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T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2


lilotimz

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People keep saying this, but in my experience it's horrendous. It's been the case for years, Galaxy S4 (1x800 only when that was prioritized in the PRL, 1x1900 was fine), Nexus 6, 6P, and Pixel XL. It seems to be I'm mostly in congested areas, in more rural areas or at night it's usually fine. I think CDMA carriers are overloaded with voice calls, and quality goes to shit to handle more calls. With the refarming it's just gotten worse to the point I use Hangouts for calls now. I can't understand a word the other person says during peak usage, it's all garbled.

For this reason I can't wait for VoLTE. Their CDMA network is useless to me for voice calls in its current state.

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Your experience does not seem to be the norm but, rather, a very unfortunate aberration; an outlier situation.

 

Unfortunately Sprint just doesn't have the required density yet for VoLTE in most areas and won't for some time.

 

Of course the most obvious way to get around this is by using Wi-Fi. With Wi-Fi, we can all have simultaneous voice and data. It has always been thus.

 

The only time you find yourself generally always without Wi-Fi is when in your car. But, so long as you're not a passenger, the last thing you need when driving is the ability to both surf the web AND be on the phone. To me that sounds like a recipe ripe for suicide.

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Your experience does not seem to be the norm but, rather, a very unfortunate aberration; an outlier situation.

 

Unfortunately Sprint just doesn't have the required density yet for VoLTE in most areas and won't for some time.

 

Of course the most obvious way to get around this is by using Wi-Fi. With Wi-Fi, we can all have simultaneous voice and data. It has always been thus.

 

The only time you find yourself generally always without Wi-Fi is when in your car. But, so long as you're not a passenger, the last thing you need when driving is the ability to both surf the web AND be on the phone. To me that sounds like a recipe ripe for suicide.

Nexus / Pixel devices don't have wifi calling. So it's not an option. In many cities the density is fine for VoLTE. I'll go months without dropping LTE. It would be nice to at least have the option.

 

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Nexus / Pixel devices don't have wifi calling. So it's not an option. In many cities the density is fine for VoLTE. I'll go months without dropping LTE. It would be nice to at least have the option.

 

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He's talking about being connected to WiFi while on a call, not using WiFi calling.

 

-Anthony

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What is stopping Sprint from enabling both radios at the same time? CDMA + LTE? That seemed to work well prior to the triband device releases.

Device cost+complexity time to market and battery life..

 

It was a necessary evil unfortunately.

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Nexus / Pixel devices don't have wifi calling. So it's not an option. In many cities the density is fine for VoLTE. I'll go months without dropping LTE. It would be nice to at least have the option.

 

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They certainly do when the carrier supports it. Project Fi supports it and so does MintSIM that runs on top of T-Mobile's network.

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http://www.droid-life.com/2017/07/17/t-mobile-coverage-map-lte-markets/

 

Reportedly, a T-Mobile blog post today crows about footprint expansion and -- in typical Magentan fashion -- shits on Sprint.  Somebody dig it up 

 

AJ

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http://www.droid-life.com/2017/07/17/t-mobile-coverage-map-lte-markets/

 

Reportedly, a T-Mobile blog post today crows about footprint expansion and -- in typical Magentan fashion -- shits on Sprint. Somebody dig it up

 

AJ

Its probably one new tower in a previously unserviced town.

 

I still want to understand as to why they haven't gotten their reliability situation under control yet.

 

With them I'll trust the crowd sourced mapping app before I trust the map on their website.

 

 

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That's one more new tower then Sprint puts up. And, That's coming from a Sprint fanboy.

 

Its probably one new tower in a previously unserviced town.

 

I still want to understand as to why they haven't gotten their reliability situation under control yet.

 

With them I'll trust the crowd sourced mapping app before I trust the map on their website.

 

 

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Its probably one new tower in a previously unserviced town.

That's one more new tower then Sprint puts up. And, That's coming from a Sprint fanboy.

 

Guys, we could do without the hyperbole either way.

 

T-Mobile has tossed up a lot of new sites.  Density, though, is lacking, as giving off just the mapped impression of nationwide coverage is T-Mobile's immediate goal.

 

Some of the new rural footprint is band 12 only.  And a legitimate gripe, something of a dirty little secret with T-Mobile is that it greatly restricts what devices can access its band 12.

 

For example, the Pixel XL and 2015 Moto X both support band 12 -- but T-Mobile does not allow those handsets to camp on band 12.  I was in South Dakota recently before I realized this T-Mobile imposed limitation and had roaming coverage or no service within new footprint that was band 12 only.  Had I also brought along my Nexus 5X, it would have had native service in the band 12 only coverage -- because the Nexus 5X, oddly, makes T-Mobile's curated band 12 list, while the Pixel does not.

 

AJ

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Source?

 

AARP, Gallaudet University, and the Amish.

 

AJ

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. Had I also brought along my Nexus 5X, it would have had native service in the band 12 only coverage -- because the Nexus 5X, oddly, makes T-Mobile's curated band 12 list, while the Pixel does not.

 

AJ

Not sure if that's true. Pixel and Pixel XL work perfectly on B12. If it didn't, why were they paying users to bring their Pixels to T-Mobile?

 

http://www.spectrumgateway.com/compatible-phones

 

https://madeby.google.com/phone/specs/

 

Weirdly, Verizon doesn't advertise B12 support for their Pixel even though it's the same model as the Direct-From-Google one.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/help/google-pixel-xl-vs-verizon-pixel-xl-t3482958/amp/

 

 

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Edited by WiseGuy321
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How good are the areas that are just b12 only?

 

 

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How good are the areas that are just b12 only?

 

 

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Generally not great - site density is awful and usually they’ve only got 5x5 LTE on air that carries voice, SMS/MMS and data. Put short, most B12 only areas in my experience are slow and not super fun to use.

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Not sure if that's true. Pixel and Pixel XL work perfectly on B12. If it didn't, why were they paying users to bring their Pixels to T-Mobile?

 

http://www.spectrumgateway.com/compatible-phones

 

https://madeby.google.com/phone/specs/

 

Weirdly, Verizon doesn't advertise B12 support for their Pixel even though it's the same model as the Direct-From-Google one.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/help/google-pixel-xl-vs-verizon-pixel-xl-t3482958/amp/

 

 

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As was stated, the Pixel is physically capable of B12 however T-Mobile doesn't have it listed as compatible on their own website

https://www.t-mobile.com/optional-services/coverage-phones-700.html

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Not sure if that's true. Pixel and Pixel XL work perfectly on B12. If it didn't, why were they paying users to bring their Pixels to T-Mobile?

 

No, it definitely is true.

 

Go to T-Mobile's coverage viewer.  Click Choose Device, and try to select a Google Pixel.  Not an option, only some Nexus handsets.  So, the remaining option is "My device is not in the list."  Select that.  Click See My Coverage, and watch the coverage map erode.  At the top of the map, note the disclaimer:  "You are viewing coverage without Extended Range LTE.  For the best experience, check capable devices here."

 

https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/coverage-map

 

As for T-Mobile paying Pixel users to port in, T-Mobile cares more about continuing to swell its overall subscriber numbers, less about each subscriber being able to use T-Mobile to its full extent.  Besides, T-Mobile knows that most wireless users are located in urban areas, where band 12 may make some difference in actual coverage but will make no difference in depicted coverage.

 

AJ

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No, it definitely is true.

 

Go to T-Mobile's coverage viewer.  Click Choose Device, and try to select a Google Pixel.  Not an option, only some Nexus handsets.  So, the remaining option is "My device is not in the list."  Select that.  Click See My Coverage, and watch the coverage map erode.  At the top of the map, note the disclaimer:  "You are viewing coverage without Extended Range LTE.  For the best experience, check capable devices here."

 

https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/coverage-map

 

As for T-Mobile paying Pixel users to port in, T-Mobile cares more about continuing to swell its overall subscriber numbers, less about each subscriber being able to use T-Mobile to its full extent.  Besides, T-Mobile knows that most wireless users are located in urban areas, where band 12 may make some difference in actual coverage but will make no difference in depicted coverage.

 

AJ

 

My Nexus 5x was on Band 12 quite a few times when I had it on Project Fi. Are you sure you were not on prepaid?

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T-Mobile is giving away free T-Mobile Tuesdays towels next Tuesday :

 

http://www.tmonews.com/2017/07/t-mobile-tuesdays-free-t-mo-towel-mega-samsung-prize-bundle/

It just shows you how desperate they are to keep customers.

 

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It just shows you how desperate they are to keep customers.

 

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I wouldn't say it's desperation since people are still flocking to them. The same could be said about Sprint giving away free service. Now that's as low as you can go. At least Sprint didn't go public with the offering.

 

 

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I wouldn't say it's desperation since people are still flocking to them. The same could be said about Sprint giving away free service. Now that's as low as you can go. At least Sprint didn't go public with the offering.

 

 

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That's true...but at the same time they raised their prices...their network is no where near ATT or Verizon's network...they have a long way to go..

 

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My Nexus 5x was on Band 12 quite a few times when I had it on Project Fi. Are you sure you were not on prepaid?

 

I am on T-Mobile prepaid pay per day.  But that is not relevant to band 12 access, only roaming access.

 

Moreover, the band 12 access issue is with the Pixel, not the Nexus 5X.  I am fully aware of the latter.  You need to go back and read the full context of the discussion.

 

AJ

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I am on T-Mobile prepaid pay per day. But that is not relevant to band 12 access, only roaming access.

 

Moreover, the band 12 access issue is with the Pixel, not the Nexus 5X. I am fully aware of the latter. You need to go back and read the full context of the discussion.

 

AJ

I've never had issues with band 12 on T-Mobile with the pixel XL.

 

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I wouldn't say it's desperation since people are still flocking to them. The same could be said about Sprint giving away free service. Now that's as low as you can go. At least Sprint didn't go public with the offering.

 

 

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I know I'd much rather have free service or a service discount than a free towel.

 

Although to be fair, T-Mobile also is offering some sort of deal with a hotel discount source, along with discounts on Papa Johns pizza and some Samsung accessories. However, normally I don't bother posting about T-Mobile Tuesdays offers here on S4GRU, because the offers aren't all that relevant nor important to mention on a primarily Sprint-focused site such as S4GRU, regardless of this T-Mobile thread being here.

 

Yet, I figured this free towel deal is pretty huge. I mean, its a T-Mobile Tuesdays towel after all. So, the next time John Legere says something really outrageously in poor taste and it causes people to vomit a little, this towel could be useful.

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