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T-Mobile vs ATT?

G

GKDAIR

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 4, 2011
230
4
Me and my mom are moving to a new city in a few months, we won't have a lot of cash starting out, and we are sick of the ABSURD prices ATT charges.

I'm going to google information on my own, but hopefully you guys could help me out as wel..

For me, my mom, and my brother, our cell phone bill is over 300 dollars a month. My mother handles the bill, although when we move down I'll have to start paying my own,so I don't know the exact specifics.

How is the coverage compared to ATT? If anybody cares to know, we are moving to Galveston, Texas. How are data speeds? I spend most of my time on Wi-fi so if the speed is a little slow, it won't make too much of a difference.

The cost is what attracts us to T-mobile. 100 bucks down and 20 bucks a month, is that with a contract or no?
 
C

CEmajr

macrumors 601
Dec 18, 2012
4,453
1,245
Charlotte, NC
Check their coverage maps for specific details on how the coverage in Galveston is. If you're in the green areas then you're good as far as data goes. AT&T has them beat in rural areas though.
 
T

taedouni

macrumors 65816
Jun 7, 2011
1,117
29
California
AT&T usually offers better coverage than Tmobile. Remember that Tmobile has roaming agreements with AT&T in a lot of areas because they simply don't have the coverage.
 
6

617aircav

Suspended
Jul 2, 2012
3,975
818
GKDAIR said:
Posts like this are really just a waste of my time.
Click to expand...

He is right. It's not even debatable. Tmobile is cheaper for a reason. Now if tmobile coverage is good in your area and you don't move around a lot, it may work for you.
 
S

saberz

macrumors regular
Apr 20, 2012
121
2
Don't forget you may be eligible for a discount from work. goto an att or tmo store with a pay stub to see.
 
G

GKDAIR

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 4, 2011
230
4
jav6454 said:
It is the honest truth. Why complicate the uncomplicated. AT&T simple. Now, if you don't like the suggestion then don't take it.
Click to expand...

Back up your statement with facts and figures, not your opinion.

Not exactly rocket science.
 
A

aneftp

macrumors 601
Jul 28, 2007
4,363
549
GKDAIR said:
Back up your statement with facts and figures, not your opinion.

Not exactly rocket science.
Click to expand...

U don't need to be a rocket scientist. Common sense.

SBC. The real company that purchased ATT. SBC wireless has a strangle hold in Texas. That has always been their base. SBC changes their name to ATT after they purchased the company.

Bell South also was part of Cingular. Bell South Strangle hold over Atlanta area and most parts of Florida. That's why ATT is superior in those parts.

If u think T-mobile is just as good in Galveston TX. Try it out for 14 days. Drive around areas u will be most of the time. Return it if u don't think coverage is good.
 
H

HiRisk

macrumors 6502
Jan 3, 2013
317
0
IMHO it should boil down to coverage. Choose the one you think is perfect for your everyday needs and call it a day.
 
B

BlockEight88

macrumors regular
Mar 20, 2013
217
32
The better carrier is T-Mobile. AT&T is very greedy and doesn't put the customer first, nor appreciate their loyal customers, trust me.

T-Mobile has a far superior network, where they have coverage. T-Mobile has the best plans, unlimited data, WiFi calling, simultaneous voice and data, and now an LTE network. They are also GSM based which makes them on the exact same page as AT&T.

AT&T will always be larger because of their coverage footprint. They just kept merging throughout the years buying smaller companies. AT&T doesn't bleed customers like T-Mobile does. T-Mobile also has many, many areas where they only have 2G. AT&T has HSPA+ in many of those T-Mobile 2G areas. AT&T wins hands down for many people simply because of that.

If T-Mobile had LTE here, and I wasn't in contract with AT&T, I'd move over in a second.
 
S

saberz

macrumors regular
Apr 20, 2012
121
2
Ive had no issues with customer support on any carrier.

AT&T has done what I asked(waive fee, discount service for a fee months (hard ship).

T-Mobile helped me through a transition but I left them 4 months later because of coverage problems. Verizon service just sucks. yes they have coverage everywhere but it was poor coverage and not as fast or consistant as T-Mobile.

Sprint used to be good until the Nextel merger. Never tried em again.
 
2

2298754

Cancelled
Jun 21, 2010
4,890
941
taedouni said:
Remember that Tmobile has roaming agreements with AT&T in a lot of areas because they simply don't have the coverage.
Click to expand...
AT&T does not allow T-Mobile devices to roam on their 3G network. It is voice only.

Just a reminder to OP that T-Mobile basically has EDGE has their predominate data network and their network size is pretty pathetic to VZW/AT&T. Don't just switch because it's cheaper. If you're stuck in a EDGE only area with TMo, your iPhone is basically a useless brick.

I'd suggest getting a prepaid card for a few days and trying it out before switching over
 
T

taedouni

macrumors 65816
Jun 7, 2011
1,117
29
California
AutoUnion39 said:
AT&T does not allow T-Mobile devices to roam on their 3G network. It is voice only.

Just a reminder to OP that T-Mobile basically has EDGE has their predominate data network and their network size is pretty pathetic to VZW/AT&T. Don't just switch because it's cheaper. If you're stuck in a EDGE only area with TMo, your iPhone is basically a useless brick.

I'd suggest getting a prepaid card for a few days and trying it out before switching over
Click to expand...

And where did I mention 3G? My point was that Tmobile is inferior thus why it needs AT&T to allow their customers to use their phone in certain areas.
 
osofast240sx

osofast240sx

macrumors 68030
Mar 25, 2011
2,539
16
AutoUnion39 said:
AT&T does not allow T-Mobile devices to roam on their 3G network. It is voice only.

Just a reminder to OP that T-Mobile basically has EDGE has their predominate data network and their network size is pretty pathetic to VZW/AT&T. Don't just switch because it's cheaper. If you're stuck in a EDGE only area with TMo, your iPhone is basically a useless brick.

I'd suggest getting a prepaid card for a few days and trying it out before switching over
Click to expand...
but if u get the new iPhone 5 after April 12th you will fall back to aws3g instead of edge.
 
2

2298754

Cancelled
Jun 21, 2010
4,890
941
osofast240sx said:
but if u get the new iPhone 5 after April 12th you will fall back to aws3g instead of edge.
Click to expand...

True, but AWS HSPA+ is just as spotty in most areas, unless you're right in the middle of a top metro market. Signal will be more solid than PCS though because more towers have it deployed.
 
2

2298754

Cancelled
Jun 21, 2010
4,890
941
osofast240sx said:
Lets not forget the metro pcs merger
Click to expand...

Not big enough. MetroPCS doesn't operate everywhere and they have zero GSM for TMobile users to roam on. It's LTE or CDMA (EVDO/1x).

The extra spectrum from MetroPCS will help them boost up LTE to 2x10 in major areas (where MetroPCS owns spectrum), while still maintaining the 42+ HSPA network. But this can't happen everywhere. It's either going to be 2x10 LTE/21 HSPA+ or 2x5 LTE/42 HSPA.

But again, that's not the issue. T-Mobile does fine in the middle of top metro areas. MetroPCS is very similar in this regard. But once you leave that city, you're stuck on EDGE because TMobile doesn't want to upgrade those towers up to at least HSPA.
 
Dontazemebro

Dontazemebro

macrumors 68020
Jul 23, 2010
2,173
0
I dunno, somewhere in West Texas
I live in the the Houston/Galveston area and T-Mobile has fairly good coverage but not as good as AT&T. What they really lack is good building penetration and they're notorious for having spotty coverage within the city limits. You could get full bars outside and be down to as low as 1bar once you go inside or drive in and out of coverage within a 5 miles radius. I switched over to AT&T years ago so hopefully they've improved on their network since then.
 
SAD*FACED*CLOWN

SAD*FACED*CLOWN

macrumors 65816
Apr 5, 2010
1,342
1
Houston, TX
BlockEight88 said:
The better carrier is T-Mobile. AT&T is very greedy and doesn't put the customer first, nor appreciate their loyal customers, trust me.

T-Mobile has a far superior network, where they have coverage. T-Mobile has the best plans, unlimited data, WiFi calling, simultaneous voice and data, and now an LTE network. They are also GSM based which makes them on the exact same page as AT&T.

AT&T will always be larger because of their coverage footprint. They just kept merging throughout the years buying smaller companies. AT&T doesn't bleed customers like T-Mobile does. T-Mobile also has many, many areas where they only have 2G. AT&T has HSPA+ in many of those T-Mobile 2G areas. AT&T wins hands down for many people simply because of that.

If T-Mobile had LTE here, and I wasn't in contract with AT&T, I'd move over in a second.
Click to expand...

your post is full of false information....Tmobile cannot compare to AT&T in the state of Texas...and other places
 
H

harrisnl

macrumors newbie
Mar 27, 2013
5
0
GKDAIR said:
Me and my mom are moving to a new city in a few months, we won't have a lot of cash starting out, and we are sick of the ABSURD prices ATT charges.

I'm going to google information on my own, but hopefully you guys could help me out as wel..

For me, my mom, and my brother, our cell phone bill is over 300 dollars a month. My mother handles the bill, although when we move down I'll have to start paying my own,so I don't know the exact specifics.

How is the coverage compared to ATT? If anybody cares to know, we are moving to Galveston, Texas. How are data speeds? I spend most of my time on Wi-fi so if the speed is a little slow, it won't make too much of a difference.

The cost is what attracts us to T-mobile. 100 bucks down and 20 bucks a month, is that with a contract or no?
Click to expand...

Choosing between bad and worse. Full disclosure, I'm on AT&T. That said, I have friends using T-mobile, and between the two, AT&T is bad, but T-mobile is far worse.

ETA: I'm located in the Triangle area of NC. T-mobile folks here regularly find dead spots in the urban areas here.
 
maflynn

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,554
43,530
First and foremost you need to select which company provides the best coverage for your area. Secondly how are they with drops and performance.

From what I hear, T-Mo is a lot smaller (coverage wise) then ATT, and I'm not sure about their 4G map - I think they're a little late to the 4G party.
 
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