Sprint Responds to Controversial Speed Tests Comparing Verizon LTE vs. Sprint WiMax

[dgstorm]

Sprint recently released a statement politely condemning a controversial new "speedtest" that was done by BTIG Research analyst Walter Piecyk and his team. In the test, Pecyk, using an HTC Thunderbolt on Verizon and an HTC EVO on Sprint, supposedly found that Verizon's LTE averaged 9Mbps download and 5Mbps upload, while Sprint's WiMax only averaged 1Mbps both ways. Sprint issued the following statement regarding this test,

In a word, we find these tests inaccurate.

We work closely with an independent third party research company which reports regularly to us on real-world, scientifically tested speeds and the results we see do not match what Piecyk found. We’ve recently seen speeds in NYC (inclusive of New Jersey) averaging 4-5Mbps download.

The Verizon 4G LTE network is very new so no one has any fully time-tested data on it yet. As their network gets loaded and more than just one smartphone comes forward on their network, we can better assess its capabilities. In the early days of 4G for Sprint, we saw some very high speed numbers when the Network was launched (much higher than our current speed claims) but what ultimately matters to customers is a consistent, long-standing experience based on a network loaded with customers.

While speed tests will come and go, Sprint continues to offer consumers a dependable 4G network, more 4G devices and a better 4G value – with the only truly unlimited 4G – and we will continue to invest in expanding and enhancing Sprint 4G.

It's important to note that most real-world users, and even independent, yet unscientific tests from BGR, the original source of this story, found better speeds on Sprint's network than the study by BTIG Research.

Of course Sprint would want to respond to any negative press, even if it were true. That's the nature of business... you must protect your image. But, it would seem in this instance, they deserve to come forward, because the research from BTIG seems suspect.

Source: BGR

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[Drewtorrespr]

Im sorry but seriously the speed tests im doing on sprints 4G here and there in areas i know i get full signal have been dismal plenty of times. I was in downtown Jersey City, NJ on full 4g signal many times and ran speed test where the Ping was blowing above 800ms and the download was either non existent, slow, and uploads where as slow as ****. Im using an evo 4g and speeds arent going fast as we would like for them to go and thats the sad truth. Next try was in Union City, NJ where i caught two bars of 4g and was only hitting 500-600Kb/s consistently and thats horrendous. It would shoot but to 1.3Mb/s or 1.5 once in a while, and only if i held it on my hand in a certain spot in the house. I would switch to 3G and then see a total difference, Speeds blowing past 1.2Mb/s consistently and decided to stick with 3G to stream Netflix. And even that would crap out also but was more consistent. But damn Im sorry, but i can see Verizons 4G LTE working well and giving those serious downloads. Mind you VZ landline is one of many important companies laying down fiber optic lines. Whose to say they dont have the bandwith to support high speeds for their customers on a quick and ready basis. For all we know VZ landline and VZW have already expanded their capabilities on their towers months or a year/years before officially opening up LTE