How is T-Mobile Service around the Lake?

castlebreakfast · 10-12-2020, 08:19 AM

Hi there, I am thinking about switching my phone plan to Metro, which uses T-Mobile's network, because of a deal they are having. Does anyone here have T-Mobile, and if so, how is the service around the lake (and in New Hampshire generally)? I'm thinking specifically about the northern part of the lake, as well as the White Mountains, but any part will do. How is data as well as talk/text? Thank you.

WinnisquamZ · 10-12-2020, 08:36 AM

Switched 9 months ago. Here around Laconia it is good. Improved when the sprint merger closed. Lite coverage thru the mountains and further north. Overall, very happy

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thinkxingu · 10-12-2020, 08:41 AM

I've done a lot of research on cell service in the area these last couple years, and what I found is that priority matters as much as coverage. Specifically, that MVNOs, plans that use the major carriers' networks, are often lower in priority than the main carrier's customers.

That being said, I found many mixed reviews of TMobile in my research and chose AT&T instead. I would think that Metro might be second to actual TMobile customers, but I think it's a crapshoot.

If there's no penalty for cancellation, it's probably worth just giving it a go and try for yourself as actual use area might matter.

Let us know!

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MotorHead · 10-12-2020, 08:47 AM

Few years back we switched from AT&T to Verizon.
AT&T did not have any reception when on the lake or hiking the Kancamagus Highway trails.

joey2665 · 10-12-2020, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MotorHead

Few years back we switched from AT&T to Verizon.

AT&T did not have any reception when on the lake or hiking the Kancamagus Highway trails.

I have AT&T and have little issues on the lake but a definitely agree the reception is terrible on the Kancamagus

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Stilljester · 10-12-2020, 12:43 PM

Based on the experience of several of our friends last year, none existent in parts of Wolfeboro. I would recommend AT&T or Verizon if coverage is important to you. (Verizon being the better of the two in my experience.)

BroadHopper · 10-12-2020, 12:55 PM

T-Mobile is GSM tech. Fine if you live along the 93 corridor.
AT&T and Verizon are CDMA. Much better coverage in NH. Lately AT&T has much better coverage due to a federal contract to connect first responders in NH.
Straight Talk uses the Verizon network. Cheaper rates.

thinkxingu · 10-12-2020, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

T-Mobile is GSM tech. Fine if you live along the 93 corridor.
AT&T and Verizon are CDMA. Much better coverage in NH. Lately AT&T has much better coverage due to a federal contract to connect first responders in NH.
Straight Talk uses the Verizon network. Cheaper rates.

Does the First Responder program provide more coverage or just expand the network capacity to reduce deprioritization by way of allowing normal subscribers to use the network's bandwidth when first responders are not?

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mswlogo · 10-12-2020, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

T-Mobile is GSM tech. Fine if you live along the 93 corridor.
AT&T and Verizon are CDMA. Much better coverage in NH. Lately AT&T has much better coverage due to a federal contract to connect first responders in NH.
Straight Talk uses the Verizon network. Cheaper rates.

AT&T is GSM. Verizon, Sprint and US Cellular are CDMA.

But CDMA is gradually getting shutdown, I think end of this year for Verizon.

ishoot308 · 10-12-2020, 05:48 PM

My AT&T phone supports both technologies according to this....

https://www.reviews.org/mobile/is-my-phone-gsm-or-cdma/

Dan

mswlogo · 10-12-2020, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ishoot308

My AT&T phone supports both technologies according to this....

https://www.reviews.org/mobile/is-my-phone-gsm-or-cdma/

Dan

Many phones support(ed) both, if not most smart phones do these days.

Just because your phone has both doesn't mean your phone can use it, if your carrier doesn't use it.

Moot anyway

AT&T shut GSM down in 2017.
US Cellular shut CDMA down in March 2020

T-Mobile shutting GSM down in end of 2020.
Verizon shutting CDMA down in end of 2020.
Sprint shutting CDMA down in end of 2020.

I depended a lot on Verizon CDMA (US Cellular roaming around the lakes) filling in LTE gaps.

ApS · 10-12-2020, 08:19 PM

I've had T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T.

Verizon announces the dropping of a signal as one drives around.

AT&T simply drops the signal.

I had to drive miles around Wolfeboro to find any signal from T-Mobile!

castlebreakfast · 10-12-2020, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinnisquamZ

Switched 9 months ago. Here around Laconia it is good. Improved when the sprint merger closed. Lite coverage thru the mountains and further north. Overall, very happy

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Thank you. And how about the northern area of the lake? Center Harbor, Moultonborough? Have you tried it out up there?

mswlogo · 10-12-2020, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by castlebreakfast

Thank you. And how about the northern area of the lake? Center Harbor, Moultonborough? Have you tried it out up there?

T-Mobile and Sprint are probable the worst you could go with.

If you are on the original T-Mobile network (before merge) coverage is a joke in central NH lakes region or white mountains, as pointed out above. I have family members with T-Mobile and they get NOTHING for 10's of miles.

If you are on the Sprint network (now part of T-Mobile) their LTE/CDMA was very sparse. They roamed on US Cellular (CDMA/LTE). And if you hit the Roaming data cap (which wasn't much), you were screwed and you couldn't even add a byte of data. I was on Sprint for decades and finally had to move to Verizon (most expensive but the best coverage, not always the fastest speeds). Roaming deals may have changed with T-Mobile Sprint merger though.

Sprint was just as good as Verizon was for years and years and a lot cheaper because they both roamed on CDMA/LTE US Cellular. Until Sprint put a cap on it.

I would suspect Laconia is probably ok with any carrier.

TheProfessor · 10-13-2020, 04:53 AM

Have had Tracfone for 20 years.

Currently have a Samsung with Android 9. Uses the Verizon network.
Have driven across country multiple times with no issues.

One can purchase a new Tracfone with one year of service, 1500 minutes, 1500 texts, and 1.5 GB data for as low as $50.00. That includes a new Android phone.

LINK

And for more time/data at $15.00 here:

LINK

Tracfone is not for everyone. If one is a high data user. Note that unlocked wifi is available in many places now.

ApS · 10-13-2020, 08:19 PM

SPRINT—

"I ordered 200 oxen!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlBLzjE8x1c

thinkxingu · 10-14-2020, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApS

SPRINT—

"I ordered 200 oxen!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlBLzjE8x1c

I had that phone for a while—cutting edge!

In a previous life, I sold electronics for a now-defunct mid to high-end retailer and one of the perks was having access to the latest cell phones and networks for close to $0. It was crazy to watch how the networks pogo'd around—Sprint would be ahead and then AT&T and then Big Red...

Remember all the rage around Nextel?! Gawd was I glad when holding a public conversation became uncool. Now it's just people talking at their phones while driving as if that's somehow "handsfree."

OP: let us know if you end up trying TMobile!

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Hillcountry · 10-14-2020, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

I had that phone for a while—cutting edge!

In a previous life, I sold electronics for a now-defunct mid to high-end retailer and one of the perks was having access to the latest cell phones and networks for close to $0. It was crazy to watch how the networks pogo'd around—Sprint would be ahead and then AT&T and then Big Red...

Remember all the rage around Nextel?! Gawd was I glad when holding a public conversation became uncool. Now it's just people talking at their phones while driving as if that's somehow "handsfree."

OP: let us know if you end up trying TMobile!

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Nextel was invaluable to the trades back when I was in them. There is a difference between a loudmouth blaring into his/her phone and tradesmen communicating effortlessly.

thinkxingu · 10-14-2020, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hillcountry

Nextel was invaluable to the trades back when I was in them. There is a difference between a loudmouth blaring into his/her phone and tradesmen communicating effortlessly.

Not if you're in a public space.
Why'd you stop using it?

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Hillcountry · 10-14-2020, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Not if you're in a public space.
Why'd you stop using it?

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Amazingly, trades need to work in public “spaces” sometimes.
Got laid off from the trade. The company provided the phones.

thinkxingu · 10-14-2020, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hillcountry

Amazingly, trades need to work in public “spaces” sometimes.
Got laid off from the trade. The company provided the phones.

I stand my original comment: good riddance to Nextel.

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10-12-2020, 08:19 AM	#1
castlebreakfast Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 8 Thanks: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	How is T-Mobile Service around the Lake? Hi there, I am thinking about switching my phone plan to Metro, which uses T-Mobile's network, because of a deal they are having. Does anyone here have T-Mobile, and if so, how is the service around the lake (and in New Hampshire generally)? I'm thinking specifically about the northern part of the lake, as well as the White Mountains, but any part will do. How is data as well as talk/text? Thank you.

10-12-2020, 12:55 PM	#7
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,615 Thanks: 3,245 Thanked 1,115 Times in 801 Posts	T-Mobile T-Mobile is GSM tech. Fine if you live along the 93 corridor. AT&T and Verizon are CDMA. Much better coverage in NH. Lately AT&T has much better coverage due to a federal contract to connect first responders in NH. Straight Talk uses the Verizon network. Cheaper rates. __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

10-12-2020, 05:48 PM	#10
ishoot308 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gilford, NH / Welch Island Posts: 6,373 Thanks: 2,423 Thanked 5,352 Times in 2,096 Posts	CDMA or GSM My AT&T phone supports both technologies according to this.... https://www.reviews.org/mobile/is-my-phone-gsm-or-cdma/ Dan __________________ It's Always Sunny On Welch Island!!

10-12-2020, 08:19 PM	#12
ApS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida (Sebring & Keys), Wolfeboro Posts: 6,039 Thanks: 2,281 Thanked 788 Times in 564 Posts	Lucky Me... I've had T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. *Verizon* announces the dropping of a signal as one drives around. AT&T simply drops the signal. I had to drive miles around Wolfeboro to find any signal from T-Mobile!

10-13-2020, 08:19 PM	#16
ApS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida (Sebring & Keys), Wolfeboro Posts: 6,039 Thanks: 2,281 Thanked 788 Times in 564 Posts	Early Sprint Ad... SPRINT— "I ordered 200 oxen!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlBLzjE8x1c

10-12-2020, 08:36 AM	#2
WinnisquamZ Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 2,120 Thanks: 215 Thanked 678 Times in 451 Posts	Switched 9 months ago. Here around Laconia it is good. Improved when the sprint merger closed. Lite coverage thru the mountains and further north. Overall, very happy Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

The Following User Says Thank You to WinnisquamZ For This Useful Post:
castlebreakfast (10-12-2020)

10-12-2020, 08:41 AM	#3
thinkxingu Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 6,437 Thanks: 1,182 Thanked 2,140 Times in 1,327 Posts	I've done a lot of research on cell service in the area these last couple years, and what I found is that priority matters as much as coverage. Specifically, that MVNOs, plans that use the major carriers' networks, are often lower in priority than the main carrier's customers. That being said, I found many mixed reviews of TMobile in my research and chose AT&T instead. I would think that Metro might be second to actual TMobile customers, but I think it's a crapshoot. If there's no penalty for cancellation, it's probably worth just giving it a go and try for yourself as actual use area might matter. Let us know! Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

10-12-2020, 08:47 AM	#4
MotorHead Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Posts: 281 Thanks: 53 Thanked 85 Times in 64 Posts	Few years back we switched from AT&T to Verizon. AT&T did not have any reception when on the lake or hiking the Kancamagus Highway trails.

10-12-2020, 12:43 PM	#6
Stilljester Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Posts: 61 Thanks: 2 Thanked 17 Times in 15 Posts	Based on the experience of several of our friends last year, none existent in parts of Wolfeboro. I would recommend AT&T or Verizon if coverage is important to you. (Verizon being the better of the two in my experience.)

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to mswlogo For This Useful Post:
BroadHopper (10-13-2020), ishoot308 (10-12-2020)

10-13-2020, 04:53 AM	#15
TheProfessor Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,145 Thanks: 17 Thanked 350 Times in 211 Posts	Have had Tracfone for 20 years. Currently have a Samsung with Android 9. Uses the Verizon network. Have driven across country multiple times with no issues. One can purchase a new Tracfone with one year of service, 1500 minutes, 1500 texts, and 1.5 GB data for as low as $50.00. That includes a new Android phone. LINK And for more time/data at $15.00 here: LINK Tracfone is not for everyone. If one is a high data user. Note that unlocked wifi is available in many places now.