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I sort of agree. I travel between 3 cities the majority of the time -- DC, NY, and Chicago. So coverage is the most important in those three cities. I could care less who has coverage in the CA or WA. It not personal, just dont go there enough for that to make a difference in my selection of a carrier. I also travel to Philly and to Miami, but infrequetly, but I can add that as a secondary influencer.

In DC, I would say that TM is good enough - ish. In Chicago, not good enough, and NYC, good enough. Have not looked at the secondary markets because my primary markets already to get a passing grade. I, like you, continue to use AT&T. When the coverage for TM is consistent accross the 3-5 markets where I will actually spend time, then and onl then, will I consider them a viable option.

Still I applaud there efforts to day and wish them well.

In NYC T-Mobile is tied with Verizon for having the best network. They're good in DC as well. Their not very good in Chicago yet as they are pretty starved for spectrum in that market.
 
In NYC T-Mobile is tied with Verizon for having the best network. They're good in DC as well. Their not very good in Chicago yet as they are pretty starved for spectrum in that market.

Thanks for saying the exact same thing that I did. :D
 
In Phoenix the coverage works well enough. LTE in most places except big buildings like Costco /Target / WalMart etc... When you start heading north of Phoenix on the I17 to Flagstaff you maintain cell phone use but the data is awful. Better print off your directions.
 
Unlimited data plans for iPads for $10/mo?

I'm currently paying about $200/mo for:

2 iPhone 6 Plus' and 3 iPads with 40GB to share
1 iPad with unlimited grandfathered unlimited data plan

T-Mobile would be about the same with their current promotion, but, I'd only have 10gb of data to share, and would only have 5gb per iPad -- for about $10/mo MORE on T-Mobile.

They need to do better to get me to switch.

Plus, I'll probably be adding another phone in the next year or so. With AT&T, it's $15/mo more. T-Mob. is more expensive....
 
And none of these announcements would have ever existed had the T-Mobile/AT&T merger been allowed to happen. Block the Time Warner/Comcast merger and break them the hell up! Separate ISP from content. Bring competition to wired internet.
 
If you leave T-Mobile's network area it roams on AT&T or Verizon so what's the big deal?

Do you have a source for this? I'm not sure you're correct since, in order to roam on Verizon for voice, T-Mobile's handsets would need to have a CDMA radio and I'm 99% sure T-Mobile does not sell any handsets that have CDMA radios in them. Also, Verizon is *very* picky about the devices it allows on its network. My understanding is that Verizon has to sell the device in order for it to be allowed on its network.
 
If you leave T-Mobile's network area it roams on AT&T or Verizon so what's the big deal?

Gosh... I haven't thought about "roaming" in years.

Maybe if you were on a network that had enough of their own coverage... you wouldn't need to roam.

(I kid, I kid :D)
 
The same thing starts out at $70 on t-Mobile (two phones-excluding tax)

That $70 quote is only for one of the lines. Two lines on t mobile with 5 gigs of high speed data each is $120. AT&T is only $10 more per month and AT&T has 5 gigs more data to share. That's not worth the crap shoot of inferior coverage. I'm all for t mobile doing their thing, but I'm not ready to go with them just yet.
 

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Do you have a source for this? I'm not sure you're correct since, in order to roam on Verizon for voice, T-Mobile's handsets would need to have a CDMA radio and I'm 99% sure T-Mobile does not sell any handsets that have CDMA radios in them. Also, Verizon is *very* picky about the devices it allows on its network. My understanding is that Verizon has to sell the device in order for it to be allowed on its network.

It's just AT&T. When the AT&T/T-Mobile merger failed they got a 7 year contract to use AT&T towers. (http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/20/...seven-year-3g-roaming-deal-128-markets-of-aws)

As for Verizon, it's kinda true. By law they are required to allow any device on their 700 mhz spectrum, however they have the ability to drag their feet if they think the device could be harmful.
 
That $70 quote is only for one of the lines. Two lines on t mobile with 5 gigs of high speed data each is $120. AT&T is only $10 more per month and AT&T has 5 gigs more data to share. That's not worth the crap shoot of inferior coverage. I'm all for t mobile doing their thing, but I'm not ready to go with them just yet.
Here's the screenshot for the second line
 

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I'm trying out T-Mobile on my iPad Air 2 because they offered 5GB for 150-day term for only $10. With my old iPad 4, I was paying Verizon $20 for 1GB on a 30-day term previously (my iPhone is on AT&T).

However, on a weekend trip to Southern Utah, I found T-Mobile was often on "Edge" network. I have always ran my iPad on a different network than my iPhone to increase my overall coverage, but I am thinking of just putting the iPad on my AT&T account once my T-Mobile data expires.

AT&T will charge me $10 per month to let my iPad share data on my iPhone plan (without having to tether and burn through my iPhone 5s battery). However, AT&T is offering a $100 bill credit with no-contract for bring-your-own-tablet pricing if you sign it up for data. I can sign up for 10 months of AT&T data for what amounts to "free".

Then I can plug in a Verizon SIM when I am going somewhere that AT&T lacks coverage.

The nice thing about the iPad Air 2 is I can swap SIMs and switch carriers at will. The bad thing is that AT&T and Verizon prevent you from swapping carriers while keeping the same Apple SIM.
 
I just switched to T-Mobile and I can't wait for this announcement!

I'm hoping that they lower the price for their plans across board, especially unlimited.
 
It's just AT&T. When the AT&T/T-Mobile merger failed they got a 7 year contract to use AT&T towers. (http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/20/...seven-year-3g-roaming-deal-128-markets-of-aws)

As for Verizon, it's kinda true. By law they are required to allow any device on their 700 mhz spectrum, however they have the ability to drag their feet if they think the device could be harmful.

T-Mobile needs to update their coverage maps, then. I just checked an area that I know for sure has AT&T 3G, "4G" (HSPA+), as well as LTE and T-Mobile's coverage map lists the area as having T-Mobile 2G service. I wonder if there is a way to force a T-Mobile handset to roam on AT&T if T-Mobile only offers 2G service in an area?

As for Verizon, I'm pretty certain they will drag their feet. I have yet to see Verizon activate any phone on their network that was not sold by them.
 
I sort of agree.
In DC, I would say that TM is good enough - ish.
Traveling south from DC on I-95, one of the most heavily used expressways in the United States, and Tmobile quickly drops to Edge and even spots of no coverage at all. Seriously? This coverage is somehow competitive? But they make a big deal about high speed support in NYC. Just basic coverage nationwide is critical.
 
John Legere is ****ing awesome. Seriously- the guy gets it. As cellular coverage inevitably improves, and infrastructure investment is paid off, the industry is going to hit a wall where people don't really care about much higher speeds. He is prepared for that by coming in with plans that shake the industry. And just like Apple made the iPhone a success by breaking the old industry tactics of handset makers at the time with things like wifi data use and no-carrier-branding, T-Mobile will be positioned to take a market lead.

It is not about who has the best network- it is about that point where the network is good enough, and the price can come down. Verizon can wave their arms and say "We have coverage in the middle of the rain forest in Hawaii, or the top of a ski run in Park City all they want, but the fact is most people will take price and a lack of contractual obligations over coverage in areas they wish cell phones wouldn't work anyway.

And regardless, the network is catching up. I don't think anyone is going to care about "5G" or "6G" or "27G", they just care that their phone works where it reasonably should and their bill is cheap.


Well, the deal breaker for me is to have half way decent coverage for me in my city (Indianapolis)... sadly they don't. I cannot pay half the price for shotty/slow, laggy coverage.
 
While I agree with low frequency, T-Mobile will be migrating all EDGE towers to LTE by mid 2015, sooner in some locations.

What does that mean for data caps? Right now we are switched to Edge when we use up our data allotment. If Edge towers are made into LTE do we just drop down to HSPA+? I'd totally be ok with that. :D
 
I'm not. They need the money to expand their network.


They can get the money by attracting more customers with lower prices.

I don't know about you but I switched to T-Mobile because I was sick of paying AT&T $80 per month for my "unlimited" everything plan but with throttled data when ever I hit 5GB. I would have gone to Sprint because they have have an unlimited everything plan for $50 per month but their network sucks. At this point, I'm paying T-Mobile the same price I paid AT&T but have truly unlimited and would welcome lower monthly payments.

If you want to give T-Mobile money out of the goodness of your heart, you're welcome to do that. I however, would love to save money. Don't you like saving money?
 
What does that mean for data caps? Right now we are switched to Edge when we use up our data allotment. If Edge towers are made into LTE do we just drop down to HSPA+? I'd totally be ok with that. :D

I have used all of my bandwidth one time. Both the data speed and latency entered EDGE territory (about 100 Kbps with 200 ms. ping), but the phone was still connected to LTE tower. I think T-Mobile merely throttles you, not kick you out of LTE/3G towers.
 
T-Mobile is updating their 2G coverage to HSPA+ or LTE. Everyone's 2G statements will soon be obsolete.

I've had T-Mobile for six months and experienced many areas of 2G coverage. Today, I don't have a single location in my region that doesn't have 4G or LTE signal. Things are improving for sure.

Additionally, T-Mobile announced they will be covering 185 million people with 700mhz Block A spectrum (same as Verizon's) by next year. Most major markets will have access to the exact same technology Verizon uses to penetrate buildings.

T-Mobile is kicking major booty when it comes to their network upgrades. It may not be as good as Verizon's or ATT's network, but it's going to get close and soon.

My iPhone 6 purchase from T-Mobile was an amazing experience. I walked into my T-Mobile store on launch day, traded in my iPhone 5 for $275 and walked out of the store with a new 128GB iPhone 6 with money left over credited to my account.
-unlimited data
-no activation fee
-trade-in credit paid for my iPhone 6's tax
-paid $99 up front (used my trade-in credit as well)


My Verizon experience:
-$36 Activation Fee
-iPhone 5 16GB $199 + sales tax = 270?
-after two years, I can choose to spend another $300 to upgrade my iPhone to the newer model (with activation fee and tax included). If I don't upgrade, my plan is expensive and I have my old phone.

T-Mobile's upgrade process is awesome.

I can upgrade my phone every two years without needing any money up front. As someone that can't spend $300 at will, it's a great system. When the iPhone 7 comes out, I'll be able to walk into a T-Mobile store and walk out with a new phone without spending a dime. That, my friends, is priceless.

(yes I ended this post with a terrible pun)
 
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That $70 quote is only for one of the lines. Two lines on t mobile with 5 gigs of high speed data each is $120. AT&T is only $10 more per month and AT&T has 5 gigs more data to share. That's not worth the crap shoot of inferior coverage. I'm all for t mobile doing their thing, but I'm not ready to go with them just yet.
Except right now they are offering 2 lines unlimited for $100. We'll see what they change tomorrow. Oops, I mean later today.
 
tomorrow's announcement

tmobile is buying apple.

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I am not trying to give T-mobile a pass, but with wifi calling, I can be sealed into NORAD, 100ft deep, and still make phone calls.

I love wifi calling on my 5s. The two places I spend the most time, home and work, I have wifi calling.


I I love Wi-Fi calling too. I have it activated at home. Without Wi-Fi calling my reception at home would be very poor. The LTE reception is very similar to what I had with Verizon prior to switching to T-Mobile. But the phone reception is has down better with Verizon.
 
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