Best carrier for high data/high speed/fair price?

[spizzlee]

I've tried out every major carrier with T-Mobile being the most recent. I just switched to AIO Wireless thinking I was getting a great deal, but of course I figured there was a catch. Always is.
I come to find out after that they cap at 8Mbps. Thinking of going back to T-Mobile, but they got rid of corporate discounts and I completely forgot when switching. Screwed myself a bit there ha.

So my main question really is about what's best, and thought this would be a good place to start asking so I can get a good idea. Policies have changed with each company and i've lost track.

I live in San Francisco and never travel. Which company should I give a shot to again? I don't want to pay more than $85 a month and I want to bring my unlocked Lumia 925, but get high LTE speeds with up to at least 5gb of data a month. Unlimited if possible. Thanks

 

[xandros9]

I don't know for sure, I know ATT has been giving us some concessions due to price competition from TMo.

But I thought I heard T-Mo did a 180 on that corporate discount thing

 

[spizzlee]

Well for existing customers they did a 180. I was leaning towards Metro PCS but don't know if they cap their 4g LTE speeds. Otherwise im thinking of trying to call T-Mobile and asking if I can get back in with them and keep my discount. Its only been a day since I switched.

 

[juanitoriv]

Well for existing customers they did a 180. I was leaning towards Metro PCS but don't know if they cap their 4g LTE speeds. Otherwise im thinking of trying to call T-Mobile and asking if I can get back in with them and keep my discount. Its only been a day since I switched.

I have MetroPCS, and I started on the $40/500mb plan. Used in 2 weeks, as I wasn't around WiFi a lot, and I need to tether. With them, I get regular 4G with my 8X (no LTE radio), per Bandwidth Test, I'm getting 6mbps down and 1.25mbps up. That's what I was getting with a regular T-Mobile plan. The $50 gives you 2.5gb, and the $60 is unlimited. When I ran out that first month, I went down to 2G until I bumped up to the $50.

Here's their link:
http://www.metropcs.com/metro/simpleplans

Hope this helps.

 

[spizzlee]

I have MetroPCS, and I started on the $40/500mb plan. Used in 2 weeks, as I wasn't around WiFi a lot, and I need to tether. With them, I get regular 4G with my 8X (no LTE radio), per Bandwidth Test, I'm getting 6mbps down and 1.25mbps up. That's what I was getting with a regular T-Mobile plan. The $50 gives you 2.5gb, and the $60 is unlimited. When I ran out that first month, I went down to 2G until I bumped up to the $50.

Here's their link:
MetroPCS Phone Plans | Cell Phone Plans | No Contract | 4GLTE Coverage | MetroPCS

Hope this helps.

But are the speeds capped on the unlimited plan like the are with AIO? If I cant get higher than 8Mbps down on Metro then that's out of the bag.

 

[James8561]

if it's a L925 LTE will only work with T-Mobile. I suggest you stick with them as they aren't bad and their "uncarrier" is doing a lot of changes.

 

[spizzlee]

I guess I just might go back to them then. It sucks not being able to get fast speeds, good coverage, enough data, low price and a great selection of windows phones

 

[juanitoriv]

Copied off the page:

*4G LTE phone required. Non-4G LTE phones require specific rate plans. Not all services available on all phones. Taxes are included. 4G LTE monthly data allotment at up to MetroPCS 4G LTE speeds; data usage after monthly data allotment delivered at average MetroPCS network speeds.

That means if if denotes a cap, say 500mb or 2.5gb, then you'll get capped there. Unlimited means there is no limit. I used to use 50gb+ on T-Mo before I had WiFi.

Look here:
http://www.metropcs.com/metro/tac/termsAndConditions.jsp?terms=Network Disclosure
Services and Commercial Terms

They don't monitor usage unless you're on a plan designed to do so.

That SHOULD help.

 

[juanitoriv]

if it's a L925 LTE will only work with T-Mobile. I suggest you stick with them as they aren't bad and their "uncarrier" is doing a lot of changes.

MetroPCS IS part of T-Mobile. Their networks are combined. I didn't unlock my T-Mo 8X, just popped in the SIM. I suggest just a little bit of research and you'll see what spectrums are being used. I actually did that last night to see if an ATIV SE or NEO would work on anything other than EDGE speeds. Don't have the links, just did a quick Bing search with the device frequencies open as well.

TBH, I am 99.975% sure that you'll get your LTE with MeteoPCS.

 

[spizzlee]

MetroPCS IS part of T-Mobile. Their networks are combined. I didn't unlock my T-Mo 8X, just popped in the SIM. I suggest just a little bit of research and you'll see what spectrums are being used. I actually did that last night to see if an ATIV SE or NEO would work on anything other than EDGE speeds. Don't have the links, just did a quick Bing search with the device frequencies open as well.

TBH, I am 99.975% sure that you'll get your LTE with MeteoPCS.

Again, I'm just worried they have a limited down and up stream. AIO uses AT&T's LTE but it only can go up to 8Mbps, which isnt even close to what AT&T can achieve. There's gotta be a catch haha.

 

[juanitoriv]

I saw something about 25mbps down. Look at the stuff I put up for you. It's all there.

 

[spizzlee]

I see "The typically experienced mean data throughput speed across all geographic areas for a paired 1.4 MHz LTE carrier is similar to the theoretical peak data rate of our EVDO network based on total kilobytes of traffic as measured at the gateway for the period from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. "

"The EVDO network has theoretical peak data rates on the forward link of up to 3.1 Mbps, based on information from standards bodies, with typically experienced mean data throughput speed across all geographic areas on the forward link of 70-100 kbps based on total kilobytes of traffic as measured at the gateway for the period from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m"

 

[spizzlee]

So in other words, Carriers in this country suck :|

 

[juanitoriv]

If you were getting good LTE on T-Mo, you should likewise with Metro. It's basically a subsidiary now to get people to move away from Cricket, Boost, Virgin, Straight Talk, Family Mobile, Aio, etc. Go to the store and find out. I'm getting what I was getting on T-Mo, but then again, they're the same. Like Ford & Mercury.

 

[spizzlee]

If you were getting good LTE on T-Mo, you should likewise with Metro. It's basically a subsidiary now to get people to move away from Cricket, Boost, Virgin, Straight Talk, Family Mobile, Aio, etc. Go to the store and find out. I'm getting what I was getting on T-Mo, but then again, they're the same. Like Ford & Mercury.

Very good point. Thank you ill head over tomorrow. Or wait till my month is up with AIO

 

[juanitoriv]

Switch before your month is up so they can port your number over. Took me about 20 minutes in store.

 

[juanitoriv]

Let me know what you find out please.

 

[spizzlee]

Switch before your month is up so they can port your number over. Took me about 20 minutes in store.

But I just paid AIO for the first month and activation

 

[juanitoriv]

I know, I know. I mean like right before the very end of your month.. You'll have your 925 back though, what phone are you using now?

 

[juanitoriv]

FYI, Data Sense, Tethering, Visual Voicemail all work on my T-Mo 8X with Metro. Also, I just used Bandwidth Test again and I got 20.12mbps down and 1.7mbps up. Speedtest.net app showed 21mbps down and 2.21mbps up. Please don't forget, my 8X does NOT have an LTE capable radio in it. Just straight 4G.. I'm surprised as hell too!!