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Carrier T-Mobile: Tired of Weak Building Penetration
- Thread starter maverick22
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Yeah, I'm not certain either. Depends on if they release another fugly iPhone or not. We're coming up on the two year mark so we're in the range we normally upgrade. Really hoping Apple doesn't blow it again this year.I hear you, not sure if I will buy this years new iphone anyway
Switched T-Mobile to Verizon due to building penetration issue. T-Mobile subscribers get what they pay for with the issue and other issues as well like lack of universal coverage. Sure, T-Mobile just acquire significant low bandwidth to address their issues. The fixes will take few years and by that time, they will increase the fees. Just wait and see. Again as always, we usually get what we pay for.
Situational.
Your situation is not mine. I'm getting much MORE than I pay for. T-Mob does very well in Phoenix, AZ. Better than the garbage signal and coverage Sprint was giving me in the same places.
PS. T-Mobile said in January they'd never increase prices on current customers unless they switched to new plans.
Your personal local area experience doesn't mean everyone else in the US has the same issue. With Tmobile I get plenty for what I pay, thank you.
Tmobile will surpass the other 2 carriers in the near future since they dont seem like they want to compete in price and plans, just wait and see.
We will all eventually get what we pay for and that's pay reasonable monthly prices from now on
It worked great in Mexico last year.
They use partner carrier networks at various countries so it will vary. Unless someone has first hand experience with those cities you'll be going in particular.
Right now all my troubles with T-Mobile have boiled down to this Intel iPhone 7 Plus. I still have my 6s and do not experience the call failures or intermittent data issues on that device. It's frustrating.
I'm trying to be patient until September...
I'm trying to be patient until September...
I heard a rumor that at some point T-Mobile decided they'd no longer be selling the T-Mob version of the 7/7+ and instead would be selling a model that had the Qualcom radio.
Not sure if it's true or not, but I imagine T-Mob's had nothing but problem support calls concerning the Intel radio.
No problems here on Tmobile with my intel 7 Plus.
Maybe try getting it replaced by Apple if it has faulty reception.
That would be a good idea for T-Mobile. It'll set them apart as being very consumer aware again. They might not have the best coverage but they've got the best customer service compared with the other carriers in my opinion.
I'll have to read up about this.
I really should but it's always a thought that I could get worse. That and the wait time, back and forth with the reps...
Guess I'll need to really consider it because I've had 6 failed calls this week and I have been forced to use my 6s when I go out of town.
No problems with my Intel 7+ on AT&T... I highly doubt they would start using the Qualcomm model... the Intel model is the default model across the entire world (except where the carrier uses CDMA as well). It has to be an issue with the unit itself, or T-Mobile.
As stated, the coverage could be night and day with carriers within a block.
I left T-Mobile for Cricket Wireless. They use AT&Ts network and it has been very reliable for me. They're Unlimited Plan is $55 a month.
I really should but it's always a thought that I could get worse. That and the wait time, back and forth with the reps...
Guess I'll need to really consider it because I've had 6 failed calls this week and I have been forced to use my 6s when I go out of town.
I doubt it will get worst, I'd try that replacement route first.
There's millions of intel iphone 7's sold out there. They're not useless like some assume online.
I'd get it checked from Apple and try a replacement in case you have a faulty device.
Well, it was a rumor I think I heard on Reddit - that paragon of truth that it is.
Not something I take very seriously.
Fair enough. Would just be nice to have one modem for all devices that isn't artificially throttled!Well, it was a rumor I think I heard on Reddit - that paragon of truth that it is.
Not something I take very seriously.
Well, there is something on T-mobile that affects building penetration on LTE: frequency. T-mobile is operating on LTE band 41, that is 2.5GHz to 2.6GHz. That's close to the frequencies that are used on Wi-Fi. You may also know that Wi-Fi doesn't have very good building penetration.
I don't live in the states, so I don't know how dense T-mobile's network is, but I do know that these frequencies do not penetrate as well as traditional mobile frequencies, closer to 900MHz or even 1.8GHz.
Perhaps what you're seeing is a combination of not having enough cell density to get to every corner of your town with good power together with a disadvantageous frequency.
Maybe 3G would be better in your case, if that carrier provides that (and if it uses lower frequencies, which it probable does, such high frequency stuff was introduced with LTE).
I don't live in the states, so I don't know how dense T-mobile's network is, but I do know that these frequencies do not penetrate as well as traditional mobile frequencies, closer to 900MHz or even 1.8GHz.
Perhaps what you're seeing is a combination of not having enough cell density to get to every corner of your town with good power together with a disadvantageous frequency.
Maybe 3G would be better in your case, if that carrier provides that (and if it uses lower frequencies, which it probable does, such high frequency stuff was introduced with LTE).
No worries!
You said you don't live in the States, so you probably didn't know.
https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-4988
I guess I like to speculate, so don't take it for granted.
I think maybe it would have to do with their network density and their strategy for covering dead spots with no coverage (there are solutions for this, including covering indoor spaces of their interest, but it requires investment). They operate on 1700MHz and 1900MHz. They do seem to operate on band 12 (700MHz). Looks like the rest of the carriers occupy more or less the same bands.
The 700MHz band must have great penetration compared to the others. Only they know how much of that band they're using and where.
I guess it comes down to how they deployed their network.
Edit:
Well, it looks like their strategy is to have some macro cells at 700MHz in urban spots, hoping that it will penetrate the buildings. That should work but you have little control over it. You have some cell towers and basically you blast the buildings from outside... it doesn't give you full control, so I guess it would need a lot of walk tests and optimization. Again, this is speculation but it's fun. Carriers that don't have that sort of 700MHz or 900MHz spectrum would use antennas or even small cells inside the buildings.
I think maybe it would have to do with their network density and their strategy for covering dead spots with no coverage (there are solutions for this, including covering indoor spaces of their interest, but it requires investment). They operate on 1700MHz and 1900MHz. They do seem to operate on band 12 (700MHz). Looks like the rest of the carriers occupy more or less the same bands.
The 700MHz band must have great penetration compared to the others. Only they know how much of that band they're using and where.
I guess it comes down to how they deployed their network.
Edit:
Well, it looks like their strategy is to have some macro cells at 700MHz in urban spots, hoping that it will penetrate the buildings. That should work but you have little control over it. You have some cell towers and basically you blast the buildings from outside... it doesn't give you full control, so I guess it would need a lot of walk tests and optimization. Again, this is speculation but it's fun. Carriers that don't have that sort of 700MHz or 900MHz spectrum would use antennas or even small cells inside the buildings.
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