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MetroPCS Offers LTE Service In Las Vegas
$55 for prepaid unlimited voice, data, SMS

Disruptive prepaid player MetroPCS is now taking on 4G wireless broadband, and has beaten all other carriers to the punch by launching LTE service in Las Vegas. According to a company statement, the company is also offering the first LTE-supported smartphone right out of the gate (albeit not one that will compete with Android or iOS): The Samsung Craft (see device specs here), which they're selling for $299 after a $50 rebate.

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The company's base LTE plan is $55 a month (prepaid) for unlimited talk, SMS, and unlimited data speeds of around 6-8 Mbps. That price point includes all taxes and fees; MetroPCS continuing its effort to differentiate itself by not assaulting consumer bills with below the line costs.

The company is also pushing a $60 tier, which features layered social networking services and a RealNetworks-driven video service dubbed Metrostudio. According to the company, tethering is not allowed in either the $55 or $60 tier.

The network, built in cooperation with Samsung, should cover most -- but not all -- of the existing MetroPCS CDMA footprint in Las Vegas. According to MetroPCS, the company hopes to have the service deployed across in all of their markets by January, with several additional deployments before the end of the year.

While there's something to be said for being first, with no substantive phone lineup, no tethering, and no data card service, this isn't really much of a competitor to existing services (or the massive LTE launch Verizon has planned for year end) quite yet. Still, it could prove to be the beginning of something interesting in time.
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brianiscool
join:2000-08-16
Tampa, FL

brianiscool

Member

haha

WE also include terrible coverage. You can't even upload a picture indoors. That is how bad the signal is.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: haha

just because you can't in your area doesn't mean someone else can't in their market. Also they don't promise coverage. in their coverage areas. Read the fine print.

baineschile
2600 ways to live
Premium Member
join:2008-05-10
Sterling Heights, MI

baineschile

Premium Member

Re: haha

said by hottboiinnc4:

they don't promise coverage. in their coverage areas. Read the fine print.
/fail
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: haha

no its called read the agreement. if you don't read the agreement thats your own problem not their's.

thender
Screen tycoon
Premium Member
join:2009-01-01
Brooklyn, NY

thender

Premium Member

Re: haha

said by baineschile:
said by hottboiinnc4:

they don't promise coverage. in their coverage areas. Read the fine print.
/fail
said by hottboiinnc4:

no its called read the agreement. if you don't read the agreement thats your own problem not their's.
If I agree to repair your boiler, but make you sign a form that says I can't get you hot water, I've failed.

Same here.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: haha

no it doesn't. All cell phone companies that have clause in their service agreements and even on the coverage maps. You need to know how the industry works. They're not going to tell you that you can use your phone everywhere you go when they don't know what the conditions of that area you are in has. It could be the house itself that is blocking the signal. Especially if it has a metal roof or siding. It's just like a house trailer.
hottboiinnc4

hottboiinnc4 to thender

Member

to thender
and need help understanding that part of the agreement with carriers? Here is Sprint's take on it:

»shop.sprint.com/en/cover ··· up.shtml

thender
Screen tycoon
Premium Member
join:2009-01-01
Brooklyn, NY

thender

Premium Member

Re: haha

metro takes that portion a little too seriously.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: haha

again its in the print read it. don't like it; don't use them. Here is an idea. don't use any cell phone company if you don't like it. They all say the same thing and they have the right to do so.
jkeelsnc
join:2008-08-22
Greensboro, NC

jkeelsnc to hottboiinnc4

Member

to hottboiinnc4
Then why do they show maps in brochures and on commercials and in their stores on the wall if they don't promise coverage? Granted there are 100 things that effect reception. Building design, terrain, trees, weather. All of which are not completely predictable. Nonetheless, there is a case of misleading advertising here. "its the network" etc... uh huh its also an excuse in areas that do have poor coverage to not have to provide better coverage and simply have a lame excuse like "its in the fine print" which is really "we don't give a crap, now pay your bill and leave"
flyingjoey
join:2005-11-07
Jersey City, NJ

flyingjoey

Member

Metro Piece of Sh!t :)

So you have all this speed in your hands, yet you can't use it for something useful like connecting it to your stupid laptop.

FAILURE!
vlad1000
join:2005-05-19
Brooklyn, NY

vlad1000

Member

Re: Metro Piece of Sh!t :)

don't you worry, $55 for 100mbits service to watch 1080p videos on a tiny phone screen makes perfect sense!!!
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4 to flyingjoey

Member

to flyingjoey
not a failure. they don't want to be a HSI provider and have to support you using your laptop on their network. If you want to do that get a data card or order the service from a carrier that support tethering.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: Metro Piece of Sh!t :)

Again, we agree on something.

wow.

But you're right.. not every carrier has to be everything for everyone.. some people just don't get that.

If every carrier was the same, offered the same services, the same handsets, and the same low prices, and everything else the same, then why have competition?

MetroPCS obviously has found a niche in an industry that has a market - and that's a bad thing? or, as it was said "FAILURE!"...

The only failure I see around here is how people believe that everything ever launched has to plug them in to their laptop.. oh, news flash.. the laptop is a dying breed any more for being "mobile" and "on the go".. in case anyone hasn't noticed, it's tablets, "pads" and hand-held devices that are on the forefront.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: Metro Piece of Sh!t :)

thats true. i just got my first blackberry and i don't even check my email on my computer anymore. my connection goes around my BB now except my web surfing.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Still a good step

MetroPCS is making a pretty big step here. Granted, the phone that they're offering doesn't have Android. Then again, MetroPCS currently has no Android phones, and will never get iOS phones so why even bring that up?

The $55-$60 per month plan doesn't support tethering. So what? You can probably figure out a way to tether anyway, and MetroPCS's $55 per month is close to other carriers' $50-$51 per month when you account for their taxes. Also, MetroPCS phones haven't been able to tether thusfar; why start now?

Lastly, 6-8 Mbps is maybe 6-8x the broadband speed of MetroPCS's 3G in the area, if they even have 3G; I know that MetroPCS has kept a 1xRTT network in most of their footprint until recently.

MetroPCS also doesn't have data sticks on 3G. Again, why start now on LTE? A phone will get them more customers, particularly since you can get e MetroPCS unlimited-everything plan cheaper than a plan from pretty much any contract carrier.

The proof's in the pudding though. Gimme speedtests...
brianiscool
join:2000-08-16
Tampa, FL

brianiscool

Member

Re: Still a good step

Simple Mobile offers unlimited everything 1GB limit for 3G. A lot better than Metro
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: Still a good step

How is unlimited talk/text + 1GB of web for $60 per month on T-Mobile's network universally better than unlimited talk/text/web on MetroPCS's networks for $55?
brianiscool
join:2000-08-16
Tampa, FL

brianiscool

Member

Re: Still a good step

1) Better Coverage
2) You can get the latest GSM unlocked phones,
3) You can get a signal indoors.
4) 3G is far superior than 1x CDMA which is almost like a 14.4band modem. lol
5)You get your text messages and picture messages instantly.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: Still a good step

1. Depends on where you are
2. GSM is slower than LTE, and which unlocked phone do you have in mind? Also, how much does that cost?
3. MetroPCS works well in some areas. MetroPCS and T-Mobile use similar frequencies (1700 and 1900) so cell site deployment determines how well coverage works. In south Florida MetroPCS works very well...
4. CDMA 1x is about 2x modem speeds. LTE is about 2x 3G speeds on T-Mobile, on average, on-phone. Or maybe 10x the speed. Depending on your area. Also, contrary to popular belief, T-Mobile is limited to GPRS or EDGE in some of their areas. That's slower than CDMA 1x.
5. So...you can't do that with LTE?
brianiscool
join:2000-08-16
Tampa, FL

brianiscool

Member

Re: Still a good step

1) Miami, Florida metro does not offer 4G LTE here.
2) I have the HTC HD2 bought it for $350.
3)Metro is terrible anywhere in Florida indoors.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: Still a good step

they don't offer LTE in Their Michigan markets either so stop bitching about how you're left out on LTE.

And again; they don't promise you anything as far as coverage. Read the fine print.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2 to brianiscool

Premium Member

to brianiscool
Being that Metro only offers LTE in ONE MARKET they JUST RELEASED, and it's just being made "news" today, I'd guess you're spot on that it's not available in Miami Florida yet. But, also as it's been stated, Metro hopes to have LTE launched footprint wide by January, so maybe in a few months you'll consider changing your post, at least as far as 4G goes.. (Still think it's funny that ANY carrier in this country is using "4G" to define these small speed increases when they're anything BUT 4G speeds.)
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT

tired_runner to brianiscool

Premium Member

to brianiscool
Metro now offers 1xEVDO IIRC
brianiscool
join:2000-08-16
Tampa, FL

brianiscool

Member

Re: Still a good step

I lived in Pinecrest, Florida, Kendall, Florida, Palmetto Bay, Florida and Homestead, Florida all areas were terrible for metropcs coverage.
tired_runner
Premium Member
join:2000-08-25
CT

tired_runner

Premium Member

Re: Still a good step

In NYC it worked everywhere I went with it.

I've always said it's a decent carrier as long as you live in a high density area where they have strong presence.

Sprint had shitty coverage for a good while before they expanded.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: Still a good step

no that can't be true about Metro. See above. Someone claims their service in NY doesn't work.
sonicmerlin
join:2009-05-24
Cleveland, OH

sonicmerlin to iansltx

Member

to iansltx
said by iansltx:

How is unlimited talk/text + 1GB of web for $60 per month on T-Mobile's network universally better than unlimited talk/text/web on MetroPCS's networks for $55?
Well, actually I heard MetroPCS is using the minimum 1.4 MHz bands of spectrum for their LTE devices, so you're looking at around 3mbit/s data rates. They're using 4G to provide 3G-ish services to their customers, since they have no real 3G offering.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: Still a good step

that is due to there is no true "LTE" yet. It's still in the lab. But no better way to build out 3G than using 4G technology

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Roaming capabilities; if any?

If they could roam thru a deal with Verizon for LTE(when Verizon rolls out LTE), that may make their product more marketable. Without that, an LTE plan with MetroPCS seems pretty unsellable.

DaveDude
No Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey

DaveDude

Member

Re: Roaming capabilities; if any?

it says it cdma as well. So i guess Verizon is the roaming partner.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4

Member

Re: Roaming capabilities; if any?

their CDMA partner is Sprint and Cricket.
BHNtechXpert
The One & Only
Premium Member
join:2006-02-16
Saint Petersburg, FL

BHNtechXpert

Premium Member

No Tethering? Seriously??

Why bother speeds of 6-8mbps if you aren't going to offer tethering. Without it those speeds are useless.

••••••••
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Why does everything have to be "the same"..

While there's something to be said for being first, with no substantive phone lineup, no tethering, and no data card service, this isn't really much of a competitor to existing services (or the massive LTE launch Verizon has planned for year end) quite yet. Still, it could prove to be the beginning of something interesting in time.
Has the "author" of these blog posts ever taken a course in economics or business? What does one expect for $50 or $60 a month? A phone that will also wipe your bum?

This is MetroPCS.. a LOW COST, low brow carrier that really doesn't offer all the bells and whistles as the big boy carriers. Roaming is also pretty much non-existent. The call quality isn't the greatest either.. customer service is pretty much non-existent as well.

I swear, people would bitch if a carrier offered all you can eat service on a network that could achieve 100mb, but didn't include tethering in that price as well.

MetroPCS isn't stupid.. they're obviously NOT looking at data cards at the moment or maybe aren't interested in providing them.. they probably don't want to really gain foot in the mobile data market, but would like videos and other media to the phone to load faster.. and, being they just launched LTE, and like other carriers, the phone selection is going to be slim at best.

I'd also gather since it was built in conjunction with Samsung, as it was stated, that it's a good bet as to why there is one handset, for the time being... AND, I bet the next handset will ALSO be a Samsung as well.

I sometimes just don't 'get' why some of the 'points' being made in the 'blog posts' are made at all... such as "albeit not one that will compete with Android or iOS".. not everyone out there cares for Android or iPhone, but of course that news will never get posted around here, will it?

C0deZer0
Oc'D To Rhythm And Police
Premium Member
join:2001-10-03
Tempe, AZ

1 edit

C0deZer0

Premium Member

$5/mo more for 4G speed?

Seems a worthwhile trade-off.

I was previously looking at the Code that ran WinMo 6.1 because of the myriad of freebie apps out there for it.

If I could have freebie apps on this and 4G speed, the extra $5/month definitely seems worth it.

Ironic how samsung and metro say they don't support tethering on the thing, but their first "real world tests" for the thing did involve tethering it to a notebook anyway. Makes me think it won't be long until someone at least puts out an app or hack for it that will 'unlock' that functionality.

thender
Screen tycoon
Premium Member
join:2009-01-01
Brooklyn, NY

1 edit

thender

Premium Member

What's with the garbage devices on alternative carriers?

The best thing on metropcs is a damn curve 8530.

That's nothing compared to boost mobile.

They're trying to sell a curve 83** series from 2007. As their flagship shizzle.

Is it a conspiracy between the non-subprime providers to keep device manufacturers from creating devices for them? I'd switch in a heartbeat if any real Android device could work in full force on metropcs.

••••

michieru
Premium Member
join:2009-07-25
Denver, CO

michieru

Premium Member

...Wow

Everyone gives MetroPCS crap but for what they have done to the market has been rather significant, they introduced fixed monthly pricing, the pay for your device structure, and now LTE and has dramatically improved it's coverage footprint in 3 years and has no sign of slowing down. Phones are slowly getting better. They are not only putting pressure on the traditional market but they are also innovating it. At the end of the day people don't want to worry about how many minutes they use or if they can use a certain thing on their device, they just want to use it without worry. As money keeps flowing into the company their coverage improves.

Sprint was pressured by MetroPCS and started offering unlimited and once that happened the other carriers followed.

I used to call them MetroPieceofshit when they first came out but the company is providing jobs, their providing unlimited services across the board, and for a reasonable price that most people will ditch their landline for without the worry of overage fees.

If anything I see MetroPCS as a good investment opportunity and as they grow especially in today's economy where the middle class are pinching to reduce their costs here and there, I only see this company growing and carriers like AT&T,Verizon, Sprint dwindling as things improve. T-mobile has the right idea as well and sadly a german company does, they also understand that the upgrades to HSPA+ are worth it as the 4G market because those kinds of speeds to a device solves 98% of what customers want with streaming video, music downloads, and fast web surfing and stable connections. Data card users will automatically be happier of the faster transfer rates without losing the problem of losing all of their EDGE coverage where faster services have not been deployed in without being completely in the dark.

I support MetroPCS and T-mobile in their push into improving the cellular markets with their ideas so far.