T mobile extended range - will it work?

[offroad]

Supposedly t mobile has this extended range technology for LTE they are installing. They are so confident it will work fine that they will unlock your new iPhone 6s if it can't get coverage wherever you are. At least that's what I think the corporate advertisement folks are saying.

Any chance that this is competitive to verizon LTE range coverage ?

 

[East]

The map for extended LTE looks solid, but I'm definitely going to be critical until I hear some positive things about it in action.

The fact that I need new hardware might keep me from considering it though in the near future.

 

[Almost There]

If you check their coverage map for places like in AZ - I checked Ehrenberg for example, you'll find that their coverage is still only 2G all over the area. Zoom in on where you want to spend your time and go from that.

While they claim to be able to cover 300 million people now in the US with LTE, that is mostly all city dwellers. The remainder of the population are those that live in sparsely populated areas.

It reminds me of a demo given by one of our larger Canadian service providers who tried bragging that they provided coverage for 92.5% of the population. Umm yes, they do, however those of us on the receiving end knew that we were in the other 7.5%. I can drive less than 10 minutes from home and be out of any cell phone range.

Population coverage only tells a small part of the story - tell me how much of a percentage of land mass that you cover and I'll start looking at you.

 

[highdesertranger]

I don't believe it. I checked some areas I know have no cell coverage by any carrier and they showed coverage so either they built a bunch of new towers or they are telling stories. highdesertranger

 

[offroad]

New frequencies supposedly will travel further? Or sales hype. No way to tell until you get the new phone.

 

[highdesertranger]

but the phones have the same wattage output. the weak link in cell phones is from the phone to the tower, because of the relatively low power of the handset. will have to see if it works, is anybody using it? highdesertranger

 

[NeedAnEscape]

This should help, at least with indoor signal. AT&T and T-mobile both have antennas on the same tower near where I work. The AT&T signal is much better inside the building only because AT&T has lower frequencies avaliable in that area. Both are equal in the parking lot. In heavily wooded areas trees won't block lower frequencies as easily either. In deserts I'm not sure how much it will help.

 

[offroad]

Agree on lower frequencies getting through. But more susceptible to noise. Just means they will use more fancy processing to get calls through. In theory and speculation

 

[Gary Lee]

The new coverage (as explained to me by Tmobile) is based on the newest phones that have a 700mhz antenna. Example, I would have to upgrade my iPhone 6 to a 6s, Note4 to Note5, etc. in order to access this frequency. While this will extend coverage it still remains as to how much more. National Forest and BLM land are still more fringe zones than the others.

At this point I am very disappointed with Tmobile's coverage. It is definitely urban in its focus, but I signed on while living in the city some years back. They have some nice amenities, but I guess Trix are still just for kids.  :dodgy:

 

[Treehugger]

Supposedly t mobile has this extended range technology for LTE they are installing. They are so confident it will work fine that they will unlock your new iPhone 6s if it can't get coverage wherever you are. At least that's what I think the corporate advertisement folks are saying.

Any chance that this is competitive to verizon LTE range coverage ?

I recently visited Denver, Colorado and had terrible Verizon coverage.  I couldn't even contact Uber when I was trying to leave my car parked, and travel within two miles of downtown. I am sure everyone has different a experience, but this has made me consider switching carriers when my plan comes up for renewal.

 

[Treehugger]

but the phones have the same wattage output.  the weak link in cell phones is from the phone to the tower,  because of the relatively low power of the handset.  will have to see if it works, is anybody using it?  highdesertranger

I commented on Verizon later in this string, that's with an IPhone with a monthly bill.

 

[Goshawk]

If you have a iPhone 5 on Verizon towers via straight talk you pay $50 for 5gigs of data. You can get a sim chip for T-Mobile and for AT&T and switch upon demand if you are staying for a month in any area that would have better coverage. You just need to do more planning.

T-Mobile has there unlimited Netflix movies plan for data streaming. Which is very attractive if you can get T-Mobile coverage.

 

[Happy Camper]

If you have a iPhone 5 on Verizon towers via straight talk you pay $50 for 5gigs of data. You can get a sim chip for T-Mobile and for AT&T and switch upon demand if you are staying for a month in any area that would have better coverage. You just need to do more planning.

T-Mobile has there unlimited Netflix movies plan for data streaming. Which is very attractive if you can get T-Mobile coverage.

Every Verizon Iphone from 4s to the 6s are unlocked. Just something to know in case you ever need to change carriers, you won't have to change phones if you don't want to. Unless you go with Sprint, but who does that? :s

 

[Goshawk]

The netflix streaming free video data on T-Mobile is 480p only. With a google tv device you should be able to mirror Netflix from your T-Mobile iPhone to your hdtv.

 

[Gary Lee]

If you have a iPhone 5 on Verizon towers via straight talk you pay $50 for 5gigs of data. You can get a sim chip for T-Mobile and for AT&T and switch upon demand if you are staying for a month in any area that would have better coverage. You just need to do more planning.

While that would entail another fee on top of my TMobile plan it does offer an option that was not there before. As you said it requires some more planning, but options are good. Good info. Thanks.

I am still curious as to TM's extended range and its actual use. Although, that would mean an upgrade in phone equipment. I still contemplate Verizon, whether I should bite the bullet and move over to them. While options are good they can also contribute to anxiety issues.  :s

 

[Goshawk]

Unless t-mobile has a 5 bars on a scale of 5, intend to avoid it., especially for data use. Verizon is functional on only 2 bars on scale of 5 in most circumstances.