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keitarou,

If you are seriously interested in switching, go to a store and talk to a rep. I had $600 in EFT from AT&T, and managed to get one rep to offer me half ($300) in credit, but then found another rep who was able to offer me the full amount (and then some). All my EFT's are covered, and I'm switching right now as we speak.

Just ask them. Some will do it.

Mine would be 1050 bucks for three lines. I would be surprised to see anyone offer that much of credit. But I will see if someone will do and ask. Thanks for the tip.
 
Your such a troll! A pathetic troll, but a troll nontheless! AWS support makes worlds of difference for a lot of people who were on Edge on their phones and now get pretty good speeds because of the AWS band. The network might not be for you but it works for a lot of others so why be a jerk about it?

Awesome! You have no idea what you're talking about. Why is my AWS-equipped iPhone's coverage still just as spotty in Boston? Why is it that I can walk down the street and AWS drops in and out?

Did you also know that the end-game to all this refarming is that AWS HSPA will be eventually phased out, so they can get a wider spectrum of LTE up, while putting HSPA on PCS?

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Just wish T-Mobile would have some promo paying ETF. So many would change in a heartbeat. I know I would. Dang ETF's.

They would be bankrupt by next week if they offered to pay everyone's ETF and they gave people service without any sort of contract. :D

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Why does T-Mobile struggle so much with indoor calls? I see this stated by countless others. Really troubling IMO.

Downside to the bands that they use (PCS and AWS). Sub 1ghz bands are optimal for building penetration, which is why AT&T/VZW, etc do so well.

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So... T-Mobile has this gem of a feature that no one else has called "Wi-Fi Calling". Which means, If you are on WiFi you can enable that feature and all your Cellular calls will be routed through your WIFI network to your cellphone. You can make and recieve calls like you are on a cell network. Your plan minutes still apply.

You wouldn't need wifi calling, if the network was up to par with the competition. They're using it as an excuse for poor reception at people's houses. No reason for poor building penetration. They should be deploying a denser cell grid.

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Plus you can be anywhere in the world and as far as you have WiFi you are like in the US. Pretty cool.

This is def. the best part about it. I'm surprised they haven't put a stop to it working internationally. It's quite simple to block out non-US IPs.

AT&T has a device that you can install in your house(femtocell) and it costs $160.00 or so... But, T-Mobile has built that feature right into the phone.

The microcell is free, if you call and ask. Plus it works with every phone (granted it has to have 3G support)

They say the Wi-FI calling feature is a OS level integration and iOS is not going to have it anytime soon.
iPhone needs to get this support. I'm sure it's nothing more fancy than a simple VOIP setup.

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They are doing a big push to increase 4G coverage by the end of this year. I was talking to a tech support and he said they are busy deploying towers so they can cover 200 million americans by the end of this year.

Nothing has been said about areas outside of big metro markets. Those are 200 million POPs by year end. Nothing has been said by anyone from TMo about all that EDGE/GPRS they have.

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I don't know... to get more customers? If they have confidence keeping customers than I don't see why not. But yes, it's a long shot.:(

It would be terrible for their business. Why should they spend $$$ on breaking customer's ETFs when they could just turn around and bolt within a week without any commitment?
 
Awesome! You have no idea what you're talking about. Why is my AWS-equipped iPhone's coverage still just as spotty in Boston? Why is it that I can walk down the street and AWS drops in and out?

Did you also know that the end-game to all this refarming is that AWS HSPA will be eventually phased out, so they can get a wider spectrum of LTE up, while putting HSPA on PCS?

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They would be bankrupt by next week if they offered to pay everyone's ETF and they gave people service without any sort of contract. :D

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Downside to the bands that they use (PCS and AWS). Sub 1ghz bands are optimal for building penetration, which is why AT&T/VZW, etc do so well.

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You wouldn't need wifi calling, if the network was up to par with the competition. They're using it as an excuse for poor reception at people's houses. No reason for poor building penetration. They should be deploying a denser cell grid.

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This is def. the best part about it. I'm surprised they haven't put a stop to it working internationally. It's quite simple to block out non-US IPs.



The microcell is free, if you call and ask. Plus it works with every phone (granted it has to have 3G support)


iPhone needs to get this support. I'm sure it's nothing more fancy than a simple VOIP setup.

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Nothing has been said about areas outside of big metro markets. Those are 200 million POPs by year end. Nothing has been said by anyone from TMo about all that EDGE/GPRS they have.

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It would be terrible for their business. Why should they spend $$$ on breaking customer's ETFs when they could just turn around and bolt within a week without any commitment?


Lower-then-1 GHz bands do have much less capacity and spectral efficiency than 1+ GHz bands.
 
Battery Life

Can I ask those of you who used Sprint and is now using T-Mobile notice any change in battery life on your phones? I get about 5 hours of use before having to charge around 4% on Sprint. Wondering if it's any better on a GSM network.
 
Just because they don't have a contract for service, the minute you get a T-Mobile device, you have a contract to pay full price for that entire phone.

Money down plus Phone payment plan or subsidized phone plus ETF - functionally the same thing. Though AT&T has their horsehooey twist where the ETF is $85 plus $10 for every month left in the contract.

What's lame is AT&T and Verizon keep charging you the full rate once your phone is paid off. So if you choose to wait a few months after upgrade for an upcoming phone model or have family members who don't need/want to upgrade every two years or who use your old phone, you pay a bunch extra to the carrier.
 
Looking to maybe join TMO and I'm wondering how the coverage
in the Chicago area is.

I left TMO back in 08-09 to join AT&T for the iPhone.
For the life of me, I don't remember how the coverage was.
I *think* was good or else I wouldn't have been with them, LOL.

Anyone in my area and not happy?

Thanks!
 
Awesome! You have no idea what you're talking about. Why is my AWS-equipped iPhone's coverage still just as spotty in Boston? Why is it that I can walk down the street and AWS drops in and out?

So because it does that on a particular street in Boston it must be that way everywhere else? Wow, I never knew I could judge what cell service was like in Denver, Orlando, Houston, and countless other places by walking down a single street in Boston. PC Magazine must feel really stupid for driving all over the country to test different networks for their latest article. They could have just gone to Boston and been done with it.
 
So because it does that on a particular street in Boston it must be that way everywhere else?

The facts don't lie. let's not pretend that TMobile has some prized AWS network everywhere else. I've repeated this same thing in many places. Phily, Providence, parts of NYC, Hartford, etc. TMo claiming to have blanket coverage and a nationwide 4G network is the biggest lie in the industry, thus far.

If they are so spectacular, they would have won some RootMetrics comparison in at least one city. But clearly, they have not. Maybe you guys know something about their service that reputable 3rd party testing sources don't know!
 
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For those claiming that they get HSPA everywhere, here you go.

TMobile. (blue is 2G, green is HSPA)

3jxBT.png


VZW LTE
3jxE2.png


for comparison, they have been deploying LTE for about 2 years now and TMo has been working on AWS for almost 5 years.
 
For those claiming that they get HSPA everywhere, here you go.

TMobile. (blue is 2G, green is HSPA)

Image

VZW LTE
Image

for comparison, they have been deploying LTE for about 2 years now and TMo has been working on AWS for almost 5 years.

What's your point? If T-Mobile's coverage doesn't work for you, don't use them. Stop trying to convince everyone else they are crap because they don't fit your needs.

T-Mobile works just fine for me and I'm very happy with them. The maps you're posting won't change that.
 
The facts don't lie. let's not pretend that TMobile has some prized AWS network everywhere else. I've repeated this same thing in many places. Phily, Providence, parts of NYC, Hartford, etc. TMo claiming to have blanket coverage and a nationwide 4G network is the biggest lie in the industry, thus far.

If they are so spectacular, they would have won some RootMetrics comparison in at least one city. But clearly, they have not. Maybe you guys know something about their service that reputable 3rd party testing sources don't know!

Sorry, but did I say they were great and spectacular? No, all I tried to point out was that you can't condemn a network based on your personal experience in one city.

Also, I've seen you trot out RootMetrics in other threads like they are the wonderful arbiter of cell phone network quality. I honestly hadn't even heard of them until AT&T started mentioning them in their ads and on their site. Also, I highly question the usefulness of crowd sourced data for determining something like network availability and quality. It's no secret that T-Mobile has fewer users than AT&T and Verizon. That means fewer people using the RootMetrics app on their phone, and the perception that more holes exist. Where I live I see plenty of entries for all the carriers on the main thoroughfares in my town from people driving through. But I see no information for T-Mobile in the actual neighborhoods. That doesn't mean that T-Mobile has no coverage there, just that nobody has gone there while running the app. Yet that's exactly what the RootMetrics site seems to imply.

Now, I have heard of PC Magazine. And since the bar that you set is a single city, I will point out that PC Mag named T-Mobile as the best data network in Baltimore, and it came in a close second in several other cities where their LTE network is available.

Notice what I'm not saying here. I'm NOT saying that T-Mobile is wonderful or spectacular or anything like that. In fact I'm making no judgement about them at all, and I have no personal experience with them in the last 6 years (switched away to get the original iPhone). All I am trying to do is say that you've got to do more to convince folks that your opinion is valid. Suggesting that T-Mobile is not acceptable for anyone, at all, whatsoever, based on your personal experience and some fly-by-night web start up that most people have never heard of, is flawed.

If you have other reasons, then please state them in a logical and concise manner. But keep in mind that using the same arguments worded differently will not convince anyone of your point.

Edit to add: BTW, I've got lots of experience with AT&T in Houston. But notice that you don't see me on here telling people they should never consider using AT&T in Boston because my house sits in the middle of a AT&T signal black hole here in Houston. And if you were to bring up a map on RootMetics of my neighborhood, you would think that NONE of the carriers even offer service here, even though they all do and most of them work quite well.
 
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I do get tmob HSPA+ most places I go ( 95% of time split between Dallas, Austin, Houston ) so t mob is fantastic for me :)
 
The facts don't lie. let's not pretend that TMobile has some prized AWS network everywhere else. I've repeated this same thing in many places. Phily, Providence, parts of NYC, Hartford, etc. TMo claiming to have blanket coverage and a nationwide 4G network is the biggest lie in the industry, thus far.

If they are so spectacular, they would have won some RootMetrics comparison in at least one city. But clearly, they have not. Maybe you guys know something about their service that reputable 3rd party testing sources don't know!

Wrong again. Since u have stated that tmobile and sprint users are lower class you now have zero credibility.
 
Since u have stated that tmobile and sprint users are lower class

That's not even up for debate.

Which carriers constantly bang on about how much money you can save? Sprint/Tmo

Which carriers are willing to give service to any scrub off the street with questionable credit? TMo and Sprint. (VZW/AT&T require hefty deposits)

Who did TMo just merge with? MetroPCS. Another "urban" carrier that caters to a lower-end crowd. Around here, where do they have the highest concentration of MetroPCS stores? Yup, the sketchier, ghetto areas.

Which carrier is heavily pushing towards a non-post paid model? TMobile. Why? Because of their customers

Who do they primary cater to? You guessed it! The lower-end of the market

Sorry, if you just don't care to admit it. T-Mobile and Sprint know their core audience.
 
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T-Mobile HSPA+ matches or exceeds the download speeds of AT&T/Verizon in my area. Why pay more for capped LTE and similar coverage in my area? Just so I can have 3G in case I ever have to drive through West Virginia or something? I canceled Verizon and their data restrictions a week after T-mobile got the iPhone 5 and now I can make phone calls in my house without going near the window.

Coverage at my house on the left, coverage at work on the right
 

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For those claiming that they get HSPA everywhere, here you go.

TMobile. (blue is 2G, green is HSPA)


VZW LTE


for comparison, they have been deploying LTE for about 2 years now and TMo has been working on AWS for almost 5 years.

Those maps are ABSURD. T-Mobile's network in CT is mostly EDGE, including at least one CITY. THere's holes all OVER the place. And comparing T-Mobile's 3G to Verizon or AT&T 3G, it's not even a competition. T-Mobile's network is a tiny fraction the size of the others. Connecticut, which is not the middle of nowhere, has massive coverage holes and a ton of EDGE, while AT&T has Faux G all over the entire state, and excellent coverage throughout the neighboring states.
 
Can I ask those of you who used Sprint and is now using T-Mobile notice any change in battery life on your phones? I get about 5 hours of use before having to charge around 4% on Sprint. Wondering if it's any better on a GSM network.

I got pretty good iPhone battery life when I was on sprint. Had to reset the phone after one of those updates but once I did it was fine. The other issue was Sprint constantly searching for a signal and getting the "o" instead of LTE or 3G. That burns battery.

I'm much happier on T-Mobile. My bill is 1/2 what I paid on Sprint and I can tethering for free in an emergency. Just have to deal with poor interstate coverage between cities and 2G only in many small towns or rural areas.

Cheers,
 
That's not even up for debate.

Which carriers constantly bang on about how much money you can save? Sprint/Tmo

Which carriers are willing to give service to any scrub off the street with questionable credit? TMo and Sprint. (VZW/AT&T require hefty deposits)

Who did TMo just merge with? MetroPCS. Another "urban" carrier that caters to a lower-end crowd. Around here, where do they have the highest concentration of MetroPCS stores? Yup, the sketchier, ghetto areas.

Which carrier is heavily pushing towards a non-post paid model? TMobile. Why? Because of their customers

Who do they primary cater to? You guessed it! The lower-end of the market

Sorry, if you just don't care to admit it. T-Mobile and Sprint know their core audience.

Are you seriously coming to a technology forum to espouse your bigoted beliefs.

I can only assume you chose such inflammatory language to illicit a response. Such behavior is childish at best. Calling attention to one's self through the pronouncement of purposefully derogatory statements represent immature thought processes. You can make a point without treating other people with contempt and intolerance on the basis of a person's socioeconomic status.

This thread is about T-Mobile being fantastic. If you don't agree you can simply say T-Mobile doesn't work for you and give your reasoning in a non-derogatory manner.

T-Mobile can be just as stringent on their post-paid customer's creditworthiness as any other carrier. They run credit checks and collect large deposits just like Verizon, Sprint and AT&T. While you look at T-Mobile having locations in economically challenged communities as proof of something negative, I would argue, the virtue of providing local access to under-served communities is a good thing.

Your baseless supposition that T-Mobile and Sprint only cater to the poor is erroneous and is certainly influenced by your bigoted thought processes. Highlighting pricing in advertising is done for 2 reasons. To gain market share quickly or to offset the perceived value or lack thereof of a particular product or service. Lower product pricing can influence the potential customer's purchase decision process by allowing the customer to factor in cost savings as a method to balance any real or perceived deficiencies in the offered product or service. All consumers can benefit from a reasonable review of the cost/benefit balance as it pertains to cellular services.

A final word. Internet interactions should be subject to the same thoughtful evaluation of what we say before we say it as an in person conversation. Making broad, non-factual statements to purposefully put down any person or or group is wrong and should find no audience in a civil discourse.

Of course if you are just a simple provocateur wanting to stir up a bit of trouble then I suppose we should just ignore any future pronouncements from your quarter.

Cheers,
 
I just switched from Sprint to T-mobile and I am very happy so far. I'm lucky enough to be in Kansas City and both Sprint and T-mobile have LTE here. I found sprint to be pretty fast when on LTE but when you hit a 3G area (which is often) it is essentially unusable. T mobile so far has quite fast 4g back up which is still in the 10 mb down and 5 up.

Ah excellent! I was just going to ask if there were any fellow Kansas City folks that've tried T-Mobile yet. I'm curious though -- approximately where did you test your phone, in the city or in the country/outskirts?

The reason I ask is because their coverage map shows full LTE where I work (KCK), but only EDGE service near my house, which is about 20 miles west of KC. A few of the other signal-strength websites (Sensorly, etc) also don't show very good data signal where I'm at...
 
Seriously, people. Just ignore the trolls on here who come into this thread to ***** on T-Mobile because they have nothing better to do. The rest of us can have a constructive conversation about T-Mobile and the pros/cons of switching. If we ignore the trash, they'll move along to somewhere else.

With that said, I just finalized my deal yesterday with TMobile, got all my EFT's from AT&T covered in the switch, plus a bit extra for partial downpayment on two new iPhone 5's. I will be receiving my devices and SIMS hopefully today (com'mon, UPS, don't let me down with that delivery!). Best part is, my bill before was $260 on AT&T, without unlimited calling and text, for 5 lines. My new bill with T-Mobile will be $126 for the same 5 lines, and all 5 lines now have unlimited calls and texts, and as much or more data on each line than I had with AT&T. For over a 50% savings, I honestly don't care if I don't have the fastest coverage 100% of the time. Great. AT&T speed may be 20 Mbs vs TMobile getting 10 Mbs at a certain loation. Who cares!? Saving over $1500 a year is worth it.

I'll report back on how the coverage is here in the Detroit area in the next day or so, after I get things set up tonight.
 
my bill before was $260 on AT&T, without unlimited calling and text, for 5 lines. My new bill with T-Mobile will be $126 for the same 5 lines

I'm curious as to the details of how you achieved $126/mo for five lines on TMO with two new iphone5's.
 
I'm curious as to the details of how you achieved $126/mo for five lines on TMO with two new iphone5's.

Seriously, people. Just ignore the trolls on here who come into this thread to ***** on T-Mobile because they have nothing better to do. The rest of us can have a constructive conversation about T-Mobile and the pros/cons of switching. If we ignore the trash, they'll move along to somewhere else.

With that said, I just finalized my deal yesterday with TMobile, got all my EFT's from AT&T covered in the switch, plus a bit extra for partial downpayment on two new iPhone 5's. I will be receiving my devices and SIMS hopefully today (com'mon, UPS, don't let me down with that delivery!). Best part is, my bill before was $260 on AT&T, without unlimited calling and text, for 5 lines. My new bill with T-Mobile will be $126 for the same 5 lines, and all 5 lines now have unlimited calls and texts, and as much or more data on each line than I had with AT&T. For over a 50% savings, I honestly don't care if I don't have the fastest coverage 100% of the time. Great. AT&T speed may be 20 Mbs vs TMobile getting 10 Mbs at a certain loation. Who cares!? Saving over $1500 a year is worth it.

I'll report back on how the coverage is here in the Detroit area in the next day or so, after I get things set up tonight.

Saving big is one of the reasons I dropped Sprint. I assume you are not including the monthly equipment purchase charges in that $126.

Cheers,
 
I live in Pueblo,CO (3rd Largest City in Colorado)

T-Mobile Has very spotty service here, though I do believe there is HSPA+. Last Time I tried T-Mobile was last year, and so far AT&T has been the best, speed and coverage wise.


Might Consider T-Mobile in the nest 1-2~ Years.
 
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