SIM-swapping to unlocked LTE devices...

[the86d]

So my son got a phone from his girlfriend, and it is one of those nasty iPhruity things.

He popped in a T-Mobile SIM after getting the "demon-device" unlocked at the AT&T store, and he was off to the races, LTE and all...


I recall unlocked AT&T phones (iPhones and the G1) were limited to 2g on T-mobile's network (when I was running 4g/HSPA+), unless T-mobile radio firmware was available for your model of phone.

Is LTE universal between AT&T and T-Mobile now w/an unlocked device, providing there is a service-activated SIM?

[Robotron2k84]

Since the iPhone 6 the device only comes with two options for radio hardware: LTE/GSM and LTE/GSM/CDMA.

AT&T and T-Mobile use the former chipset and support all of the frequencies of both carriers. The carrier-subsidized CDMA phones are locked to the carrier and will only operate in unlocked GSM mode outside the country of purchase.

If you buy the unlocked phone from Apple it's the LTE/GSM/CDMA radio and can operate on any provider based on what SIM is installed. Apple's soft-SIM in the newest models can be programmed on one carrier and the hardware SIM on another.

iPhones before the 6 were carrier dependent on which frequencies and protocols they supported.

[Dribear]

IIRC, most current gen smart phones have all bands available. Although I do know how ATT and Verizon like to screw people over.

[the86d]

IIRC, most current gen smart phones have all bands available. Although I do know how ATT and Verizon like to screw people over.

Yes, I know that if you dropped a SIM w/ only Call and Text from an ATT clip-phone plan into a smartphone, they will start to charge you data, because it is a smart phone.
At least that is what they said, and what I read years ago...

T-Mobile used to be okay with this, but I don't know if this changed since Android and iPhruity phones became a thing... as this was on feature phones like the Blackjack.
I have had friends do this on T-mobile before Android was a thing, with no ill effects, they said.

[TriumphantApe]

Off topic but I'm compelled to mention Google fi, you have to use Android but my bill is only $26.
Once I realized most of the places I go now have WiFi, I don't really need to use data over the phone network.
I have 6 gigs of data if I do use the phone network, but when checking the usage I barely come close.

It's nice not using ATT or Verizon, despised them for years now, any way off topic but I had to mention it.
Turns out I like Android (as long as it is stock) much better than IOS, or whatever it's called today.

https://support.google.com/fi/answer/6201699?hl=en

[Robotron2k84]

I will gladly pay more for T-Mobile's service over anything else because they have two things no one else has: unlimited hotspot and free inflight wifi. Those alone are deal-makers for my laptop tethering and tablet on trips for my daughter.

Yes, T-Mobile's coverage still lags, but by acquiring Sprint, they should get a whole lot more tower coverage and some additional frequencies to offset.

[TriumphantApe]

I will gladly pay more for T-Mobile's service over anything else because they have two things no one else has: unlimited hotspot and free inflight wifi. Those alone are deal-makers for my laptop tethering and tablet on trips for my daughter.

Yes, T-Mobile's coverage still lags, but by acquiring Sprint, they should get a whole lot more tower coverage and some additional frequencies to offset.

That's the network Google fi uses.
It's also a great example of what competition does for the consumer, ATT/Verizon, aren't in competition, price fix, and run the majority of the sheep on their network, but the little guys have to offer more to compete.

[Robotron2k84]

Google Fi is exactly the same price as T-Mobile One when you max out the data (16GB) per month: $80. Both offer unlimited data, but T-Mobile's is not rate-capped after that amount unless you are on a congested tower.

[Dribear]

Yes, ATT blows.
Back in the day when Windoze mobile was a thing, I first had a moto flip phone phone with Tmo 5.99 mo interwebs, so I had my own hotspot so to speak. Then I acquired a Windows mobile phone and was able to keep paying the 5.99 vs 9.99 'smartphone ' plan.

A few years after that when they changed it all up and had 3g and adjusted prices I was paying only 9.99 per mo for true unlimited.
They then changed their plans again when 4g came to be. And in order to save money on new shared plan I had to go with the 20$ true unlimited plan, which I still have today.

I have 5 lines, including true unlimited for 130/mo

Yes, I know that if you dropped a SIM w/ only Call and Text from an ATT clip-phone plan into a smartphone, they will start to charge you data, because it is a smart phone.
At least that is what they said, and what I read years ago...

T-Mobile used to be okay with this, but I don't know if this changed since Android and iPhruity phones became a thing... as this was on feature phones like the Blackjack.
I have had friends do this on T-mobile before Android was a thing, with no ill effects, they said.

[the86d]

...
I have 5 lines, including true unlimited for 130/mo

Nice! I have the T-mobile 2.5GB (actually 4GB w/ loyalty bonus) per phone plan, w/4 phones for $100/month. I even tether at full speed, unlike those who jumped on the newer plans.

[Robotron2k84]

Nice! I have the T-mobile 2.5GB (actually 4GB w/ loyalty bonus) per phone plan, w/4 phones for $100/month. I even tether at full speed, unlike those who jumped on the newer plans.

Generally in my neck of the woods, I get anywhere from 70-120Mb/s tethering. What plan doesn't have full-speed hotspot?

[the86d]

The current (non-extended tether add-on) with T-Mobile called T-Mobile ONE.

Reports in this forum state they were only getting .5Mbps before upgrading data-tether...
I verified this is what their current plan (ONE) offers, by default on their site (or was it 3rd party?).

Luckily I am on a grandfathered "Simple Choice" plan, because Eff-that. For more money per line, AND .5Mbps tether?
You can keep your new fandangled "ONE" plan, T-mobile.

Oh, here it is... as T-mobile's site was... "non-specific":

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/08/t-mobile-quadruples-tethering-speed-on-unlimited-plan-to-512kbps/

[Robotron2k84]

That's right, we went over that before. I signed up for Digits and One during the Digits promo and they gave me the One Plus Intl. Unlimited 4G Hotspot bump no cost. Guess people should be looking at the promo deals for changeover.

[the86d]

That's right, we went over that before. I signed up for Digits and One during the Digits promo and they gave me the One Plus Intl. Unlimited 4G Hotspot bump no cost. Guess people should be looking at the promo deals for changeover.

Whenever it gets slow near my work, I tell them. I get like .2-.5Mbps download, but like 12Mbps upstream, like they get their wires (UP/DOWN numbers, actually) crossed, AND their head is up their backside, all at the same time.

I call and it gets fixed for a few weeks-to-months, and have to call again, with the same issue, like someone has no clue how to do their job, or they are doing it on purpose, like we don't have the ability to just run a speedtest app...?

[Robotron2k84]

^ That sounds like you are being impacted by their tower congestion protocol. What is your data usage in the billing cycle when it happens? If you are on a different tower when you first notice, if you change towers, does it still continue?

Most of the issues that I call TMo about are related to Digits and it's stability, I rarely have any issues with the base service.