Comments on: T-mobile Still Working For Best Value!

By: Pablo

Pablo — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:50:28 +0000

What exactly does that mean when it says “Phone 1st”?

I currently have a family plan with 2 phones. One phone already has the T-Zones data plan, but I just tried to add it to my second phone as well, but they are not letting me do it since they are no longer offering T-Zones.

So if I wanted to get the unlimited data plan for $9.99 for my second phone, would I be able to do it?

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:10:44 +0000

For a real comparison I visited the other 3 sites and priced out comparable plans to my current plan. My current plan consists of the following:

Family MyFaves 800 minutes w/4 phones @ $89.99
T-Mobile@Home (absorb additional minutes above 800) @ $9.99
Family unlimited messaging @ $19.99
G1 Data Plan @ $24.99
Sidekick Data Plan @ $24.99

Total Cost @ $169.95

The Sprint Everything Data Family Plan with unlimited data and messaging,
4 lines 1500 minutes per month, N/W at 7pm (EXCELLENT)

Total Cost @ $169.97

The Verizon Nationwide Connect Family SharePlan with unlimited data and messaging,
4 lines 1400 minutes per month with Friends and Family

Total Cost @ $179.97

Our family anytime minutes average around 1100 per month (not including Nights and Weekends) so both the Sprint and Verizon Plan minutes are more than enough. Both Sprint and Verizon have 3G coverage in my area (T-Mobile says end of Sep 09 for my area if the coverage bleeds over to IL from St Louis) so advantage to Verizon and Sprint.

If I was to actually match the Sprint or Verizon plans using T-Mobile pricing the data plans alone would cost $100 for 4 phones plus the $20 for text and Family Time Plus with 1600 minutes, @ $100 (losing the @home and increasing the minutes on my plan) totaling $220. Does T-Mobile have any loyalty or other incentives to shave off $50 per month while including these services? I’ll call a CSR to find out.

Based on these prices both Verizon and Sprint offer more value than T-Mobile for the coverage I would like plus Sprint offers the Nights/Weekends beginning at 7pm instead of 9pm which would reduce anytime minutes even more.

I didn’t include AT&T as their prices for the services I have listed was well over $200 before I had finished adding features to the plan.

Take this for what it’s worth but for my needs both Sprint and Verizon offer more value for the dollar than T-Mobile at the present time.

By: ciocpa

ciocpa — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:45:12 +0000

I put in that I did not use text messages and needed unlimited Web and e-mail. The plans returned did not include a data plan, only 50MB web w/200 messages. Not even close to what I need. This might be helpful for someone who doesn’t have a smart phone, but useless for the many of us who do.

By: Elrich

Elrich — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:26:17 +0000

There are chips in T-mobile phones that decrease the bars (signal strength) if it’s on an AT&T tower, and vice versa. It kind of sucks, but, they chip the phones so that companies that share towers don’t get a “free” ride, so to speak. Where I am at in L.A., T-mobile uses the AT&T towers and my signal strength is always lower than that my sister’s phone who is on AT&T, using the same phone model!!! It’s fracked if you ask me!

By: Alan

Alan — Fri, 15 May 2009 01:51:19 +0000

Cool David, Thanks!

By: eric

eric — Thu, 14 May 2009 23:16:17 +0000

OK WOW!! billshrink’s coverage checker thing says i get “good” reception at my house which probably means 3 to 5 bars outdoors. well guess what? i get 1 bar that’s usually NOT there 80% of the day. It usually has no service around here for some sick reason, and it says i get few bars with AT&T when this area is dominated by AT&T and my family all have fully bars using the same tower t-mo and att are on!!! att gets full bars, t-mo nothing. coverage checkers are innacurate, especially bill shrink’s. According to this i get full bars on my way to work, when in actuality i have no service. How is this going to help t-mobile if it’s not accurate??? and how is it going to help them if it possibly leads them to spring or metro PCS and someone only needs a regional carrier??? what are they thinking?

By: Maryam

Maryam — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:54:51 +0000

Off topic, but two new HTC Android handsets this year: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10241139-1.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Crave

By: Elias

Elias — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:36:11 +0000

As Tmobile continues to increase rates, and do things like require certain phones to have data plans, it becomes less and less of a value. Of the 4 major carriers, for example, I think Sprint is now borderline cheaper than Tmobile on some plans that include messaging and data.

In addition, many more tech-savvy Tmobile users continued to stay with Tmobile despite its inferior network due to its great rates, but as stated above, it no longer has the clear advantage in that department.

By: WXman

WXman — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:12:03 +0000

What a piece of garbage. I put in all the information it wanted, exactly as it asked for it, and it came back with the freaking plan I already have!! It said I’d save 1300 bucks over two years…how is that if it’s the freakin’ plan I’m ON??

By: David

David — Thu, 14 May 2009 17:28:14 +0000

Alan, please read: http://www.tmonews.com/2009/03/dearest-readers/