Skip to main content

Hidden feature on flagship devices will give Sprint customers boost in data speed

sprint 5g network 2019 building sign logo headquarters hq store
Sprint customers could soon get a little bump in their data speed — at least those who own a flagship phone. Sprint is holding the keys to a new hidden feature on many flagship devices that will allow customers to tap into a new wireless technology aimed at enhancing their data connection speed, Günther Ottendorfer, Sprint’s chief operating officer, said in an interview with CNET.

The bump in speed could be very helpful for Sprint, which has been waging a war against its rivals by saying that it has totally closed the speed gap between it and the others. There has long been the perception that Sprint is the slowest of the big four networks –and  a big speed boost could help change that impression.

The new feature will be available to customers through an over-the-air update, and it will basically tap into a technology called 3x carrier aggregation, which is Sprint’s fancy wording for a higher data bandwidth. Phones set to get the new feature include the likes of the Apple iPhone 7, the Samsung Galaxy S7, the Google Pixel, and the LG G5.

There is one phone on the market that already makes use of the new technology — the HTC Bolt, which Sprint launched December 14. The feature is only available in markets where the new technology is implemented — that’s only nine markets so far, and we don’t know exactly what those markets are.

Sprint is a little different than the other carriers, for multiple reasons. First of all, it uses a number of different frequency bands, including frequencies above the 2.5GHz range, which offer a higher data speed. With this new technology, Sprint can use all of its frequency ranges for faster service.

So when will Sprint customers get the faster data speed? The first device to get it will be Samsung’s next flagship, which will most likely be the Galaxy S8. Speculation suggests that the device will be announced in late February, so we should expect Sprint’s new features sometime after that.

Editors' Recommendations

Christian de Looper
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
With Sprint’s flash sale, customers can lease an iPhone 8 for $8 per month
Sprint

Sprint Flash Sale Flashers

For those looking for a good deal on an iPhone, Sprint announced its flash sale. Until August 9, the carrier is offering the iPhone 8 for $8 per month to new and existing customers.

Read more
Flagship Android phones top iPhone X in download speed, report claims
iphone x notch

While the battle between iOS and Android rages on -- and there are some points you could make for either side -- there's one thing that doesn't often come up in a debate between the two sides. That's the speed of a phone's modem. According to new data from Ookla, the company behind the popular Speedtest.net website, however, perhaps that should change.

Ookla compared the Intel XMM 7480 -- which is found in flagship phones like the iPhone X -- and the Qualcomm X20, found on the Snapdragon 845, which is in turn featured in phones like the Samsung Galaxy S9. The results of that study were pretty interesting -- but most notably, Ookla found that Qualcomm outperformed Intel in almost every metric.

Read more
Why can’t your Instagram upload? OpenSignal explains the upload speed gap
how to get followers on instagram 7

Summer is (officially) here and it will certainly come with a social media barrage as your friends and family members snap photos and videos of their fun in the sun. In order to share all of those Instagram-worthy moments with an adoring public (because did it really happen if you don't post about it?), you'll doubtless be relying on your mobile network's upload speeds.

To help you better understand why some carriers can help you get your pics onto Instagram and Snapchat faster than others, OpenSignal has published a new explainer to help clarify why there's such a huge discrepancy between the fastest and slowest 4G upload speeds.

Read more