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Carrier T-mobile service question (roaming)

eclipse01

eclipse01

macrumors 68030
Original poster
May 16, 2011
2,902
441
Eau Claire, WI
Does anyone experience something similar to my short story below.

Driving out of town (3 hour drive), my went from Tmobile LTE to ATT 4G (slowest 4G ever at .5mb down) for pretty much the rest of the way, when I got to a big city again, I had (what should have been Tmobile LTE) but my LTE never showed up (just full bars for text/voice, no data). Eventually I turned airplane mode on/off and LTE appeared.

now on the way home when I left the Tmobile LTE area i had only ATT bars the whole way (no 4G or data once so ever), when I arrived in my area again same thing Tmobile but no LTE. Instead of switching airplane mode on/off again I just left it....Finally after a good 45 min. of being in Tmobile area it turned LTE on.

1st question, why did I have 4G (ATT) data on the way there and not back?
2nd question is this a fault in the phone or networks where it seems to get "locked" into no data service?

maybe questions are related to each other?
 
Sounds like you were in a roaming area where your provider uses AT&T's network.
The phone should switch automatically back to LTE but it didn't. Maybe try a reset network settings or restore via itunes.
 
Applejuiced said:
Sounds like you were in a roaming area where your provider uses AT&T's network.
The phone should switch automatically back to LTE but it didn't. Maybe try a reset network settings or restore via itunes.
Click to expand...

It has done this a few times where it gets locked onto not having data.

how bout my other question, why would I have some sort of data (via ATT) on the way there but not on the way back?
Was I somehow cheating data via ATT's tower? (the coverage map DOES only show voice mms (no data))
 
Good questions.
My guess would be it's a software bug that locks out without data. My i7 plus was doing it too until I upgraded to the latest iOS. What version are you on?
On the 2nd part I don't think you were cheating data off AT&T.
Carriers have mutual roaming agreements for situations like that. This way you still have coverage using a partner network.
 
eclipse01 said:
It has done this a few times where it gets locked onto not having data.

how bout my other question, why would I have some sort of data (via ATT) on the way there but not on the way back?
Was I somehow cheating data via ATT's tower? (the coverage map DOES only show voice mms (no data))
Click to expand...

Could you have used your data roaming allotment? You can check what it is using the chart found on https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-3299. In my case, since I have a 6GB plan, according to the chart, my monthly domestic data roaming allotment is 100MB, after which it shuts off. You are supposed to receive a text message warning when you hit 80%, but maybe those messages aren't coming through for you?
 
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kristiguin said:
Could you have used your data roaming allotment? You can check what it is using the chart found on https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-3299. In my case, since I have a 6GB plan, according to the chart, my monthly domestic data roaming allotment is 100MB, after which it shuts off. You are supposed to receive a text message warning when you hit 80%, but maybe those messages aren't coming through for you?
Click to expand...

was a good thought, but no i doubt it, no way i was going over with .2-.5mb download speeds plus it was a start to my new month, and I have the ONE plan.
 
monkey28rb said:
You could have went over your data allotment for domestic roaming. What area were you traveling in?
Click to expand...


Middle of WI area

I just find that very hard to believe that I used all (or any for that matter) of my domestic roaming. Also like i said, the Tmo coverage map shows I should not be getting any data at all, but i "was"

Edit: it appears i get unlimited roaming as well.
 
eclipse01 said:
Edit: it appears i get unlimited roaming as well.
Click to expand...
No, AT&T roaming via T-Mo is not unlimited on *any* plan.
[doublepost=1479931500][/doublepost]
kristiguin said:
Could you have used your data roaming allotment? You can check what it is using the chart found on https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-3299. In my case, since I have a 6GB plan, according to the chart, my monthly domestic data roaming allotment is 100MB, after which it shuts off. You are supposed to receive a text message warning when you hit 80%, but maybe those messages aren't coming through for you?
Click to expand...

this is probably what happening.

TMo roaming is so hit or miss on AT&T. If you need the coverage, Cricket is a better choice.
 
AutoUnion39 said:
No, AT&T roaming via T-Mo is not unlimited on *any* plan.
[doublepost=1479931500][/doublepost]

this is probably what happening.

TMo roaming is so hit or miss on AT&T. If you need the coverage, Cricket is a better choice.
Click to expand...

You mean switching completely to Cricket or just using their towers while on TMo?
 
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