# Calling all T-Mobile users



## Eli (Aug 22, 2011)

At the end of this week, my brother and I will be receiving our Nexus 4's, and starting service with them. We plan to try it out and see how their service is.

I just started writing for RootzWiki, and plan to write up my experience with jumping to T-Mobile from Verizon. This seems to be a hot topic with a lot of Android users. It will probably be a 3-part series spanning over 3 weeks.

Now, my question for you all, is how was the switch? What pros and cons have you all seen? Did you go with the unlimited monthly plan? Is your service better than your last carrier?

I want to peg and see where us users stand at and use that in the article. Hopefully, it'll give those who are thinking about it some insight on the idea.

Thanks in advance, guys. Also, if there's anything you'd like to add to this subject, please feel free. 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


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## GoBigRed (Dec 21, 2011)

I switched from Verizon less than a month ago. I was using a GS3 and had unlimited data and texts, 700 minutes for $130/month. I was getting tired of paying that much for my phone so I decided to make the switch.

T-Mobile Pros:
Cost - saving $70-80/month, using $30 plan and paying for minutes over 100/month
Flexibility - considering switching to Solavei for $49/month and data roaming, also being unlocked and able to use the phone when I travel abroad
Device - I strongly prefer the Nexus over the GS3

T-Mobile Cons:
Coverage - I get great coverage in Denver where I work but coverage at my house in the suburbs is not great. Also less signal penetration in buildings than Verizon
Customer service - This is a minimal con because I was never really impressed with Verizon customer service either
Roaming - I haven't roamed yet but I'm worried about it. I travel to Nebraska a lot and from the looks of it, T-Mobile coverage there looks abysmal

Overall, I've been more than satisfied with the move so far. Coverage was my primary concern and although it isn't on par with Verizon, I couldn't justify the $70-80 monthly premium for Verizon coverage. Speeds seem to be a wash in Denver on HSPA+ compared to LTE.


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## nibrwr (Jan 15, 2012)

Ooo, Nebraska... You won't have any data service there.

I liked T-Mobile when HSPA+ was available, but that was only in large urban areas. The 2G coverage is slow (as expected), and I experienced total lack of coverage on major interstates in the Midwest.


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## brkshr (Jun 16, 2011)

T-Mo Pros:
Cost - $70/month for truly unlimited data
T-Mo online account - T-Mobile provides pretty detailed account information for a prepaid service & changes can be made easily online. Other MVNO's provide next to nothing.
Speed - Faster data speeds than AT&T
T-Mo Cons:
Service/signal - Is HORRIBLE! This is a deal breaker for me (see below). If you have good service in your area & don't travel much, then there are no cons for you.

/RANT
The frequencies T-Mo uses are too high. This means that building penetration is horrible. About 60% of the time, I have to hold my phone upside-down to get descent data speeds. About 15% of the time I get no signal. The signal fluctuates way too much. I can set my phone in one spot & will see a 20dBm fluctuation. Lately I've been traveling around California & about 60% of the time I have no signal what-so-ever. No data or voice.

I tried to live with the upside-down phone & signal fluctuations when at home or work, for a month or so. I just can't live with absolutely no reception while traveling. I would think that they would have California covered a little better. I'm currently in the process of going back to the AT&T side of the spectrum.
/RANT


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## codesplice (Oct 21, 2011)

Echoing what the others have said... T-Mobile wins on price (particularly on prepaid), data speed (provided you have coverage), online account management stuff, customer service (at least in my experience, even the "subpar" prepaid CS has been better than what I had with AT&T), and they offer truly unlimited data for a reasonable fee if that's what you're in to.

Coverage can be a bit of a problem... For me, I spend 98% of my time in and around the city, and my coverage has been great. It gets spotty real quick as you head out of town though. For my usage though, the huge savings are worth that minor inconvenience. If you live/work in a more rural area (or travel regularly) T-Mobile probably isn't the carrier you want to go with.


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## Eli (Aug 22, 2011)

Thank you guys for the replies. From the looks of it, my biggest concern is exactly what you guys have specified, which is coverage. In my area, T-Mobile was bad, but again, it was 12-15 years since I've used their service. At the time, they had just become T-Mobile...they were VoiceStream for the majority of my use. I'm really curious (and hoping) if I'll see some better coverage where I live.

One question I forgot to mention in my OP, is if you guys have heard of contract customers getting first priority of data/service, over the monthly subscribers. I was told this by a T-Mobile rep, then again on a Google Plus post from a T-Mobile employee. Any of you run into this?



codesplice said:


> Coverage can be a bit of a problem... For me, I spend 98% of my time in and around the city, and my coverage has been great. It gets spotty real quick as you head out of town though. For my usage though, the huge savings are worth that minor inconvenience. If you live/work in a more rural area (or travel regularly) T-Mobile probably isn't the carrier you want to go with.


This is exactly what I think my happen in my experience. I live in a rural area.


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## brkshr (Jun 16, 2011)

Eli said:


> One question I forgot to mention in my OP, is if you guys have heard of contract customers getting first priority of data/service, over the monthly subscribers. I was told this by a T-Mobile rep, then again on a Google Plus post from a T-Mobile employee. Any of you run into this?


I've never had a problem


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## Paddington (Jul 7, 2011)

I live in Austin, TX, and the service here is better than Verizon. I just switched last month. I traveled 40 miles outside the city, and I had great reception, but bad data. My father was with me, and his Verizon phone had just a little better.My girlfriend's AT&T was better than both, but she was limited to HSPA+21 as soon as we got back home. I will be working in Atlanta this summer, so I asked a friend, and she said her T Mobile works fine in and around the city. According to the T Mobile coverage map, I have 2g-nothing where I am from (middle of nowhere GA), but I'm only there a week or two a year. So, as others have pointed out, as long as you're in the city, T Mobile is questionably a better option, especially considering the N4 vs Verizon bloat. It is without a doubt much cheaper.

As for your contact priority concerns, I have HSPA+ almost all the time, and I'm on the $30 prepaid plan. I think I might switch to the $60 next month, which is still less than the price I was paying at Verizon (1/4 of a family share unlimited text, and I think 2500 talk and 4gb data or something).


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## codesplice (Oct 21, 2011)

Eli said:


> One question I forgot to mention in my OP, is if you guys have heard of contract customers getting first priority of data/service, over the monthly subscribers. I was told this by a T-Mobile rep, then again on a Google Plus post from a T-Mobile employee. Any of you run into this?


*If* that _is_ a Thing Which Happens, I've never encountered any indication of it. I wouldn't expect it to have any practical impact on your service, and you shouldn't let a fear of that impact your decision.



> This is exactly what I think my happen in my experience. I live in a rural area.


Coverage is of course a bigger issue. I'd suggest you check out the coverage maps on http://opensignal.com/ to see if another carrier may meet your needs.


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## Eli (Aug 22, 2011)

codesplice said:


> *If* that _is_ a Thing Which Happens, I've never encountered any indication of it. I wouldn't expect it to have any practical impact on your service, and you shouldn't let a fear of that impact your decision.
> 
> Coverage is of course a bigger issue. I'd suggest you check out the coverage maps on http://opensignal.com/ to see if another carrier may meet your needs.


Thanks for that link!


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## akoolive (Jul 12, 2011)

I'm coming from Verizon and a GNex, currently on T-Mobile w/ n4. I don't miss the network nor the phone and I had unlimited data. I live in atl,GA & T-Mobile speeds are much more faster then Verizon. Battery life much better & CDMA sucks, my phone would lose data connection switching between 3g/4g, but I don't have that issue on T-Mobile with 3g/hspa+

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2


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## jsauder2 (Nov 3, 2011)

no problems here. just switched from Verizon 3 weeks ago and have definitely not thought of going back. for the money I save, I'll take a day or two every few months when I travel and deal with poor coverage.

the speed is great (I'm in Chicago), coverage has been pretty good so far (been all over Illinois, Dallas, Orlando), and the price is right. definitely haven't noticed any prioritizing, and I'm using more than my fair share of data so far...









Sent from my Nexus 4


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## squarecat (Jun 16, 2011)

I am currently on Verizon with an iPhone 4S (plus a small 4G Jetpack, when I feel the need for speed or am mobile with the lappy) and just ordered a Nexus 4 yesterday to see how it works out in day to day use. Truth be told, I _really_ want it to work out since this is the first Vanilla device that doesn't seem like a second-rate developer toy. So, needless to say, I'll be praying to the coverage gods until Monday...

This iPhone is my first after a few Android devices, starting on T-Mobile then on to Verizon a couple years ago when a new workplace had almost no Tmo service and I had a pregnant wife at home. That switch to Verizon was from a myTouch 4G to a Thunderbolt, so data speeds weren't really a surprise for me, but LTE's disastrous effect on battery life was. (Of course, rooting helped smooth the pre-Projcet Butter bumps out, as well as eking a handful more minutes out of the battery.)

So LTE and me [sic] don't have the best history and the iPhone has spoiled me in the area of industrial design and the tactile experience, leaving me with expectations that are perhaps bordering on impractical (though hardly unreasonable), tempered by real world experience with the two US carriers arguably offering the best opportunities for the Android platform. Except, of course, Verizon's schizophrenic bouts of seemingly self-destructive feature sabotage. Exhibit A? Droid Razr M--phenomenal piece of kit gimped by a POS screen and parts bin camera. Exhibit B? Droid DNA--even more impressive attempt, hamstrung by inexplicable feature decapitation (seriously, how can you release the Butterfly J, then arbitrarily drop the SD card slot??).

Then there's the Google services, to which I am largely beholden (and only a tad begrudgingly so), that make the comparatively broken Apple equivalents feel like something out of the previous century (iCloud sync notwithstanding, though even that has been revealed to under-deliver, just as every attempt at a native SaaS by Apple has.)


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## davey11 (Jul 14, 2011)

Looks as if Verizon has lost quite a lot of subscribers with the release of the n4, myself included. Their lte and great coverage may be valuable to many, but to get away from their deathgrip contact and exorbitant monthly fees makes putting up with slightly lesser service is fine with me. 
Tmo is not an option for me where I live. I'm on ST ATT and very satisfied. 
Maybe the op would consider one of the att mvno's if tmo don't work out.

Sent from my mako (







)


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## mightybrick (Nov 2, 2011)

I, too am contemplating leaving Verizon. I was on a Galaxy Nexus with unlimited data but was getting sick of the high bill. I'm testing out Straight Talk AT&T right now with the N4. I would use T- Mobile in a heart beat if they weren't edge-only in my area. So far, my experience has been very good. I'm loving the Nexus 4. The battery life of the N4 has been a very pleasant surprise.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2


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## Eli (Aug 22, 2011)

Thank you everyone who left a post in here. My N4 is out for delivery. 

I'll be posting the first part of my experience with switching either later today or sometime this weekend.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


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## GoBigRed (Dec 21, 2011)

mightybrick said:


> I, too am contemplating leaving Verizon. I was on a Galaxy Nexus with unlimited data but was getting sick of the high bill. I'm testing out Straight Talk AT&T right now with the N4. I would use T- Mobile in a heart beat if they weren't edge-only in my area. So far, my experience has been very good. I'm loving the Nexus 4. The battery life of the N4 has been a very pleasant surprise.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2


You might try Solavei. Someone can probably elaborate on this but I think they use T-Mobile towers but allow roaming (presumably on AT&T towers). I think I'm going to try it next month and see how legit the roaming capabilities really are.


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## mightybrick (Nov 2, 2011)

GoBigRed said:


> You might try Solavei. Someone can probably elaborate on this but I think they use T-Mobile towers but allow roaming (presumably on AT&T towers). I think I'm going to try it next month and see how legit the roaming capabilities really are.


If it were data roaming, then I'd be all-in, but the roaming is probably voice-only. I'm a little cynical. Please, prove me wrong.


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## Eli (Aug 22, 2011)

My concerns were correct. Crappy service at my house.









Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


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## GoBigRed (Dec 21, 2011)

mightybrick said:


> If it were data roaming, then I'd be all-in, but the roaming is probably voice-only. I'm a little cynical. Please, prove me wrong.


I think it includes data roaming on AT&T but I'm guessing it is 3G only.


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## codesplice (Oct 21, 2011)

Eli said:


> My concerns were correct. Crappy service at my house.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well fortunately it looks like you can at least have solid voice service at the house. Hop on a wifi network for data and you should be set. The much bigger issue would likely be service along your daily commute and maybe at work as well.


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## Eli (Aug 22, 2011)

codesplice said:


> Well fortunately it looks like you can at least have solid voice service at the house. Hop on a wifi network for data and you should be set. The much bigger issue would likely be service along your daily commute and maybe at work as well.


This seems like an option that I might go with.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


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## schluety (Dec 2, 2011)

I did the switch to Tmobile from Verizon 1 month ago. Reception near the city is great. I live far from the city however,coverage is not great. The plus is if i need to i can roam or select AT&T network to make calls at home but doesn't appear data roaming works. Tmobile suggests you turn on roaming anyways as long as it's domestic and not international(like in Canada). I just connect to WIFI anywhere i go anyways and only pay 30 bucks/month


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## luniz7 (Jun 9, 2011)

I switched from Verizon to T-mobiles $30 month unlimited text, data, 100 minutes. I'm pretty happy with it. I just pay the extra .10¢ a minute over my 100 minutes. I have a buffer in my account of $20 for this. City is great service, rural is edge with no roaming. Price is 10 times better. I love it.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki


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## mjt111 (Oct 3, 2011)

Switched from Verizon using prepaid net10 for about a week service is great so far $50 a month unlimited. Not noticing any throttling yet

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki


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## Kimboinatl (Jul 5, 2012)

I switched from T-Mobile to Verizon when the GNex came out. This was 2 years ago. I really don't see much of a difference in terms of signal; it is constantly switching between 4g and 3g at work for no reason that I can ascertain. I have an N4 which my fiance is currently using with AT&T, and once my contract is up I'll get it back from her and switch back to T-Mobile... that's the plan anyway, she may not want to give it back, LOL.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2


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## gregg0829 (Aug 24, 2011)

OK I just read this thread and I have a question. I have a GNex and I am thinking of getting a nexus 4. I live in Hartford and the coverage is ok. Right now I pay 86 a month to Verizon. I have unlimited data. What are people paying for unlimited data on t mobile? I am contemplating getting the nexus 4 and going month to month with t Mobile.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using RootzWiki


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## brkshr (Jun 16, 2011)

gregg0829 said:


> OK I just read this thread and I have a question. I have a GNex and I am thinking of getting a nexus 4. I live in Hartford and the coverage is ok. Right now I pay 86 a month to Verizon. I have unlimited data. What are people paying for unlimited data on t mobile? I am contemplating getting the nexus 4 and going month to month with t Mobile.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 7 using RootzWiki


It's $70/month straight up. No taxes or anything.

Sent from my Nexus 4


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## gregg0829 (Aug 24, 2011)

Delete



brkshr said:


> It's $70/month straight up. No taxes or anything.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 4


Did you go from a GNex toro to a nexus 4?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using RootzWiki


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## brkshr (Jun 16, 2011)

gregg0829 said:


> Delete
> 
> Did you go from a GNex toro to a nexus 4?
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 7 using RootzWiki


Yep. The N4 is awesome & way better than the GNex, IMO. However, the service from AT&T & T-Mobile is not nearly as good as Verizon. Could be becasue I live in a rural location. If I were you, I would try out T-Mo for a bit before you cancel your unlimited data with VZW. Personally, I choose the Nexus phone over Carrier service, but I definitely wish I was on VZW sometimes.


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## codesplice (Oct 21, 2011)

Nexus > Verizon, every time


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## JuggalotusHeat (Jul 20, 2011)

I'll be switching from verizon to T-Mobile this week. Paying 220 a month for cell phone service is just too much.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## DirgeExtinction (Aug 18, 2011)

Just ordered my Nexus 4 yesterday evening, so I'll hopefully be receiving it later this week or early next week. I'm going to try out T-Mobile's $30 plan first, otherwise I might just switch to Solavei since I hear roaming on AT&T is free.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


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## Art Vandelay (Jan 4, 2012)

Thinking of making the switch. I can save $100 a month by switch to T-Mobile. Plus I get to use a nexus 4

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki



DirgeExtinction said:


> Just ordered my Nexus 4 yesterday evening, so I'll hopefully be receiving it later this week or early next week. I'm going to try out T-Mobile's $30 plan first, otherwise I might just switch to Solavei since I hear roaming on AT&T is free.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


I don't think they offer that plan anymore.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


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## mAlfunkti0n (Aug 15, 2011)

Art Vandelay said:


> Thinking of making the switch. I can save $100 a month by switch to T-Mobile. Plus I get to use a nexus 4
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki
> 
> ...


They still offer it, it's just buried a bit more than before.

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans


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## DirgeExtinction (Aug 18, 2011)

The $30/month plan(with 100 minutes and 5gb 4G data) is only available online and via Walmart. I actually didn't know that, haha

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki


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## JunoonX (Jan 8, 2012)

brkshr said:


> /RANT
> The frequencies T-Mo uses are too high. This means that building penetration is horrible. About 60% of the time, I have to hold my phone upside-down to get descent data speeds. About 15% of the time I get no signal. The signal fluctuates way too much. I can set my phone in one spot & will see a 20dBm fluctuation. Lately I've been traveling around California & about 60% of the time I have no signal what-so-ever. No data or voice.
> 
> I tried to live with the upside-down phone & signal fluctuations when at home or work, for a month or so. I just can't live with absolutely no reception while traveling. I would think that they would have California covered a little better. I'm currently in the process of going back to the AT&T side of the spectrum.
> /RANT


I live in Minneapolis and Minnesota and I travel three weeks in a month. I've had the nexus 4 since it launched and traveled to over 20 states since getting the phone. In this short time, I've experienced great and lousy coverage.

Most metropolitan cities and nearby suburbs have good coverage. East coast and west coast, T-Mobile service is very comparable to the competitors. Mid west is a hit and miss. South and North Dakota is ok coverage, Minnesota and Wisconsin is better, Oklahoma is great to worst, Texas is very solid coverage.

In the bible belt of the south, expect okay to no service. My worst experience was in Monroe, LA, with no coverage for 5 full days. Lack off Wi-Fi calling is very noticeable on this phone.

Other than that when I'm at home in Minneapolis, I have great coverage, as long as I'm staying within the city limits.

T-Mobile is not for those who live in the boonies. Even if you travel it is good service as long as you stay within the city limits (except the southern belt).

Sent from my Nexus 4


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## spg900ny (Aug 10, 2011)

Just moved from Verizon (12 year customer) with GNex toro to T-Mobile with Nexus 4. We were in an LTE area with Verizon and oddly enough, Speedtest shows my speeds as faster with the Nexus 4 than we were with LTE and GNex. I was using current radios for the GNex too. Haven't rooted the Nexus yet.

We had an issue where we were not sent micro-SIM cards, but I went to a corporate store here by work and was greeted within seconds, and walked out with two new micro-SIMs free of charge (swapped) within five minutes. Last night, customer service even had some tips for getting my wife's Droid 2 Global working on T-Mobile. Verizon did the carrier unlock last night (along with threats about never coming back to Verizon with it, not using it in the US, etc.), and I have a bunch of flashing to do tonight.

We were 99.9% happy with Verizon, but $190 even with unlimited data and 1500 minutes for 3 lines was too much. We will make due with the 500MB fast speed and unlmited after that for the $50+$30+$10 (total $90 for three lines).

So far, signal definitely does not penetrate the heavy building at work as well, but I will deal. We are in a total metro suburban area (Long Island), so we'll generally be fine with coverage. When we vacation to NH every year, that's when we'll probably run into issues. But again, for saving probably just under $100 each month after taxes, it's a no brainer. $1000-1200 a year will just about pay for that vacation each year.

I hope with their new plans and no-contracts, as well as the pending MetroPCS merger, that T-Mobile gets so many new customers that they will be able to really afford to build out their network even more. I like the transparency. I like the attitude.

I'm happy. So far. (OK, it's only been a day, but...)


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## spg900ny (Aug 10, 2011)

schluety said:


> I did the switch to Tmobile from Verizon 1 month ago. Reception near the city is great. I live far from the city however,coverage is not great. The plus is if i need to i can roam or select AT&T network to make calls at home but doesn't appear data roaming works. Tmobile suggests you turn on roaming anyways as long as it's domestic and not international(like in Canada). I just connect to WIFI anywhere i go anyways and only pay 30 bucks/month


I noticed that setting in the wireless -- where when scanning, it finds AT&T and T-Mobile towers. Does that mean if I'm out of T-Mobile range, it will possibly connect to an AT&T tower if I have "automatic" network selection service and roaming enabled?


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## brkshr (Jun 16, 2011)

spg900ny said:


> I noticed that setting in the wireless -- where when scanning, it finds AT&T and T-Mobile towers. Does that mean if I'm out of T-Mobile range, it will possibly connect to an AT&T tower if I have "automatic" network selection service and roaming enabled?


I could be wrong, but the way I understand it is if you're on a pre-paid plan, you don't roam on other networks. If you are on a post-paid plan you can roam on other networks.


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## number5toad (Sep 13, 2011)

I ordered my N4 expecting it to take at least two or three weeks to arrive - I had it within two days. went ahead and ordered a SIM from T-Mobile last week, and I've been walking around with it in (but not activated) to get an idea of how coverage will compare to Verizon. here in NYC, it seems to be pretty much the same. in Cincinnati, where my family lives and I spend a few weeks out of each year, it's oddly symmetrical; coverage is the same in most spots, but I've got coverage in Verizon dead spots, and dead spots where I get great Verizon coverage. so overall, it's kind of a wash.

like someone else already said, I'm choosing the raw Nexus phone over the network, and I've been with Verizon for 12 years. I'm just tired of their pricing structure, and I'm tired of rooting out of necessity rather than for kicks. telecoms get away with murder in this country, mostly because people are too intimidated to switch. I like what T-Mobile is doing with their new totally contract free plans, a LOT. I'm voting with my dollars.


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## Art Vandelay (Jan 4, 2012)

Those switching from Verizon to T-mo, are you under contract with Verizon and wants your plan, just gonna pay the ETF?

I really want to switch b/c I'll save $100 a month, but my ETF's would be $520.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


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## brkshr (Jun 16, 2011)

Art Vandelay said:


> Those switching from Verizon to T-mo, are you under contract with Verizon and wants your plan, just gonna pay the ETF?
> 
> I really want to switch b/c I'll save $100 a month, but my ETF's would be $520.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


I paid about $275 on my etf. Think of this way. In 6 months you'll be money ahead.


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## number5toad (Sep 13, 2011)

I'm off contract at the end of April, so right now I'm still using my Thunderbolt as the primary line (but mostly as a hotspot for the N4)

it's tempting to pay out but honestly I'm so annoyed at Verizon for not letting me out even two weeks early, after more than a decade with them, that I won't give them any more money than I have to.


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## anthony2558 (Aug 23, 2011)

I'm in the same boat. Verizon for 15 years and tired of the big bills. I've been using tmobile for the past week and really don't have to many complaints although im currently standing in a hospital, my Verizon phone has 5 bars of LTE, where as the tmobile phone has 0 bars, can't make a phone call. This has been first time I've experienced the inability to make a call. Basically it's been a wash as well for me. Speeds on HSPA vs 4G have been similar, Verizon being slightly better.

One thing we do have to remember is that we also have to add the cost of the phone to the overall price of the plan. So for my two nexus 4's I had to add 34$ more to the 50$+30$+10$(2gigs for me) so my total prior to taxes and fees will be 124$ vs Verizon 153$. If we paid off the phone sooner we would see more of a savings after that. Or unless u already have a GSM phone laying around.

I'm from the NJ/PA area. Phillipsburg, NJ

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## anthony2558 (Aug 23, 2011)

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## codesplice (Oct 21, 2011)

brkshr said:


> I could be wrong, but the way I understand it is if you're on a pre-paid plan, you don't roam on other networks. If you are on a post-paid plan you can roam on other networks.


In my experience, you can roam for voice, but not for data.


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## Eli (Aug 22, 2011)

I wanted to give everyone an update on how T-Mobile has been working out for me so far. It's been almost a month that I've been off of Verizon's network and close to two months on T-Mobile's. As you might recall, I live in a rural area and was only able to get EDGE on my Nexus 4. I happened to call T-Mobile and ask if there was anything they can do since I was apparently in a good coverage area. Well, a few weeks later, if I walk about a quarter of a mile in either direction from my house, I jump onto their HSPA service. My house just happens to be smack in the middle of an area that's just a few(many) steps shy of HSPA.

At the time, our Verizon Mi-Fi was are only form on internet service(outside our phone's LTE service) and was capped at 5GB a month. So, we only used to that frequently and never made any big downloads or watched any YouTube. As I wrote in the article, we had shopped around for wireless internet and I ended up finding one company that would offer service to our area. Now, we have that going and have unlimited wireless service at our house and just use that when we're home. It's not the fastest data speeds, but for our use, it'll work. This might be funny to hear, but we just now signed up for Netflix







. Netflix is AWESOME!

Like I had mentioned, when I leave the house, I jump onto their HSPA network and depending on which way I drive into town(there's 3 ways to get there), I usually stay connected to that, although I rarely use my phone while driving. Once in town, I'm on their HSPA+42 network and then once at school, I hop onto the school's Wi-Fi. It's very rare that I'm in EDGE service for very long now. The majority of the time, I'm either in town, or at home. I also don't travel...at all. If I travel somewhere outside my normal area, I'm considered a world traveler by my standards.









In the end, it was a great decision. It was weird at first being off Verizon, since we had been with them for years. It felt like breaking up with a gf that you had been with for years and then dating a new girl. It had that feeling. Plus, the Nexus 4 is leaps and bounds better than the GNex (IMO), and the GNex had been my favorite Android phone I've owned.

If any of you are considering switching, I would have to say it's worth a try. If you're in a situation like I was, then it should work out for you. With Verizon going through so many changes right now, I'm glad I switched. I have a feeling that they might do away with the grandfathered unlimited that some people might still have.


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## Eli (Aug 22, 2011)

Art Vandelay said:


> Those switching from Verizon to T-mo, are you under contract with Verizon and wants your plan, just gonna pay the ETF?
> 
> I really want to switch b/c I'll save $100 a month, but my ETF's would be $520.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


Sorry for the late reply, but I was a month out from the end of my contract with Verizon when I was trying out T-Mobile. Once I felt that T-Mobile was going to work, I just called T-Mobile to get my original number ported over and they're the ones to contact Verizon and cancel the service.

In the long run, you'll be better off, just like brkshr mentioned.


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## spg900ny (Aug 10, 2011)

Here's my update with a month on T-Mo. I think like the OP, it is just a matter of rearranging how you do things -- but for the discount, for us, it has been worth it. I paid $600 of ETF (ugh) to get out of my Verizon contract. I will be break even in six months, right around where my contract with Verizon would have ended. So that's a wash. Hasty perhaps, but when T-Mobile came out with their no-contract plans, I felt it was important to support that choice, so we got on board and said bye bye to Verizon after 12 years. Not much later, they pulled their "24-month instead of 20-month" stunt and I was glad we were already gone, not that it would have affected us. I'm just sick of the BS.

So far T-Mobile with the Nexus 4 has been hit or miss. but mostly hit. We LOVE the better battery life with GSM over LTE. My stepson, who could barely get through the afternoon with a charge, can now go all day. Instead of being at 20-30% by the time I go home from work, I'm on 50-60%. It's nice knowing you don't have to be tethered to a charger.

First month, my stepson also went through his 500MB very fast, but has said even the Edge unlimited data has been working for him. Pages just load a little slower, but he is still able to stream his Spotify at work with a couple seconds extra buffering. So he is extremely happy. Our coverage has been very good here on Long island.

I have noticed that data speeds vary very widely depending on where you are. Verizon was pretty even keel. Sometimes it would be very fast, sometimes not so fast, but you never really noticed NOT having a signal at all. T-Mobile you will definitely notice some times where there seems to be a trickle of data, and that can get annoying. I get absolutely zero service at my desk at work which is DEFINITELY annoying. Wish I could use T-Mobile WiFi calling. It would be nice if they added that capability to all phones. For now, I just use WhatsApp for texting with my family. One of those workarounds.

I don't make many phone calls, but when I have (not at my desk), they are solid. No problems there.

Overall, I'd say I'm 90-95% pleased with T-Mobile. Hopefully they're continuing to improve the network, because of course that's the only issue most of us have with them. And for saving $100 a month? Still a no-brainer for me. T-Mobile all the way.


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## DrPepperLives (Aug 2, 2011)

I know this is a tad bit off topic, but I just saw the the T-Mobile and MetroPCS merger is going through May 1st. What do you think T-mobile customers will see with this? Better coverage? More LTE?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki


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## Art Vandelay (Jan 4, 2012)

DrPepperLives said:


> I know this is a tad bit off topic, but I just saw the the T-Mobile and MetroPCS merger is going through May 1st. What do you think T-mobile customers will see with this? Better coverage? More LTE?
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki


I'm not exactly sure, but it can't hurt. Did metro own its own lines or did they share/rent from other providers like straight talk does?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki


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## DrPepperLives (Aug 2, 2011)

Looks like they own their own network, but its pretty limited. They have agreements with other providers to let customers roam. Still, apparently its the 5th biggest wireless provider in the US.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki


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## number5toad (Sep 13, 2011)

likely means better coverage and faster LTE rollout for T-Mobile

edit: so I just activated my N4 on T-Mobile two days ago...to speak to the question in the OP, my experience was great. I activated the phone online because I wanted the $30 plan only available online or at Wal-Mart (and I refuse to step into a Wal-Mart [and there isn't one anywhere in the five boroughs anyway]) and apparently entered my Verizon account information incorrectly to port my old number. I got an error message on the website that said basically "we're working on it, sit tight" and a phone call from a T-Mobile rep about 20 minutes later. she got me on a conference call with a Verizon rep, cleared up the issue and ported the number within about five minutes, and I was up and running without a hitch.

service within NYC so far has been great - no dropped calls, no bad quality calls, and good data speeds everywhere. my upload speed leaves a bit to be desired, coming from Verizon's LTE network, but honestly I don't miss it. the majority of the time I'm uploading anything, it's a picture or a small document, and the transfer is done in a minute or two regardless - and I have access to wifi pretty much anywhere I go if I need better speeds. download speed IS slower than LTE, but again, I can't say I need anything more than the ~10mbps down I'm averaging for my purposes.

my only issue right now is that I'm chewing through those 100 minutes faster than expected, but they make it super easy to upgrade your plan if you need to, and at 10 cents per minute past 100 I might not even bother - I'll need to tack on 200 extra minutes every month before it becomes worthwhile to upgrade.

long story short - I'm sure the switch isn't for everyone, but it's absolutely worth investigating if you want the pure Android experience, or if you're tired of the major carriers getting away with murder.


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## Art Vandelay (Jan 4, 2012)

number5toad said:


> likely means better coverage and faster LTE rollout for T-Mobile
> 
> edit: so I just activated my N4 on T-Mobile two days ago...to speak to the question in the OP, my experience was great. I activated the phone online because I wanted the $30 plan only available online or at Wal-Mart (and I refuse to step into a Wal-Mart [and there isn't one anywhere in the five boroughs anyway]) and apparently entered my Verizon account information incorrectly to port my old number. I got an error message on the website that said basically "we're working on it, sit tight" and a phone call from a T-Mobile rep about 20 minutes later. she got me on a conference call with a Verizon rep, cleared up the issue and ported the number within about five minutes, and I was up and running without a hitch.
> 
> ...


I will tell you its a bit of a pain if you want to move from the prepaid plan to the month to month plan. Apparently they are different divisions within the company and they have to issue you a new number and than port your prepaid number.

I started on the prepaid plan, but like you I burned through the minutes. Also, the prepaid plans do not offer WiFi calling. Something I needed as my wife does not get service at her work. Keep in mind the N4 doesn't support WiFi calling so I had to get her a GS3.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki


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## number5toad (Sep 13, 2011)

I'm gonna keep a close eye on my usage for the next two months or so, but my early impression is there's no way I'll use so many minutes on a regular basis that upgrading would be worth it. the only thing I really miss is using Google Voice for voicemail, but I can get over that too.


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## brkshr (Jun 16, 2011)

number5toad said:


> I'm gonna keep a close eye on my usage for the next two months or so, but my early impression is there's no way I'll use so many minutes on a regular basis that upgrading would be worth it. the only thing I really miss is using Google Voice for voicemail, but I can get over that too.


You probably know this, but you can use Google Voice if the person calling, calls on your Google number. You can have t-mo disable your regular voicemail service, then Google Voice will automatically kick in after a certain number of rings.

This leaves you with no voicemail for your t-mo number & only works when someone is calling your Google number. I realize this doesn't work for everyone, but it works fine for me because my Google Voice number is my business line (where I need voicemail) & everyone else that calls my t-mo #, knows I hate voicemails (even tho Google Voice used to help a ton), so they will text me if it's important.

Sent from my Nexus 4


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## number5toad (Sep 13, 2011)

I actually didn't know that...good thing to keep in mind, but I'm not sure it'll work for me (yet anyway). I need voicemail for a mix of work and family stuff, and sadly the people most inclined to leave me a message are also the people least inclined to dial my GVoice number (or just send me a text). man how I wish everyone would just send me a text, or an email, or a GTalk message...


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## cgull (Aug 7, 2012)

I tried t-mo prepaid for a few days and had to ditch it. Was originally Vzw and tried ST ATT before finally signing up for full blown ATT monthly post paid.

ST ATT is way better than t-mo IMHO. T-mo coverage is a complete mess. Full ATT is great but double the cost of ST.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2


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## Art Vandelay (Jan 4, 2012)

cgull said:


> I tried t-mo prepaid for a few days and had to ditch it. Was originally Vzw and tried ST ATT before finally signing up for full blown ATT monthly post paid.
> 
> ST ATT is way better than t-mo IMHO. T-mo coverage is a complete mess. Full ATT is great but double the cost of ST.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2


Why did you chose ATT over Verizon? Verizon is the best and I really don't think there is a price difference between the two.

As far as T-mo goes, I really have no issues with the service. It really depends on where you live. Where do you live so that others in your area can gain something from your experience.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki


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## cgull (Aug 7, 2012)

Art Vandelay said:


> Why did you chose ATT over Verizon? Verizon is the best and I really don't think there is a price difference between the two.
> 
> As far as T-mo goes, I really have no issues with the service. It really depends on where you live. Where do you live so that others in your area can gain something from your experience.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki


Got tired of Verizon's lack of updates and device locking policy... no gwallet, etc. Also want pure Android and Google isn't big on CDMA these days.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2


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## jsauder2 (Nov 3, 2011)

number5toad said:


> I actually didn't know that...good thing to keep in mind, but I'm not sure it'll work for me (yet anyway). I need voicemail for a mix of work and family stuff, and sadly the people most inclined to leave me a message are also the people least inclined to dial my GVoice number (or just send me a text). man how I wish everyone would just send me a text, or an email, or a GTalk message...


Tmobile has a visual voicemail app in the play store. It's not as good as Google voice, but it's not half bad.

Sent from my Nexus 4


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## number5toad (Sep 13, 2011)

I saw that but I wasn't enthused about it - does it have website access like Voice? that's the big thing for me (hilarious transcriptions are secondary)


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## Art Vandelay (Jan 4, 2012)

I'm confused, why can you not use Google voice with T-Mobile?









Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki


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## brkshr (Jun 16, 2011)

Art Vandelay said:


> I'm confused, why can you not use Google voice with T-Mobile?
> 
> View attachment 38628
> 
> ...


Does it work for you? & are you on a pre-paid t-mobile plan? You're not supposed to be able to have call forwarding on pre-paid t-mo. So if they call your t-mo #, it won't forward to your gvoice #. As I explained somewhere else, if they are calling your gvoice #, then gvoice can automagically go to gvoicemail after so many rings.


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## Art Vandelay (Jan 4, 2012)

I'm on the month to month t-mo. I really can't remember if it works. I never get voice mails anymore.

What about porting your number to Google voice? Than you can route other numbers to your GV number as well.

Sorry for the confusion on my part

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki


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## brkshr (Jun 16, 2011)

Art Vandelay said:


> I'm on the month to month t-mo. I really can't remember if it works. I never get voice mails anymore.
> 
> What about porting your number to Google voice? Than you can route other numbers to your GV number as well.
> 
> ...


Cool, I was just wondering.

My problem with porting my number to GV, is that I already have a GV # that I use as my business line. If I could have 2 GV #s or 2 accounts on the GV app, I would do it.

I'm looking for a new job now. So when I do get another job, I will probably port my personal # over to GV & throw away the business #.

Edit: Now that I think about it more. I'm thinking I could port my business GV# to my business gmail address. Then port my T-Mo# to my personal gmail address & have this account send me an email when I get a voicemail. I don't get personal voicemails very much, so this would probably work for me. I actually have the voicemail turned off for my personal line right now. So something would be better than nothing.

Editedit: strike that. I wouldn't be able to make calls with 2 gmail accounts ... :-/


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## jsauder2 (Nov 3, 2011)

number5toad said:


> I saw that but I wasn't enthused about it - does it have website access like Voice? that's the big thing for me (hilarious transcriptions are secondary)


No it doesn't have web access. Also, you won't get the transcriptions unless you want to pay for it...bummer.

Sent from my Nexus 4


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## number5toad (Sep 13, 2011)

yeah, pass

I've never really used GVoice to its full potential anyway, so I'm not all that bummed about losing it - I just loved the hilarious transcriptions really (and being able to get the gist of a message without using a minute or two would be nice but eh)

it's possible my wife will move to TMo in the next few months as well, if she does I'll consider switching us both to one of their shared plans and go back to GVoice - for now, it's a small sacrifice for a drastically lower bill and a rad phone.


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