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Why the AT&T deal can’t be good for T-Mobile consumers: Pay double and get half

25 points by jeremychone 16y ago

geekam 16y ago
I am a T-mobile customer and up until now I was very happy with their service. The only reason I do not have an iPhone is because I did not want to go to ATT. Now, I have no choice but to go with Verizon, and I will.
- pilom 16y ago
  It really isn't that much work to jailbreak your iPhone. Mine has been running on T-mobile very happily (but sans 3G) for over a year.
  - jeremychone 16y ago
    Yes, the problem is the different 3G band. Otherwise, you can just buy a unlocked iPhone from France (without having the jailbreak it). Obviously, this makes sense only if you go to France for other purposes.
kin 16y ago
My fingers are crossed that this doesn't go through. I've had T-Mobile for years and have been grandfathered into such an amazing family plan. $20 for unlimited web per person, lines 3-5 are free. $10 unlimited texting for the entire family. Unlimited mobile-to-mobile, nights, weekends, and my faves. Coverage used to be poor but it's only getting better.
- ryanhuff 16y ago
  It has to go through. T-Mobile is likely shedding business customers in record numbers. AT&T is offering businesses special deals to migrate all of devices from T-Mobile.
atomical 16y ago
T-mobile throttles internet after 5GB. The writer of this article doesn't have "unlimited" everything.
- Dylan16807 16y ago
  What speed does it run at after throttling? It's still far superior to overage charges an order of magnitude over the base price.
  - atomical 16y ago
    I usually get around 5k/sec after throttling starts. Your speed will vary depending on the quality of the network. But obviously at speeds like this you can't do HD video streaming.
    - jeremychone 16y ago
      Thanks for the info. I just updated the blog post with this.
- jeremychone 16y ago
  throttles is still much better than not having it or being over charged.
  - atomical 16y ago
    It's not that much better than dialup and certainly not within the unlimited use that your article suggested.
    - jeremychone 16y ago
      I guess its a matter of opinion. I prefer a connection that get slower rather than being overcharged for it, and I consider unlimited because I do not have to pay more for it.
barista 16y ago
Whatever the reason is, you need to realize that the current owner of the TMO, sold it because it was more lucrative to get the money ATT is offering rather than run the service. Which means the current price pressure was getting to them. Soon they would have escalated the prices anyways. With the ATT deal it might just happen soon. I am not happy with this deal either but I am not disillusioned that TMO would have kept the lower prices around for long.
pilom 16y ago
AT&T does not lock anyone into 2 year contracts any more that T-Mobile does. Both of them offer month to month (on any phone) and both of them offer discounts on new phones if you get a 2 year agreement.
- jeremychone 16y ago
  Do you have the link of the AT&T month to month? I found the pre-paid one (which is not the same)
  - bradleyland 16y ago
    If you bring your own (compatible) device, you can get a no-contract plan. The prices are exactly the same. If you want a no-contract plan, but don't have a device, you have to pay the un-subsidized price for the phone.
    - jeremychone 16y ago
      Ok, I found it now. If you select Sim Card, but they still ask you the IMEI number, and you can have only one phone per simcard. They tie it together. With T-Mobile, just change phone, as long as it works for you, it works for T-Mobile.
      - bradleyland 16y ago
        I've never had a problem swapping SIM cards on ATT. Not sure if it's "supported", but I've done it in the past. The only phone where I've run in to restrictions was the iPhone. They ask you for the IMEI because they show "your device" in the ATT portal. I don't think it's used to restrict your access. Not trying to make an argument out of it or anything :) but I figured since you're a T-Mobile customer, you're already in for a rough ride :( Thought I'd try to offer some consolation as we welcome you to the support group... I mean, network. Yeah, network.
        jeremychone 16y ago

25 points by jeremychone 16y ago

I am a T-mobile customer and up until now I was very happy with their service. The only reason I do not have an iPhone is because I did not want to go to ATT. Now, I have no choice but to go with Verizon, and I will.

pilom 16y ago
It really isn't that much work to jailbreak your iPhone. Mine has been running on T-mobile very happily (but sans 3G) for over a year.
- jeremychone 16y ago
  Yes, the problem is the different 3G band. Otherwise, you can just buy a unlocked iPhone from France (without having the jailbreak it). Obviously, this makes sense only if you go to France for other purposes.

kin 16y ago

My fingers are crossed that this doesn't go through. I've had T-Mobile for years and have been grandfathered into such an amazing family plan. $20 for unlimited web per person, lines 3-5 are free. $10 unlimited texting for the entire family. Unlimited mobile-to-mobile, nights, weekends, and my faves. Coverage used to be poor but it's only getting better.

ryanhuff 16y ago
It has to go through. T-Mobile is likely shedding business customers in record numbers. AT&T is offering businesses special deals to migrate all of devices from T-Mobile.

atomical 16y ago

T-mobile throttles internet after 5GB. The writer of this article doesn't have "unlimited" everything.

Dylan16807 16y ago
What speed does it run at after throttling? It's still far superior to overage charges an order of magnitude over the base price.
- atomical 16y ago
  I usually get around 5k/sec after throttling starts. Your speed will vary depending on the quality of the network. But obviously at speeds like this you can't do HD video streaming.
  - jeremychone 16y ago
    Thanks for the info. I just updated the blog post with this.
jeremychone 16y ago
throttles is still much better than not having it or being over charged.
- atomical 16y ago
  It's not that much better than dialup and certainly not within the unlimited use that your article suggested.
  - jeremychone 16y ago
    I guess its a matter of opinion. I prefer a connection that get slower rather than being overcharged for it, and I consider unlimited because I do not have to pay more for it.

barista 16y ago

Whatever the reason is, you need to realize that the current owner of the TMO, sold it because it was more lucrative to get the money ATT is offering rather than run the service. Which means the current price pressure was getting to them. Soon they would have escalated the prices anyways. With the ATT deal it might just happen soon. I am not happy with this deal either but I am not disillusioned that TMO would have kept the lower prices around for long.

pilom 16y ago

AT&T does not lock anyone into 2 year contracts any more that T-Mobile does. Both of them offer month to month (on any phone) and both of them offer discounts on new phones if you get a 2 year agreement.

jeremychone 16y ago
Do you have the link of the AT&T month to month? I found the pre-paid one (which is not the same)
- bradleyland 16y ago
  If you bring your own (compatible) device, you can get a no-contract plan. The prices are exactly the same. If you want a no-contract plan, but don't have a device, you have to pay the un-subsidized price for the phone.
  - jeremychone 16y ago
    Ok, I found it now. If you select Sim Card, but they still ask you the IMEI number, and you can have only one phone per simcard. They tie it together. With T-Mobile, just change phone, as long as it works for you, it works for T-Mobile.
    - bradleyland 16y ago
      I've never had a problem swapping SIM cards on ATT. Not sure if it's "supported", but I've done it in the past. The only phone where I've run in to restrictions was the iPhone. They ask you for the IMEI because they show "your device" in the ATT portal. I don't think it's used to restrict your access. Not trying to make an argument out of it or anything :) but I figured since you're a T-Mobile customer, you're already in for a rough ride :( Thought I'd try to offer some consolation as we welcome you to the support group... I mean, network. Yeah, network.
      - jeremychone 16y ago