How bad is T-Mobile/Sprint network?

[Mark_Henderson]

I had taken a leave from the Planet because I mostly posted in the Political Playground and I decided that I didn't want to talk about that here any more. But, I've otherwise appreciated the site over the years and often got valuable feedback to questions looking for information, like I am about to ask.

I live in Boston (Brookline now) and have always used Verizon as my cell phone network. I'm buying an extra line now to give my elderly mom who lives out of state an iphone, so I can do FaceTime with her, and I need a new phone myself because I've been using a really old phone (iphone 5), which is about to become nonfunctional after Dec. 31 as Verizon upgrades to 5G towers.

Comparing prices, I can get the same package (phones, service, extra mobile hotspot) for about $40/month cheaper with T-Mobile/Sprint. I know the network will be of lower quality - there's a reason people are willing to pay more for Verizon. But, I wondered what people's experience here is with how bad it actually might be? I was hoping that since Sprint & T-Mobile have merged, the combined coverage of their networks may not suck as much.

I was impulsive and switched networks and picked up the phones yesterday, but I have 14 days to back out. I've noticed that in Brookline & Boston, I'm often getting just one or two bars on the T-Mobile network, especially when I'm inside a building, in places where I would have been at 4 bars w/ Verizon, but their broadband and phone has seemed to work ok (though the broadband is a bit slower than Verizon was). But, if T-Mobile is weaker than Verizon in the city, where it should be its best, I'm wondering if it will be really shitty when I travel more.

Thanks for any feedback and I should score some kind of points for not posting to gloat about the election (yet).

 

[Undertaker #59*]

Welcome back! I hope you stick around.

I can only offer my experience living in rural NH. I had sprint and it wasn't great, but it was many years ago. I switched to Verizon and the coverage is leaps and bounds better.

A couple of years ago, I was curious about t-mobile, so this is what I did and it may be an option for you too.

I signed up with whatever phone I could get for free with a new phone number. I tried it out for 2 weeks to see how it would work for me. It didn't measure up. I brought it back and canceled within that two weeks without losing any money.

 

[John Locke]

Not that it matters where you are but I use US Cellular here in Central NH and the coverage is pretty great even in many rural areas.

 

[Joolz]

I can't help with your questions but nice to see you and enjoy FaceTime with your mother

 

[Steve1]

We've been using Sprint for a few years, and it works fine. Sometimes in a rural area, it loses it's bars, but we're not there much, so no problem.

 

[Mark_Henderson]

We've been using Sprint for a few years, and it works fine. Sometimes in a rural area, it loses it's bars, but we're not there much, so no problem.

Thanks. Where are you, though? I mostly care about around metro Boston. The network clearly isn't as good as Verizon is here, but enough people use it that I'm hoping it won't be annoyingly bad.

 

[Mark_Henderson]

I can't help with your questions but nice to see you and enjoy FaceTime with your mother

Thanks. I'm not sure if "enjoyable" was ever the right word for talking with my mother, but she's turning 90 and I can rarely get her to deal with her computer to do a Zoom call, so it seems like FaceTime will be easier.

 

[Steve1]

Thanks. Where are you, though? I mostly care about around metro Boston. The network clearly isn't as good as Verizon is here, but enough people use it that I'm hoping it won't be annoyingly bad.

I'm in an urban section of Smithfield, RI. But, we usually travel around (less with Covid, of course).

 

[chevss454]

I had taken a leave from the Planet because I mostly posted in the Political Playground and I decided that I didn't want to talk about that here any more. But, I've otherwise appreciated the site over the years and often got valuable feedback to questions looking for information, like I am about to ask.

I live in Boston (Brookline now) and have always used Verizon as my cell phone network. I'm buying an extra line now to give my elderly mom who lives out of state an iphone, so I can do FaceTime with her, and I need a new phone myself because I've been using a really old phone (iphone 5), which is about to become nonfunctional after Dec. 31 as Verizon upgrades to 5G towers.

Comparing prices, I can get the same package (phones, service, extra mobile hotspot) for about $40/month cheaper with T-Mobile/Sprint. I know the network will be of lower quality - there's a reason people are willing to pay more for Verizon. But, I wondered what people's experience here is with how bad it actually might be? I was hoping that since Sprint & T-Mobile have merged, the combined coverage of their networks may not suck as much.

I was impulsive and switched networks and picked up the phones yesterday, but I have 14 days to back out. I've noticed that in Brookline & Boston, I'm often getting just one or two bars on the T-Mobile network, especially when I'm inside a building, in places where I would have been at 4 bars w/ Verizon, but their broadband and phone has seemed to work ok (though the broadband is a bit slower than Verizon was). But, if T-Mobile is weaker than Verizon in the city, where it should be its best, I'm wondering if it will be really shitty when I travel more.

Thanks for any feedback and I should score some kind of points for not posting to gloat about the election (yet).

An MVNO may be the way to go in the future
Here’s a list of all the no-contract, prepaid carriers that run on Verizon’s network.

List of Verizon alternatives:

• Visible Wireless
• Xfinity Mobile
• Reach Mobile
• Greatcall
• Total Wireless
• Page Plus

 

[aloyouis]

We use Sprint (and now T-Mobile added) here in Michigan and run the gamut of inner-city to literally nobody else for 30 mi.² country land.

The six of us are all over the place and find the network to be fine these days with Sprint and T-Mobile has added coverage. There used to be a 20 mile stretch between our home in Michigan State University niece Lansing where there was no coverage and now that Hall is gone since they share towers.
Clearly my experience here in Michigan is irrelevant to you in eastern Massachusetts but you asked so I thought I’d let you know. We are fine with it and we do save quite a bit of money on the six phones.

I paid just under $200 a month and that includes the lease is on the phones (two older and owned 8+ and four new iPhone 12s), Unlimited talk and text and 30 GB of data.