Sprint and AT&T both have 3G networks to offer customers nationwide for cellular service. It has been rumored that Sprint and Verizon both shared towers and the same kind of technology for their cell phones. I have looked at many Sprint and Verizon phones side by side, only for both of them to have the same bars of service. They are all three of the biggest cellular networks around.
Sprint's 3G service is the same as Verizon in my opinion. I have used the HTC Evo phone on Sprint's network quite a few times. Everywhere that you go to service is available, You have 3G service. Even when I only have zero or one bar of service, I can still access the Internet. It is a bit slow, but it still works when you need it. I have never seen a dead spot with Sprint since I have explored their network. Sometimes depending on where I am, the phone goes into Romeing, but it is still 3G service. The Internet speed is fairly fast and is very reliable. Talking on Sprint's network is also very reliable and hardly ever drops a call.
Sprint Phones
I have had quite a few I phones on the AT&T network. No matter which generation of iPhone, I have always had issues with the AT&T service. I will usually have service on the phone, but I almost always end up dropping calls for no reason. I have had to use other people's phones that have Sprint or Verizon when I did not have service with AT&T. The one good thing about AT&T's 3G service, is that you can talk on the phone while browsing the Internet at the same time. This is a great feature to have, if the service was only reliable. I have tested quite a few phones on the AT&T network and the results all come back the same. The network is just not that great. Ever since the iPhone 4 came out, the combination of Apple's antenna problem and AT&T's mediocre service, have resulted in a lot of unhappy customers. Apple has tried to fix the problem by giving out cases to their customers, but most people are not happy with that solution. I think in the near future AT&T and Apple will both lose lots of customers due to what has happened recently.
Using Sprint's 3G service is a bit different than AT&T. AT&T 3G service, when it works, is much faster most of the time than Sprint's network. I have tried doing bandwidth speed tests on the Internet with both Sprint and AT&T, with AT&T almost always being the winner. Sprint however wins the contest in my opinion because of having service almost everywhere and anytime you need it. Having a great smart phone is nice, but if you cannot use it due to the kind of service you receive, there is no point in having it.
Sprint also now has a 4G network, which is the first of its kind. I have not tested this out myself, but I have read reviews online for people that have. If you go online and Google reviews on the HTC Evo 4G phone, you will find nothing but positive reviews. In the very near future, Sprint will end up getting a much larger customer base due to their great service and innovation with the 4G network they have made available. AT&T will have to do some serious catching up to keep their current customers happy and satisfied.
Sprint's 3g Network Vs AT&T's 3g Network