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macmesser

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 13, 2012
921
198
Long Island, NY USA
I am currently using an iPhone 5 with Verizon on a multi phone plan. Someone else on the plan wants to try T-Mobile, who are trying to undercut Verizon. I've had no problems with Verizon and I'm not a heavy user. I have no experience with, nor knowledge of, T-Mobile. I'm wondering if I should go with the flow or stick with Verizon. Does anyone have experience with both? Is T-Mobile's coverage as good ad Verizon's?
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,087
23,740
Gotta be in it to win it
This question is really open-ended. It depends on the areas you primarily will be in. tmobile is an urban carrier, Verizon covers most of the US if you look at both companies coverage maps.

If your location includes what is commonly known as the boonies, tmobile probably will not work for you.

Maybe post back with some location information and people who have tried both carriers in both locations can help you.
 

CEmajr

macrumors 601
Dec 18, 2012
4,448
1,228
Charlotte, NC
Depends on your location. Where area do you live in and where do you travel/how often do you travel?

As said above, if you're in rural areas more often then stick with Verizon as T-Mobile is primarily an urban carrier when it comes to having 4G coverage. In rural areas you'll likely encounter 2G on T-Mobile.
 

macmesser

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 13, 2012
921
198
Long Island, NY USA
This question is really open-ended. It depends on the areas you primarily will be in. tmobile is an urban carrier, Verizon covers most of the US if you look at both companies coverage maps.

If your location includes what is commonly known as the boonies, tmobile probably will not work for you.

Maybe post back with some location information and people who have tried both carriers in both locations can help you.

Thanks for reply and good idea. I live in Nassau County on Long Island, about 20 miles east of NYC. Travel areas include eastern Long Island (Suffolk County) right out to Montauk Point. NYC, upstate NY including Kingston and Syracuse. Coastal areas from New Jersey down to Maryland and DC area. Pittsburgh PA, Baltimore and Gaithersburg MD. California cities like San Francisco and LA.

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Depends on your location. Where area do you live in and where do you travel/how often do you travel?

As said above, if you're in rural areas more often then stick with Verizon as T-Mobile is primarily an urban carrier when it comes to having 4G coverage. In rural areas you'll likely encounter 2G on T-Mobile.

Thanks. Will keep in mind.
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,087
23,740
Gotta be in it to win it
Thanks for reply and good idea. I live in Nassau County on Long Island, about 20 miles east of NYC. Travel areas include eastern Long Island (Suffolk County) right out to Montauk Point. NYC, upstate NY including Kingston and Syracuse. Coastal areas from New Jersey down to Maryland and DC area. Pittsburgh PA, Baltimore and Gaithersburg MD. California cities like San Francisco and LA.

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Thanks. Will keep in mind.

That is a lot of territory, there is bound to be varied opinions due to the distances. However, here is my $.02 regarding Verizon, answered as best as I can in a concise manner:

- Long Island: Central Nassau though Central Suffolk. Too many years since I've been through Hamptons/Montauk.
- NYC: Manhattan is good, some spots in the boroughs surprisingly don't have LTE and/or spotty reception.
- Coastal New Jersey is good.
- Travelling to Maryland on the NJTP is good except for a weak zone approaching the Delaware crossing.
- Baltimore is good, DC area is good.
- The trip to Pittsburgh through Pa is surprisingly good almost the whole route.
- Likewise for San Francisco and LA.

I'm suspecting you will get a similar story for tmobile.
 
Last edited:

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,390
19,458
Even in good areas there can be bad or even no reception in various spots. If a spot is important like your home or place of work or something like that then even if all around everything is great it would seem that it wouldn't matter much if you basically have rather bad or especially no reception at all in one or more of those smaller areas where you are frequently. So the best thing is to check with someone in pretty much those exact areas and/or to try it out yourself.

Also, keep in mind that the Verizon iPhone 5 won't have T-Mobile LTE and possibly some
of their other newer spectrum.
 

macmesser

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 13, 2012
921
198
Long Island, NY USA
That is a lot of territory, there is bound to be varied opinions due to the distances. However, here is my $.02 regarding Verizon, answered as best as I can in a concise manner:

- Long Island: Central Nassau though Central Suffolk. Too many years since I've been through Hamptons/Montauk.
- NYC: Manhattan is good, some spots in the boroughs surprisingly don't have LTE and/or spotty reception.
- Coastal New Jersey is good.
- Travelling to Maryland on the NJTP is good except for a weak zone approaching the Delaware crossing.
- Baltimore is good, DC area is good.
- The trip to Pittsburgh through Pa is surprisingly good almost the whole route.
- Likewise for San Francisco and LA.

I'm suspecting you will get a similar story for tmobile.

Thanks! T-Mobile might be much the same. I just found out that one of their selling points is that they made some recent deals which bring their service up to par with to Verizon an areas where it wasn't.

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Even in good areas there can be bad or even no reception in various spots. If a spot is important like your home or place of work or something like that then even if all around everything is great it would seem that it wouldn't matter much if you basically have rather bad or especially no reception at all in one or more of those smaller areas where you are frequently. So the best thing is to check with someone in pretty much those exact areas and/or to try it out yourself.

Also, keep in mind that the Verizon iPhone 5 won't have T-Mobile LTE and possibly some
of their other newer spectrum.

Thanks for the tips. I'll ask locally about T-Mobile and see how they do at home and work.
 

Aspergirl

macrumors newbie
Mar 27, 2013
10
0
Oregon
The thing about T-mobile is it is probably not as fast and you will have more service with Verizon. T-mobile also charges an arm and a leg to replace things.

A!
 
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