Installing iOS 8 on a T-Mobile Test Drive iPhone

[ronm99]

I am seriously considering switching to T-Mobile, and I received a T-Mobile test-drive iPhone 5S today.

I wanted to test WiFi calling, so I was thinking about installing iOS8 beta on it.

I don't care about losing any data on the phone, so I'm assuming that it will be straight forward to revert to iOS7 before returning.

Or am I missing something?

Thanks,
Ron

p.s. I am a developer with a couple of apps in the app store.

 

[campyguy]

I don't see anything or any reason one couldn't install iOS on one of their phones. I just turned mine back in a couple of days ago - it shipped with 7.1.1, and I installed 7.1.2 on it using Software Update.

I considered installing iOS 8 on it for wifi calling as I had one of my VZW iPhone 5 handsets but opted against it after finding data and voice were pretty much identical indoors and out where I live and work.

Installing iOS 7 should be QED using DFU mode after you're done with it.

 

[ronm99]

I don't see anything or any reason one couldn't install iOS on one of their phones. I just turned mine back in a couple of days ago - it shipped with 7.1.1, and I installed 7.1.2 on it using Software Update.

I considered installing iOS 8 on it for wifi calling as I had one of my VZW iPhone 5 handsets but opted against it after finding data and voice were pretty much identical indoors and out where I live and work.

Installing iOS 7 should be QED using DFU mode after you're done with it.

Thanks! I appreciate the confirmation!

My house has poor reception (with AT&T and Verizon I needed network extenders). T-Mobile actually seems slightly better than the other networks at my house, but in my test calls sometimes the voice quality wasn't great. I'm hoping WiFi calling will be better.

 

[ronm99]

So I went ahead and installed iOS8 on the test drive phone. That all went smoothly. However, I don't think I will be able to test WiFi calling. In order to use WiFi calling, you must set up an address for 911. I have tried to do this several times, but it keeps coming back with an error. I suspect that the account tied to this phone is locked so I can't change any settings, and without it I cannot enable WiFI calling.

Sigh.

 

[ronm99]

Update ... I was able to get WiFi calling to work. I just created a T-Mobile account for my Test Drive iPhone, and then added my 911 address on the Web.

Now I just need to remember to remove my personal details from the account when I return it just in case T-Mobile is not organized enough to do it themselves

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This has probably been mentioned before, but when connected to WiFi with WiFi calling enabled, the phone says the name of the carrier is "TMobile WiFi". Nice touch

 

[questionmark32]

Update ... I was able to get WiFi calling to work. I just created a T-Mobile account for my Test Drive iPhone, and then added my 911 address on the Web.

Now I just need to remember to remove my personal details from the account when I return it just in case T-Mobile is not organized enough to do it themselves

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This has probably been mentioned before, but when connected to WiFi with WiFi calling enabled, the phone says the name of the carrier is "TMobile WiFi". Nice touch

How has it worked for you thus far? I'm pretty much in the same situation as you (Verizon and AT&T service is not great where I live, and I ordered a T-Mobile Test Drive yesterday). I plan on doing exactly what you did with the iOS 8 update, but I want to know if Wifi calling really helped with how you handle your calls.

 

[GoldenChild]

Thank you for sharing this info, I didn't even know T-Mobile had a test program. I just signed up and will hopefully see better coverage and LTE signal.

Right now I am with AT&T who throttles after I use my 10GB a month and charges me for going over

Do you know if T-Mobile buys your iPhone 5S when you switch over to their service and in return give you a credit? I want to be able to use the credit for the iPhone 6 if I switch over to T-Mobile

 

[buddybd]

Do you know if T-Mobile buys your iPhone 5S when you switch over to their service and in return give you a credit? I want to be able to use the credit for the iPhone 6 if I switch over to T-Mobile

Yea they do, https://www.switch2tmobile.com/

 

[ronm99]

How has it worked for you thus far? I'm pretty much in the same situation as you (Verizon and AT&T service is not great where I live, and I ordered a T-Mobile Test Drive yesterday). I plan on doing exactly what you did with the iOS 8 update, but I want to know if Wifi calling really helped with how you handle your calls.

I haven't used it a lot, but the WiFi calling has worked VERY well for me so far. The call quality has been better than anything I've used other than FaceTime Audio.

Now I just need to decide if T-Mobile coverage is good enough in my area. It seems a little bit hit and miss around my neighborhood. Some places have poor coverage, and other places have outstanding coverage (there is one spot nearby where I consistently get about 75mbps download and 25mbps upload which is better than my very expensive comcast service!

Overall, however, T-Mobile's test-drive is winning me over and I will probably switch soon.