The plastic lens that covers your camera is part of the back panel, not the camera itself. Inspect it and make sure it isn't the plastic that is scratched and causing issues. If that is the case, you'll need to perform a back replacement instead.

If there are no blemishes or scratches over the camera lens cover on the rear casing, the actual camera could be the culprit. If that's the case, follow our guide to replace it. These symptoms could range from lines through the camera, poor quality images, or the camera app not opening at all and only showing the black unopened shutter upon launching the Camera app. It's a relatively easy repair and should be doable for most, even beginners.

• How to replace the rear camera in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

How to fix cellular reception problems on a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

If you're experiencing cellular reception issues on your Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4, it may be time to replace the cellular antenna. Symptoms could range from poor call quality to heavily fluctuating bars and dropped calls. If you're experiencing all these issues despite your software being up to date and making calls in an area you know to be good reception wise, it may be time to check out our guide and get that antenna replaced with a new one.

• How to fix cellular antenna reception problems on a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

How to replace the dock connector and/or lower mic in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

If your Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4 won't take a charge, your lower mic isn't working, or you've gotten moisture in the dock and you want to change it out just to be safe, a DIY dock connector replacement can remedy any of these issues.

The lower mic is the part of the phone that controls what other people hear when you're on a call. If people are complaining that you're cutting in and out or can't hear you at all unless you're on speakerphone, the lower mic could very well be the culprit.

If any of these symptoms describe your issues, try a dock connector replacement before ditching the iPhone.

• How to replace the dock connector in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

How to fix the front facing FaceTime camera in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

If you use FaceTime, Skype, or another video chat client frequently then the front facing camera on your Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4 is probably pretty important to you. Whether it's blacked out or distorted, a DIY replacement costs far less than a new phone and it isn't too hard of a repair to perform on your own.

• How to fix the front facing FaceTime camera in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4

How to fix common sound issues with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S

If you're having issues with your headphone jack or your volume buttons and/or mute switch aren't functioning correctly, replacing the cable that runs to them can fix any issues you may have.

One cable controls the function for the following functions -

• Mute switch
• Volume buttons
• Headphone jack
• How to replace the headphone jack and volume control cable in a GSM/AT&T iPhone 4

How to choose the highest quality colored parts for your iPhone 4

If you're looking into performing a color conversion on your iPhone 4 it's always a good idea to make sure you order high quality parts. Let's face it, eBay and other online resellers have a nasty habit of selling parts that are DOA or issues crop up after a few days. Making sure you use a quality supplier right from the start will save you a lot of headaches.

Apple never made colored parts so you won't find genuine OEM parts anywhere and if anyone claims they are OEM, turn around and run the other way. It doesn't mean there aren't quality parts floating around out there though. Check out our guide of what to look for so you can be prepared before you even place an order.

• How to choose the highest quality colored parts for your iPhone 4

How to check for water damage before purchasing a used iPhone 4

If you're thinking about picking up a used iPhone 4 from eBay, Craigslist, or any other online source, it's always a good idea to make sure the device hasn't seen any previous water damage before actually committing to the purchase.

You can check some sensors externally and a few internally if the seller will allow it. To make sure you're getting the most for your money and you're not buying a non-working iPhone 4, check out our guide before purchasing

• How to check for water damage before purchasing a used iPhone 4

More DIY guides and help

If you've got a GSM iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or other type of iPhone, we may have guides that can help you fix those as well. If you don't see a guide that can help or can't figure out exactly what the issue is, you can always check out our mod and DIY forums for answers to many questions. If you still can't find what you're looking for, feel free to shoot an e-mail to ally@imore.com with guide suggestions and questions.

• AT&T/GSM iPhone 4: Ultimate DIY repair guide
• All DIY repair guides and how tos

Carriers have a love/hate relationship with the iPhone. They hate Apple's control (because they want that control for themselves) but love the money and customer-retention having the iPhone on their network brings them. Sprint's willingness to pay damn near all the money in their pockets, and delve into whatever passes for a corporate second mortgage, proves that that point.

AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint sell Android because they want to. They sell iPhone because they have to.

Apple isn't exactly easy to deal with. Android gives carriers far more control, generally requires far less up front investment (in terms of subsidies), and promises a thus far inexhaustible cornucopia of new devices to thrust at consumers on a seemingly weekly basis. It just doesn't generate the revenue or reduce customer churn the way the iPhone does.

They tried. They really did. Verizon pushed the Droid and Sprint pushed the Palm Pre and the EVO. They had successes to be sure, especially in sheer volume of units sold. But they never came anywhere near iPhone levels of profit or customer loyalty. And at the end of the day, even for carriers, that's what matters.

Not that you'd know it by looking at their websites. Go to Verizon.com or AT&T.com or Sprint.com and iPhones have little to know home page presence and remarkably little wireless site presence.

Verizon's home page features the eye of Sauron the Droid. Their wireless page does have the iPhone in the first of three small blocks at the bottom, but the massive feature boxes are filled almost entirely by Android. There's even a token BlackBerry thrown into the mix. But no iPhone.

This despite Verizon selling 3.2 million iPhones last quarter, accounting for more than half the smartphones they sold (i.e. the iPhone outsold all Android and other smartphones combined.)

AT&T's home page is all about Windows Phone and Android, with Nokia grabbing one of the hero slides and HTC and Samsung getting the other two. On their wireless page Nokia repeats in the spotlight, with Android and cheapy phones playing backup. There's no iPhone in sight.

Yet AT&T sold 4.3 million iPhones last quarter, which was 75% of all the smartphones they sold, and 60% of all the on-contract phones AT&T sold period (including feature phones).

Sprint's home page has the iPhone in the third of four feature spots, and the fourth of four bottom blocks. They don't have a separate wireless page, so their home page does double duty.

Still, Sprint managed to sell 1.5 million iPhones last quarter. They don't break out how many smartphones in general they sold, however, so there's no way to calculate the iPhone's percentage of total sales.

And that's just in the U.S. Internationally, Apple sold over 20 million iPhones. Rogers in Canada reported 35% more iPhone activations, year-over-year, compared to just 20% more smartphone activations overall. (And their home page features Android and Windows Phone, and iPad, and their wireless page shows an iPhone only in a block advertising their Find my iPhone-like Phone Finder service.)

So with little attention, ad spend, and product placement, Apple's iPhone still accounts for most of the carriers smartphone -- if not all phone -- sales, and reduces their customer churn. And that probably drives them up-the-wall crazy.

Apple, who doesn't let them festoon the iPhone with their revolting logos, clog it up with their dodgy crapware, allow them to delay or refuse software updates, or arbitrarily alter casing designs, and charges them among the highest up-front prices of any manufacturer in the industry, is increasingly responsible for their financial and customer success.

And it doesn't even have LTE (yet) or a ginormous screen (likely ever).

If carriers had their druthers, manufacturers -- including Apple -- would be little more than dumb assemblers (much as, if customers had their druthers, carriers would be little more than dumb pipes). Yet as much as Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint would far, far prefer to sell the always amenable Android, customers, increasingly, want iPhone. So carriers increasingly have to deal with Apple. Even if they continue to try to find viable alternatives.

That's why carriers will never go all-in on iPhone promotion. They don't want to become entirely dependent on Apple (or any one platform). It's in their best interest to have several, highly competitive platforms on the market that they can hedge with, and against.

Still, it's interesting to imagine a market where carrier manipulation didn't influences the market. Free to compete strictly on customers and merits, would smartphones be more like tablets, and would the iPhone have the same relative positions as iPad does to Android tablets, BlackBerry PlayBook, and the like? The same position the iPod had in the carrier-free MP3 space?

During Apple's Let's talk iPhone event, Apple announced that the new iPhone 4S will be available on not just AT&T and Verizon, but Sprint as well!

This is huge news as there have been many Sprint users wanting an iPhone. Not to mention, Sprint has been a major ac