[paninaro]

T-Mobile USA has recently come out with plans that seem to be a traveler's dream. Free data roaming and free texting while traveling abroad in more than 100 countries.

This seems like a great option, especially on shorter trips when it's too much hassle to get a local SIM card. They've also introduced an additional promotion where they pay your early termination fees to leave your current carrier.

I'm strongly considering this, since it would cost a bit less per month than what I pay now with AT&T, and for higher usage allowances. Then when it comes to international roaming, that's the huge benefit as AT&T charges some exorbitant fee like $15 per megabyte.

Has anyone tried out these plans? I know T-Mobile is a relatively small player in the US, so I wonder how good their coverage and network is in the US, and their roaming agreements abroad. Yes, I can see the coverage maps but that doesn't really give an idea if their network is overloaded, or if they have 2nd-tier roaming partners abroad with poor networks.

[Joga Bonito]

I have T-Mobile and used my data extensively to get around when I was in Canada last summer(I was on the Rogers network there), so I thought it was great considering my plan is $70 a month for unlimited text and data. The speeds were decent(mostly 3G, with some EDGE on the Rogers Network) enough to use Google Maps without much hassle to navigate Montreal and Toronto, and do light web browsing . I'm not sure what area you are in as far as the US but I have spent extensive time in the metro areas of Boston, San Francisco, and Detroit and the LTE coverage has been very good as well as the speeds, to the point where I think it is a steal. I would recommend T-Mobile in the US if you are in a large metro area, the free texting and data overseas is a great bonus IMO and makes TMobile a great value if you are willing to compromise a bit on those international data speeds since they are throttled. The Verizon and AT&T options certainly look worse for international roaming

I can't comment on using the international service in Asia, Africa, or Europe, but I think the rates are more favorable to renting a local Sim card if you want upgrade to a higher speed(e.g. 4GLTE). Hope this helps.

[iknowexactly]

I'm using T-mobile prepaid here in USA, and will be in Phils in 2 weeks. The thing I don't understand is, if I have a USA phone number, isn't that bad because people in Phils would have to call my USA number?

Dunno if I get it.

[unhommefou]

(02-12-2014 12:45 AM)paninaro Wrote:  

Has anyone tried out these plans? I know T-Mobile is a relatively small player in the US, so I wonder how good their coverage and network is in the US, and their roaming agreements abroad. Yes, I can see the coverage maps but that doesn't really give an idea if their network is overloaded, or if they have 2nd-tier roaming partners abroad with poor networks.

I learned this the hard way recently from traveling to Dubai for company business, but you have to have their newest plan to get the free mobile data.

I had assumed that my old plan gave me free data overseas. 10 minutes later, I was greeted with a text stating I had exceeded $100 in roaming charges.

Gave them a call, they removed the charges and I ended up changing to the correct plan that ended up saving me $5 than my old plan because I had been with T-mobile +10 years.

PROS: Free mobile data. Free calls in country to other cellphones
CONS: Data is at 2G (EDGE) speeds. Good enough for me though.

[Menace]

(02-12-2014 03:31 AM)iknowexactly Wrote:  

I'm using T-mobile prepaid here in USA, and will be in Phils in 2 weeks. The thing I don't understand is, if I have a USA phone number, isn't that bad because people in Phils would have to call my USA number?

Dunno if I get it.

Get a local SIM. Not all of the girls have smartphones with Whatsapp/Line/whatever they use in Phils.

This T-mobile thing is good if you're just passing through a country for less than a week and most girls you bang have smartphones; otherwise I'd get a local SIM.

[entertainme]

(02-12-2014 12:45 AM)paninaro Wrote:  

T-Mobile USA has recently come out with plans that seem to be a traveler's dream. Free data roaming and free texting while traveling abroad in more than 100 countries.

This seems like a great option, especially on shorter trips when it's too much hassle to get a local SIM card. They've also introduced an additional promotion where they pay your early termination fees to leave your current carrier.

I'm strongly considering this, since it would cost a bit less per month than what I pay now with AT&T, and for higher usage allowances. Then when it comes to international roaming, that's the huge benefit as AT&T charges some exorbitant fee like $15 per megabyte.

Has anyone tried out these plans? I know T-Mobile is a relatively small player in the US, so I wonder how good their coverage and network is in the US, and their roaming agreements abroad. Yes, I can see the coverage maps but that doesn't really give an idea if their network is overloaded, or if they have 2nd-tier roaming partners abroad with poor networks.

T-mobile was a god sent for me traveling through Asia for NYE trip. Every where i landed (Taipei,Saigon,Bangkok, and HK) I get unlimited internet (3g though which is a lot better than the 3g in the US) and still can message and chat with people back home like i never left. Everyone in Asia uses either Line,whatsapp, and wechat depending on the country your visiting, so you can call or chat with anyone. No figuring out how to activate your sim card in different languages and all the other bs that comes along with finding a place when you land.

Oh and more importantly i'm on a family plan for T-mobile and it only cost me $120 a month for 5 people for the whole plan for unlimited everything (LTE only up to 500mb then it gets throttled to 3g big whoop). Saves me a nice chunk of change and it's a globe trotting playas dream.

[paninaro]

(02-12-2014 08:16 PM)entertainme Wrote:  

T-mobile was a god sent for me traveling through Asia for NYE trip. Every where i landed (Taipei,Saigon,Bangkok, and HK) I get unlimited internet (3g though which is a lot better than the 3g in the US) and still can message and chat with people back home like i never left. Everyone in Asia uses either Line,whatsapp, and wechat depending on the country your visiting, so you can call or chat with anyone. No figuring out how to activate your sim card in different languages and all the other bs that comes along with finding a place when you land.

Thanks -- that's exactly what I was hoping to hear. That would be my situation also. I sometimes end up in a country for just a few days, and it's too much hassle to get a local SIM for that short of a time.

How have you found T-Mobile in the US, in terms of coverage and network? AT&T has worked pretty well for me throughout the US, though when I was in San Francisco two years ago, the data network basically stopped working during daylight hours from being overloaded -- all the techies using their smartphones I guess.

[YossariansRight]

(02-12-2014 09:29 PM)paninaro Wrote:  

(02-12-2014 08:16 PM)entertainme Wrote:  

T-mobile was a god sent for me traveling through Asia for NYE trip. Every where i landed (Taipei,Saigon,Bangkok, and HK) I get unlimited internet (3g though which is a lot better than the 3g in the US) and still can message and chat with people back home like i never left. Everyone in Asia uses either Line,whatsapp, and wechat depending on the country your visiting, so you can call or chat with anyone. No figuring out how to activate your sim card in different languages and all the other bs that comes along with finding a place when you land.

Thanks -- that's exactly what I was hoping to hear. That would be my situation also. I sometimes end up in a country for just a few days, and it's too much hassle to get a local SIM for that short of a time.

How have you found T-Mobile in the US, in terms of coverage and network? AT&T has worked pretty well for me throughout the US, though when I was in San Francisco two years ago, the data network basically stopped working during daylight hours from being overloaded -- all the techies using their smartphones I guess.

I was with TMO in the USA going back to when they were Voicestream and their network sucks. The same deadspots (including NYC and Boston) that were there in 2002 were there in 2012, when I finally left them for AT&T. Haven't regretted it for 1 second.

p.s. I have a Vodafone prepaid SIM for when I travel to Europe.

[entertainme]

(02-12-2014 09:29 PM)paninaro Wrote:  

(02-12-2014 08:16 PM)entertainme Wrote:  

T-mobile was a god sent for me traveling through Asia for NYE trip. Every where i landed (Taipei,Saigon,Bangkok, and HK) I get unlimited internet (3g though which is a lot better than the 3g in the US) and still can message and chat with people back home like i never left. Everyone in Asia uses either Line,whatsapp, and wechat depending on the country your visiting, so you can call or chat with anyone. No figuring out how to activate your sim card in different languages and all the other bs that comes along with finding a place when you land.

Thanks -- that's exactly what I was hoping to hear. That would be my situation also. I sometimes end up in a country for just a few days, and it's too much hassle to get a local SIM for that short of a time.

How have you found T-Mobile in the US, in terms of coverage and network? AT&T has worked pretty well for me throughout the US, though when I was in San Francisco two years ago, the data network basically stopped working during daylight hours from being overloaded -- all the techies using their smartphones I guess.

Where i am from (Socal), i've never had any problems with tmo, and i've been with them for over 8 years. It works perfectly whenever i'm traveling around the states. I know that i don't usually get as many bars as Verizon n shit, but reception is reception does it really matter how many bars you get as long as it works. I'm not sure about overload problem, yet i never experienced that problem with tmo might be different in your area.

Btw with tmo it's all no contract plans now, so it's easy to test out, plus i think they offer a trial period. If it doesn't satisfy you can basically drop it without any fees.

[dalbroker]

(02-12-2014 12:45 AM)paninaro Wrote:  

T-Mobile USA has recently come out with plans that seem to be a traveler's dream. Free data roaming and free texting while traveling abroad in more than 100 countries.

This seems like a great option, especially on shorter trips when it's too much hassle to get a local SIM card. They've also introduced an additional promotion where they pay your early termination fees to leave your current carrier.

I'm strongly considering this, since it would cost a bit less per month than what I pay now with AT&T, and for higher usage allowances. Then when it comes to international roaming, that's the huge benefit as AT&T charges some exorbitant fee like $15 per megabyte.

Has anyone tried out these plans? I know T-Mobile is a relatively small player in the US, so I wonder how good their coverage and network is in the US, and their roaming agreements abroad. Yes, I can see the coverage maps but that doesn't really give an idea if their network is overloaded, or if they have 2nd-tier roaming partners abroad with poor networks.

I went to Manila Nov/Dec 2013.....used tmobile for the entire month I was there.....had no charges when I got my next statement.

Voice charges are expensive.....so I would def get a local phone to use with the locals.

Good luck.

[LOL]

My 2c:

I would not want a US telecom company having info on my movements and who I'm calling abroad. It takes a couple of minutes to buy a local sim.

[Belize King]

Garbage in Mexico. Rio its meh. Like it was stated before , good to use if you are passing through.

[paninaro]

Went to a T-Mobile store to speak with someone about it. They'll give you $200 trade-in on an iPhone 5, that credits on your next bill(s).

So you go in and get a new phone from them and they transfer the number from your old phone. The number transfer part takes 24 hours, but you actually keep both old and new phones, and they just hand you a prepaid envelope and you have 30 days to send in your old phone for the $200 credit.

Also the default is the 2gb data plan for smartphones, but they can drop it down to 500mb if you like. That's referring to use within the US, and actually it's unlimited, but the 500mb or 2gb is at LTE speeds, then it drops down to slower speeds. That's fine for me -- I am in wifi range most of the time and don't watch movies or other bandwidth-intensive stuff on my phone.

With their coverage map you can see down to the street level the coverage you'd expect.

I'll probably give this a go in the next week or two. The free data roaming is a key selling point to me as I often end up taking short trips abroad (work) and simply don't have the time to deal with getting a local SIM card and getting the data part activated properly.

[Vicious]

I wouldn't recommend any US network for international trips. Strangely enough the US has some of the most expensive mobile plans (with data) around. Local variants are usually cheaper and has better coverage.

[WEDO]

Used t-mobile for years in Colombia and never a charge if you received calls and made calls to the US while connected to WIFI. The data was always 2G...but good enough to communicate with Whatsapp and messenger.

But within the last six months the service has become so sporadic and unreliable that I'm going to switch to Google Fi

https://fi.google.com/signup

Claims 4G data speed....no extra charge while overseas.

We will see.

[Rang off the Pipe]

I've used T-Mobile in both Mexico and Canada without a problem (aside from not being able to get voicemails). Those are the only two countries I can speak for, however.

[EllPadrino]

(11-21-2017 08:59 PM)WEDO Wrote:  

Used t-mobile for years in Colombia and never a charge if you received calls and made calls to the US while connected to WIFI. The data was always 2G...but good enough to communicate with Whatsapp and messenger.

But within the last six months the service has become so sporadic and unreliable that I'm going to switch to Google Fi

https://fi.google.com/signup

Claims 4G data speed....no extra charge while overseas.

We will see.

How is call quality when connected to WIFI?

[Stakes Is High]

Get an unlocked iphone. Buy a simcard the second you get out the plane or anywhere. Corner stores, bodegas, pharmacies, etc; outside the US its so simple to buy a simcard and plug it in.

[LowerCaseG]

I have been using Fi in the states for 2 years and very satisfied. My bills run about $30 per month using less than a gig.

Same deal overseas except calls over the cell network are 20 cents per minute. Texts wifi calls free.

Feel free to hook me up if you sign up. Promo code below. I will share RVF wealth at the next opportunity upcoming Christmas New year in Bogota. Might as well drink some Aguardiente on Google.


N0F0Y5

[WEDO]

(11-21-2017 11:10 PM)EllPadrino Wrote:  

(11-21-2017 08:59 PM)WEDO Wrote:  

Used t-mobile for years in Colombia and never a charge if you received calls and made calls to the US while connected to WIFI. The data was always 2G...but good enough to communicate with Whatsapp and messenger.

But within the last six months the service has become so sporadic and unreliable that I'm going to switch to Google Fi

https://fi.google.com/signup

Claims 4G data speed....no extra charge while overseas.

We will see.

How is call quality when connected to WIFI?

Depends on your WIFI connection but the quality can be very good with a good connection.

[CrackerDaddy]

(02-12-2014 03:31 AM)iknowexactly Wrote:  

I'm using T-mobile prepaid here in USA, and will be in Phils in 2 weeks. The thing I don't understand is, if I have a USA phone number, isn't that bad because people in Phils would have to call my USA number?

Dunno if I get it.

Use WhatsApp for your international people to reach you.

[DigitalNomad]

I've been using T-mobile most of this year. Sometimes the data is a bit slow, but for google maps, whatsapp, imessages, etc it more than did the job. The only 2 countries I went where it didn't have access were Morocco and Jordan. Didn't really make many calls so I can't really comment on that.

[godzilla]

(11-21-2017 08:59 PM)WEDO Wrote:  

Used t-mobile for years in Colombia and never a charge if you received calls and made calls to the US while connected to WIFI. The data was always 2G...but good enough to communicate with Whatsapp and messenger.

But within the last six months the service has become so sporadic and unreliable that I'm going to switch to Google Fi

https://fi.google.com/signup

Claims 4G data speed....no extra charge while overseas.

We will see.

This looks promising. Google has been buying up cell phone towers for years now. I wonder if you can connect to their fiber hoods.

However, I'm on an old t-mobile plan(and google uses t-mobile's network) where I just get throttled if I go past my limit. Plus stuff like music doesn't count towards my limit. I'd rather have that. Plus its unlimited overseas, even though slow.

Getting unused credit back is nice though. This is a space that needs a lot more competitors. No contract, so def worth a try if you need a new phone

[Gunn]

t-mobile plan is amazing, i had at&t before will NEVER go back to at&t

[Preussen]

I have the T mobile worldwide plan, got on it years ago and only pay $57 all in per month. I was tired of prepay SIM cards running out and going to the store to top up then having to find a clerk to help me type in the codes because it was all in the local language.
I live in the US but my house is like in a half mile dead zone, I get much better coverage in the Tokyo underground than in my living room. I also still only have a 3G phone, I am hoping when I upgrade the service will be better. This summer I drove across South Dakota and had zero coverage for a few hundred miles.