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

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 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Two Breakthrough Features

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
amazon black friday

Amazon Kicks Off Black Friday Sale With Major Discounts on Apple Accessories, TVs, and More

Sunday November 23, 2025 7:12 am PST by
Black Friday deals have begun, and Amazon is one of the best places you can find steep discounts on numerous products this week. We've already collected all of the best Apple-related deals you'll find at Amazon (and other retailers) in our Apple Black Friday Deals post, so below you'll find other discounts on devices like Anker accessories, Beats headphones, video games, TVs, and more. Note:...

Top Rated Comments

DblHelix Avatar
184 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)
TheRealHershey Avatar
184 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)
swester Avatar
184 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
184 months ago
GSM ftw
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bawstun Avatar
184 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)
Tiger8 Avatar
184 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)