Lesser of evils: Verizon or T-Mobile? - Networking

I recently switched from T-Mobile to Verizon to get myself a Galaxy Nexus. I became severely ticked off when I found out that Verizon had messed with the wifi hotspot feature - it asked me to pay $20 per month to tether. I had been tethering for free with my Nexus One on T-Mobile. I thought phones branded as Nexus were supposed to be free from carrier modifications, but I guess that is no longer true.
This annoyance has sparked a deeper question for me of which company is the lesser of two evils, T-Mobile or Verizon. Verizon obviously has the coverage edge in the USA, but T-Mobile appears to have a less draconian business style. Being an idealist, I find it hard to give my money to Verizon. They are just too stubborn and usually do things that make me mad. T-Mobile seems a bit less harsh, but also may lack in coverage performance.
So, all of you fellow developers out there, to whom should I give my business, Verizon or T-Mobile? Please vote.

No brainer, TMOUSA!
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda premium

Birdsfan said:
No brainer, TMOUSA!
Sent from my GT-P7510 using xda premium
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The thanks is more of a thumbs up lol
Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk

Verizon. I can get better coverage, faster data if I wanna go 4g lte. And I can tether straight from cm7. No restrictions. Verizon is continuing to prove to me that they really ARE America's most reliable network. And I'm happy.
-My life is a shooting range, people never change-

watt9493 said:
Verizon. I can get better coverage, faster data if I wanna go 4g lte. And I can tether straight from cm7. No restrictions. Verizon is continuing to prove to me that they really ARE America's most reliable network. And I'm happy.
-My life is a shooting range, people never change-
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I wouldn't mind Verizon, if they didn't do things like charge an extra $2 just to give them money.

MartyLK said:
I wouldn't mind Verizon, if they didn't do things like charge an extra $2 just to give them money.
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They retracted that fee because of customer backlash. You're fine.
I'm using Verizon now and am not having any issues whatsoever. Great coverage and it's only gone down maybe once the entire time that I've been with them.

CraigLloyd said:
They retracted that fee because of customer backlash. You're fine.
I'm using Verizon now and am not having any issues whatsoever. Great coverage and it's only gone down maybe once the entire time that I've been with them.
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I know the fee was retracted. But for a company to attempt that says a lot about their desired business practices.

watt9493 said:
Verizon. I can get better coverage, faster data if I wanna go 4g lte. And I can tether straight from cm7. No restrictions. Verizon is continuing to prove to me that they really ARE America's most reliable network. And I'm happy.
-My life is a shooting range, people never change-
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Click to collapse
Most reliable...? Haven't they had like 3 data outages within the last month?
Yea, here's a link. http://techcrunch.com/2011/12/28/verizon-customers-dealing-with-third-data-outage-in-one-month/

If you get coverage with tmo, go tmo. It's cheaper, not as locked down, the customer service is better, it's just awesome. The second tmo gets a high end WP7 device from Nokia, I'm headed back.

T-mo USA for sure. Their CS is AMAZING compared to anyone else. Better prices, better phone selection. GMS > CDMA. Tethering is a smaller issue, but less of with T-mo. I am rocking a family plan that is custom/grandfathered thanks to T-mo. Basically unllimited everything, do't talk that much but everything is included.

papabear said:
T-mo USA for sure. Their CS is AMAZING compared to anyone else. Better prices, better phone selection. GMS > CDMA. Tethering is a smaller issue, but less of with T-mo. I am rocking a family plan that is custom/grandfathered thanks to T-mo. Basically unllimited everything, do't talk that much but everything is included.
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I disagree about T-Mo's phone selection, at least here in the US. Verizon and AT&T definitely have a much larger selection. Verizon has more Androids and AT&T more WP7.

Both companies are evil. Verizon is just more likely to get away with it.

I've had my fair share of luck with VZW, but everyone has their own experiences.

MartyLK said:
I disagree about T-Mo's phone selection, at least here in the US. Verizon and AT&T definitely have a much larger selection. Verizon has more Androids and AT&T more WP7.
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I agree. I'd actually put Verizon and maybe Sprint up there. AT&T still isn't completely on the ball with new phones. T-Mo not really up there.

Tmo.
one of the best customer service around and fair prices.
around my area I get better coverage then my friends on Verizon.
I'd have to say though far as latest phones go, Verizon has the best selection.
Tmous is getting better but not up to par to Verizon or Sprint, heck, AT&T too.
but they're starting to get pretty good phone selection as of late, which I'm happy about but definitely not there yet...
hopefully they make some serious strides on this front. it would make them complete.

T-Mobile may not be as "evil" as Verizon, but their network is an absolute joke compared to Big Red. Switching to Verizon from T-Mo was one of the best decisions that I made.

T-mobile is cheaper, and in New York, I'm pretty much covered. I've even gone so far as to get service while underground in a train station. Of course, Verizon is probably better in the coverage department.
I get 2gbs unlimited high speed data for 10$, and when that runs out, it just becomes regular internet without any extra fees. I've never went over 2 gigabytes of data. Never any lag or anything of that sort with data.
I've also been able to reduce my bill because of some unknown charges without any hassle. I've had great customer service, personally, although many others will justifiably argue otherwise.
T-mobile doesn't have the BEST arsenal of phones, but they usually get the ones I want.
I like my 60$ a month bill that includes unlimited messaging, data, and night/weekend minutes. Else where, I'd be paying close to 100$ for less than what I have now. Paying more for less doesn't sit well for me. =p

slapshot30 said:
Most reliable...? Haven't they had like 3 data outages within the last month?
Yea, here's a link. http://techcrunch.com/2011/12/28/verizon-customers-dealing-with-third-data-outage-in-one-month/
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I haven't been affected by that. When I am, ill change my stance.
-My life is a shooting range, people never change-

AT&T gave me my unlock code for my W810i over the phone. T-Mobile still hasn't email me my unlock code for my HD2 ! Been 5 days

Verizon is the most expensive and most restrictive carrier in the United States. CDMA phones are a nightmare. You can't import phones, they have the least amount of devs, they are huge into their bull**** "droid" line in which their biggest feature is a............locked bootloader! The nexus is even worse on verizon. Thicker housing, bad signal, verizon apps...Go ahead and talk about your LTE...most of us including myself get HSPA+ which is now supporting speeds up to 42 mbps. And really..with data caps, how many of us don't use wi-fi when we can? I can go on about this all day, Verizon is just that bad...

Related

New Addition to TEP

At no cost to your monthly $7 rate Sprint and Asurion have teamed up to add a few benefits to all customers that opt to have insurance. Some of the new things are remotely wiping the phone and location services. An application has even been created for phones that support it. Visit www.Sprint.com/protection to get your app today! No more lookout needed, and again, it's FREE!
tell sprint to change something in our plans so i can get out for free. then i can move to a real carrier then!
fixxxer2008 said:
tell sprint to change something in our plans so i can get out for free. then i can move to a real carrier then!
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I'll let em know as soon as I go back to work Monday.
use prl 00001 and torrent alldata discs, you will get dropped with no etf
how much of a battery drain is that app lol
NewZJ said:
use prl 00001 and torrent alldata discs, you will get dropped with no etf
Click to expand...
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yeah after 2-3 months of using it.
fixxxer2008 said:
tell sprint to change something in our plans so i can get out for free. then i can move to a real carrier then!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A real carrier?
Is that one without unlimited data? [att]
Or one with throttled data after so much usage? [verizon, tmobile]
Or one that is far behind when it comes to coverage? [tmobile]
Oh, did I mention for $40+ / month more?
...not sure how you define "real"....
oh, is time a factor? use your phone to host a wikileaks server
mattykinsx said:
A real carrier?
Is that one without unlimited data? [att]
Or one with throttled data after so much usage? [verizon, tmobile]
Or one that is far behind when it comes to coverage? [tmobile]
Oh, did I mention for $40+ / month more?
...not sure how you define "real"....
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funny Tmobile has just as much coverage or a bit more than sprint and is a bit cheaper too in my area but i like my evo to much atm
CheesyNutz said:
funny Tmobile has just as much coverage or a bit more than sprint and is a bit cheaper too in my area but i like my evo to much atm
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Actually they don't and they're $5 less a month for 450 minutes, unl text and thorttled data. That is of course if you don't mind losing your any mobile any time minutes and free GPS.
CheesyNutz said:
funny Tmobile has just as much coverage or a bit more than sprint and is a bit cheaper too in my area but i like my evo to much atm
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Sprint's coverage is actually second to Verizon...and that's barely.
At&t is right behind that.
Tmobile is way behind, although A LOT BETTER than it was only a few years ago.
Please keep in mind that when you look at tmobile and verizon's map on their website it states:
Portions of the maps include networks operated by our roaming partners;
This is not true for Sprint's.
DirtyShroomz said:
Actually they don't and they're $5 less a month for 450 minutes, unl text and thorttled data. That is of course if you don't mind losing your any mobile any time minutes and free GPS.
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Individual plans their prices stack up better against Sprint...
Family plans...no one comes close to Sprint's prices for the same services.
mattykinsx said:
A real carrier?
Is that one without unlimited data? [att]
Or one with throttled data after so much usage? [verizon, tmobile]
Or one that is far behind when it comes to coverage? [tmobile]
Oh, did I mention for $40+ / month more?
...not sure how you define "real"....
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Click to collapse
i despise sprint and their lack of decent phones minus the year old evo. t-mobile has a great lineup and ill be moving there as soon as i can. just have to find a way to get out of two eft fees first.
sprint has massive coverage, they roam with verizon but I haven't been in many areas that didn't have sprint, and I be everywhere 4 my job
CheesyNutz said:
funny Tmobile has just as much coverage or a bit more than sprint and is a bit cheaper too in my area but i like my evo to much atm
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t-mobile is a very good carrier with better prices than sprint currently. they just get a bad rep but they have an impressive lineup of phones. i really want that new lg phone.
fixxxer2008 said:
i despise sprint and their lack of decent phones minus the year old evo. t-mobile has a great lineup and ill be moving there as soon as i can. just have to find a way to get out of two eft fees first.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your emotional dislike or like doesn't define "real".
Lack of phones?
The Evo shift, Evo and Epic lineup against everything that is out....will that be changing soon with the CES phone's being released?
Yes.
Will it last very long?
No.
Sprint's delay in releasing new phones is likely due to the situation they are having choosing lte or sticking with wimax, due to the financial issues with Clear.
But they're coming.
fixxxer2008 said:
t-mobile is a very good carrier with better prices than sprint currently. they just get a bad rep but they have an impressive lineup of phones. i really want that new lg phone.
Click to expand...
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Tmobile's coverage, less the coverage providing including other's networks, is significantly less than Sprint/Verizon/At&t.
Their prices are barely, if at all, cheaper than Sprint's and that only is true if you're talking about individual plans.
But not always true....my girlfriend's individual plan with T-mobile is $85 / month.
More expensive Sprint.
mattykinsx said:
Sprint's coverage is actually second to Verizon...and that's barely.
At&t is right behind that.
Tmobile is way behind, although A LOT BETTER than it was only a few years ago.
Please keep in mind that when you look at tmobile and verizon's map on their website it states:
Portions of the maps include networks operated by our roaming partners;
This is not true for Sprint's.
Individual plans their prices stack up better against Sprint...
Family plans...no one comes close to Sprint's prices for the same services.
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Click to collapse
Yup, that is correct, and on contract their plans are $79.99 for 500 minutes, unl text and data, which is the same exact price as Sprint, except Sprint gives you any mobile anytime. Their no contract prices are a little less than that, but of course phone cost is full retail price.
DirtyShroomz said:
Yup, that is correct, and on contract their plans are $79.99 for 500 minutes, unl text and data, which is the same exact price as Sprint, except Sprint gives you any mobile anytime. Their no contract prices are a little less than that, but of course phone cost is full retail price.
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Don't forget that "unlimited data" is throttled after so much usage.
I don't care what anyone says, T-Mobile might have throttled data, but at it's worst HSPA+ is numerous times better than WiMAX. Not to mention the fact that it doesn't cause your phone to chug your battery like WiMAX does.
http://phandroid.com/2011/02/10/4g-speed-tests-show-samsung-galaxy-s-4g-as-winner/
My co-worker's MyTouch 3G is always about 2 MBPS faster than my EVO on 4G.
I think we can support sprint till we are yellow in the logo but it won't change the fact that tmobile might be better for him, sprint isn't the best for everybody I admit though it's right for me and most of you.
let him go, he will be back for the evo 2
akarol said:
I don't care what anyone says, T-Mobile might have throttled data, but at it's worst HSPA+ is numerous times better than WiMAX. Not to mention the fact that it doesn't cause your phone to chug your battery like WiMAX does.
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Don't know about battery usage but I can honestly say that HSPA+ is pretty terrible in the three personal examples [friends that have it] comparable to even Sprint's 3g.
I don't know if it's just our area Detroit suburbs or what but it's ****in' slow here.

[POLL] Where will you be going when AT&T Acquires T-Mobile ?

Which carrier will you be going to when this god forsaken act happens ?
I love T-Mobile for the phones , plans , service , and coverage . Tis a sad
day for phone junkys . I will be going to Verizon when this happens . Its
gonna suck not being able to use my G2 anymore , Best phone ive ever
had hands down
Gonna go to SimpleMobile assuming that they don't get effected by the merger. We'll see when that happens. I'm tired of contracts and carrier bull****. I'll always bring my own phones.
I simply won't pay the ridiculous rates Verizon and AT&T charge. I can't stand helping companies that do that to people.
I pay $75 a month on T-Mo (w/ no contract, big plus) including handset protection and taxes, I'd be at about $110+ on Verizon or AT&T. And I'd be in a contract. F that.
At&t obviously
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA Premium App
Sprint. I'll probably switch when the evo 3d is released. No reason to wait for my device to become a paperweight, might as well sell now.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Won't do business with Sprint again and absolutely despise AT&T so I guess that means Verizon.
IF the service ends up sucking (which given that they screwed up Cingular when they bought them), then I will switch to Verizon. We will see how this goes, if it even gets approved anyway, but at this point in time Verizon looks to have the better LTE network anyway.
ddgarcia05 said:
Sprint. I'll probably switch when the evo 3d is released. No reason to wait for my device to become a paperweight, might as well sell now.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
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Although the Evo 3D is tempting, I need a physical keyboard. Whoever has a 3D screen, multicore processor and a physical keyboard gets my business.
I don't think after the merger "if" approved our phone will be paper weights I'm not seeing the problem if so I'm sure ugrades and so on will be offered. Most of us on XDA don't even keep our phones for a year so by the time this all happens will be on to the next best dual core device out there. I think with the pressure on the other carriers if this deal is approved we will probably see some good offerings from other companies to solicit our business. I'm sure verizon or sprint would love some tmo customers. Sad to see tmobile go but its the nature of the beast with this economy today were seeing allot of our favorite companies disappear. I've been a tmobile customer for 6+ years and I don't ever recall them being out of the #4 spot. This was bound to happen and I'm almost glad its with at&t then the rumored sprint. I have 5 tmobile phone lines on family plan all I can do is wait and see and make the best choice when its done for my money. I'm actually looking forward to better coverage and more phone choices.
Sent from my CM7 powered G2
agreed.
however, i want to see how long i can stay on my even more+ plan with att before making a decision. if i can stay grandfathered in and keep the reduced rate with unlocked phones, maybe i will stay.
thats a big maybe though.
robot_agenda said:
agreed.
however, i want to see how long i can stay on my even more+ plan with att before making a decision. if i can stay grandfathered in and keep the reduced rate with unlocked phones, maybe i will stay.
thats a big maybe though.
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Click to collapse
Same. AT&T's CEO said that they are "looking into" keeping the no-contract plans. Which means that they probably won't lol.
If I can stay on my $59.99 plan with no contract, and the service isn't complete abysmal, I'll stay with AT&T. If not, I guess I'll check my other options. Because I completely despise AT&T (as well as Verizon, boo CDMA) I really don't think I'd stay with them unless they can grandfather me in, which I don't think they'll do because they're not contractually obligated to offer me anything.
robot_agenda said:
agreed.
however, i want to see how long i can stay on my even more+ plan with att before making a decision. if i can stay grandfathered in and keep the reduced rate with unlocked phones, maybe i will stay.
thats a big maybe though.
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Click to collapse
same for me i think... we'll just ride it out for now.
ive also heard about simple mobile, maybe ill check them out.
Mog said:
same for me i think... we'll just ride it out for now.
ive also heard about simple mobile, maybe ill check them out.
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Click to collapse
Simple Mobiles uses TMO's 3G towers. The same towers ATT wants to build their 4G on. Which means no more 3G towers.
Who says simple mobile won't be paying att for the towers?
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
sprint
if the deal goes through,and the customer service starts going to **** like at&t is known for and pricing starts rising im outta here,will def look into sprint cuz there prices are good as well as there coverage,and they got some pretty nice phones right now(evo 4g,epic 4g,evo shift) so im guessing in a year they will have better faster phones all with FFC and dual-cores....hopefully
I would love to leave right now because I'm honestly just pissed off at T-Mobile as a company (I know that DT did it, but it's a branch of them) and I don't want to give them anymore business, but, I don't have the luxury of paying $1000 to pay the ETF fees on the account.
I'll be pretty screwed if AT&T doesn't nullify contracts and let people leave.
Most likely Sprint. They're currently the closest to T-Mobile in pricing and unlimited data. Plus it looks like Sprint and Google are gonna be working more closely with the full integration of Google Voice and Google building their new gigabit broadband network in Sprint's backyard.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
I'm going to have to go with Sprint as well. Even though their coverage where I am at isn't the greatest, they're the only other company that can get close to the rate plans that Tmobile offers.
Also: bugger paying $30/mo for a a data plan that I LITERALLY MUST PURCHASE TO ACTIVATE THE DEVICE even though Verizon has no 3g or 4g coverage in my area. God forbid I actually utilize a smartphone as a cellphone by turning off my data connection whenever possible. I already do this on Tmobile as they have zero 3g coverage in my zone and will likely continue doing it into the future.
Telecoms in the US are holding the consumer over a burning cauldron of oil and splitting them in half in the name of "good customer service." This unmitigated greed will not be stopped by those who are charged with protecting the populace from the foibles of big business.
Edit 2: Okay so I've done comparative pricing between my current Tmobile plan and a rough equivalent on ATT. All in all I would be paying an additional $6 dollars before tax and fees for 50 less minutes and no insurance on my device. The fact that unlimited texts cost $20/month is absolutely absurd as lets face it, that calculates out to something like just over a grand per MB of data transferred
In short: Go set your head on fire ATT. I will remove myself from the 21st century and forgo the conveniences of smartphones if it means giving you any of my money. I'll live in a box under a bridge enjoying sprint band coverage on virgin mobile for $25/month with unlimited text data and 300 talk minutes.
Simplemobile maybe a good alternative but I'm holding out for the LG phone which is supposedly going to work with at&t 3g signal as well T mobiles. Also my main concern is how Android friendly at&t will be since they are still committed primary to the iphone?
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA Premium App
i intend to find out if the gov't approves, then i am going to upgrade all 3 phones on my plan, and lock in my plan for 3+ years, even if ATT acquires Tmo, they will have to honor all the existing contracts for at least a few years, that we we can see the prices level out with only 3 "large" carriers...I would have to pay 75+ more dollars for a comparable plan to my tmo plan on ATT, and thats just nuts, to step down on the customer support and network quality is just crazy, but in a way since all us tmo people have good service, i see that the added towers to ATT's network will improve it for everyone, and thats why ATT wants Tmo, a 'cheap' way to 4g, not to mention the spectrum space.
Sprint for sure my parents just switched from ATT after 7 years to sprint cause I pushed them to do it, and I'm waiting for the evo 3d to come out so I can make my move.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA Premium App

Nearly half a million customers left T-Mobile in Q1 2011

http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/08/nearly-half-a-million-contract-customers-left-t-mobile-in-q1-201/
Will YOU be leaving?
If the merger goes through, then yes. I have been a tmobile customer for 7 years. I have been satisfied with the hardware, the accounts, and even the customer support. Especially the customer support.
AT&T want a stellar company before the SBC buyout, but it became terrible after. I expect the same thing if Tmobile is consumed.
I do not look forward to finding a new carrier.
I don't think I'll leave TMO unless AT&T acquires it and doesn't let me keep my current plan and pricing. I travel accross USA and do not have a voice coverage problem with Tmobile. Its excellent with few to none dropped calls. But the data sucks, my phone switches to edge 80% of the time as compared to my co workers AT&T and Sprint.
Not to mention I pay less than $160 for 2 lines with unlimited everything.... The next cheapest is sprint @ $210
If the buyout goes through, absolutely leaving. I will never be an AT&T customer again, even if it means taking my Vibrant over to Simple Mobile.
Ginger Clones of the World Unite!!! via the XDA App
I'll be leaving as well. As far as when, that depends on when the merger goes through and who gets the SGSII. One things for sure, I'll NEVER use AT&T again.
I agree with most the other comments....... I pay 152 per month for 2 lines unlimited everything......... and I use it............ When and IF ATT does get T-mobile. . . then I will have to find a new carrier, I really like TMO but tempus fugit......
As far as the customer loss I do not see that as a real big issue, if I remember correctly, the average for all the major carriers is between 6-8 million per carrier per year or as it is called in the industry the "churn"
I agree with KWKSLVR it is about who gets the S2
It depends on my dad....he pays me and my sister's phone bill cuz we're in college...no matter if we stay or go...i still gotta unlock my Vibrant for another carrier
If the plans stay the same then ill stay plus some might have better coverage
in areas they never did
T-Mobile coverage is terrible Verizon has the iphon now and at&t had some good Android phones.
I'll be leaving.
Also, t-mobile hasn't cared about building out their data network for a long time. Data id more important than voice to me. I use 50 voice minutes a month but 2gb data. I don't mind paying more for a better network...
Sent from my HD7 using Board Express
any other provider sounds better then att. i would gladly switch to boost with an unlocked android. or even metropcs has got a few good androids to date. att is making a losing bet unless they all of a sudden change their pricing plans.
N8ter said:
T-Mobile coverage is terrible Verizon has the iphon now and at&t had some good Android phones.
I'll be leaving.
Also, t-mobile hasn't cared about building out their data network for a long time. Data id more important than voice to me. I use 50 voice minutes a month but 2gb data. I don't mind paying more for a better network...
Sent from my HD7 using Board Express
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If you knew T-Mobile coverage was bad in your area perhaps you should have started out with a different carrier in the first place. Here in Dallas I get 3G or H almost everywhere.
Add me to the list of people who will leave T-Mobile the day AT&T goes through. Keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't happen.
XPLANE9 said:
If you knew T-Mobile coverage was bad in your area perhaps you should have started out with a different carrier in the first place. Here in Dallas I get 3G or H almost everywhere.
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Hi idiot.
I did. No one else had coverage but t-mobile thanks to voice roaming, but at&t put a New 3g tower up so now they have everything. I went from at&t to sprint before t-mobile.
Thanks for using that pea sized brain of yours, though.
At&t... Building out their network.
T-mobile... Dead end.
And traveling with a t-mobile phone is a lesson in frustration compared to at&t other Verizon.
I'm with them cause I live in a rural area and had no choice then.
NOW I do... So ill be leaving.
Don't care where you live and how your signal is, tbh. even at the hspa+ market down the interstate your phone can go from full 3g to edge at any random time.
T-mobile are not defendable, so stop ****ing trying Even with good phones and low prices people are leaving, and for a reason. They aren't spending more just cause they can... There are sizeable cities here that can't get more than 3 bars gprs from t-mobile here, but the other three carriers have full 3g
Thank you.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
I've been a T-Mobile customer for almost 5 years. Up until I transferred to the college in this town now, my 3G data service has been great. Im actually so unhappy w/ T-Mobile..Right now i live in Huntsville,TX where I goto college at and T-Mobile is beyond garbage here. Personally, If I'm going to pay the same amount of money as someone who has 3G/4G coverage, i have to have to have the same equal coverage. I'm back and fourth on GPRS and Edge here missing important calls like clockwork. I can get a similar plan with AT&T for the same amount with 4G service here in this town. (Trust me i work for Radioshack and I know all about both companies plans and prices as well as restrictions) When the Samsung Galaxy S2 comes out this summer for AT&T, I'm leaving T-Mobile to give AT&T my money instead. I'm not handing over my whole pay check for a Verizon phone LOL and I'm not going to Sprint with their 3G coverage map looking like a pepperoni pizza LOL
For the most part, T-Mobile has been beyond great as far as customer serviceand pricing, its just that voice and 3G data coverage is, always, and forever will be their weakness and that doesn't work for me.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

AT&T questions

Why is it everywhere I read, so many people choose Sprint and T-Mobile if they are in happy with Verizon?
Why do so many people make comments like "Oh no, not AT&T " or "I hope that new phone doesn't go to AT&T " ?
What is so wrong about them that so many people don't like them? Is just just a handful of people that had a bad experience? Is it a valid dislike over the companies service? Is it because they want to be the only all powerful mega phone provider?
If some of you wouldn't mind sharing your thoughts.
Thanks.
Sent from my Super Streak Monster Hybrid
Why is it everywhere I read, so many people choose Sprint and T-Mobile if they are in happy with Verizon?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In this case, I'd say lower cost might be a factor. In most areas, Verizon has very good or at least reasonable service.
Why do so many people make comments like "Oh no, not AT&T " or "I hope that new phone doesn't go to AT&T " ?
What is so wrong about them that so many people don't like them? Is just just a handful of people that had a bad experience? Is it a valid dislike over the companies service? Is it because they want to be the only all powerful mega phone provider?
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AT&T has had and still has problems with dropped calls in major metro areas. I've used them personally and haven't had a very good experience with their network in NYC.
Their raw coverage isn't too bad, but I wasn't able to rely on them to have calls connect all the time and for consistently fast data. T-Mobile has less raw coverage in the US but where it does work it is very consistent (for the record, in 99% of the places where I've needed signal, T-Mobile does work fine. YMMV).
Having said all that, if AT&T works well for you in your area, then that is great. Stick with them if you are happy. With cell phone carriers what works well is always going to vary from region to region.
See I understand all of your reasons but beyond that it just seems that more and more people are against AT&T for more extreme reasons.
I have been a customer of Sprint, Nextel (when it was just Nextel) , T-Mobile and now AT&T and I genuinely have no service complaints about any of them. I must be one of those people that understands that it is a cell phone and dropped calls and inconsistent service in different areas is going to happen with any carrier you choose. I just felt that more people were angry with more specific reasons but maybe I'm just looking for an answer that really isn't there.
Maybe people just like to moan about anything and currently AT&T is the choice of the month.
Sent from my Super Streak Monster Hybrid
Cthater said:
See I understand all of your reasons but beyond that it just seems that more and more people are against AT&T for more extreme reasons.
I have been a customer of Sprint, Nextel (when it was just Nextel) , T-Mobile and now AT&T and I genuinely have no service complaints about any of them. I must be one of those people that understands that it is a cell phone and dropped calls and inconsistent service in different areas is going to happen with any carrier you choose. I just felt that more people were angry with more specific reasons but maybe I'm just looking for an answer that really isn't there.
Maybe people just like to moan about anything and currently AT&T is the choice of the month.
Sent from my Super Streak Monster Hybrid
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I'm in the same boat. I've been with AT&T for some time and have had few problems with them from a technical standpoint. My biggest issue is more of how they segment their service offerings (i.e. charge extra to tether your phone even though you pay for a limited data plan) and how slow they are to approve/release upgrades to their handsets; Froyo was out for 6+ months before the official AT&T release on the captivate.
Some people might be more accepting of dropped calls but on T-Mobile dropped calls are an absolute rarity for me, whereas they were a regular expectation on AT&T.
I can understand the hatred toward AT&T. You have to realize that service for some period was just VERY bad in major metro areas. At one point in time it really just wasn't possible to make calls reliably or use data with any decent speed in NYC. Why? influx of iPhone users. Lately it has improved a bit but isn't great still.
if AT&T had put more money into their network to prepare for the usage things could have been better. You don't hear about carriers like Verizon or Sprint having too many issues with dropped calls due to an overloaded network. That's because they actually have invested in enough capacity to handle it. You could say AT&T experienced a lot higher growth than these, which is true to an extent, but Verizon's network pushes a LOT of calls and data every day and generally doesn't miss a beat in my experience. T-Mobile is about on par too here in NYC (though I understand they're not as strong in other areas).
See I understand that, but wouldn't you think that something like this merger would be a good thing?
Yes I understand that T-Mobile is currently cheaper than AT&T and yes I understand that if the merger goes thru that all current T-Mobile may be subject to pay a higher rate than they are used to but in that you will be getting all the benefits of the current T-Mobile service greatness you have now and you will be adding all the extra areas of service that you currently do not have that AT&T does. Isn't that worth a little more every month?
I thought so when I left and went to AT&T. I sacrificed cheaper rates for better coverage at a price and it is a price that I am glad to pay for.
Another thing that used to bug me when I was on T-Mobile was every high end device I would purchase would only work on Edge on T-Mobile and 3G on AT&T. Very unfair for someone who is willing to pay $400-$500 for a smartphone only to get Edge service because of who my carrier was. I will admit I was very happy with the innovations that T-Mobile was coming up with but unsatisfied with the end results.
Sorry for the rant. LOL
Sent from my Super Streak Monster Hybrid
As long as TMO has 3G (which may even be HSPA+ "4G") coverage in your area, then data service is generally pretty solid in my experience. Yes, sometimes it drops to 2G/EDGE, especially when indoors, but this is not common in Manhattan generally speaking.
I don't see the AT&T/TMO merger as a good thing because quite honestly the reason AT&T has poor service in a number of metro areas (and like I said, it used to be extremely bad) really comes down to poor business practices/management. They were the only carrier offering an iPhone and this was a highly sought after device. Even if their service quality was just OK at best in some areas many people were still flocking to them for the iPhone. It's clear that they knew this and took advantage of it. Now don't get me wrong they have put a lot of money into their network, but they could have handled this a hell of a lot better.
I also would prefer to keep my TMO service with crystal clear calls and fast data as it is. I don't need to use AT&T towers as I rarely if ever go to places where TMO doesn't have service and I especially don't want AT&T users creating congestion problems on the TMO towers.
I have to agree. I do think tho that AT&T's data problems stems alot from being the only network having 3G capable of surfing and talking at the same time. That in itself could be the cause for HUGE data consumption by its users, especially those with iPhones. I still font see how adding more towers wouldn't help in coverage tho.
Sent from my Super Streak Monster Hybrid
AT&T's data problems stems alot from being the only network having 3G capable of surfing and talking at the same time
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T-Mobile's 3G network has always had this capability.
Basically, I just don't want my current T-Mobile service which is solid to be mixed with AT&T's service which isn't solid. In the simplest sense, when you mix something that's very good with something that's mediocre, you're going to get something in between. And that's what I don't want. I guess AT&T users stand to gain more than T-Mobile users, except for T-Mobile users that aren't in good coverage zones.
gsvnet said:
I guess AT&T users stand to gain more than T-Mobile users, except for T-Mobile users that aren't in good coverage zones.
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That is 100% true and I guess with me now being an AT&T customer, I reap all the benefits.
Wouldn't it be kinda nice to have just one network with great prices and all the towers and goodies? LOL
Sent from my Super Streak Monster Hybrid
I've have at&t for many years and still do now. I had T-Mobile for about the last 5 months. Seriously in my area AT&T can't be beat and only paying $50 with unlimited internet and unlimited txt msg and just 450min (way more then I need). One of the major problems is that in some states coverage for at&T is horrible and really I notice it also comes down to the phones/radio too. Like all compaies just depends on your area.
Cthater said:
See I understand all of your reasons but beyond that it just seems that more and more people are against AT&T for more extreme reasons.
I have been a customer of Sprint, Nextel (when it was just Nextel) , T-Mobile and now AT&T and I genuinely have no service complaints about any of them. I must be one of those people that understands that it is a cell phone and dropped calls and inconsistent service in different areas is going to happen with any carrier you choose. I just felt that more people were angry with more specific reasons but maybe I'm just looking for an answer that really isn't there.
Maybe people just like to moan about anything and currently AT&T is the choice of the month.
Sent from my Super Streak Monster Hybrid
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Click to collapse
One or two dropped calls per month or even a week? Maybe. But AT&T has (in NYC metro area including, Jersey City, NJ where I live) three, four, five even six dropped calls A DAY. That in my book is utterly unacceptable especially when you are paying the "premium"prices AT&T charges for sub-par below bargain basement cell and customer service. If you have had good experiences with AT&T, I'm genuinely happy for you. Just know that you are in a very small minority of people that feel that way. As for Verizon (in my experience) their service isn't any better or more consistent than the service I currently receive from T-Mobile while paying significantly less. (I should know I also pay my fathers/stepmothers Verizon bill each month and for roughly equivalent service their bill is much higher). I have Sprint for mobile broadband and their 4G service has decent speed and it's unlimited for 60$ a month. Their 3G is nothing to write home about imo. (t-mobile is almost 3x (comparing Sprints 4g to T-Mobiles "3.5g". I have both the N1 and NS neither of which are capable of the 14.4+ HSPA+ speeds T-Mobile has)faster though at least in, my area) this has been my experience.....
Sent from my NS (no it's NOT SNS or GNS)
Technically, WiMAX is not classified as a 4G technology only LTE and HSDPA+ are. Anything available on the 700 LTE Band at the moment is also not true 4G but rather pre-4G or 4G Advanced (this is why Verizon keeps saying it has the most Advanced 4G network). HSDPA+ currently WAS running 14.4mbps it's NOW running and upgrading in most markets to 42.2mbps. The current LTE offering is @ 22.2mbps. Solid, however, I'd agree I really have a strong dislike for At&t having used to work for them, people don't look beyond the merger. Hope people understand that when it goes through their will only be ONE GSM carrier which will dictate which GSM handsets come here. At&t is notorious for locking down Android handsets as well. At&t is also notorious for getting what it wants regardless of laws and regulations. One article that seems to have slipped through the cracks http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/56660.html
How much does it cost to force a merger through? about 10k to each congressman/woman
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/recips.php?id=D000000076&chamber=&party=&cycle=2010&state=&sort=A
Trv06kviper said:
Technically, WiMAX is not classified as a 4G technology only LTE and HSDPA+ are. Anything available on the 700 LTE Band at the moment is also not true 4G but rather pre-4G or 4G Advanced (this is why Verizon keeps saying it has the most Advanced 4G network). HSDPA+ currently WAS running 14.4mbps it's NOW running and upgrading in most markets to 42.2mbps. The current LTE offering is @ 22.2mbps. Solid, however, I'd agree I really have a strong dislike for At&t having used to work for them, people don't look beyond the merger. Hope people understand that when it goes through their will only be ONE GSM carrier which will dictate which GSM handsets come here. At&t is notorious for locking down Android handsets as well. At&t is also notorious for getting what it wants regardless of laws and regulations. One article that seems to have slipped through the cracks http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/56660.html
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Right. But the N1 and the NS (my phones) are capped at 7.(something, too early) I didn't feel like repeating t mobiles recent (and current hspa + upgrade path).... Most people here should have read about this stuff) and technically, NONE of technologies used in the US are "true" 4G according to the ORIGINAL DEFINITION (they revised it after the carriers cried and whined)
(they revised it after the carriers cried and whined)
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They do a LOT of that lol
I honestly don't understand all the hate towards AT&T, BUT I live in NJ, which is a popular and congested area.. so AT&T probably has lots of data towers and such here
With my iPhone 4, I didn't really get that many dropped calls to be honest. The prices also are pretty good in my opinion.
Only problem is that sometimes the data speeds are uneven. I am also impressed with the LTE network Verizon has set up; freaking fast as hell.
I still prefer AT&T because of their prices though
As someone who worked for AT&T, got crapped on by AT&T, and was subsequently fired by AT&T for no reason, I'll be damned if I give their sub-par service one dime from my pocket.
JayXL14,
Try hanging out in NYC. Dropped calls galore on AT&T. has been for a few years now.
Never a problem with TMO.
I can't stand either AT&T and Verizon and firmly believe those two are involved in backroom price collusion. Disagree with me all you want, I believe it and you can't change my mind. That being said, I also believe Sprint and T-mobile are no angels either..... They all suck donkey @#$&s.
Sent from my NS (no it's NOT SNS or GNS)

T-Mobile / Nexus 4

Hi all.
I'm currently a Verizon customer and I hate the fact that their network is locked down because it's tied to CMDA. I like the idea of buying unlocked phones and popping in a SIM. Now that Google is selling unlocked Nexus phones at a ridiculously low price, I'm tempted to switch.
What I do like about Verizon's network is the quality. I've only been on at&t and Verizon and I can say that Verizon has a much better network than them in my experience. I'm also in a solid LTE area with grandfathered unlimited data.
Are there any people out there that have experienced both Verizon and T-mobiles networks? I know comparisons will vary from location to location - I'm in San Diego. Any advice on whether or not I should switch? I'd hate to switch only to learn that the network stinks and then lose my unlimited data when I go back to Verizon.
Thanks!
There will likely be a "cool off" period with the Nexus 4 as there was with the Galaxy Nexus, meaning you could get your money back after 2 weeks (or 30 days, I can't remember now). That's under the assumption you bought from the Play Store.
Then you could get the T-Mobile Prepaid $30 plan and test out T-Mobile's network for however long you have to return the Nexus 4. You'd just keep your Verizon line open while you are experimenting with T-Mobile.
The worse that you'd lose is a month's of prepaid service and maybe some repacking fees. The best is you'd be happy with T-Mobile and lower your monthly bill. Oh and there are plenty of people willing to take your Verizon Unlimited Data Plan for free and you could turn around and sell your Verizon phone.
That's what I did with the Galaxy Nexus and I was able to keep my number while being under contract (there's a Google Voice trick) . Verizon's LTE is faster than T-Mobile's HSPA but it's definitely suitable for my needs. I happen to think LTE is more than what average users really require.
CaptainStrange said:
There will likely be a "cool off" period with the Nexus 4 as there was with the Galaxy Nexus, meaning you could get your money back after 2 weeks (or 30 days, I can't remember now). That's under the assumption you bought from the Play Store.
Then you could get the T-Mobile Prepaid $30 plan and test out T-Mobile's network for however long you have to return the Nexus 4. You'd just keep your Verizon line open while you are experimenting with T-Mobile.
The worse that you'd lose is a month's of prepaid service and maybe some repacking fees. The best is you'd be happy with T-Mobile and lower your monthly bill. Oh and there are plenty of people willing to take your Verizon Unlimited Data Plan for free and you could turn around and sell your Verizon phone.
That's what I did with the Galaxy Nexus and I was able to keep my number while being under contract (there's a Google Voice trick) . Verizon's LTE is faster than T-Mobile's HSPA but it's definitely suitable for my needs. I happen to think LTE is more than what average users really require.
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Thanks for the input! That's a great idea.
What do you mean by "plenty of people willing to take your Verizon Unlimited Data Plan"?
I was also thinking about porting my number to google voice, but I realize I'd be losing MMS.
How would you compare Verizon and T-mobile in terms of building penetration and service in congested areas?
skinien said:
Thanks for the input! That's a great idea.
What do you mean by "plenty of people willing to take your Verizon Unlimited Data Plan"?
I was also thinking about porting my number to google voice, but I realize I'd be losing MMS.
How would you compare Verizon and T-mobile in terms of building penetration and service in congested areas?
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I would double check if the Play Store will allow returns for the LG Nexus 4, although I wouldn't see why not. I can't look up the site at the moment.
I was assuming that you are still in a contract. If you are, you can let someone assume your contract. It's called an assumption of liability and people will snatch up a contract that has unlimited data, especially with Verizon.
As far as building penetration, I don't notice much difference at all. I get better reception at my job and that is a 5 story building.
I think that the higher frequencies can become problematic if you are far from the tower, if there are many people using the same tower, the weather, etc. I don't believe in saying T-Mobile has bad building reception because it uses higher frequencies. But, it does play a factor.
You can also go prepaid on atts network. There are a bunch of mnvos, most notably straight talk.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
jordanishere said:
You can also go prepaid on atts network. There are a bunch of mnvos, most notably straight talk.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
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Thanks. I'm going to try t-mobile's first. Their HSPA+ speeds are great according to this:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2405597,00.asp
^ And according to me
I'm on a T-Mobile mnvo and I get the same speeds as I did on their network, with their data gateway.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Id be interested in your granfathered unlimited data plan with verizon.
Verizon
I'd say stick to Verizon. They have more cell towers and what not so reception is very good. Also, they had a better selection of phones in my opinion.
I just switched to T-Mobile from Sprint. I have an original Xoom on Verizon. T-Mobile has excellent voice coverage and pretty good data. If you are going to be traveling out of the US (which I do). T-Mobile is the way to go. It is hard to beat Verizon's coverage and speed domestically. You can't go wrong with either. I had a Galaxy Nexus on Sprint and it was a bad experience. Phone was great, but the network was horrible. My phone drained in about 2 hours when not on Wi-Fi. Hope this helps.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
noesilva said:
Id be interested in your granfathered unlimited data plan with verizon.
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Do you know how this works? I've never heard of the ability to do hand off a contract until this thread.
skinien said:
Do you know how this works? I've never heard of the ability to do hand off a contract until this thread.
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You call Verizon Wireless assumption of liability department at 1-888-832-4540. You give them the first and last name of the person taking over the contract. Also, make sure you get your phone number ported to Google Voice beforehand. If you have questions about porting to Google Voice under contract see this thread:
https://vzwsupport.jive-mobile.com/#jive-discussion?content=/api/core/v2/discussions/779321
CaptainStrange said:
You call Verizon Wireless assumption of liability department at 1-888-832-4540. You give them the first and last name of the person taking over the contract. Also, make sure you get your phone number ported to Google Voice beforehand. If you have questions about porting to Google Voice under contract see this thread:
https://vzwsupport.jive-mobile.com/#jive-discussion?content=/api/core/v2/discussions/779321
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Thanks. I was thinking about porting to voice but don't want to deal with MMS not working.
To be honest I just got switched from Verizon to t-mobile and though Verizon has more coverage T-Mobile network is still very good at least in Ohio, data isn't as fast as LTE but that's a given. Still HSPA+ is still quite fast.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
skinien said:
Hi all.
I'm currently a Verizon customer and I hate the fact that their network is locked down because it's tied to CMDA. I like the idea of buying unlocked phones and popping in a SIM. Now that Google is selling unlocked Nexus phones at a ridiculously low price, I'm tempted to switch.
What I do like about Verizon's network is the quality. I've only been on at&t and Verizon and I can say that Verizon has a much better network than them in my experience. I'm also in a solid LTE area with grandfathered unlimited data.
Are there any people out there that have experienced both Verizon and T-mobiles networks? I know comparisons will vary from location to location - I'm in San Diego. Any advice on whether or not I should switch? I'd hate to switch only to learn that the network stinks and then lose my unlimited data when I go back to Verizon.
Thanks!
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Click to collapse
I have several T-mobile phones, and my husband has a T-mobile phone and a Verizon phone. He's says there's really no difference in speed or coverage (we live in Jersey City, NJ....And to those of you that would like to dispute this claim...Note: this is my experience and opinion and I'm entitled to it. Thank you.)
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