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I'm with T Mobile now. I don't know how AT&T thinks they can charge what they do. T-Mobile's network recently surpassed AT&T's in strength and they have faster LTE speeds than Verizon (AT&T and T Mobile use GSM while Verizon and Sprint use the slower CDMA). Plus Tax and fees included. And Verizon's call conferencing is unbearably bad.

https://opensignal.com/reports/2016/08/usa/state-of-the-mobile-network/

But I guess it depends on the area you live and work in.

LTE is a GSM product. Verizon uses CDMA for legacy products. If you have VoLTE on Verizon, 100% GSM. Have an older product, then yes, CDMA. Same goes for Sprint, except for voice.
 
Don't you have to opt. in to HD video on T-Mobile also? There was a big discussion about if you would have to toggle it once a day/month until T-Mobile stated you only had to turn it off once.
No, not anymore. In the all in you get HD Video and 10GB of LTE tethering monthly already enabled.
 
Switched from AT&T to Verizon over the weekend. Not paying 20 bucks more a month with less coverage, and no tethering.
 
At the other end of the usage scale, is there any US carrier at all good for light usage and minimal cost? (Comparing against, say, GiffGaff's 250 minutes, 500MB, unlimited SMS, and free intra-carrier calls for £7.50, lasting a month) I don't need anywhere near unlimited anything - just a few minutes for the very occasional call, some messages, and enough data for Swiftly or Maps.
 
I dunno, I consider T-Mobile's SIM card fee an "activation fee" of sorts. Though it's possible they got rid of that.
When I added an iPad to my T-Mobile account the store associates told me to call and have them ship me a SIM card so it'd be free. So instead of just giving me a card in store they had to ship one out via UPS and lose five days worth of service dollars. I've been happy with T-Mobile but that wasn't their finest hour.
 
does verizon allow you to be on the phone and the internet at the same time? i remember hearing that wasn't possible awhile back?

No, they don't. Thats one of the downsides to the CDMA protocol they operate with.
 
A lot of people only use less than 5gb because they're forced to monitor their data or else they'll face overage charges. Once you kick some old habits and get used to streaming music and video on unlimited data, there's no going back.

Most people I know have a full time jobs and only have time to down load data from the internet when they are home on their wifi.
 
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I understand alot of people are comparing Verizon and T-Mobile, but alot of people fail to remember that even though $160 for 4 lines on Verizon sounds good, it's not. Remember Verizon charges $20 per line as a "Smartphone access fee". That $160 easily goes up to $240. Not including the phones as payments. No one is bringing up that access fee.
 

Last week, after 11 years, I jumped from Verizon to T-Mobile. I live in a major U.S. city, and I definitely notice a difference in the network. I have been reading about how T-Mo's network has gotten better, etc. If this is better, than I shudder to think what it was before. Seeing one bar (button) on the signal indicator on my iPhone, outdoors, in the middle of open space downtown? Really?

After reading upthread about T-Mo folks on the phone waiving SIM card fee, I'm a little pissed I went into a store and they charged me for the SIM card.

All this said, T-Mo is saving me significant money over my grandfathered unlimited data plan and grandfathered calling plan (needed for Canada) on Verizon.

For those of you considering the hotspot option for T-Mo: buried in the fine print of TM1, it says if you use the tethering more than on your smartphone, you're subject to throttling.

Which city are you in? For most cities Tmobile is on par with Verizon now. Also, if your smart phone doesnt support Band 12, your coverage will be less on Tmobile.
 
Hm - don't know about you, but I consistently use over 25GB / month on both of my phones. Can't imagine using less than 5GB unless literally all you do is make phone calls.

I think what you meant to say was you can't imagine using less than 5GB unless you don't stream video all day on cellular instead of WIFI.

Realistically, (and I and my family are proof), you can browse internet, email, streams LOTS of music, run your apps and maybe do some Youtube and stay under 5GB per month. Sometimes, our entire family stays under 5GB TOTAL (shared). If you were to subtract video streaming, you'd probably find yourself using less than 5GB.
 
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My current plan at AT&T is 6GB, unlimited voice/messages, tethering for the full 6GB, and previous month's roll-over data at: $60 data + $20 phone = $80/month.

If I exceed 6GB plus whatever the previous month's rollover was, I still have access but the data rate will be reduced to 3G.

I think some of the above new "unlimited" plans restrict how much tethered data you can use, and I tether a lot.

Not a bad single line plan.
 
These unlimited plans are another gimmick. Most smartphone users use less than 5GB per month and will be more happy to have less expensive plans rather than pay for unlimited and use only a fraction of it.

A "gimmick" would imply there is no real value to offering unlimited plans. I still have the original ATT ipad unlimited plan which people regularly pay $1800 for on ebay and I still wouldn't sell it.

I also regularly use 15-20gb on my t-mobile even though I am mostly on my home wifi and my nephew hit 50gb last month watching mostly youtube videos.

'Unlimited' is very much necessary in todays digital world.
 
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does verizon allow you to be on the phone and the internet at the same time? i remember hearing that wasn't possible awhile back?
Yes, with VoLTE you can do that (or if you are connected to WiFi).
 
Most people I know have a full time jobs and only have time to down load data from the internet when they are home on their wifi.
A third of the world's population is under 21. I don't know if you expect them to have full time jobs by then, but if so, good for you I guess.
 
Basically comes down to T-Mobile vs Verizon. Sprint sucks at coverage and ATT charges too much for not enough. I like the competition though.
The difference is taxes+extra fees and free unlimited roaming in Mexico, Canada like you were in the US, plus plenty of other countries, T-Mobile wins. Coverage is not for everyone though.
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These unlimited plans are another gimmick. Most smartphone users use less than 5GB per month and will be more happy to have less expensive plans rather than pay for unlimited and use only a fraction of it.
it's no gimmick, we do get unlimited data roaming internationally with T-Mobile, plus no extra taxes and the real gimmicks: unexplainable carrier FEES disguised as regulatory and whatever.
No tethering overcharges.
Smartphones used by smart people with a smart line are not for most users.
 
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Stop it! This hasn't been true with verizon for a while now. As long as you turn on advanced calling you most certainly can use voice and data at the same time on Verizon.

As of late 2015, which was the last time I looked there was a hardware issue with iPhones that couldn't take advantage. Instead of being a tool about it, why not just state your case?
 
I honestly expected AT&T to add tethering to their plan this week. More expensive for fewer features is ridiculous. They're clearly testing the least they can give for the most money before everyone switches.
they lost my two lines a month ago, they are not even trying anymore
 
By the way, I will get $150 as gift cards for every line I moved in T-Mobile. Ask when switching they may still offer them or you can potentially get something else.
Are the other carriers also competing on this front?
 
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