Any AT&T customers tempting to switch to T-Mobile for the S4?

[MattMJB0188]

I really am. Just wondering if any AT&T customers are debating jumping ship? Tempted by their un-congested network and unlimited data. I use a lot and hate AT&T's throttling with the old unlimited plan. I also hate that AT&T throttles speeds during calls. The largest GSM carrier in the U.S also likes to forbid users from turning off 3G and LTE.

Seriously, anyone tempted to switch to T-Mobile? For me, its either upgrade and sign another 2yr contract with AT&T or T-Mobile and have so much more for less. The only thing that STOPS me is how inconsistent their network is. I have had T-Mobile before and I am sure they have improved, I am not sure. You'd have "4G" in one spot and move down the street and have EDGE. It really loved to bounce back and fourth. This happened occasionally with the S3 on T-Mobile last summer. For the most part, it worked though. Not a fan of them being last to the LTE table again. Oh well.

Thoughts?

 

[zamboni52]

I have been with Verizon for years and LTE in Colorado Springs is great. I've easily seen 18MB download speeds with 8-10MB being the norm. I am moving to Tmobile for the HTC One and the S4. I received the one a few days ago and seeing 6-9MB speeds which is fast enough for me. Once LTE gets here it will be even better. Bottom line, the price and coverage is good for me as well as having the newest phones available sooner than Verizon. I'll be preordering my S4 this weekend. The One belongs to my daughter for now.....

 

[MattMJB0188]

I have been with Verizon for years and LTE in Colorado Springs is great. I've easily seen 18MB download speeds with 8-10MB being the norm. I am moving to Tmobile for the HTC One and the S4. I received the one a few days ago and seeing 6-9MB speeds which is fast enough for me. Once LTE gets here it will be even better. Bottom line, the price and coverage is good for me as well as having the newest phones available sooner than Verizon. I'll be preordering my S4 this weekend. The One belongs to my daughter for now.....

I never travel. I'm a broke college student. What worries me is the inconsistency of T-Mobile's network. However, I could be saving SO much more with them compared to AT&T and get so much more like WiFi calling.

A BIG turn off is that the AT&T S4 will have a locked bootloader.

 

[zamboni52]

If you have wifi most of the time where you are at then it shouldn't be an issue. When my daughter is at school there is almost no cell coverage regardless of carrier. However, they have wifi all over and with wifi calling she can make and receive calls as well as text messages. I think Tmobile is decent in most bigger areas. But coverage gets scarce the farther you get away. It seems to work good on most of the major freeways as well.

 

[20blks]

I was with Tmobile when they were Omnipoint. They service is extremely inconsistent. I don't really care about having unlimited internet. I'm on wifi most of the time anyway. The main feature of a phone is the ability to make calls imo. Internet is second, and the unlimited (not really) on tmobile isn't that great anyway. They also throttle you. I would rather not have a phone than to use Tmobile or Sprint. There's a reason they claim to offer "unlimited" internet.

 

[drewsg]

I'm doing the opposite. Switching from T-Mobile from AT&T

 

[worknman]

Based on my experience, the network coverage is going to depend greatly on where you are. In my case, I'd rank the coverage like this:

- AT&T (my apartment complex is blanketed with AT&T's signal)
- T-Mo (is faster than any of the others here, but find myself on Edge more often than I'd like)
- Verizon (LTE is great when it works. When it doesn't, flipping back and forth to 3g sucks)
- Sprint (Just a big *** burger all the way around)

However, when I go visit my mom (who lives out in BFE), Verizon is the only thing that works. So, unless you travel a lot, don't let anyone tell you that 'carrier x coverage sucks', because like I said... it's very location specific.

 

[MattMJB0188]

I'm doing the opposite. Switching from T-Mobile from AT&T

Why? More money a month, and no unlimited data?

 

[Almeuit]

I have been with Verizon for years and LTE in Colorado Springs is great. I've easily seen 18MB download speeds with 8-10MB being the norm. I am moving to Tmobile for the HTC One and the S4. I received the one a few days ago and seeing 6-9MB speeds which is fast enough for me. Once LTE gets here it will be even better. Bottom line, the price and coverage is good for me as well as having the newest phones available sooner than Verizon. I'll be preordering my S4 this weekend. The One belongs to my daughter for now.....

Just FYI. You mean 18 Mbit.. You aren't getting 18MB a second lol that would be crazy ...

Sent from my Sprint S3 using AC forums.

 

[planoman]

Not me. I have unlimited data, a fantastic LTE network and a great discount on the rate plan. It might even still be more $$$ but I do not mind paying for good service. I also travel nationwide and ATT has not let me down yet!

I have been with ATT (and all the former companies) since 1997 and see no reason to change.

I am up for renewal now but will hold to hear more about the Note 3. If the S4 is irresistible, I will pick it up no commitment but at this moment, I am good with my Note 2 and Nexus 4.

Sent from my Nexus 7

 

[return_0]

Just FYI. You mean 18 Mbit.. You aren't getting 18MB a second lol that would be crazy ...

Sent from my Sprint S3 using AC forums.

Then again, Google Fiber gives you 125MB/s (1 gigabit/second).

Sent from my pure Google Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[Podunks]

A BIG turn off is that the AT&T S4 will have a locked bootloader.

What? Source? Not trying to be a jerk, just scaring me... Lol

 

[drewsg]

Why? More money a month, and no unlimited data?

I'm in an area where T-Mobile lacks, I'll gladly spend more a month for better coverage. I tried out AT&T last month, where I was on Edge using T-Mobiles network, AT&T had LTE coverage. I'll gladly switch back when their coverage improves though.

 

[jrvtecaccord]

Not a chance. For me in the DFW area, Tmobile is really spotty in the areas I am frequently in. AT&T's LTE coverage is the best IMO, even better than Verizon's LTE coverage. I will gladly pay the higher plan prices for great LTE coverage. I subscribe to the 10GB share data plan and it works out fine for 3 phones on the plan.

 

[planoman]

Not a chance. For me in the DFW area, Tmobile is really spotty in the areas I am frequently in. AT&T's LTE coverage is the best IMO, even better than Verizon's LTE coverage. I will gladly pay the higher plan prices for great LTE coverage. I subscribe to the 10GB share data plan and it works out fine for 3 phones on the plan.

+1 on ATT in DFW and pretty much all of Texas for that matter.

Sent from my Nexus 7

 

[Podunks]

+1 on ATT in DFW and pretty much all of Texas for that matter.

Sent from my Nexus 7

Same here in the Austin area.... I have co-workers with Sprint and T-Mobile who work in the middle of Downtown and literally do not have service...

 

[worknman]

Same here in the Austin area.... I have co-workers with Sprint and T-Mobile who work in the middle of Downtown and literally do not have service...

Yes, yes. My ratings from above are for Austin AT&T FTW here. I'm curious though... how fast is their LTE here, as I only have a Nexus 4? On Verizon, I could get 20mbps in certain spots with my old VZW Gnex. But that isn't even as fast as T-mo's HSPA on the N4, which I got up to 22mbps with. It's just too bad that T-mo is not that consistent around town.

 

[Podunks]

Yes, yes. My ratings from above are for Austin AT&T FTW here. I'm curious though... how fast is their LTE here, as I only have a Nexus 4? On Verizon, I could get 20mbps in certain spots with my old VZW Gnex. But that isn't even as fast as T-mo's HSPA on the N4, which I got up to 22mbps with. It's just too bad that T-mo is not that consistent around town.

I will let you know as soon as I get the S4 and have access to LTE!

 

[MisterEd]

Staying on T-Mo Prepaid $30 plan (costs me an average of $27/month with NO BS TAXES - not even sales tax). 5GIGs data and UNL text with "only" 100 mins a month which I have never yet used up. Their "4G" gives me 10-12MB down 75% of the time and 3-4MB the rest and have never seen EDGE (NJ/NY area) on my G Note 2. I'm assuming the S4 will do the same.

To me LTE is really meaningless for a cell phone. When I need super-speed downloads I use my Fios 75/35 service. I have a iPad Mini (I don't discriminate) on VZW and get 40-45MB with their LTE and then under 1MB with their "3G" but find the LTE unnecessary for my needs.

 

[AlphaVictor87]

I'm going to say hell no. These are the coverage maps for T-mobile and AT&T where i live. AT&T has a blanket of good coverage, while T mobile just confirms what everyone has been saying, spotty as hell coverage.

I will keep my AT&T service for sure. Never had a problem with it and excited to finally get LTE!!!

T Mobile is green, AT&T is blue