Heres what happened

[bush715]

So luck would have my ebay transaction got flagged due to the buyer being a scammer on multiple transactions. I am leaving vzw due to them not taking care of my 6 month straight streak of being plagued by data issues and once taxes come back and am going to pick up a wp7 on either att or tmobile. I want to get your suggestions on the experience you have had with either and their wp7. It would be much appreciated. Also I will be picking the phone up at full retail or used so I don't have to sign a contract and can switch out to something once Apollo launches.

 

[palandri]

I don't know where you are, but reception with either carrier really depends on location. I am in Chicago and either AT&T or T-Mobile have very good signal here. Customer service has been fine with both. I currently have AT&T and my wife has T-Mobile.

I don't have a branded phone, so I can't help you wit that.

 

[enahs555]

Lumia 900 will be available sometime in March it looks like. It seems to be the premiere device coming out.

I suspect the Titan II should be out around that time as well, not sure.

And the currently released phones Samsung Focus S and Titan are great phones. As well as the Lumia 800 (not released in US yet, smallest of the phones and does not have front facing camera, but it is damn nice).

 

[bush715]

I don't know where you are, but reception with either carrier really depends on location. I am in Chicago and either AT&T or T-Mobile have very good signal here. Customer service has been fine with both. I currently have AT&T and my wife has T-Mobile.

I don't have a branded phone, so I can't help you that.

Reception is great on both services here. I am leaning towards Att due to infrastructure upgrades. Tmobile doesn't have the capital to do that at the moment.

 

[bush715]

Depending on full retail price of the 900 that is what I will be picking up. Most likely though it will be out of my price range right at launch.

 

[speedtouch]

Bush, here's what I'd do. Get a cheap HTC HD7 now off eBay. Use it on one of T-Mo's reasonably-priced non-contract Monthly 4G Plans. Save money until you can buy a Lumia 900 outright, then sell the HD7 (it'll still have value), and sign up on a monthly plan with AT&T (unless the 900 will work on T-Mo).

It's what I'm doing as soon as my HD7 comes in the mail next week.

 

[HeyCori]

Any particular specifications you're looking for? Size, memory, etc?

 

[bush715]

Any particular specifications you're looking for? Size, memory, etc?

Not really a larger screen is nice. I am use to 4+ inch screens but as long as it is good quality I can deal with any size. I was also thinking possibly a focus s due to having extremely good luck with Samsung phones.

 

[HeyCori]

If you're looking for an AT&T phone to hold you over until the fall/next year I would suggest picking up the original Focus or an HD7s.

 

[bush715]

If you're looking for an AT&T phone to hold you over until the fall/next year I would suggest picking up the original Focus or an HD7s.

I saw the focus flash is only 250ish so comparing to the hd7 i am thinking of going that route

 

[HeyCori]

250 is a good price. I almost bought an unsubsidized Flash when it first came out but it was still a bit more than what I wanted to spend.

 

[jdevenberg]

I recently switched from T-Mobile to AT&T. When it comes to these two carriers, coverage maps are only part of the reception story. T-mobile's HSPA+ generally felt faster than AT&T's. BUT, and here is where AT&T really takes it, building penetration SUCKS on T-Mobile. T-Mobile uses relatively high frequency bands compared to ATT, and the higher frequency a band, the worse it is at penetrating objects (i.e. walls, roofs, insulation, and especially brick, stone, and concrete). I could have full bars outside of a building with T-Mobile, walk 50 feet inside, and be unable to place a call. With ATT I maybe lose a bar or two, but my phone is still fully functional. This is particularly important to me at work, as I work in a brick building and that is one of the toughest building materials for cell waves to get through. If you are inside a lot of stone buildings, ATT is the only choice in this discussion.

 

[bush715]

I recently switched from T-Mobile to AT&T. When it comes to these two carriers, coverage maps are only part of the reception story. T-mobile's HSPA+ generally felt faster than AT&T's. BUT, and here is where AT&T really takes it, building penetration SUCKS on T-Mobile. T-Mobile uses relatively high frequency bands compared to ATT, and the higher frequency a band, the worse it is at penetrating objects (i.e. walls, roofs, insulation, and especially brick, stone, and concrete). I could have full bars outside of a building with T-Mobile, walk 50 feet inside, and be unable to place a call. With ATT I maybe lose a bar or two, but my phone is still fully functional. This is particularly important to me at work, as I work in a brick building and that is one of the toughest building materials for cell waves to get through. If you are inside a lot of stone buildings, ATT is the only choice in this discussion.

Thats why I am leaning towards att. I have sold phones for all of the big 4 and on the gsm side att has a better future

 

[anon(5335877)]

I recently switched from T-Mobile to AT&T. When it comes to these two carriers, coverage maps are only part of the reception story. T-mobile's HSPA+ generally felt faster than AT&T's. BUT, and here is where AT&T really takes it, building penetration SUCKS on T-Mobile. T-Mobile uses relatively high frequency bands compared to ATT, and the higher frequency a band, the worse it is at penetrating objects (i.e. walls, roofs, insulation, and especially brick, stone, and concrete). I could have full bars outside of a building with T-Mobile, walk 50 feet inside, and be unable to place a call. With ATT I maybe lose a bar or two, but my phone is still fully functional. This is particularly important to me at work, as I work in a brick building and that is one of the toughest building materials for cell waves to get through. If you are inside a lot of stone buildings, ATT is the only choice in this discussion.

My thoughts exactly. I've been saying this on other threads too, how T-Mobile's indoor coverage is poor. Inside a house you might be okay, but if I go inside a Walmart or even just a classroom I usually get no service. Very annoying.

 

[bush715]

My thoughts exactly. I've been saying this on other threads too, how T-Mobile's indoor coverage is poor. Inside a house you might be okay, but if I go inside a Walmart or even just a classroom I usually get no service. Very annoying.

When I sold tmobile they actually told us that until lte rolls out they would still be plagued with inside issues due to the bands they use have bad penetration. I dont see lte coming to them anytime soon

 

[anon(5335877)]

When I sold tmobile they actually told us that until lte rolls out they would still be plagued with inside issues due to the bands they use have bad penetration. I dont see lte coming to them anytime soon

Yup, T-Mobile uses 1900Mhz for 2G and 1700Mhz/2100Mhz for 3G/Faux(4) G. Like someone mention before, the lower frequencies have better penetration. AT&T uses 850Mhz and 1900Mhz, and is using 700Mhz and also have 1700Mhz I think for LTE.

 

[palandri]

When I was in the Military I learned you communicated with submarines using ELF (extremely low frequency) due to the penetration needed through the water.

 

[willied]

When I was in the Military I learned you communicated with submarines using ELF (extremely low frequency) due to the penetration needed through the water.

It's the same with bass from a subwoofer. Since bass operates at lower frequencies it's the only thing you hear coming through gangster's cars.

 

[anon(5335877)]

Lol I love how this thread has turned into a physics discussion.

 

[jdevenberg]

Lol, it truly is relavent to a T-Mobile vs. AT&T discussion though. Its something you don't realize just looking at coverage maps. It really is super annoying. ONe way it effected (affected?) me regularly was I would go to a store and my wife would ask for Product X. I would be in the store and see Product X came in varieties A, B, &C. Not knowing which was the one I needed, I would reach for my T-Mobile Phone. No service. Great, I have to wander the store, hoping to find a spot I can make a call from. No dice, so I have to leave my cart, go outside, and hope no one moves/takes my cart of things and puts it away, which they of course do. So now, I have to go and re-grab all my items. Thanks T-Mobile.

Same shopping trips now that I am on AT&T, I just call from in front of the product. Life is better. All thanks to the physics of radio wave frequency and how it relates to penetration of objects.