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Thinking about leaving VZW for T-Mobile
- Thread starter jova33
- Start date
so i've been trying out t-mobile with an htc one i got used from ebay. the htc one is a t-mobile htc one so it connects to t-mobile's LTE and hspa+ with no problem. my first 2 days have been good so far, i've tried calling from my house and my 2 work locations with great call reception. i also watched an 30 minute episode on daily motion with absolutely no hiccups. so far, so good. HOWEVER
youtube buffering has so far been very slow compared to verizon. it may be because the htc one has a 1080p screen and buffering hq video takes a lot longer, but i tried switching to cc and it still takes a long time to buffer. i tend to play a lot of music from youtube, and when i was on verizon i could finish a whole 4-7 minute song without it ever stopping mid-song and waiting for it to buffer. however, with t-mobile, it typically stops 30sec-1min into the song, EVERY TIME, then plays back only 2 seconds at a time for the entire rest of the video as it keeps pausing to buffer. this is WITH 4G LTE.
i know t-mobile's network is not up to par with verizon's but because it IS LTE i thought the network speeds would be more than fast enough to play a 4 minute youtube video no problem. the network speed has otherwise seemed fast doing other tasks so i'll have to test it out some more. could it be that i am doing something wrong with a certain setting?
edit: just realized cc stands for closed captioning lol
anyway my question to t-mobile users: is slow youtube buffering pretty normal on the t-mobile network???
edit again: ARRRRGGGGGHHHH i finally figured out how to turn HD off and now the videos are playing back fine. please disregard this post....
youtube buffering has so far been very slow compared to verizon. it may be because the htc one has a 1080p screen and buffering hq video takes a lot longer, but i tried switching to cc and it still takes a long time to buffer. i tend to play a lot of music from youtube, and when i was on verizon i could finish a whole 4-7 minute song without it ever stopping mid-song and waiting for it to buffer. however, with t-mobile, it typically stops 30sec-1min into the song, EVERY TIME, then plays back only 2 seconds at a time for the entire rest of the video as it keeps pausing to buffer. this is WITH 4G LTE.
i know t-mobile's network is not up to par with verizon's but because it IS LTE i thought the network speeds would be more than fast enough to play a 4 minute youtube video no problem. the network speed has otherwise seemed fast doing other tasks so i'll have to test it out some more. could it be that i am doing something wrong with a certain setting?
edit: just realized cc stands for closed captioning lol
anyway my question to t-mobile users: is slow youtube buffering pretty normal on the t-mobile network???
edit again: ARRRRGGGGGHHHH i finally figured out how to turn HD off and now the videos are playing back fine. please disregard this post....
chong67
Android Expert
I record 5 hours of Rush and Shawn Hannity on the Radio using Tunein Radio every day and it never skip a beat and I sit in the middle of building and far from windows. (I listen to it on my car Bluetooth when on my long drive to/from work and do FFW when there is commercial ) 
I watch CNN Live video streaming when I am driving too and it never skip a beat. There is a 4 sec lag playing it thru the Bluetooth in my car.
I watch CNN Live video streaming when I am driving too and it never skip a beat. There is a 4 sec lag playing it thru the Bluetooth in my car.
lennydude
Android Expert
Can not agree more. I just got a free T-Mobile sim card and I signed up for the $30 plan to check it out.
All I can say is "terrible". At least in my area. As always, if you can check out the network with a friend or acquaintance on the network, you should do that first. I kind of wasted $30 but at least now I know T-Mobile sux in my area (Portland, Maine).
BTW............was online with support and he told me to do a factory reset............no way...............never heard a factory reset to help out reception? Phone is LTE/4G capable and it only gets edge everywhere I go. Internet is unusable. AT&T works fine. Have above average LTE everywhere I go with AT&T
jamjr74
Well-Known Member
Can not agree more. I just got a free T-Mobile sim card and I signed up for the $30 plan to check it out.
All I can say is "terrible". At least in my area. As always, if you can check out the network with a friend or acquaintance on the network, you should do that first. I kind of wasted $30 but at least now I know T-Mobile sux in my area (Portland, Maine).
BTW............was online with support and he told me to do a factory reset............no way...............never heard a factory reset to help out reception? Phone is LTE/4G capable and it only gets edge everywhere I go. Internet is unusable. AT&T works fine. Have above average LTE everywhere I go with AT&T
Yeah same deal with me. I got edge about 30% of the time, 1-3 bars of hspa 60% and lte 10%. I Shoulda tried at&t cuz I really wanted to keep the nexus but I'm just so used to Verizon.
Rxpert83
Dr. Feelgood
Location is everything.
Generally if you've in a large city, T-Mobile works great. However, as you go more and more rural (or smaller cities) you're less likely to get good service or even any T-Mobile service.
Don't be afraid to do some research before you make a switch. Check out coverage maps on the carriers website as well as user reported coverage and speed maps such as sensorly (this requires people in your area using it on your network to be accurate)
Generally if you've in a large city, T-Mobile works great. However, as you go more and more rural (or smaller cities) you're less likely to get good service or even any T-Mobile service.
Don't be afraid to do some research before you make a switch. Check out coverage maps on the carriers website as well as user reported coverage and speed maps such as sensorly (this requires people in your area using it on your network to be accurate)
chong67
Android Expert
Yep, location is everything. It will work for others but not others.
My parent live in rural south Houston and Sprint coverage is so bad there. I miss my phone interview when I was there in Dec because the phone was on roaming n it never ring! My aunt have to come out of the house to make call on her Virgin network. Then few months back I was surprised to see 4G on Tmo at my parent house. I switch my aunt over to Tmo and now she can talk in bed.
In Maine I think US Cellular is king. You just have to go with them as there are no big carriers there and they would all be roaming.
My parent live in rural south Houston and Sprint coverage is so bad there. I miss my phone interview when I was there in Dec because the phone was on roaming n it never ring! My aunt have to come out of the house to make call on her Virgin network. Then few months back I was surprised to see 4G on Tmo at my parent house. I switch my aunt over to Tmo and now she can talk in bed.
In Maine I think US Cellular is king. You just have to go with them as there are no big carriers there and they would all be roaming.
i live in orange county ca which is technically part of the 2nd largest metro area in the states. so if t-mobile's reception is bad here, that would truly be a disappointment.
so far the only time i've noticed it to be slow was when i tried to watch an HD youtube video. everything else has been quick. i'll have to get one of those connection speed measuring apps to understand more what's going on.
so far the only time i've noticed it to be slow was when i tried to watch an HD youtube video. everything else has been quick. i'll have to get one of those connection speed measuring apps to understand more what's going on.
thebryceee
Android Expert
Vegas. 10x10 MHz. Coverage is really well here and I get LTE in most locations. Where there is spotty LTE coverage, they have HSPA+ 42 as a back up.
thebryceee
Android Expert
Yeah there was one fairly close
cptnobvious999
Newbie
Verizon just made me pay them $120 for an 'early cancellation fee' on my old account with them because they claim my contract end date on their website was not right. That was after I had the ability to do a 2 year upgrade on my device for over a month before switching off them. I am so glad I got rid of those bastards (sorry I'm pissed hah)
If you switch, make sure you call them and confirm that they won't charge you anything more
If you switch, make sure you call them and confirm that they won't charge you anything more
Shabbypenguin
Extreme Android User
sensorly.com is hands down the best coverage map I have ever used. I always use it to check coverage for friends/family. its how you can find the carrier that works best for you, seeings as the carriers maps will just say "yup we got you covered!" and find out its like edge/1xrtt only 
Rxpert83
Dr. Feelgood
It all depends on your location.
You'd be hard pressed to find a carrier that works the best for everyone everywhere .
Bodycount
Android Enthusiast
I was on Verizon and switched to T-Mobile last month.
Yes Verizon has better coverage but you are paying extra for that coverage. Verizon is one of, if not the highest priced carriers in the country. AT&T is not that far behind.
I use WiFi mostly. I did when I was on Verizon also. Because of that, T-Mobile coverage doesn't bother me. I rarely make calls when driving (for safety). When I'm at home or at work I have WiFi (at work I have access to 200 Mbps connection and I get roughly 120 Mbps download via speed test). 4G has nothing on that. WiFi calling covers any dead spots in my house or at work. I couldn't be happier.
Columbus has pretty good T-Mobile signal throughout the entire city anyway. Testing in my bedroom right now I'm getting 12 Mbps download and 7.5 Mbps upload through 4G.
Once my Note 3 is paid off, my bill goes down by $26. That's something Verizon doesn't do. So if I don't want to upgrade, I can save some money. With Verizon it's like they force you to upgrade because if you don't you are still paying for the phone.
Yes Verizon has better coverage but you are paying extra for that coverage. Verizon is one of, if not the highest priced carriers in the country. AT&T is not that far behind.
I use WiFi mostly. I did when I was on Verizon also. Because of that, T-Mobile coverage doesn't bother me. I rarely make calls when driving (for safety). When I'm at home or at work I have WiFi (at work I have access to 200 Mbps connection and I get roughly 120 Mbps download via speed test). 4G has nothing on that. WiFi calling covers any dead spots in my house or at work. I couldn't be happier.
Columbus has pretty good T-Mobile signal throughout the entire city anyway. Testing in my bedroom right now I'm getting 12 Mbps download and 7.5 Mbps upload through 4G.
Once my Note 3 is paid off, my bill goes down by $26. That's something Verizon doesn't do. So if I don't want to upgrade, I can save some money. With Verizon it's like they force you to upgrade because if you don't you are still paying for the phone.
saptech
Android Expert
Since my switch to Tmobile, I've gotten as high as 8mbps for download, and I can live with it. My area is AT&T country, I probably won't get much better speed because it seems like tmo has a low presence. Verizon does have good coverage but as mention, they are expensive.
I'm going with tmo $30 p/m plan and I'll save $50 p/m since dropping vzw. I can live with tmo, for now anyway. The good thing about unlocked phones is you can switch carriers. I'll probably try AT&T prepaid plan if tmo start having issues.
I'm going with tmo $30 p/m plan and I'll save $50 p/m since dropping vzw. I can live with tmo, for now anyway. The good thing about unlocked phones is you can switch carriers. I'll probably try AT&T prepaid plan if tmo start having issues.
new optimus
Android Expert
I too love sensorly coverage maps, however you also have to take into account in smaller areas if no one or very few have contributed to the map it may show no or little coverage even if its got good coverage.sensorly.com is hands down the best coverage map I have ever used. I always use it to check coverage for friends/family. its how you can find the carrier that works best for you, seeings as the carriers maps will just say "yup we got you covered!" and find out its like edge/1xrtt only
Exactly right.
I know where I live T-mobile is the best, because they have a good coverage base, and they have one of the fastest download speeds and they are cheaper.
But just a few hundred miles from me in the "sticks" verizon has better coverage then anyone.
Rxpert83
Dr. Feelgood
I really dig T-mobiles speeds here in Minneapolis- 20-25mb/s and I basically never leave the twin cities so coverage isn't a problem.
Just have to wait for my Sprint contract to end and I'd have to seriously consider switching
new optimus
Android Expert
When I lived in North Dakota I never even considered T mobile, no coverage any where in the state, or at most only fargo, same for sprint, fargo is the only sprint location. Wow do I NOT miss that state. lol
I had a local cell provider Cell One who in turn were bought out by Alltel, who merged with Att and Verizon. At the time of the merge, Att would have become my provider but I moved to Florida during that merger and so I told att to kiss my *** and went with metropcs didn't like the slow speeds on them though so went to boost mobile, my wife decided to keep metro. Well after a year or so with boost (I loved the price I got to say ($35 unlimited everything) I was tired of the slow speeds at home, it was fine anywhere but at the house. Of course at the time I thought fast was 1mb down lol.
So I went to t mobile.
In hindsight I wish I had stayed with att for a short time, just to get to know the sim technology and what I could do with it. After having sim phone I will not go back to cdma. Switching phones easy as can be.
I had a local cell provider Cell One who in turn were bought out by Alltel, who merged with Att and Verizon. At the time of the merge, Att would have become my provider but I moved to Florida during that merger and so I told att to kiss my *** and went with metropcs didn't like the slow speeds on them though so went to boost mobile, my wife decided to keep metro. Well after a year or so with boost (I loved the price I got to say ($35 unlimited everything) I was tired of the slow speeds at home, it was fine anywhere but at the house. Of course at the time I thought fast was 1mb down lol.
So I went to t mobile.
In hindsight I wish I had stayed with att for a short time, just to get to know the sim technology and what I could do with it. After having sim phone I will not go back to cdma. Switching phones easy as can be.
Rxpert83
Dr. Feelgood
Agree. Its nice to have the option of going somewhere else without having to drop a considerable amount on a new handset. That was icing on the cake for the nexus 5- no problems going back and forth between Sprint and T-mobile :thumbup: