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Sprint confirmed that its LTE network coverage sucks
July 29, 2025
From relatively poor network coverage to a failed 4G initiative,Sprintexperienced several significant missteps throughout the last 10 years. It is that former misstep that got BTIG analyst Walt Piecyk’s attention since he published a presentation slide onTwitterthat stands as a microcosm for Sprint’s poor fortunes.
According to the alleged slide, Sprint’s LTE network coverage pales in comparison toVerizon’s,AT&T’s, andT-Mobile’s. It even pales in comparison to the carrier’s general coverage map, which covers most of the U.S.
Then again, Sprint put itself in this position when it went all-in onWiMaxin 2008 as its first foray into 4G instead of the more ubiquitous LTE. Limited adoption and less-than-adequate real-world speeds led to Sprint’s decision to shut down its WiMax network in 2016.
Realizing it backed the wrong horse, Sprint got to work on its LTE network in 2011 and had it fully functional by early 2014. By then, however, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile already fleshed out their LTE networks and continually built upon them ever since.
From every viewpoint, Sprint has been working from behind for almost a decade. The carrier is not afraid to admit as much, however, because it really wants itsmerger with T-Mobileto go through without a hitch.
If the merger is successful, the new T-Mobile would reportedly capture 54 percent of the prepaid market. Then again, the U.S. Department of Justicereportedly contactedsmaller wireless operators to get their takes on the potential merger.
The fear is that, if the T-Mobile-Sprint merger goes through, prepaid plans will become more expensive. Seeing how the prepaid market mainly consists oflower-income consumers, price increases would become very problematic for consumers and prepaid carriers alike.
There is also the problem of one less carrier, which would look bad for a limited market that already lacks competition.
T-Mobile and Sprint argue that the merger will help them deliver the fastest 5G network, create thousands of new jobs, and better compete against Verizon and AT&T. It all hinges on the FCC, whichpausedits review process due to new information from T-Mobile and Sprint.
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