[Update] Evo 4G suffering from flaky WiFi reception issues…

There’s plenty to love about Sprint’s new HTC EVO 4G. With so much advanced hardware packed under the hood and not forgetting that gorgeous screen, it’s hard to think anyone could find fault with the EVO 4G. However, there is one issue that is starting to gain quite a vocal following regarding the EVO’s apparent lack of WiFi reception.

Just in one forum on Android Central alone, you can read through hundreds of upset users, upset that the EVO 4G’s WiFi reception is considerably lower than similar Android devices as the picture above highlights. I know I’d be pretty peeved.

Any EVO 4G users care to comment? How’s your WiFi holdin’? Check it out for yourself by downloading “WiFi Analyzer App” from the Android Market.

Update: Part 2 of the Evo 4G WiFi tests also linked here goes by data speed instead of signal strength. Verdict: Close to the router, the Evo 4G tears it up. But move to the outer edges of the routers reach and the Evo’s apparent weak signal reception begins to take effect, with the other Android phones pulling ahead.

Sprint’s customer blood letting slowed to a small trickle.

Sprint hasn’t been having the best of times the last several…years, but that isn’t stopping the company from putting out the occasionally optimistic and charismatic commercial telling us that everything is just fine and dandy. Well, it isn’t just fine and dandy as they’re still losing customers — albeit at a much slower pace.

During the last 3 months of 2009, a total of 148,000 Sprint customers decided to defect and take their business elsewhere. It sounds like a high number with six digits and all but in reality is much, much better news than quarters past. For example, previously in the third quarter, more than 3x that number (545,000) of customers called it quits with Sprint. So you see, a roughly 150k subscriber loss is a good thing.

As far as money is concerned, Sprint managed to only lose $980 million during the same last 3 months of ’09 as mentioned above which again, is in stark contrast to the monumental and heart stopping $1.62 billion loss a year prior.

Is Sprint heading towards a profit? Not quite yet. It’s worth noting that most of the good news for Sprint has stemmed from their prepaid accounts and subscribers. Those accounts on average only score Sprint ~$31/month while the more highly valued contract subscribers average ~$50+. Also, a big chunk of the losses come from Sprint’s Nextel brand which frankly, was a poor purchase in the first place. Personal opinions aside, the aging Nextel network and rather drab assortment of phones means consumers are unlikely to return in mass numbers. Clearly, they’re not out of the woods yet.

In the spirit of competition and a better overall experience for end users, I hope Sprint can right their sinking ship soon.

AlleyInsider

Verizon sends rebadged Alltel employees packin’

Today is probably not the best day to find out you owe $2,500 in back taxes, receive a letter notifying you of your late rent payment, or even going out to spend money on a beer if you find yourself a new ex-Alltel/Verizon acquired employee. Though crying in your beer may be the only thing that makes you feel better. I must stress however that crying in good beer is a travesty — meaning a lesser beer is a more desirable tear collector. What constitutes a good beer? Anything that has “light” or “low-cal” absent is at least a good start. Now that I’ve somehow managed to start talk about beer, let’s say we get back on track. Shall we?

Job losses after acquisitions are hardly anything new or surprising. When company A acquires company B, it’s always assumed and known that at least some employees from the company being acquired are going to lose their jobs. You just don’t need a bajillion finance managers etc. etc. Also common knowledge, the dominant company isn’t going to cut their own staff to make room for new “foreigners”. With that said, the loss that many ex-Alltel employees are feeling today is certainly unfortunate. The bulk of the losses are coming from Alltel’s Little Rock building — which by the way, the local government wasn’t too pleased as many high paying positions are now removed from the local economy. Then again, few people on the “lower end” of a take over are ever pleased with how it goes.

But it could be worse…*insert insanely witty comment contrasting a good, bad, and ugly situation here while showcasing your ability to toy with the English language*

BGR > Wireless Week

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T-Mobile USA Q3 results in. Red ink needed.

With T-Mobile’s strong Android showing, coupled with Android’s rapidly growing popularity would lean one to suspect that they were set for another bangin’ quarter. That isn’t quite the case. Q3 results are out and the numbers aren’t too pretty with T-Mo dipping into the red ink for the first time in several quarters, coming up with a subscriber net loss of 77,000 subscribers (140,000 total). A far cry from the 325,000 subscriber increase in Q2 or the 670,000 subscribers gained in Q3 of last year. Perhaps the launch of the original Android G1 had something to do with that and a year later those unhappy with T-Mo’s smaller network are jumping ship? Just a thought. Still, I can’t help but feel a little saddened. Even though T-Mo has the smallest network out of the Big 4, they have the most affordable plans by far and the were an overall joy to have service through. Then I screwed up and went to AT&T…but we’ll blot that from memory. It wasn’t until a week ago that I was even considering Verizon and the DROID. My how things change so quickly. Were you part of T-Mo’s recent red ink release or are you still happily rockin’ the magenta?

BGR

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