possibly switching from ATT to TMobile or Sprint

[mtquinn]

We have been with ATT for years, and we are exploring options. The coverage of both TMobile and Sprint look similar, but the prices of Sprint look slightly lower. My big question is:

Does Sprint sludge down the 4G/LTE when you get close to your data limit?

ATT does that, and I believe TMobile as well.

If anyone has made this switch, how do you like it? Any issues?

 

[Buzzsgramma]

Service is so bad with T-Mo____....dropped calls,cannot connect with out of town people....text messages dont go thur ...that our duaghters family is going back yes going back to VERIZON!

 

[FergieTCat]

Service is so bad with T-Mo____....dropped calls,cannot connect with out of town people....text messages dont go thur ...that our duaghters family is going back yes going back to VERIZON!

And T-Mo customer service is the pits. Their representatives sound like (and probably are) reading from a script.

Spent 2 years with them and switched to Verizon.

 

[chabs]

T-Mobile will let you "try" a phone for free (at least they used to). Check out their website and see if they still have the one week trials. I did this when I was looking for a cheaper option than Verizon. It took 10 minutes to send one picture through text-no thanks! I don't have the patience for bad service so we're stuck with Verizon here.

 

[3boymthr]

DH had Sprint for work and coverage was okay but the phone was one of the push to talk flip phones - no data. I'm wondering about people's experience with the data as I am looking to switch in another month or two as well. We all need new phones and AT&T wants $$$$$ to replace them.

 

[gofordrew]

I've had Sprint for years and I love it. The service is good, and no they do not slow down your data once you've hit your limit. They also have great customer service. Plus right now if you take your AT&T bill there, they will match the plan and cut the cost in half. You can google Sprint's coverage map if you want to see the kind of talk/data coverage they have in your area.

 

[Maggie Lizer]

Coverage from Sprint was horrible in my home - I had to go to the end of my driveway to get any sort of connection. And I never got so much as one bar in my office at work.

I rarely get close to my data limit with AT&T and have found the coverage to be great.

Ask people who live and work near you what they think of the coverage with the different providers, because it really can vary widely.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We switched from T-Moblie to ATT because the coverage was so terrible with T-Mobile. We had dropped calls all the time before we switched.

 

[clori]

I have had tmobile since they were voice stream and never had any real issue. My texts get sent, I can make, receive and talk, get decent 4glte etc. Occasionally I have called to talk to tech support when I have gotten a new phone and they are great.

Basically tmobile works well in specific areas but if you live in one of those areas it is a decent company. I use my phones primarily in the Boston area where I live but have traveled with it to places like NYC, Washington DC, Hershey/Lancaster PA, Niagara Falls NY (I had it off on the Canadian side), Orlando (it worked fine at all 4 Disney Parks, Downtown Disney, and Pop Century but not the best inside MCO airport), Anaheim including Disneyland etc. I did have trouble in a rural area in PA but my friend's Verizon did not work there either.

 

[Ranger111]

I think it mostly comes down to where you are as to who you should use.

Ask around and see what other people say. I asked random people on the street. They all seemed happy enough to rate their carrier.

I had T-Mobile for at least 8 years. Maybe more. Their coverage in my rural area is surprisingly excellent. Everyone said Sprint was horrible in my area. I had had ATT and it was so-so. Verizon is best in MY area, but did not want to pay their prices.

Now, so wife and kiddies kept whining, we just switched to Verizon. And, you know, coverage is better, but not that much -- but -- boy how they love those IPhones (we all had dumb phones before switching at Christmas).

And boy, how two kids can make 10GB of data disappear in just three days....

Again, ask locally. DO NOT TRUST THE COVERAGE MAPS YOU SEE ONLINE

 

[happily single]

I left Verizon in November (after 6 years) and switched to Sprint. The service is terrible. All calls are full of static, dropped calls and very slow internet. Also it sometimes takes hours to recieve text messages!

 

[MillauFr]

With my wife and my work phone, our family has coverage from Virgin (Sprint), AT&T, and Verizon. I haven't noticed one to be any better than any other.

 

[scard192]

we like TMobile because of the wifi calling. have bad service at my condo because it's a brick townhouse. switch to wifi calling at home and no problems. I see SO many of my neighbors outside on their cell phones because of bad service. T Mobile also has quite a few music streaming programs that do not count towards your data usage; that is very popular feature with my kids.

 

[crazelion]

DH had Sprint for work and coverage was okay but the phone was one of the push to talk flip phones - no data. I'm wondering about people's experience with the data as I am looking to switch in another month or two as well. We all need new phones and AT&T wants $$$$$ to replace them.

You don't have buy your phone ATT. You can ATT Go Phone or buy unlocked gsm phone. I have not bought a phone through ATT and years. I just switch from post-paid to pre-paid and I am loving it. Because I get more data.

 

[dsneprincess]

I have had tmobile since they were voice stream and never had any real issue. My texts get sent, I can make, receive and talk, get decent 4glte etc. Occasionally I have called to talk to tech support when I have gotten a new phone and they are great.

Basically tmobile works well in specific areas but if you live in one of those areas it is a decent company. I use my phones primarily in the Boston area where I live but have traveled with it to places like NYC, Washington DC, Hershey/Lancaster PA, Niagara Falls NY (I had it off on the Canadian side), Orlando (it worked fine at all 4 Disney Parks, Downtown Disney, and Pop Century but not the best inside MCO airport), Anaheim including Disneyland etc. I did have trouble in a rural area in PA but my friend's Verizon did not work there either.

I would second this. I love TMobile, have been with them since VoiceStream days when I left Cellular One. I have 5 smart phones, unlimited talk/text, 2.5 GB per line with no overage & doesn't seem to throttle anymore, although only DS uses all his data for $110/month +taxes. I have excellent coverage at home, work and where I travel. I have 2 lines that live in another sate & no one complains about dropped calls or unsent texts. My phones also send text pictures quickly & easily.

I have used throughout Northeast, I95 &I81 corridor while traveling, around Charleston, SC; Orlando, Las Vegas & southern California. I don't remember not having service in the desert between Vegas & SoCal, but it was a few years ago. I have also always had very good service from their customer service people.

 

[piyooshj]

Recently I contemplated this as well. I have been with ATT for years but I have 6 smartphones in my plan and TMobile just has a very good price and we'd save a lot. I called ATT and threatened that I am planning to switch and the retention person was like I can offer your 5GB more per mo over my 10gb plan for free, I said my cost is high and 10gb is good, he put me on hold for 1 min and came back with $20off per month. Since some of us recently bought new iPhone 6 & 6+ and I am not sure of TMob network, cost difference is not huge enough anymore so NOT switching at this time.

But remember the tip call and threaten to swtich to get the discount over their published rate.

 

[zoemurr]

I would second this. I love TMobile, have been with them since VoiceStream days when I left Cellular One. I have 5 smart phones, unlimited talk/text, 2.5 GB per line with no overage & doesn't seem to throttle anymore, although only DS uses all his data for $110/month +taxes. I have excellent coverage at home, work and where I travel. I have 2 lines that live in another sate & no one complains about dropped calls or unsent texts. My phones also send text pictures quickly & easily.

I have used throughout Northeast, I95 &I81 corridor while traveling, around Charleston, SC; Orlando, Las Vegas & southern California. I don't remember not having service in the desert between Vegas & SoCal, but it was a few years ago. I have also always had very good service from their customer service people.

Can you explain how you have 5 phones for $110 to a newbie? I have just signed DD up for the $30 prepaid plan with t-mobile but it is taking forever for them to port her number so we haven't had a chance to try it. I was thinking it would be $120 for the 4 or us.. how did you get less than $30 each? Thanks!