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This is a sub-selection from One Phone, Multiple Networks
elefante72
join:2010-12-03
East Amherst, NY

elefante72 to mech1164

Member

to mech1164

Re: One Phone, Multiple Networks

That is not true for any provider today, CDMA or GSM. The base frequencies are uniform(2G, mainly voice), but data (3G, LTE) frequencies are all over the map so if the phone doesn't support that band, then your $600 smartphone is a flip phone.

Outside of carriers locking phones, they create phones that don't work on others spectrum.

The big issue for Tmo is that their HSPA+ is very fast, except it has poor coverage and only their phones support these modes.

None of the iphones (CDMA/GSM - the CDMA do GSM) use data on 3G for TMO, it's all edge (2G), so dialup.

The iphone 5 now uses LTE in addition to the others, except Tmo current bands are still left out. So unless they have 1900Mhz (and I think Vegas just got on line) you are still on dialup. The metropcs dumping will help because they have CDMA frequencies and the all important NorthEast bandwidth that was lacking.

This is years down the road, so why would you want to put a $700 device in dialup mode when there are lots of prepaid options where it works in LTE mode? Or you could just pay the postpaid bounty.

CCNnorthcali
join:2004-03-07
San Francisco, CA

CCNnorthcali

Member

T-Mobile is deploying 1900Mhz HSPA+ at a lightning pace. Check out user reports here:
»airportal.de/

T-Mobile's coverage is not bad in urban areas, it just depends. Their plans are a great value for a lot of people. T-Mobile's LTE (launching next year, they're already working on it) is going to be compatible with all AT&T LTE phones.

fuziwuzi
Not born yesterday
Premium Member
join:2005-07-01
Palm Springs, CA
Hitron EN2251
Nest H2D

fuziwuzi to elefante72

Premium Member

to elefante72
Please read up on CURRENT information. T-Mobile has been very busy refarming spectrum to deploy HSPA+ on the 1900MHz band, which every GSM iPhone supports for high-speed data. Several friends here in Atlanta that previously switched their iPhones to T-Mobile (and accepted they were getting 2G data) now have excellent HSPA+ speeds. This is with 3Gs and 4s phones. Several other metro areas have also been refarmed, with more on the way. T-Mobile is now even advertising with billboards and radio here in Atlanta that if you move your unlocked iPhone to them, you'll now receive great "4G" data (HSPA+) at a significantly cheaper price than AT&T.
civicturbo
join:2009-11-08
USA

civicturbo

Member

Thanks for posting this info, I had my unlocked iPhone 3GS on tmobile for awhile, I got 200k on the edge network, I switched to h2o wireless ( a mvno reselling AT&T) because their cheaper. I was paying 100 for 1000 mins. Good for 1 yr. but 1000 would never last. With h2o i got a free sim (mins bought thru pinzoo.com) and pay 25/mth prepaid monthly. For 1000 mins cool thing is $ balance rolls over, it doesn't sound like it from the site but they do.
Data is slow 150-200k and burn up the $ quick. Now if tmobile supports my 3G data on my phone that would be very enticing. I currently run around with a Clear iSpot in my pocket. (Another $25/mth unlimited data 6/1 speed unlocked works for all my wifi devices
saiflu
join:2012-10-10
united state

saiflu to fuziwuzi

Member

to fuziwuzi
Hi,
Did you say you were getting 4G in Atlanta?

I live here and am not getting any 4G, only Edge.

Where exactly are you getting 4G?

fuziwuzi
Not born yesterday
Premium Member
join:2005-07-01
Palm Springs, CA

fuziwuzi

Premium Member

Several of my friends here in Atlanta, with 3GS and 4, are now getting HSPA+ instead of EDGE. Perhaps it depends on your neighborhood. They are in Midtown.
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This is a sub-selection from One Phone, Multiple Networks