Loyal T-Mobile customer thinking of switching to Verizon

shava9865 · Thread Author #1 02-24-2011, 04:14 AM

I have been with T-Mobile for about 6/7 yrs. I think the customer service is outstanding! I am, however, thinking of switching to Verizon due to coverage. The UMA offered by T-Mobile helps considerably, but WiFI isn't always available everywhere if you're on the go. Verizon is just so expensive...I would be paying almost $50 more for a comparable plan

Anyone in a similar position? Any thoughts? Any former Verizon customers who switched to T-Mo that can provide insight?

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BlackBerry Brian · #2 02-24-2011, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shava9865

I have been with T-Mobile for about 6/7 yrs. I think the customer service is outstanding! I am, however, thinking of switching to Verizon due to coverage. The UMA offered by T-Mobile helps considerably, but WiFI isn't always available everywhere if you're on the go. Verizon is just so expensive...I would be paying almost $50 more for a comparable plan

Anyone in a similar position? Any thoughts? Any former Verizon customers who switched to T-Mo that can provide insight?

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I have been with T-Mobile for a LONG time with two lines.
As soon as Verizon releases the Monaco, I am switching both lines to them and I will never look back. T-Mobile has always had great customer service and great prices. All of my plan pricing is grandfathered from years ago.
Good customer service and cheap pricing can only carry you so far when your coverage SUCKS. I depend on UMA at HOME, meaning I can't use my phone AT HOME if I don't have UMA. This is also the case a my friends house, he also has T-Mobile and is also going to switch to Verizon for the Monaco when it is released. I travel for my job, T-Mobile only works in populated areas and my work takes me everywhere in between and is useless to me. So, I got a relative to add me a ten dollar line to her account with Verizon and got a Samsung Convoy flip phone that works EVERYWHERE, I can't find ANY place so far I don't have service.
THAT was the eye opener for me, you get what you pay for and I will GLADLY play Verizon more money for better coverage, not to mention a better BlackBerry than T-Mobile will ever see.
That is where I am at, perhaps it will help you in some way, I can't wait to switch!

ridesno159 · #3 02-24-2011, 09:03 AM

Where do you work? You might be able to get a discount through them on your plan. Try giving them a call or going to the Verizon site to find out.

I'm not sure what your plan is, or what you're paying each month. Sprint can't match my family plan (as it was a couple months ago, before they started adding misc charges, not sure about now). I also switched from Att a couple years ago. We added another line and 2 data plans, and it was still like $20 cheaper than Att. I've never looked into Tmobile, so I can't help you there, but calling Verizon to see if they have any discounts through your work, or anyone in your family (not sure of how many lines you need), would be a great place to start.

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jyo · #4 02-24-2011, 11:40 PM

Unfortunately, I'm in the same boat. I can't get a signal at home unless I'm using UMA. Which I've sucked up and lived with for many years, due to the pricing and customer service. Recently, however, I've started travelling and spending time in a part of the state I never used to frequent. Turns out, I can't get a signal out there to save me life! And frankly, I need a signal with my cell phone! LOL.

My decision now is whether to go with Verizon or US Cellular - and then, whether to go iPhone or Android, or stay with a Berry. So many tough decisions - I, too, could use any input and knowledge anyone would care to provide!!

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Artemis68 · #5 02-25-2011, 08:47 AM

If I needed the coverage, i'd go to VZW too! They have some nice Droids so i'd get one of those.

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Gawain · #6 02-25-2011, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shava9865

I have been with T-Mobile for about 6/7 yrs. I think the customer service is outstanding! I am, however, thinking of switching to Verizon due to coverage. The UMA offered by T-Mobile helps considerably, but WiFI isn't always available everywhere if you're on the go. Verizon is just so expensive...I would be paying almost $50 more for a comparable plan

Anyone in a similar position? Any thoughts? Any former Verizon customers who switched to T-Mo that can provide insight?

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For what it's worth, you should check if your company has any kind of discounts with VZW, that may help take some of the sting out of the increase in cost. Some companies negotiate discounts for employees that pay their own bills, etc.

I've used T-Mobile on projects where there was no coverage, but we pointed a BGAN terminal at the sky, hooked up a router on the back end, et voila, UMA...it worked about 75% of the time. That's the only solace I can offer.

To be fair to VZW, you do get what you pay for (and I pay a lot for the services I use). Customer service has always been good to me and their coverage is excellent. Their technical support kind of has to go through a playbook of troubleshooting which I find frustrating. Their IVR is way too detailed, I just hit zero...

Things to examine which might lessen the blow: look at the plans that have the friends and family. The family plans allow up to 10 numbers. Mobile-to-mobile doesn't count towards minutes, and Skype calling is unlimited. Prudent use of those services can have an impact of $20-50/month depending on the plans you're looking at.

lnichols · #7 02-25-2011, 11:26 AM

So I thought that if your on T-Mobile, and go outside of a T-Mobile area, that your supposed to be able to Roam on AT&T's network, much like Sprint roams on Verizon. I thought I read this on the website yesterday in fact. Is this not the case, or are the places where you guys are traveling to don't have AT&T either, or are you on plans that doesn't support roaming? I'm thinking of switching from Sprint to T-Mobile this summer because of all the new fees Sprint keeps coming up with and I want a better selection of world phones for my international travels. AT&T is the only other company I'm considering because they are GSM and I don't expect LTE to be big global for a few more years.

BlackBerry Brian · #8 02-25-2011, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lnichols

So I thought that if your on T-Mobile, and go outside of a T-Mobile area, that your supposed to be able to Roam on AT&T's network, much like Sprint roams on Verizon. I thought I read this on the website yesterday in fact. Is this not the case, or are the places where you guys are traveling to don't have AT&T either, or are you on plans that doesn't support roaming? I'm thinking of switching from Sprint to T-Mobile this summer because of all the new fees Sprint keeps coming up with and I want a better selection of world phones for my international travels. AT&T is the only other company I'm considering because they are GSM and I don't expect LTE to be big global for a few more years.

Up until a couple of years ago in my area, yes T-Mobile had a roaming agreement with AT&T, but they ended it.
It may still be in place in some areas, but if that is the case, I'm sure it's on borrowed time.
Before, I could roam on AT&T and SunCom (which tmo bought) and use UMA and I was fine, as I rarely went outside of the metro area where I live.
Now is a new bowl of wax driving to outskirt areas for work, no more roaming on AT&T, no UMA and no service at all most of the time.
I will miss being with T-Mobile for the good things, but at the end of the day, I need a phone that works...

Pyrus · #9 02-25-2011, 07:51 PM

Ill give you my personal insight here, I work for T-Mobile and have for two+ years now and I am a very happy Verizon customer, I live just outside of Chicago and T-Mobile has no coverage here, I have a friend who has it and his text messages are always delayed if he even gets them and more then half his calls just don't come threw.

lnichols · #10 02-27-2011, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackBerry Brian

Up until a couple of years ago in my area, yes T-Mobile had a roaming agreement with AT&T, but they ended it.
It may still be in place in some areas, but if that is the case, I'm sure it's on borrowed time.
Before, I could roam on AT&T and SunCom (which tmo bought) and use UMA and I was fine, as I rarely went outside of the metro area where I live.
Now is a new bowl of wax driving to outskirt areas for work, no more roaming on AT&T, no UMA and no service at all most of the time.
I will miss being with T-Mobile for the good things, but at the end of the day, I need a phone that works...

Just curious, if you put this area in T-Mobiles's coverage section, does it show that roaming should be possible there? Right now T-mobile does not have their own coverage at my parent's house in WV, or most of WV for that matter, but they do show voice and data roaming. I'm just wondering if what they say on the coverage map is actually what they have. Thanks for the response!

SandAngel · #11 02-27-2011, 01:19 PM

Sure was nice when Tmo could roam on ATT at so many places

The answer about the coverage map is..... NO.... just because TMO shows it has service in an area doesn't make it true!!!!!!!!!!
I'm sure about 100,000 people can vouch for this

My favorite is when you by the service and TMO says the adress they look up has full serviceand then you get there and there is NONE. You can complain all you want and they will have three standard answers which are bull......

The map says it's covered so it must be and you are wrong.
You can put a ticket in.
They are working on towers in that area so should be any day now.

If you sign up and get no service where you need it.... Don't believe any of this. RETURN your phone before the 14 days are up. After 14 days you can say anything you want and tell them how you were waiting for the fix ticket and blah blah blah....... But you are now not getting out of that contract even if you have NO BARS even if the map says full coverage.

48593039584729 · #12 02-27-2011, 11:26 PM

I have perfectly fine T-Mobile service and it's comparable to Verizon where I live, work, and travel to. My DEFY gets poor rural reception (Which I'm hoping was just a fluke) and my Vibrant gets way better rural reception so your device does make a difference. If it's not working for you, acquire a Verizon prepaid phone (or under a MVNO like Page Plus) and use it to supplement your contract service until you're ready to switch over completely or if you don't want to switch.

shava9865 · Thread Author #13 02-28-2011, 10:11 PM

My coverage is definitely spotty when I leave out of my area. I travel and need my phone for work on the go as well. I will definitely look into any discount programs through Verizon. Now I'm granfathered in with TMobile with pretty much unlimited everything. My contract has been up and though I really like the 9780 offered by TMobile, I think there will be something better that comes along. Ah decisions, decisions...

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