Sprint and Apple Working On "Issue" With iPhone Data Speeds - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Sprint and Apple Working On "Issue" With iPhone Data Speeds

by

sprintspeed1
In the days after the iPhone launched on Sprint, a number of customers complained about extremely slow data speeds on Sprint's network. Sprint initially denied that there were any problems, but now a report from TheNextWeb suggests that is a problem with Sprint's iPhone data speeds:

Now it seems that an internal email has been sent to Sprint representatives, informing them that Apple and Sprint are working together on a “confirmed nationwide issue” dealing with the slow data rates many users are experiencing. There was no information about what the cause of the issues are or what the expected resolution date might be.

The email did contain a reference to a ‘Service Settings’ update, which sounds like it could be referring to the carrier settings file that contains access point info for the carriers.

The iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S broke Sprint's "device family" one-day sales record on October 14, the first day the phones were available on the network.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 Adds Two New Features to CarPlay

Tuesday March 24, 2026 1:55 pm PDT by
iOS 26.4 was released today, and it includes a couple of new features for CarPlay: an Ambient Music widget and support for voice-based chatbot apps. To update your iPhone 11 or newer to iOS 26.4, open the Settings app and tap on General → Software Update. CarPlay will automatically offer the new features so long as the iPhone connected to your vehicle is running iOS 26.4 or later....
Read Full Article • 26 comments
Apple Business hero

Apple Unveils 'Apple Business' All-in-One Platform

Tuesday March 24, 2026 8:53 am PDT by
Apple today announced Apple Business, a new all-in-one platform that unifies device management, productivity tools, and customer outreach features. The service is designed to be a consolidated replacement for several of Apple's existing business-focused offerings, including Apple Business Essentials, Apple Business Manager, and Apple Business Connect. It provides organizations with a single...
Read Full Article • 47 comments
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Tuesday March 24, 2026 12:31 pm PDT by
Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods 4. The firmware has a version number of 8B39, up from 8B34 on the AirPods Pro 3, 8B28 on the AirPods Pro 2, and 8B21 on the AirPods 4. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance...
Read Full Article • 88 comments

Top Rated Comments

D
DblHelix
188 months ago
GSM ftw

Only if you are in the right part of the country. In SF on AT&T the fastest I have ever seen is 175 ms ping and 1.5 down. Fastest I have seen anywhere in the bay area is 110 ping and 3.2 down.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T
TheRealHershey
188 months ago
I've averaged 150k 3G data speeds on my EVO 4G on Sprint for over a year, and now on my iPhone 4S. I've spent countless hours talking on the phone to their horrible CSRs, and have concluded, I know more about their network and how a network works than they do. Their network is over capacity in a lot of areas, and this problem isn't limited to just the iPhone - they're just trying to pad everyone past the 14 day return policy.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
S
swester
188 months ago
Meh. I get wi-fi just about everywhere I need it, and the Sprint speeds are fine for website browsing and basic multimedia use. Reception and call quality are excellent, and I get to utilize the Verizon network when outside of Sprint territory. Oh - and I have unlimited texts, data, and 1600 shared minutes in addition to unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling on any network.

I'm saving about $750 over the course of my contract. So any boost in speed Sprint provides will be a nice treat, but either way Sprint is the route I'd prefer. Speed tests are a fun way to impress your friends, but I don't see much real world benefit for my purposes.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
daneoni Avatar
daneoni
188 months ago
GSM ftw
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bawstun Avatar
Bawstun
188 months ago


Sprint has very slow 3G. That problem won't be fixed anytime soon.

That isn't the issue that I and thousands others are having. (at least I don't think it is)

For me...slow is 0.50 mbps. And that's FINE. I can watch Netflix on that, I can YouTube on that, I can play Pandora on that. Things at least...WORK.

What I and others are getting right now is 0.00-0.04

Sometimes when I run a speed test it stays flatlined at 0.00-0.01.

That's an issue, not just "slow 3G" IMO.

----------

Even after it's fixed you'll still have sub-par speeds compared to AT&T. :/

Yeah, well, I wasn't grandfathered in for unlimited data. And with no other option other than paying for TETHERING that I wasn't going to use, I couldn't get more data than 2GB.

What's the point of having an iPhone if I can go over my monthly allotment in 4 or 5 days playing Pandora or streaming YouTube videos? An iPhone with 2GB of data (or an extra $10 per GB) is sort of senseless.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T
Tiger8
188 months ago
Even after it's fixed you'll still have sub-par speeds compared to AT&T. :/

I used to have MEDIOCORE speeds, coverage, and even PHONE on AT&T on an iPhone 3Gs.

My iPhone 4s on Sprint is working very well. Yes, it is slightly slower, but 1.3 Mbps is nothing to frown upon. I was very worried last week reading the reviews but I am glad I activated my phone anyway.

So at least for me, 4s is a faster phone on a faster network on Sprint. I am sure 4s works well for those on AT&T as well, if they are lucky to have decent coverage.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments