AT&T agrees to buy T-Mobile

[EightySix Four]

That is precisely the problem. AT&T charges as much as Verizon when their network is something like 1/5th as good.

AT&T's network is faster in every situation I've ever used it for, their problem is dropped calls. Both suck at something.

 

[Pliablemoose]

AT&T's network is faster in every situation I've ever used it for, their problem is dropped calls. Both suck at something.

Let me introduce you to Verizon's LTE network...

I've been getting from 10,000kbps to 23,000kbps down on it.

No extra charge for LTE, the current promo is unlimited data with no caps.

 

[dguy6789]

AT&T's network is faster in every situation I've ever used it for, their problem is dropped calls. Both suck at something.

AT&T's 3G is a bit faster than Verizon's but not by too much. 2-3mbps average vs 1-2mbps average. This isn't even bringing in the very significant difference in reliability. That said, AT&T only has 3G in a tiny fraction of the country. If you go outside of those very small umbrellas you get dial up class speeds. AT&T tries extremely hard to hide their 3G data maps on their website. Meanwhile Verizon has almost the entire continental US covered by 3G.

As mentioned above, then 4G comes into the equation. Verizon's entire 3G footprint will be LTE by 2013.

 

[herkulease]

Let me introduce you to Verizon's LTE network...

I've been getting from 10,000kbps to 23,000kbps down on it.

No extra charge for LTE, the current promo is unlimited data with no caps.

its crazy to see those kinds of speeds but I wonder if Verizon is promising those spends once more devices come out and more people come on to their LTE network.

the thunderbolt and the data cards are all that are out there for now.

 

[EightySix Four]

Let me introduce you to Verizon's LTE network...

I've been getting from 10,000kbps to 23,000kbps down on it.

No extra charge for LTE, the current promo is unlimited data with no caps.

Equal network vs. equal network amigo. While I give Verizon props for launching their LTE network quickly, until AT&T's is out there is no valid comparison between the two.

Verizon beat AT&T to the LTE punch, and I give them props for that, but until it's in wide usage and supports more than a single phone, I don't feel it's a very fair comparison. The vast majority of Verizon's users use their 3g network, and even with their LTE network users counted, I'm willing to bet their average speeds are lower than AT&T's.

 

[dguy6789]

You do realize that the average speed of AT&T's network is under 200kbps right? The significant majority of the United States is on 2G or lower on AT&T.

This is the current 3G data map on AT&T: https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_...TT%20coverage, blue means 3G coverage.JPG

The blue is the only area with speeds above dial up if you use AT&T.

You can't say AT&T is faster but only in limited coverage areas and then say Verizon's LTE doesn't count because the coverage is limited.

 

[EightySix Four]

You do realize that the average speed of AT&T's network is under 200kbps right? The significant majority of the United States is on 2G or lower on AT&T.

I'm willing to bet it's over 200kbps by quite a bit.

The area covered by 3g have a vastly larger population than the areas covered by only 2g. 233 million people or 75% of the population are covered by AT&T's 3G network.

I discounted Verizon's LTE because there are so few people using it, not because of coverage.

 

[Destiny]

I used to be a Manager for several wireless carriers in the past and I have dealt with all of them.

Verizon is the best but you pay for what you get for.

I have T-mobile because I don't like AT&T's customer service and AT&T's dropped calls from my experience. Plus T-Mobile plans are cheaper too...

Most of AT&T customer call centers are in India and Philipines...

Most of T-Mobile's customer service call centers are in the USA and I've almost always had great customer service...

They should do something about improving their overall service and customer service instead of acquiring other companies and taking their customers... at the end of the day - there is a reason why Verizon is the largest, and more people are leaving AT&T...

This is just from my experience...

I just hope that they don't change my T-Mobile plans when I'm due for an upgrade next week... I was going to hold off on upgrading till the Samsung Galaxy S2 comes out, but I might hold off for an iPhone 5 too...(I have 4 phones on my dirt cheap family plan ($5 additional lines) with unlimited data on my phone ($20) and unlimited family text ($10)

 

[Pliablemoose]

I loved TMobile for the 10 years I had them...

Then I moved to LA and got such crappy reception, I had to change, so far I've tried Verizon, Sprint, Page Plus, and Virgin...

I have a data plan with AT&T for the iPad and can just barely tolerate it.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Wow, I'm on T-mobile FlexPay, which I was told recently at a Kiosk, that they were dropping flexpay, so that if I went with a different plan, I wouldn't be able to get it back.
They didn't tell me that AT&T was swollowing up T-mobile whole.

I wonder if AT&T will kill T-mobiles' cheap pre-paid plans?

 

[SunnyD]

While this sucks in general, it's not totally bad on the surface. T-Mo's rates have been catching up to AT&T and VZW's, so the "Customer-centric" nature T-Mo had has been falling by the wayside over the last couple years.

The part that sucks most... usually T-Mo got the GOOD android phones first. Now we'll suffer with completely locked down AT&T crap.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I'm in the midwest and have always been very happy with the AT&T network - it hasn't really been a problem for me at all. IMO, this will only improve things for me and so I'm happy.

For those complaining about bad customer service - won't Sprint and Verizon have an even bigger competitor to take customers from if they provide better customer service?

 

[zerocool84]

AT&T's network is faster in every situation I've ever used it for, their problem is dropped calls. Both suck at something.

What good is a faster network if you can't use it?

 

[boomhower]

This sucks. This will lead to absolutely nothing good for consumers. Your going to get fewer phone choices and higher prices. When Verizon buys Sprint, same thing again. Then of course the govt will realize it wasn't a good idea and start heavy regulations. Oh what fun that will be. This needs to be shot down by the regulators now and not let the merger go through.

 

[Pliablemoose]

This sucks. This will lead to absolutely nothing good for consumers. Your going to get fewer phone choices and higher prices. When Verizon buys Sprint, same thing again. Then of course the govt will realize it wasn't a good idea and start heavy regulations. Oh what fun that will be. This needs to be shot down by the regulators now and not let the merger go through.

Hell, we'll be lucky if the admin doesn't sign off on selling all 3 major cell carriers to the Chinese.

 

[LostPassword]

gawd dammit, i just switched to tmobile late last year.
i hope nothing changes. otherwise i'm going to sprint, cheaper than at&t.

 

[zerocool84]

Never mind the practicalities of T-Mobile and AT&T using different 3G bands, Apple not having approved any deal for extended distribution of its phone, or the fact AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile isn't set to complete for another year. The immediate reaction to AT&T agreeing to buy T-Mobile USA was to ask, "so that means the iPhone's coming to T-Mo, right?" Well, wrong. T-Mobile has delivered an FAQ on its site informing customers about the forthcoming transition, including the unequivocal notice regarding the iPhone:

"T-Mobile USA remains an independent company. The acquisition is expected to be completed in approximately 12 months. We do not offer the iPhone. We offer cutting edge devices like the Samsung Galaxy S 4G and coming soon our new Sidekick 4G."

So that settles that (for a year, anyway). In other news, service and billing won't be changing, and there's a promise that T-Mobile devices will continue to operate as they do now even after the acquisition is complete. Ominously, however, the company fails to answer its own question about pricing changes, stating only that it'll honor "all contracted plans that are entered into before the change of ownership."

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/20/t-mobile-answers-its-customers-most-frequently-asked-question/

 

[EightySix Four]

What good is a faster network if you can't use it?

I have read other people's complaints that they lose data connectivity, while I have experienced the dropped calls, it's very rare that I lose data when I'm doing anything. This is just my experiences though, others may have it worse or better than I.

 

[Raduque]

Well, now we know why they killed Flexpay.

 

[SuPrEIVIE]

I use the tmobile prepaid as well, their coverage is very spotty especially indoors, but with how cheap their prepaid plans are it really doesn't matter. Would be a sad loss to see it get worsened.

 

[Bman123]

I dont like the idea of this at all, and I dont even have a tmobile or att plan. The rates will go up I'm sure of it

 

[zerocool84]

This is what Sprint had to say:

The combination of AT&T and T-Mobile USA, if approved by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC), would alter dramatically the structure of the communications industry. AT&T and Verizon are already by far the largest wireless providers. A combined AT&T and T-Mobile would be almost three times the size of Sprint, the third largest wireless competitor. If approved, the merger would result in a wireless industry dominated overwhelmingly by two vertically-integrated companies that control almost 80% of the US wireless post-paid market, as well as the availability and price of key inputs such as backhaul and access needed by other wireless companies to compete. The DOJ and the FCC must decide if this transaction is in the best interest of consumers and the US economy overall, and determine if innovation and robust competition would be impacted adversely and by this dramatic change in the structure of the industry.

I kind of do agree with them. We've already known all the wireless companies to band together for price hikes like the texting thing we got a few years back. With two carrier practically controlling almost all of the wireless business, it's going to hurt us in the long run as we know both AT&T and Verizon both charge insane prices for their plans.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/20/sprint-critiques-proposed-atandt-t-mobile-deal-says-buyout-woul/

 

[jalaram]

I use the tmobile prepaid as well, their coverage is very spotty especially indoors, but with how cheap their prepaid plans are it really doesn't matter. Would be a sad loss to see it get worsened.

The prepaid worked great in Tampa where I used to be. It's very spotty in remote parts of New Hampshire, but otherwise, was fine on the highway and in the cities.

I'm sure we'll lose the ability to renew each year for $10 on Gold Rewards. My parents are still using up the 1000 minutes I got for them a few years ago.

And I doubt my $40/mo with 500min/unlimited internet with my Nexus 1 will be kept since it's non-contract. Tethering (usb or wifi) currently doesn't cost me extra. I have yet to hit 1gb data in any month, but I do pass 200MB easily. ATT's equivalent setup would be $80/mo IIRC.

It's because of ATT's pricing that made me go to T-Mo.

 

[MichaelHudson]

Every time I have called AT&T it has been someone in the states. I know they have a call center in Austin.

 

[kaerflog]

I don't like this deal either but I don't know why current T-mobile customer are so worried.
All current tmobile customers are grandfathered in on what they have.
Its the new customers that are affected.
if you like what tmobile is offering now, join now and you won't have to worry.