Phones Heads Up

[honda03842]

We have been Verizon Phone users for decades and are considering switching at least one phone to T-Mobile.

First T-Mobile works in both Canada and the USA on the same plan.

Second we would get the 6 gigabyte plan. The Data plan also works in both the USA and Canada.

Third, In the USA you get unlimited data for Netflix, Hulu, Sling and others if you have a six gig data plan, Streamin on the listed networks (there are more than my list) does not count against the 6 Gig blan..

We plan to give it a try before our trip to NL.

If you are a T-Mobile user please report your experience.

[CampyTime]

I too would be interested in experiences with T mobile. Now on verizon and like the idea of the options you mention not counting against data.


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[DanoFL]

I switched to Cricket wireless.

owned by ATT and uses their network

prepaid so no extra taxes

can increase data (and reduce it) anytime. If you increase, the charge is pro rated but not the data (eg 1/2 in the month you go up one step of data - $10/ month so it will cost $5, but you get all the data for the new plan on top of what you have already used)

if you run over your data (and do not increase) your data speed is throttled way back. So no overage charges.

There is an app that allows some phones to be tethered to laptops, some others allow the use of the phone as a hotspot for an extra charge.

You can use most GSM phones on cricket

Have had them for a year now - good value for the bucks.

BTW, keep your old CDMA phone (verizon, sprint) - in the USA you can call 911 for free on any cell phone even if no sim card/ phone account etc is set up. Great back up plan for emergencies.

I am a USA user only (so far) .

Another communication option I think is worth considering (as a backup or if one is really on a tight budget) is Google hangouts APP. This allows free calls to USA/Canada numbers - you need a google account (gmail address) and a good internet connection. you get a free phone number so others can call you too. Many options on vice mail, vm to text messages, call forwarding etc

[cpaharley2008]

I switched to T-Mobile about 6 months ago, dropped my ATT senior plan. No contract and unlimited data for streaming. I use blue tooth and Pandora in my cars, no longer need XM or Sirius.

[honda03842]

Jim,

Two questions... Do you use it for streaming on say Netflix? How much data do you have?


My original purpose was data while in Canada.

[cpaharley2008]

I only have 1 gig data @ 4 g LTE and unlimited 3 g afterwards
I only use it for radio right now

[Radar1]

We've been with T-Mobile for many years on the family plan. We've thought of switching sometimes since we travel more, since T-Mobile coverage in USA isn't as good as Verizon or ATT. One thing that has kept us with T-Mobile is that they do have unlimited web and texting while overseas, which includes Canada, Mexico, and even the 3 countries we just took a river cruise through (Hungary, Austria, and Germany).
T-Mobile coverage seems to get better each year and they had really good coverage each time we visited Canada the last 4 years.
To fill in where coverage is weak, we now use a pay as you go Hotspot from Straight-talk on the Verizon network.
One good thing about T-Mobile is that you actually get unlimited web with any plan, although they say it slows down after you reach the GB number on the plan you purchase. The higher cost plans also give you a little extra roaming on the ATT network that worked where Verizon didn't at Big Bend TX this year.

[Rzrbrn]

I am very interested in following this thread.We are about ready to get new phones. We have Verizon. One issue for us has been coverage; however we like to spend time in the mountains and there are many places in the North West, as well as Nevada, where the big V does not have coverage, so maybe T-mobile is a real possibility. We would like to use Netflix when in range, so unlimited streaming is very attractive. We do want good coverage since we move around a lot, however. That is, typically we spend 4 to 6 days in a spot and move on.

[honda03842]

As to coverage we are keeping one Verizon phone for the time being. Will probably just suspend my Verizon phone.

[Raz]

Did your unlimited hot spot die? I know you've gotten good service out of that. Raz

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

Did your unlimited hot spot die? I know you've gotten good service out of that. Raz

We still have our Verizon Hotspot. I've Suspend its use, (Verizon Option) for a few months.

We had Comcast installed in our place in FL. No contract required and also unlimited 25MBs wifi for $20 a month. We save $40.

I'm now responsible for our Escapee Park's Wi-fi system. It was hit by lightning this year knocking out the primary tower. My solution was for people to get a deal on Comcast while we fixed the system.

The problem with tower wi-fi is it's not fast enough for people to stream and most people want to stream though it's good for light users. It's back up and running but I'm keeping the Comcast.

[Island Claire]

Very helpful info. Having traveled with very limited cell phone this is going to help us move ahead.

[Norman Milliard]

Coverage maps

Coverage Maps for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile & more | OpenSignalMaps - OpenSignal

Norm from Seattle (Norm son)

[sokhapkin]

T-mobile DATA coverage is very poor. Voice is OK, but if you need data - use another provider.

Personally my main phone is with T-mobile, I use it voice and data if available, but I keep a second phone from https://www.pagepluscellular.com/ (Verizon Wireless network) to have data where t-mobile is not available.

Edit: ND and MT states are not covered by T-mobile data. Absolutely. Almost no service in WY (except for Jackson Hole). Very poor coverage in UT. No coverage in Indian reservations in NM and AZ.

[honda03842]

Our plan is to have phones with two different carriers for a while as a test. It really doesn't cost anything other than time.

Thanks son, I see the coverage maps, Quite interesting. T-Mobile shows coverage in Canada on their maps, probably using a local carrier.

[GMike A]

I was up at Mt. Baker Wa. on Tmob and had voice but was unable to get data until I got back into range in Northern Co. I came down through ID,MT,WY. I could not do campground look ups or any googling on the web at all. They are okay in Major metro areas but dont do very well for data away from those areas. JMHO

[OhTom]

This is an interesting thread to me. We live in a rural area in E. Ohio. The only cellular coverage we can really count on is Verizon. In the past we tried using their MiFi for our internet(no cable). It kept saying we were using above our allotment, bumping us up to larger plans. So I tried an experiment and shut off our Mifi(even removed the sim card), shut off the internet in our phones. Waited a week or two before going into Verizon to check our usage. Oddly, it showed the same amount of excessive data usage. The verizon rep had no answer as to why, agreed to let us out of our MiFi contract, but refused to refund any of our previous billing. I've never felt the same about the company since, but they are the only coverage for cell phone that we can depend on, here at home (we have had friends here with AT &T and Sprint-neither had service). We have since found a wireless provider for our internet that is mostly dependable and can watch Netflix or You Tube for $35/month. Verizon was charging us $250/month for 2 phones and 20 Gig of data for our internet that almost NEVER worked.
So , I am hoping someone here will have a good solution for when we start to travel.

[A Storgard]

And for those in/travelling within Canada - here is the Canadian coverage:
http://www.comparecellular.ca/coverage-maps/

And a quote from my son, (former employee of MTS)


"Though in a nutshell, Rogers and MTS have the best Canadawide coverage, and Bell and Telus have the worst."

It's good to have kids that are techies
Anita

[Indiana Lynn]

I tried Tmobile. Left Verizon to save money. I live in the Indianapolis suburbs and there were lots of places I could not get a phine signal, data signal or neither. Lots of big patches of no service, even if I was willing to settle for 2G. I am a Realtor and my mobility is important so I had to switch. The new Android phones could not be used on Verizon or Sprint so ai had to use AT&T. At least I had no contract to break. I love my $150 ZTE Zmax phone though. The last time I camped, I got an infinity wifi connection and used Hot Spot to throw it to my laptop and watched TV and a movie on demand. It did use a lot of data - 1 gb for a 2 hr movie.. My AT&T plan is $175 for 30 gb of data to share between 2 phones with 1 month rollover. So I cant do a movie every night. The campground had free wifi for email and internet access and it worked with the live TV. So I only needed to use my AT&T data for the movie. I am putting a small TV w/ a DVD player ao we can use Red Boxl rentals and not need to use data for movies much. I am also going to check into the wifi antennas you can put on top. I hear you can get a Digital Antenna on top to pick up local TV broadcast in some cities. Hope this helps.

[DougOlson]

We have had T-Mobile a few years now, and like it but coverage in remote areas is not good. For a cross country trip we are planning for next year I am considering getting a Verizon wifi hotspot device to use in addition to our T-Mobile phones.

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