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T-Mobile LTE & Network Discussion V2


lilotimz

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It is an inane move to do this while still selling several new phones that don't have LTE. 

 

All currently sold non-LTE phones will still get 4G data in all markets, just as before.

 

They're only pulling down *AWS* HSPA+. PCS HSPA+ will still be live, providing 4G data service to almost all non-LTE phones sold in the last three years

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All currently sold non-LTE phones will still get 4G data in all markets, just as before.

 

They're only pulling down *AWS* HSPA+. PCS HSPA+ will still be live, providing 4G data service to almost all non-LTE phones sold in the last three years

I wonder when they'll go from 10fdd to 5fdd of total Hspa. Depending on what their Chicago speeds are, they may have to do it sooner than they'd like in that market.

 

I know Indy is already there but that's out of necessity - 10fdd AWS, 10fdd pcs.

 

 

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I've got some news for everyone here...

 

While I'm waiting for news about Framily, my mother is going to get the T-Mobile test drive. I'm going to do a test of T-Mobile here in Chicago (well, the suburbs) and give an honest opinion of it, rather than base my outlook off of the MetroPCS experience, which I've heard could have been from the differences between them in terms of network priority, etc.

 

I'll post the results here soon.

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I've got some news for everyone here...

 

While I'm waiting for news about Framily, my mother is going to get the T-Mobile test drive. I'm going to do a test of T-Mobile here in Chicago (well, the suburbs) and give an honest opinion of it, rather than base my outlook off of the MetroPCS experience, which I've heard could have been from the differences between them in terms of network priority, etc.

 

I'll post the results here soon.

Since Chicago is dense, even suburbs, I'm curious about their in building coverage.

 

Download the ookla speedtest app and do lots and lots of speed tests.

 

 

 

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I've got some news for everyone here...

 

While I'm waiting for news about Framily, my mother is going to get the T-Mobile test drive. I'm going to do a test of T-Mobile here in Chicago (well, the suburbs) and give an honest opinion of it, rather than base my outlook off of the MetroPCS experience, which I've heard could have been from the differences between them in terms of network priority, etc.

 

I'll post the results here soon.

 

tmobileus :soapbox:

Use more than one speedtest to get a better picture of it's network like ooKla and Sensorly.  Also check out detail info about the network with the popular LTE Discovery or and open signal app. 

 

*  My condolences btw... :zip::dep::confused:

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We've had lots of Tmo test drive comparisons posted in the past. Even Chicago. Post it at T4GRU. That's not really the purpose of this thread. Choose Verizon, Choose Tmo, stick with Sprint. Do what's best for you.

 

But if you aren't going to be a Sprint customer, then your participation at S4GRU will be rather limited, as your knowledge of the network is currently limited and you will have no ability to expand your knowledge through personal observation of the Sprint network.

 

Using Moto X² on Tapatalk

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I talked with my mother. She mentioned the test drive wasn't available to get in the store, but what we're going to do is contact executive relations for T-Mobile, and see if they will still offer us the quoted rate from a health organization I'm a member of which has a discount available with them. We checked into this a few years ago, but I decided against it at the time. If they'll offer it to us still, we'll get a sim card activated and pop it into the ZTE ZMAX I still have from the MetroPCS service and check speeds on that device.

 

I'm keeping the Sprint service at least until Tuesday. Someone on S4GRU is helping me with the issue regarding the Framily plan, and if Sprint is willing to work with us on converting my plan over to Framily while allowing me to keep my phone number and the same Nexus 6 device unit, which is important I don't have to return, just to get another unit for a different plan, as I'm very happy with the condition of this Nexus 6, as I had problems with the first one I got through shipment. I don't want to have to deal with the potential of another bad unit.

 

From reading S4GRU, it seems people are still able to use codes to get onto the Framily plan, without needing the main account holder involved. However, we are trying to get this done the way Sprint has claimed to me will work, so hopefully Sprint will work with me on this. If not, then I'm not going to be without the $200 I paid for this device when it seems pretty clear to me from reading posts here that I didn't have to be, if Sprint would have accepted the working code I had, as they seem to be doing for others.

 

Again, I'm not bashing Sprint, just informing people here of my experience. I'd like to keep Sprint if they will work with me on this. Also, I like S4GRU and have praised this site many many times. If I'm not wanted here, I'll leave without a fuss, but I hope that isn't the case, because I'd like to stay here regardless if I have Sprint service or not. Just because I'm having issues with Sprint doesn't mean I'm suddenly some major T-Mobile fanboy or anything. Actually, if we end up cancelling Sprint, I'd rather get Verizon than T-Mobile, though I'm dependant on what my mother wants, and she seems more interested in T-Mobile, particularly because she's had them for many years for her prepaid account and gets along well with the store employees when she goes to get minutes.

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No one asked you to leave. However, if you want to be an integral part of the conversation at S4GRU, you will be significantly challenged not being a Sprint customer. You are more than welcome to stay. No matter what provider you use.

 

The decision of wireless provider is deeply personal and expensive. We understand that. Everyone has to make the best decision for their circumstances. We don't fault you for making the best decision for yourself. S4GRU won't even recommend one over another. We do not recommend Sprint service to anyone. That's not our mission.

 

We just don't necessarily want to read at S4GRU your personal pursuit of test driving other providers, and all the details along with that. It's off topic, and it has already been done before.

 

Using Moto X² on Tapatalk

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Is there a thread for speed testing, network testing in general? I don't want to break site policy as I respect the site, but several people have asked me to show my speed/signal experiences, both with Sprint and T-Mobile (if I even end up getting T-Mobile, as I'm hoping the Framily thing works out well).

 

An idea I have, not trying to tell the staff how to run things here or anything like that, just a suggestion, as I use to be a forum admin for several online forums in the past. One thing I did with staff we had, is if there were a particular demand for a topic thread we didn't particularly want to have, but then again we wanted the members requesting something to have a place to discuss a particular topic, was to have a private password protected section for it, and allow posts from people requesting access to it, even if we were having the section as a limited time only deal. Would something like this be possible here?

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Is there a thread for speed testing, network testing in general? I don't want to break site policy as I respect the site, but several people have asked me to show my speed/signal experiences, both with Sprint and T-Mobile (if I even end up getting T-Mobile, as I'm hoping the Framily thing works out well).

 

An idea I have, not trying to tell the staff how to run things here or anything like that, just a suggestion, as I use to be a forum admin for several online forums in the past. One thing I did with staff we had, is if there were a particular demand for a topic thread we didn't particularly want to have, but then again we wanted the members requesting something to have a place to discuss a particular topic, was to have a private password protected section for it, and allow posts from people requesting access to it, even if we were having the section as a limited time only deal. Would something like this be possible here?

As Robert said above there is another site dedicated to T-Mobile, T4GRU. The most appropriate compromise would be to post your findings there and provide a link in this thread, or mention you posted there. Almost every S4GRU in this thread and many who are not are members of that forum also.

 

PS: in case you couldn't guess T4GRU is the T-Mobile version of this site, provided by the same enthusiasts that came up with the glory that is S4GRU.

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Since I have no plans of being an active member of that site, I don't want to spend the time and difficulty it is for me to do that, mostly because my lack of involvement on that site wouldn't be worth it to me. Not that I see anything wrong with that site, just that it isn't convenient to join for those reasons, especially when there is only one post planned to address the requests that have been made, most of which haven't been for me to do speed tests/signal checks for T-Mobile, but rather for Sprint.

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Ugh! TmoNews now has ads in the article selection listing! I may not use that site for T-Mobile news much longer, instead just rely on Google search for news about T-Mobile. The site has been adding so many annoying popup ads that get through the popup blocker, top ads, etc., but this is just too much.

 

Thanks to S4GRU for not doing this too.

 

Edit Note :

 

Just thought of something... Might be a good time to get the word out about T4GRU, get more people there from TmoNews, since T4GRU doesn't have ads, and is becoming a better site.

Edited by Arysyn
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Ugh! TmoNews now has ads in the article selection listing! I may not use that site for T-Mobile news much longer, instead just rely on Google search for news about T-Mobile. The site has been adding so many annoying popup ads that get through the popup blocker, top ads, etc., but this is just too much.

 

Thanks to S4GRU for not doing this too.

Adblockers for the browsers like the ublock is needed on most places imho. I white list the sites I like but generally I find it much more pleasant with an Adblockers when surfing the Web.

 

Here though we don't need or want ads. We solely depend on the generosity of the member base to keep things running since we're not selling any products or the like to make a profit.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

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Ugh! TmoNews now has ads in the article selection listing! I may not use that site for T-Mobile news much longer, instead just rely on Google search for news about T-Mobile. The site has been adding so many annoying popup ads that get through the popup blocker, top ads, etc., but this is just too much.

 

Thanks to S4GRU for not doing this too.

 

Edit Note :

 

Just thought of something... Might be a good time to get the word out about T4GRU, get more people there from TmoNews, since T4GRU doesn't have ads, and is becoming a better site.

TmoNews isn't really a good site anymore. T4GRU and tmo.rocks are both excellent substitutes. Tmo.rocks is run by the moderation team from the T-Mobile reddit.
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TmoNews isn't really a good site anymore.

 

I still laugh that PhoneDog could do no better than to hire a film school grad who has worked wireless retail and lives in the UK as TmoNews' replacement editor.  Cam is and was an inexplicable choice.  I have no problem with the film degree.  Heck, I studied geography and film in college, but I also have substantial engineering expertise.  Cam clearly does not.  Mostly, though, he lives in the freaking UK.  He has no direct experience using the T-Mobile network to which his site is devoted.  That makes him unqualified for the position.

 

AJ

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Is there a thread for speed testing, network testing in general? I don't want to break site policy as I respect the site, but several people have asked me to show my speed/signal experiences, both with Sprint and T-Mobile (if I even end up getting T-Mobile, as I'm hoping the Framily thing works out well).

No and it won't be happening. As S4GRU already said it has been done before and is off-topic for a Sprint centered site. Plus anything you  would find is anecdotal at best to your personal situation at your own very specific location.

 

A website like rootmetrics, all though far from flaw free, can and does a much better job of evaluating the major 4 carriers' networks in most mid to major US cities than any individual could come close to doing.

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I still laugh that PhoneDog could do no better than to hire a film school grad who has worked wireless retail and lives in the UK as TmoNews' replacement editor. Cam is and was an inexplicable choice. I have no problem with the film degree. Heck, I studied geography and film in college, but I also have substantial engineering expertise. Cam clearly does not. Mostly, though, he lives in the freaking UK. He has no direct experience using the T-Mobile network to which his site is devoted. That makes him unqualified for the position.

 

AJ

He thought the aws3 spectrum was covered by band 4.

 

 

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No and it won't be happening. As S4GRU already said it has been done before and is off-topic for a Sprint centered site. Plus anything you  would find is anecdotal at best to your personal situation at your own very specific location.

 

A website like rootmetrics, all though far from flaw free, can and does a much better job of evaluating the major 4 carriers' networks in most mid to major US cities than any individual could come close to doing.

 

My intent was not to evaluate a carrier. I didn't even ask to post speedtest/signal checks for T-Mobile here, but to respond to people asking for it. If anything, the staff here could make a note to members not to ask for such to other members, as it is not allowed. All I was doing was trying to appease those who asked.

 

So, how about this. If anyone is interested in a speed test/signal check from me, pm to me and I'll respond to you through pm, when I have one available. As of the moment, I still have Sprint, so I cannot respond with a speedtest/signal check of T-Mobile, until I get it.

 

However, please no one suggest I join T4GRU, as I'm not going to do so, at least until I get T-Mobile, if that is what ends up happening. At this point though, I'm still hoping for success with the conversion over to the Framily plan, which if that fails, my preference is with Verizon. If I end up with Verizon and you want a speedtest/signal check from me there, please pm to me about it, rather than to ask me on the forum.

 

Staff, please understand, I'm not against you or trying to violate your policies in any way. I was staff/admin on many other forums in the past, including as an admin for a major rtd organization, which I had to be extremely careful with policies regarding content, because of so many legal parameters, with respect, are far more than what a wireless information site has to consider.

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TmoNews isn't really a good site anymore. T4GRU and tmo.rocks are both excellent substitutes. Tmo.rocks is run by the moderation team from the T-Mobile reddit.

 

 

I still laugh that PhoneDog could do no better than to hire a film school grad who has worked wireless retail and lives in the UK as TmoNews' replacement editor.  Cam is and was an inexplicable choice.  I have no problem with the film degree.  Heck, I studied geography and film in college, but I also have substantial engineering expertise.  Cam clearly does not.  Mostly, though, he lives in the freaking UK.  He has no direct experience using the T-Mobile network to which his site is devoted.  That makes him unqualified for the position.

 

AJ

 

 

I couldn't possibly agree more with what you both stated.

 

I've observed some, but not many, who've mentioned Cam's placement as the site editor as being not the best fit, throughout comments on TmoNews. However, those comments usually get shot down by others there who are fanboys of that site, in general.

 

Hopefully that is changing now though with better options available for T-Mobile information online, which Phonedog ought to consider, if they hope to maintain and grow its viewership, etc. Although placing more ads certainly isn't going to help with that.

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If anyone lives between Ithaca, MI and Mt. Pleasant, MI it'd be nice to confirm the lack of 2G, as this map indicates

https://maps.eng.t-mobile.com/pcc.html?map=mvno-noroam-2

 

whereas this map indicates there is 3G/LTE

 

https://maps.eng.t-mobile.com/pcc.html?map=mvno-noroam-34l

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I currently still have MetroPCS, though I signed up for Sprint earlier today and am waiting for the device/service to arrive here (Nexus 6). I signed up for MetroPCS a few months ago during their Unlimited $50 promotion, had an excellent customer service experience with the nice lady at the local store who has been there when my mother goes to pay the bill. She's been very helpful to us ever since, and I sort of feel sad that we won't be keeping the service, but then again I need workable coverage locally.

 

I suffer from a severe neuropathic illness/disability, where I have trouble maintaining balance while walking, have very poor mobility overall, and have horrible pain when not actively on pain medication. I'm also alone quite often, which isn't good, though I enjoy spending time online researching and learning about technical stuff, particularly wireless, though my time mobile, such as walking to and from places alone, is a major risk to my health, requiring me to have a workable wireless signal on my phone device, so I can contact my mother for help, if needed in a non-emergency, though still very crucial urgency.

 

MetroPCS has fast speeds here in the Chicago Market while outside traveling around the area and such, but inside the home here in this suburb, a house that is wooden and slightly stucco, often loses a signal, even though I'm usually right near a window. I think that is really bad, especially when T-Mobile's newer coverage map shows users around here reporting an excellent signal. I'm not even talking about a drop in data speeds, but a total signal loss on a new ZTE ZMAX device that gets good to great signal most places outside.

 

T-Mobile isn't actively recognizing their network/spectrum issues in the Chicago Market, which really upsets me, while they promote their supposed "great" service, along with their new 700 mhz, that isn't even in Chicago, let alone they may never get to the 600 mhz here they really need, while their overcrowded network here in Chicago just gets worse with their steep advertising. A sure sign of incompetence or ignorance, perhaps both by them, in regards to being honest about their business among their attempts in persuading people they are "Data Strong".

 

The posts here recommending methods which Sprint can use to advertise/identify their company, are very good. I've been thinking about that too, even ways which Marcelo can use publicity to identify himself as the "professional CEO".. I'm already impressed by all the various bits about Sprint that have led me to signing up for them that I think would be good for Sprint to use publicly in promoting their company really well. Building a Sprint fan base implemented in Sprint strategy, would be a positive step, I think. Sprint could even search out people on S4GRU and other fan sites to help out, possibly.

 

Anything to combat T-Mobile's lies at this point, I'm thinking. I've had enough bad experiences with them between this latest MetroPCS network issue, among others in the past with their pre-paid services, along with failed attempts at post-paid with them, all which among their faulty advertisements, makes me really against them. However, looking at it more neutrally, it just seems fair that some company would try reversing this trend for the benefit of the industry from becoming too false with their claims, whether it be about the network, or even the limits to what Unlimited Data really means to the companies providing it.

Im in Chicago and i have excellent LTE everywhere including my apt and job site.

 

Sent from my LG Optimus F60 on MetroPCS using Tapatalk

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So, I'm not sure how that's lies.

 

You claim overcrowding (which is a real thing that happens on T-Mobile), but you said that you get fast speeds in the Chicago Market, so it must not be *that* overcrowded. And that aligns with their marketing. In some urban areas, they have some of the densest urban cell spacing in the nation, which is how you get fast speeds even with lots of usage despite having less spectrum -- that's what "Data Strong" means.

 

T-Mobile didn't promise you 700mhz service in Chicago, so that's not a lie.

 

T-Mobile's coverage map is lies. But everyone's coverage map is complete lies (including Sprint's). No carrier can claim to be more truthful than another in that regard -- there's not a single shred of integrity left in anyone's coverage map.

 

- - -

 

Chicago is a known weak T-Mobile market, and a known strong Sprint market. You should switch, you'll probably like Sprint better -- especially if it works in your home.

 

But I wouldn't discredit T-Mobile as a business because of that. If you head over to another market (Detroit or Seattle/Tacoma come to mind) you could easily have the opposite experience. But I wouldn't say Sprint "lies" just because there's no 800mhz service there. And I wouldn't call it "lies" when Sprint claims "Spark has launched" even though 800mhz service is missing.

 

Use what works for you, obviously. But I wouldn't assume everyone's lying just because you had a bad experience. T-Mobile as a business wouldn't exist if your experience was common. (even if S4GRU makes it sound that way)

My experiences have been vice versa. My speeds and coverage has been slightly better on the T-Mobile network here in Chicago.

 

Sent from my LG Optimus F60 on MetroPCS using Tapatalk

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Im in Chicago and i have excellent LTE everywhere including my apt and job site.

 

Sent from my LG Optimus F60 on MetroPCS using Tapatalk

 

Right now, I'm on T-Mobile, but don't have any active service to my device, due to not having it unlocked, something MetroPCS was unwilling to do, despite taking my device to nits parent company. I'm not blaming MetroPCS much for it though, as I am towards T-Mobile and the store I was at for not being more informative to me about this when signing up. Then despite being promised by them they'd resolve this issue, just a few hours later at the exact same store they denied doing anything realistic to help. The only reason we didn't already cancel is because we don't want to lose our telephone number, which I'm now going to wait a bit on a few other options, though need to move it by the end of the month, no later.

 

At this point, I just really hate T-Mobile to where I can't be impartial about them anymore. I had a lot of hope for it on Tuesday after a nice experience in store with all the talk of getting my device connected on it no problem, and the store's  "once their (MetroPCS) computer system is back running, they'll unlock it for you within minutes and you'll be connected, no problem", then having MetroPCS tell me Wednesday morning that they have a 90 day no unlock policy, which since I had service with them something like 72-78 days, I didn't qualify for the unlock, despite taking it to their parent company on the same network, not like it was competition for them.

 

Granted, the store employees agreed they should have done it, along with the promises and guarantees of them getting it resolved, I sat there for a few hours on Wednesday after coming from a horrific doctor appointment that was a reunion of sorts with a doctor I had for several years up until a few years ago when she got a promotion and couldn't see patients anymore. Now that she was back to seeing patients, I had hope for my medical issues to have a reliable place to be taken care of. Instead, things were a lot different, and without going into much detail, especially since I don't mean to venture off topic, but basically I was told that I should basically just suffer in excruciating pain rather than take the pain medications I'm on that is helping me not to be screaming all the time, just because there is a possibility the pain medication  could make the pain worse, which it doesn't, my terminal neuropathy is doing this to me.

 

The T-Mobile store knew I was already not doing well, as the transaction with the sales representative the day before and also working on Wednesday, was a personal experience, communicating life experiences and such. I didn't have any issues with explaining things to him about my life struggles, particularly because my need for wireless service involves having an emergency backup, if need be, which is why I'm hoping eventually to have this line of service, while my mother adds on a smartwatch plan for herself to use, or vice versa where I have something with me whenever I'm away from the computer but might have an emergency fall or something like that.

 

So for a store to make such a strong promise and guarantee towards me, along with not being informative upfront in regards to this device working or not being locked to MetroPCS, put me at risk. Once the port went through, my Sprint service was cancelled immediately, losing all connectivity. Although T-Mobile was so sure there wouldn't be an issue with the device being unlocked by MetroPCS, even after reviewing all of the paperwork my mother had with her. I had wanted to go with Verizon, but she was so strongly for going to T-Mobile and saving money with them. Go figure. Makes me think Verizon has a point with their "Never Settle" campaign. 

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