I notice that they're still filling in a lot of the announced markets. I get LTE inside a lot of buildings that previously were only 4G and also see less HSPA+ and more LTE in general now. Interesting though is that the download speeds I got on HSPA+ are still higher than the ones I get on LTE.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Carrier T-Mobile is Fantastic!
- Thread starter crisg
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
- Status
I notice that they're still filling in a lot of the announced markets. I get LTE inside a lot of buildings that previously were only 4G and also see less HSPA+ and more LTE in general now. Interesting though is that the download speeds I got on HSPA+ are still higher than the ones I get on LTE.
I've been getting over 40Mbps downloads over the past few weeks. If only the coverage could be better this would be the top carrier in my area. AT&T is only giving us about 10Mbps downloads. It was as high as 41Mbps back in July when they enabled LTE here but that didn't last long.
Attachments
T-Mobile rates are lower because they aren't subsidizing the phone. Even when they had contracts, they had lower cost options if you brought your own device. The other carriers provide no discount for bringing your own device. In that case the only advantage is not being tied to that carrier for 2 years.
Over the course of the contract you do pay the full price (and then some); you just don't see the cost because it's rolled into the monthly charges for service.
Cheers,
I switched from AT&T to T-Mo thinking the grass was greener and boy was I ever wrong. T-Mo service leaves alot to be desired here in the Chicagoland area. In my area alone my phone sits on E majority of the time and when it is on 4G and LTE the data is still unusable.
Wow, that stinks. Up here in Minneapolis, my experience has been the complete opposite. T-Mobile really is great for people who live within their LTE/ HSPA+ network.
Are you using a T-mobile iPhone or another device that is originally from AT&T or has been unlocked.
I originally used an unlocked AT&T iPhone 5 and the service was the absolute worse. Then I traded in me and my wife AT&T iPhone 5 for the T-Mo 5 and service didn't honestly get any better. I've ordered 3 iPhone 5Cs w/ Sprint and I'm waiting on them to arrive, hopefully this week.
SpaceKitty, where is the $30 plan at on T-Mobile?
I only see these:
http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/individual.html#
Also, what do people think about GoSmart (owned by & run on T-Mobile):
https://www.gosmartmobile.com/compare-prepaid-cell-phone-plans
GoSmart Mobile is a T-Mobile US subsidiary brand service that became officially available nationwide on February 19, 2013. GoSmart offers no-contract SIM wireless services. Albeit, you would need to get a Micro Sim Card Cutter to cut the SIM down to a Nano SIM.
I'm testing out T-Mobile in the Chicago area (I'm an AT&T user on a grandfathered unlimited data plan and am annoyed about not being able to use personal hotspot). I've noticed that T-Mobile's LTE download speeds downtown are worse than their HSPA+ download speeds. AT&T's LTE downloads aren't great downtown, but they are still better than T-Mobile. Unfortunately, I drop calls a lot downtown with AT&T. I haven't tried T-Mobile voice much yet.
Down here in FL and GA T-Mobile works well in the cities. Interstates not so much.
Cheers,
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans
scroll about 2/3 way down and it mentions the $30 plan that needs to be activated through Walmart or T-mo site.
The $30 plan is available only from T-mobile's prepaid site. http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/
Order a nano SIM-only package online for $1, or at Wal-Mart for $10. You can then sign up for a $30 prepaid plan that includes only 100 minutes, but has unlimited text and 5GB Web.
This plan seems ideal for me as I don't talk on the phone much and primarily access the web via wifi. Also, I tend to text mostly.
Three questions:
1. Can you use GPS on this plan?
2. It appears that according to the fine print, I should not activate my phone at an Apple or T-Mobile store as the device needs to be activated on T-mobile.com
3. I ordered the iPhone 5s directly online from the Apple Store and it will be coming with a nano SIM card for the T-mobile network, can I activate that one online at T-mobile or will I have to buy a separate Nano SIM?
I used to work downtown until the end of the August. I worked on Canal between Randolph and Washington and as soon as I would get in front of my building I would lose data instantly. My wife works downtown and she complains about the service with them downtown. I had some of those same issues w/ AT&T, but they were much more tolerable as it was just frustrating w/ TMo. I'm trying out Sprint service once I get my iPhone 5C and if that's better then we're gone.
1. Yes, GPS works
2.&3. Yes, follow the instructions you received with the Pre-paid SIM (I don't think you can use the one that comes with the phone)
Also, I don't think tethering is free with this plan but you should check.
Cheers,
GPS works fine, activate from T-mo website only (or Walmart), and I'm pretty sure you need a nano SIM activation kit ($10) from T-mobile. I needed the activation kit both times I activated a pre-paid lines. You should still call T-mo to verify. The kit was ($0.99) last week, but seems the sale is over.
Go with Apple directly, either retail or online. There is no activation fee there either, plus you also avoid the $10 SIM fee. Plus your phone will be unlocked straight out of the box as opposed to having to wait 40 days and then asking for it to be unlocked if you buy one from T-Mobile.
Thanks for the advice! Now if only any stores actually had any 5s in stock...
Most are saying they won't have any until November.
If unlocked device is important, then Apple is the way to go, however ...
Thanks for the advice! Now if only any stores actually had any 5s in stock...
... Many of the T-Mobile stores in out of the way places had phones in stock as of last week. I got mine just walking to buy nano sims for the iP5 I purchased. Just start calling around.
It all depends on how important a fully unlocked phone is to you.
Cheers,
Anyone know where to get a new-in-2012 iPhone-5 (ios6) to use with the $30-prepaid plan?
T-Mo has "new" 64gb iPhone-5 online here, offer good thru 11/15/13:
http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phones/apple-iphone-5.html
But I don't need EIP financing & worse, it looks like they force you to choose a plan to go with that phone's purchase that does NOT include the $30-prepaid option.
So, would anyone chance it that deal?
--buy that iphone-5 online,
--take the lowest forced plan during checkout,
--pay off phone ASAP (if cell reception proves to be good),
--buy the Walmart $30-prepaid Sim kit (already ordered),
--get a nano-sim to fit that iph-5,
--then what??
--Just hope/ask T-Mo to let you use the $30-prepaid sim/plan instead of the forced/cheapest plan that was required during checkout for the iphone-5?
I don't know where else to find a "new" iphone-5. (Ebay/CraigsList I don't trust, Amazon maybe, if they have any new w/64gb).
Thank you!
T-Mo has "new" 64gb iPhone-5 online here, offer good thru 11/15/13:
http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phones/apple-iphone-5.html
But I don't need EIP financing & worse, it looks like they force you to choose a plan to go with that phone's purchase that does NOT include the $30-prepaid option.
So, would anyone chance it that deal?
--buy that iphone-5 online,
--take the lowest forced plan during checkout,
--pay off phone ASAP (if cell reception proves to be good),
--buy the Walmart $30-prepaid Sim kit (already ordered),
--get a nano-sim to fit that iph-5,
--then what??
--Just hope/ask T-Mo to let you use the $30-prepaid sim/plan instead of the forced/cheapest plan that was required during checkout for the iphone-5?
I don't know where else to find a "new" iphone-5. (Ebay/CraigsList I don't trust, Amazon maybe, if they have any new w/64gb).
Thank you!
djransom,
Sorry to hear that! I'm still on Tmobile, through the guy you recommended to me, and so far, have been having very good coverage here in the Detroit area. Notice a few differences here or there, but for the half the price I was paying with AT&T, I'll take a few quirks. Either way, thanks for the referral. Good luck with Sprint. At least Tmobile got you out of your previous contract by giving you the credits for the EFTs.
----------
Try here at Walmart. Looks like you can get new ones under the TMobile Prepay kit for $549.
- Status