T-Mobile Nightmare

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REDYOUCH

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Messages
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Decided to move to T-Mobile for their pre-paid unlimited talk/text/1GBLTE/unlimited slower data plan for $40 a month and thought I would be saving so much over Verizon.

After popping in the SIM and activating my old device, I find out that I don't have service in my home. Shit. Then I start looking into using WiFi calling--my iPhone 5S supports it.

Turns out you can only do WiFi calling on T-Mobile with a T-Mobile-branded phone. I guess it's just my lucky day.
 
Mistakes were made. Verizon will be happy to have you back as a customer.
 
Currently scouting CL for a POS Nokia phone that will support WiFi Calling until I can get a next-gen iPhone (T-Mobile branded of course...)
 
I have the 100 minutes/unlimited text/unlimited data (5gb 4g) $30/month t-mobile plan and i couldn't be happier. I live in a major city so I don't really have any signal issues. It really depends where you live. Coverage maps are important.
 
If you live in the boonies hard to beat cricket, attached towers for way better price
 
I'm in the California Bay Area (Sunnyvale) and had 5/5 bars with Verizon previously.

I found that I get one bar if I stand with my body next to the front door looking like an idiot.
 
How is this a nightmare? Sounds like research fail to me....
 
REDYOUCH said:
I'm in the California Bay Area (Sunnyvale) and had 5/5 bars with Verizon previously.

I found that I get one bar if I stand with my body next to the front door looking like an idiot.
Click to expand...

I'm in the same area and I don't ever have coverage issues with my T-Mobile branded Note 4... which also supports WiFi calling...
 
DarkStar02 said:
I'm in the same area and I don't ever have coverage issues with my T-Mobile branded Note 4... which also supports WiFi calling...
Click to expand...

Ordered a Lumia 521 for $16 on eBay. Will test out the WiFi Calling.

Warrior said:
How is this a nightmare? Sounds like research fail to me....
Click to expand...

And this was not a research fail. They supported my device which was unlocked (iPhone 5S) and the coverage map shows solid pink all around my home and surrounding area.
 
No, any iPhone 5s should work with tmobile's WiFi calling...

Did you get a carrier bundle update and restart? That's how iOS does it - detect Sim, download apns and configs for that specific provider (enabling stuff like volte, WiFi calling, data apns, prls...)

The map is computer generated, can be inaccurate... That's why T-Mobile does offer a free 7 day test drive

http://www.howardforums.com/showthr...erizon-iPhone-5S-use-Wifi-Calling-on-T-Mobile

Guess I should have posted earlier before you bought the lumia..

Sites like sensorly/open signal report user-generated coverage levels

Don't see any particular issues with Sunnyvale... Might be indoor penetration issues(I'd recommend dyou to get the next iPhone with band 12)... You should fix your iPhone 5s first, seems to be a problem with the phone

http://sensorly.com/map/4G/US/USA/T-Mobile/lte_310260?map#q=Sunnyvale,+CA,+USA|coverage
 
Last edited:
It isn't anyone's fault. It happens all the time with all carriers. The ONLY way to know for sure you'll have coverage in your home is to use a phone from that carrier in your home. Coverage maps do not indicate what coverage will be like in any specific location because it can vary dramatically due to variables like environment.

Sure, he could have tested a friend or family member's phone, but maybe he couldn't do that.
 
Switched back to Verizon and planning on switching over to the "Verizon Plan" no-contract for about the same amount each month.

Thanks for the help and guidance.

/thread
 
big_aug said:
It isn't anyone's fault. It happens all the time with all carriers. The ONLY way to know for sure you'll have coverage in your home is to use a phone from that carrier in your home. Coverage maps do not indicate what coverage will be like in any specific location because it can vary dramatically due to variables like environment.

Sure, he could have tested a friend or family member's phone, but maybe he couldn't do that.
Click to expand...

This is the most sensible post. As for wifi calling, its a little iffy you really have to do research on that.
 
You might be able to get customer service to send you one of these if you get decent service outside your house:
https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-14947

I just received one last week. Overnight shipping and waived deposit fee. Prior I only had 1-2 bars of 4G in my bedroom by my window Get 4 bars 4G consistent throughout the house now.

EDIT: For clarification, I'm on a Simple Choice plan. Not sure how they handle pre-paid for these.
 
Switched back to Verizon today. Thanks for the help everyone.

I am thinking about going with their new "Verizon Plan" (no subsidy for upgrades) which ends up being around the same per month as T-Mobile and comes with great service!
 
Just a note, you may be in an area where T-Mobile has enabled Band 12. You might have good coverage in your home but don't have a handset that supports it.
 
Interesting, I have an unlocked Verizon iPhone 6 Plus on T-Mobile and use wifi calling in my house. I don't see why the 5S would be any different, get the carrier update, go into phone settings and enable wifi calling.
 
Unneeded software limitations enforced by Apple or T-Mobile (maybe both). They want you to upgrade and don't have much reason giving the same functionality across old models.
 
lloose said:
Unneeded software limitations enforced by Apple or T-Mobile (maybe both). They want you to upgrade and don't have much reason giving the same functionality across old models.
Click to expand...

FWIW, I find that sometimes WiFi calling just doesn't work when I am connected to certain APs. I am wondering if certain things need to be enabled on a router for this to work.
 
ocellaris said:
FWIW, I find that sometimes WiFi calling just doesn't work when I am connected to certain APs. I am wondering if certain things need to be enabled on a router for this to work.
Click to expand...

I had to go in on my parents Verizon Fios provided router and enable SIP ALG to get it working. Using out of the box Netgear and Asus routers, I haven't had any problems though.
 
I wonder how it sounds. It the right areas I get ATT's hd voice service and its amazing.
 
lloose said:
I wonder how it sounds. It the right areas I get ATT's hd voice service and its amazing.
Click to expand...

Depends, there is definite lag and sometimes you get an echo but over all the wifi-call quality isn't that bad.
 
Trimlock said:
Depends, there is definite lag and sometimes you get an echo but over all the wifi-call quality isn't that bad.
Click to expand...

TMobile's WiFi calling quality is the best (by a large margin) I have experienced compared to other VoIP based services/connections. Very useful too, especially when traveling overseas to avoid all the roaming charges.
 
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