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Official Tmobile-Sprint merger discussion thread


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1 hour ago, Cardsfan96 said:

I would personally try to stay on a sprint sim on that device unless standalone 5g is important to you.

I would caution against making that statement for everywhere. Personally I switched my line from Sprint to T-Mobile right after the merger completed and even then it was already a better experience and has only gotten better since. Also keep in mind that T-Mobile will continue to take from the Sprint network and redeploy on its network. Here they've already trimmed both Sprint's B41 and B25 spectrum. This will vary city to city though, but even if Sprint is still the better of the two networks now it's only a matter of time before that changes. 

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1 hour ago, mdob07 said:

I would caution against making that statement for everywhere. Personally I switched my line from Sprint to T-Mobile right after the merger completed and even then it was already a better experience and has only gotten better since. Also keep in mind that T-Mobile will continue to take from the Sprint network and redeploy on its network. Here they've already trimmed both Sprint's B41 and B25 spectrum. This will vary city to city though, but even if Sprint is still the better of the two networks now it's only a matter of time before that changes. 

The only thing you get with a TNX SIM is SA. Sprint-SIM phones still have TMo as the primary, with keep sites filling in just like they do on TNX, but non-keep sites are available as a fallback (high priority roaming, basically). Oh, and you get CDMA (including 1x800) as a fallback rather than H+/GSM until CDMA goes away. The benefit of a Sprint SIM will decrease over time, but for non-5G there's still a benefit.

You want TNX basically for SA (if you wind up in areas where n71 can reach but B2/66 can't) and NR CA at some point where you can get n71 and n41. That's...basically it.

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I had a tech try to switch me back to TMO SIM yesterday -- well, he actually did switch temporarily...and it wouldn't activate (at my home), so he switched me back to Sprint. I'm in the 3rd week of having a non-working phone unless I'm within range of wifi that is fast enough to have wifi calling connected. I had to call the store and explain to the tech that during the screen replacement that I had 3 weeks ago, it appears that an antenna wire was not connected because wifi works fine, but cellular doesn't hardly work at all..and the way it goes is: WIfi calling connects and works. VOLTE will connect and work. LTE will pass data but no voice calls...Roaming won't connect at all. At home, in range of the Airave (B41), i show on SCP that it's on the Airave...but soon as I place a call, it goes from 4 bars, 3 bars, 2 bars, 1 bar...then 1 bar of R...then the call just drops. Same for places where VOLTE doesn't connect and it's just LTE only...has the same behavior.  It's strange that my wife has the exact same phone..and hers will work fine but mine will do the 4-3-2-1, R, then drop.  I explained to the tech in the closest store...detailed my hours-long convos with various levels of tech and online chat..and told her that i just wanted a working phone...so, over the phone, she was nice enough to just order me a replacement. I told her that I had brought the phone in to have someone take it apart and verify everything was connected..but all they did was "run tests" on it and didn't do anything to the actual internals...which doesn't solve the problem.

I was forced to use my Firstnet phone for the past 3 weeks and missed a couple of job interviews because the apps I put in were a day or 2 before I had the phone screen replaced due to stuck pixels. So I'm not sure who's tried to call...but unless it's been on wifi calling...they haven't managed to get me.

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Thanks all.

SA 5G is not important to me at this point.  The aspects of a Sprint-SIM phone, including having non-keep sites as a fallback is more important to me at this point.

If one gets a new SIM card with a new phone purchase (as mentioned in my original post, such as Best Buy providing on Sprint's behalf or requesting it through the My Sprint app), will it be the Sprint SIM by default? (that is, if you don't request a specific type?)  Do TNX SIM cards need to be specifically requested? (either on an existing phone or an upgrade phone that is requesting a changeover to T-Mobile)  Also, for new Sprint SIMs that are not TNX SIMs, will those need to be changed out to a New T-Mobile SIM once the Sprint network is completely decommissioned and New T-Mobile is in place?

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1 hour ago, mdob07 said:

I would caution against making that statement for everywhere. Personally I switched my line from Sprint to T-Mobile right after the merger completed and even then it was already a better experience and has only gotten better since. Also keep in mind that T-Mobile will continue to take from the Sprint network and redeploy on its network. Here they've already trimmed both Sprint's B41 and B25 spectrum. This will vary city to city though, but even if Sprint is still the better of the two networks now it's only a matter of time before that changes. 

If your on an LTE device that’s correct but on a 5g device it doesn’t really matter both will be on the T-Mobile network.

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21 hours ago, Member21 said:

Thanks all.

SA 5G is not important to me at this point.  The aspects of a Sprint-SIM phone, including having non-keep sites as a fallback is more important to me at this point.

If one gets a new SIM card with a new phone purchase (as mentioned in my original post, such as Best Buy providing on Sprint's behalf or requesting it through the My Sprint app), will it be the Sprint SIM by default? (that is, if you don't request a specific type?)  Do TNX SIM cards need to be specifically requested? (either on an existing phone or an upgrade phone that is requesting a changeover to T-Mobile)  Also, for new Sprint SIMs that are not TNX SIMs, will those need to be changed out to a New T-Mobile SIM once the Sprint network is completely decommissioned and New T-Mobile is in place?

I don't know if there is a definitive answer on this or not. I was surprised to find the S21 I ordered from Sprint came with a Sprint SIM installed and the TNX SIM separate in the box, still attached to the card it comes in. I went ahead and swapped and activated the TNX SIM to see if my experience would be better than it was on my OnePlus 8. I have had a couple of hiccups, but other than those occurrences, it has worked fine. I kept the Sprint SIM in case I change my mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 6/20/2021 at 2:26 PM, Member21 said:

If one gets a new SIM card with a new phone purchase (as mentioned in my original post, such as Best Buy providing on Sprint's behalf or requesting it through the My Sprint app), will it be the Sprint SIM by default? (that is, if you don't request a specific type?)  Do TNX SIM cards need to be specifically requested?

I upgraded several phones recently and all came with a Sprint SIM installed and a TNX SIM in a box on the side. So for the time being, if you order your upgrade through Sprint it is still coming with a Sprint SIM installed, but they include a TNX SIM as well if you want it.

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On 6/20/2021 at 2:26 PM, Member21 said:

Also, for new Sprint SIMs that are not TNX SIMs, will those need to be changed out to a New T-Mobile SIM once the Sprint network is completely decommissioned and New T-Mobile is in place?

New phones that have Sprint SIMs installed are still using the T-Mobile network as the base network, so I don't believe any changes would be necessary. That said, once the Sprint network is totally gone there would be no reason to hold onto the Sprint SIM. 

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I was involved in Spent tower chasing a few years ago but have been absent for a long time.  I caved in and switched to T-Mobile. Signal  quality has been a sick joke in Bellevue south of Hwy 370.  I am a premium member and seek tower info in Nebraska.

Please provide me a link.

Also, how do modify my phone list to current T-Mobile / Samsung phones and pull the phones I had on Sprint.

Thanks.

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37 minutes ago, Jeff68005 said:

I caved in and switched to T-Mobile. Signal  quality has been a sick joke in Bellevue south of Hwy 370.  I am a premium member and seek tower info in Nebraska.

Might have been better off sticking with a Sprint SIM for now. Sprint still has the larger network in Nebraska, though T-Mobile has been quickly permitting Sprint sites for conversion over the last month or two. Nebraska/Iowa information is in the same place it has always been.

 

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I switched our iPhone 12 Pros, a Galaxy S20+, and a Galaxy S21 over to TNX, and our voice/data performance is substantially better, so I'm glad we made the SIM Swap. Calls sound more clear and voice is more reliable when calling/receiving. We have a Pixel 5 on our account that isn't eligible for TNX yet, but apparently that may change in the future based on a recent (and helpful) reply comment here.

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Oddly enough, looks like some recent Omaha discussions here.

Been in Omaha for CWS, and have been passively mapping Sprint Keep sites.

I've been mostly inside the bounds of I-480/Dodge on the north edge, I-680 on the west edge, I-80 on the south edge, and Council Bluffs on the east.

Looks like I've picked up ~40 keep sites in just this area so far, and not a ton of different routes taken.

Where I'm staying, roughly I-80 and 72nd, I have L600 on the Pink side, and B25/26 on the Sprint side, and it has been really rough on B25, just 2x 5 MHz B25 carriers.

T-Mobile is great when there is a native macro, and Sprint is great when B41 is available.

I'm sure when these sites get integrated and the spectrum get integrated, its going to be pretty great.

Far ways to come from Rosenblatt in 2007 with no service outdoors, and service only by the window in the Embassy Suites in Old Market.

I'm sure there are tons of keep sites further west/north/south, so here's hoping that Omaha will be a first class city for magenta soon.

EDIT: To add, holy cow the Verizon mmWave build is bonkers here. I can't go anywhere without seeing their small cells on every block. I remember in 2018 or 2019 I saw quite a few LTE small cells downtown, and they've added so many more with mmWave. Absolutely crazy.

Screen Shot 2021-06-23 at 12.17.34 PM.jpg

Edited by reedacus25
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T-Mobile Marks 5G Milestones, Promises Expansion: https://www.pcmag.com/news/t-mobile-marks-5g-milestones-promises-expansion

Quote

T-Mobile marked two coverage milestones today, saying it has now covered 150 million people with its mid-band 5G and 300 million with its low-band network.

To expand coverage, T-Mobile is repurposing older Sprint sites and adding new "incremental" and "destination" sites to the network, Ray says. All of the new coverage is 5G.

"We have several thousand sites going into those incremental areas and we are spending a huge amount of time on how do we get better in those destination locations," he says. "The gap between us and Verizon in most of those geographies is pretty small."

 

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17 hours ago, Paynefanbro said:

Promises Expansion

It is real, they finally updated one of my locals and added 5MHz of PCS to their sites that Sprint turned from EV-DO>LTE only last year. This one has 80MHz n41, 20MHz LTE 41, 2 separate but equal 5MHz slices of LTE in PCS with a 5MHz channel of W-CDMA, 10MHz of LTE 5 with a GSM carrier in the 850 guard band, 15MHz n71, 5MHz of LTE 71 and 10MHz of band 4. 

There is still a shared site that has Sprint PCS A-F PowerVision kit only and Tmo LTE2/4/5 I am watching for. I hope it is next.

Pretty based. Enjoy this 4K video I took of it in an opportune break between electrical storms.
 

 

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On 6/20/2021 at 1:45 PM, iansltx said:

The only thing you get with a TNX SIM is SA. Sprint-SIM phones still have TMo as the primary, with keep sites filling in just like they do on TNX, but non-keep sites are available as a fallback (high priority roaming, basically). Oh, and you get CDMA (including 1x800) as a fallback rather than H+/GSM until CDMA goes away. The benefit of a Sprint SIM will decrease over time, but for non-5G there's still a benefit.

You want TNX basically for SA (if you wind up in areas where n71 can reach but B2/66 can't) and NR CA at some point where you can get n71 and n41. That's...basically it.

The other advantage of a TNX SIM is that you can force-roam on some networks through the built-in network search menu, at least on Android. The network still needs to be one that T-Mobile allows roaming on in that area, but it's been handy for me in a few areas where T-Mobile is weak but US Cellular is pretty reliable - I can go into the network selector and choose US Cellular so it stays on that network instead of trying to grab onto a weak T-Mobile signal.

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9 hours ago, reedacus25 said:

Looks like I've picked up ~40 keep sites in just this area so far, and not a ton of different routes taken.

Yeah we've identified a ton of keep sites either via PLMN or via actual work permits that T-Mobile has applied for. They're all mapped out in another thread. I appreciate the data you've shared! Service is already pretty good on T-Mobile, should be really good once they have n71 on most and n41 on all sites.

Is there any chance you can repost that map with the enbs in Hex mode?
Edit: Didn't realize I could sort by the keep PLMN on cell mapper!

9 hours ago, reedacus25 said:

To add, holy cow the Verizon mmWave build is bonkers here. I can't go anywhere without seeing their small cells on every block.

It is absolutely nuts! I'm seeing new mmWave sites basically every week, and it's been that way for months.

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4 hours ago, jebr said:

The other advantage of a TNX SIM is that you can force-roam on some networks through the built-in network search menu, at least on Android. The network still needs to be one that T-Mobile allows roaming on in that area, but it's been handy for me in a few areas where T-Mobile is weak but US Cellular is pretty reliable - I can go into the network selector and choose US Cellular so it stays on that network instead of trying to grab onto a weak T-Mobile signal.

If only T-Mobile had roaming in my biggest problem area, where Sprint does have roaming. :(

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21 hours ago, jebr said:

The other advantage of a TNX SIM is that you can force-roam on some networks through the built-in network search menu, at least on Android. The network still needs to be one that T-Mobile allows roaming on in that area, but it's been handy for me in a few areas where T-Mobile is weak but US Cellular is pretty reliable - I can go into the network selector and choose US Cellular so it stays on that network instead of trying to grab onto a weak T-Mobile signal.

US Cellular is a roaming partner for T-Mobile like Sprint? how are the speeds on it when roaming? hard cap or are they good?

I wonder if you can force roam like you mention on Pixel devices? This would be great for me. I am on a Sprint sim and lately instead of roaming on US Cellular (very adequate speeds) it's been roaming on AT&T (horrible speeds)!!!

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T-Mobile® tells me my tower is being reworked. as their excuse for the lousy connection.

My other displeasure is my Samsung phones will not allow me to select a single frequency such as LTE 4G.  I can select that and lesser as the only option.

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25 minutes ago, Jeff68005 said:

My other displeasure is my Samsung phones will not allow me to select a single frequency such as LTE 4G.  I can select that and lesser as the only option

Samsung band selector from the app store should help with that.

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Thanks - Galaxy S9 I tried it, but that app only gives me the setting I already am using.  Yes several choices in the app. but all roads lead to what I manually have done.  The band selector fails.

My Samsung A5 the app works better, but I have forgotten all the band details I learned when Sprint Tower chasing.

Please guide me to a band choice. I was looking at B26.  Please suggest a band that may be better.

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2 hours ago, Dkoellerwx said:

Samsung band selector from the app store should help with that.

I just tried that on my S20 FE.  I forced NR B71 in my house, but the speed was about 1/2 of what I normally get on B2.  NR B41 did not find anything. Interesting.

Edited by IrwinshereAgain
Upsated Nr41 info.
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4 hours ago, Jeff68005 said:

Thanks - Galaxy S9 I tried it, but that app only gives me the setting I already am using.  Yes several choices in the app. but all roads lead to what I manually have done.  The band selector fails.

When you open the app, select "Launch Band Selection." That will open a menu that likely looks familar. Now, swipe from the left, or tap the menu bar at the top. Select "Band Selection" again. This will show you all of LTE and NR bands your phone is capable of receiving. Select the band(s) you want, then toggle "Selection" on the top right. Apologies if you already tried that, but it sounded like you only got to the first menu.

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2 hours ago, IrwinshereAgain said:

just tried that on my S20 FE.  I forced NR B71 in my house, but the speed was about 1/2 of what I normally get on B2.  NR B41 did not find anything. Interesting.

Does your phone allow SA NR? The n71 channel is likely smaller than the B2 channel, and if it's used much at all likely produces slower speeds. n41 may not support SA NR just yet in your area, it's still most useful when it has an anchor LTE band.

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