[geeks] Opinions on T-Mobile and Verizon

[Michael Parson]

> Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2007 09:56:32 -0500
> From: Jonathan Katz <jon at jonworld.com>
> Reply-To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
> To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
> Subject: Re: [geeks] Opinions on T-Mobile and Verizon
>
> On 11/24/07, Phil Stracchino <phil.stracchino at speakeasy.net> wrote:
>> Shannon Hendrix wrote:
>>> Does anyone have any experience with T-Mobile?
>>
>> I considered them at one point, but rejected them because their
>> coverage footprint is tiny.
>>
>>> On a related note: cell data plans cost too much.  Are there any
>>> decent phones out there with WIFI?
>>
>> Data access that customers could use for free?  That's crazy talk,
>> man!
>
> We've had T-Mobile for years and it's been pretty solid. For an
> extra-something per month they add in WiFi access.

I've had T-Mobile in the US since they were Voicestream.  In Texas, I've
only been in a few places that I got zero coverage.  A couple of times,
I've had to piggy-back on another carrier for a little while, and I know
where a few dead spots are in the city, mostly due to hills and tower
placement, I suppose.

I'm on a grandfathered plan where I can get unlimited data for
$20/month, now that is bundled with their WiFi plan so that users
can use either their GPRS/EDGE connection on their phone or get a
WiFi connection at one of their hotspots, which seem to be mostly at
Starbucks, which I never visit, so I have little need for it.

The WiFi phones they sell come with a new AP for you home.  All your
calls are routed out it if you are at home, but supposedly seamlessly
transfer to the cell network when you leave your house.  Calls that
originated via the WiFi connection do not come out of your plan, they
are free, and continue to be free even if you leave the house while on
the call.  They only have one or two phones that do this, neither of
which I have much use for (I have an unlocked Palm Treo 680), but I've
considered, just for the toy factor, but I don't have the toy budget I
used to.

T-Mobile Support has always been very helpful, even with helping me get
my unsupported T680 working on their network.  The SIM card I'd had
since the VS days would not work in it and they recommended I go in to a
store-front to get a new card.  The guy in the store swapped it out and
activated it, no money changed hands (nor any fees attached to my next
bill).  They did all this knowing full well that I was using it in an
unsupported phone.  The guy in the store even played with the phone for
a little bit and wanted to know where I'd gotten it, he liked it better
than the units that were offered by T-Mobile.  The biggest thing I like
about them is that they don't treat their customers like crooks and they
don't try and nickle-and-dime you for every little feature you ask for,
like I've heard of people complaining about other companies' offerings.

-- 
Michael Parson
mparson at bl.org