N5 - Best on T-Mobile or Sprint in Bay Area (switching from Verizon)

[glamazon]

My hubby and I are looking to move from Verizon in December. I have really been wanting a Note 3. Once I saw the N5 it seems very compelling. I currently have a Galaxy Nexus. The things I'm unexcited about on the N5 is the camera (I have a very active 4 year old I love to take pix of) and the battery life. I'm thinking Fast Burst Camera, might solve the camera issue. I really don't want to be under contract so the N5 is just so compelling? I'm wondering which network in the bay area might be better T-Mobile or Sprint?

 

[wjr1985]

This is a general note on T-Mobile vs. Sprint, I don't have my Nexus 5 yet but I should today.

I moved to the bay area a few months ago with Sprint, but I ended up switching to T-Mobile for a few reasons:

- Sprint's LTE was shoddy at the time I used it here (July / beginning of August). It could be better now, but when I was in SoMa my phone would be connected to LTE but could not send or receive any data. It was fine in the East Bay though
- T-Mobile's non-LTE is faster in the Bay Area than Sprint's non-LTE, so if you're in an area where LTE is weak or nonexistant you'll still at least have descent data speeds
- T-Mobile's LTE speeds seem to peak higher than Sprint's LTE speeds
- If you take BART, you'll have way better luck getting at least some sort of signal in the Transbay Tube and other underground areas on T-Mobile vs. Sprint

This is just my experience, other people might have something different. I'm personally happy I switched

 

[glamazon]

Thanks for the reply. I live in SJ and work in SF (SOMA). I know there is no LTE currently for Sprint in SJ. Not sure about T-Mobile. Sounds like T-Mobile might be the better options.

 

[androidpirate]

check out tmobile prepaid plans to test out service first. also straight talk has a $45/mo off prepaid plan that can utilize the ATT or tmobile network. it's unlimited data (2.5gb on 4G LTE, 2g afterwards), texts, & mins.

 

[tippmann15]

I have a note 3 currently and just threw my new nexus on the charger. I love my note 3 and wouldn't ever leave it completely, I do plan to add my nexus 5 to my tmobile account. For me the note 3 is literally the perfect phone for me in every way.....BUT one big thing I'd mention to OP is that you can get 2 nexus 5s for the price of 1 Note 3, and go on tmobiles unlimited everything plan for $120 a month for 2 phones (if tmobile works well in your area). The obvious benefit is that you save $700.00 on top of tmobile being cheaper per month compared to sprint AND no contract . You could also subjectively weigh the benefits of buying a nexus every year and relying on 3rd party protection plans such as a credit card offering extended warranties and such - compared to buying expensive insurance plans through the 2 wireless carriers.

Note 3

 

[gone down south]

You'll get T-Mobile LTE pretty much everywhere in SF, the peninsula and the East Bay. The North Bay is a bit spottier

Sent from my Nexus 4 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[will_solo]

Traveling in and around the City and Peninsula, I would say that the T-Mobile network is very good. I am usually on LTE everywhere I go, and occasionally get 4G in certain areas. I was in Oakland this past weekend and got LTE as well. My sister was here this past weekend and she is on Sprint, and she was getting mediocre service on 4G, and good service on 3G. She does have an old phone (GSII) but she was complaining about the speeds.