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[RDreamer]

So, will this mean people on ATT will get better phone reception and 3g coverage possibly? If so I wonder how long until that happens, since I'm stuck on ATT for another year or so.

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

The chance it won't go throught exists and at the end of the day your contract isnt going change. This isn't the end of the world.

Edit: fuck forgot to quote. Dam iPhone browsing

 

[kehs]

So, will this mean people on ATT will get better phone reception and 3g coverage possibly? If so I wonder how long until that happens, since I'm stuck on ATT for another year or so.

Another year or so.

 

[KingK]

How does shit like this not break some sort of monopoly laws? And what are the chances Verizon now tries to buy Sprint?

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

So, will this mean people on ATT will get better phone reception and 3g coverage possibly? If so I wonder how long until that happens, since I'm stuck on ATT for another year or so.

Doesn't tmobile use different gsm bands? Your old phones won't get better coverage but a new phone might that combines them.

 

[DrFunk]

How does shit like this not break some sort of monopoly laws? And what are the chances Verizon now tries to buy Sprint?

pretty good actually, in the next 3-5 years

 

[kehs]

There's one thing I'm not seeing being mentioned. How much of this is coming from government grants/funding?

Part of Obama's plans for technology is to help expand connectivity, which always translates to bags of money to corporations for expansion. Since it was brought up in the merger information....

 

[Ephemeris]

Doesn't tmobile use different gsm bands? Your old phones won't get better coverage but a new phone might that combines them.

different 3G.

 

[DrFunk]

Doesn't tmobile use different gsm bands? Your old phones won't get better coverage but a new phone might that combines them.

T-Mo uses different UMTS (3G) bands:

T-mo: 1700 and 2100
Att: 850 or 1900

old phones work fine between the two carriers

 

[Gary Whitta]

I like that I'm getting Sprint ads in this thread.

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

T-Mo uses different UMTS (3G) bands:

T-mo: 1700 and 2100
Att: 850 or 1900

old phones work fine between the two carriers

So only 3G is affected but regular coverage isn't? Interesting, I need to read up about this.

 

[JoeFu]

My family is on the Even More Plus plan and I seriously doubt ATT will grandfather us something that isn't on contract. We have 3 phones with unlimited internet, 5 with unlimited text, and 1500 min for 170. I hope hope hope hope that we can keep this going forward.

 

[DrFunk]

So only 3G is affected but regular coverage isn't? Interesting, I need to read up about this.

yes sir, regular phone functions (calling, texting) operate on GSM 850/900/1800/1900. So any unlocked phone can be used between the carriers. Data is when things get hairy

 

[clav]

pretty good actually, in the next 3-5 years

Source?

 

[Zaphod]

I've got friends that work at a t mobile call center. I hope they don't loose their jobs.

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

I pay $70 a month for everything unlimited except land line calls (450 minutes). Unlimited data, unlimited text, unlimited calls to any cell phone regardless of carrier... gps, sprint tv, and all that shit. Hella cheap. I'm staying with Sprint.

Do they charge for data and voice roaming? Because I called sprint and asked them about it since I'd be roaming in a lot of places where I live. They never gave me a straight answer.

 

[Kccitystar]

Do they charge for data and voice roaming? Because I called sprint and asked them about it since I'd be roaming in a lot of places where I live. They never gave me a straight answer.

They piggyback off of Verizon's antennas for roaming, I believe

 

[BoboBrazil]

Now that ATT bought T-Mobile I'm sure Verizon will buy Sprint within a year.

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

They piggyback off of Verizon's antennas for roaming, I believe

Ugh, that means no signal for me at all. I only get T-Mobile and ATT (T-mobile Roaming)

I'd still like to know how much the roaming charges are.
From Sprint's own Website:
Unlimited data on our network for every plan I looked at. That tells me they charge some hidden fees for roaming.

 

[Husker86]

Ugh, that means no signal for me at all. I only get T-Mobile and ATT (T-mobile Roaming)

I'd still like to know how much the roaming charges are.
From Sprint's own Website:
Unlimited data on our network for every plan I looked at. That tells me they charge some hidden fees for roaming.

Roaming is free but you'll get warned if you go over 300MB (at least that's their policy). No charges though.

 

[clav]

Now that ATT bought T-Mobile I'm sure Verizon will buy Sprint within a year.

If that happens and if I can't keep SERO, I'm done with smartphones.

I doubt it will happen.

 

[Kodiak690]

I pay $70 a month for everything unlimited except land line calls (450 minutes). Unlimited data, unlimited text, unlimited calls to any cell phone regardless of carrier... gps, sprint tv, and all that shit. Hella cheap. I'm staying with Sprint.

Add the $10 4G fee that is required, then $30 for the wifi hotspot (to tether) and suddenly that $70 phone plan is $110 per month. Not as great of a deal.

 

[clav]

Add the $10 4G fee that is required, then $30 for the wifi hotspot (to tether) and suddenly that $70 phone plan is $110 per month. Not as great of a deal.

??????

I thought the wifi hotspot was the small device that doesn't use a phone. What the hell are you talking about?

 

[numble]

There's one thing I'm not seeing being mentioned. How much of this is coming from government grants/funding?

Part of Obama's plans for technology is to help expand connectivity, which always translates to bags of money to corporations for expansion. Since it was brought up in the merger information....

Cash and stocks. No way the US government should fund a private merger.

 

[WickedAngel]

??????

I thought the wifi hotspot was the small device that doesn't use a phone. What the hell are you talking about?

Phones can serve as WiFi hotspots without additional devices now.

 

[clav]

Phones can serve as WiFi hotspots without additional devices now.

I thought he was talking about $30/month for tethering. That's not true at all.

 

[Kodiak690]

??????

I thought the wifi hotspot was the small device that doesn't use a phone. What the hell are you talking about?

Several of my friends have Sprint. In order to tether, without breaking their TOS, you have to activate their "wifi hotspot" service, which allows you to tether devices, via wifi to to your phone.

So say you have Sprint with unlimited data and want to tether to a laptop/tablet/etc without breaking TOS, you have to pay $30 per month for this service.

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

Roaming is free but you'll get warned if you go over 300MB (at least that's their policy). No charges though.

LOL seriously?

I use probably over 1GB per month while roaming with T-Mobile and never get a warning or anything. I also roam when using voice constantly and never incur a warning or charge.

Guess once my T-Mo contract is up I just wont have a cell phone anymore or I'll be looking at prepaid android. I'm not paying close to $100 per month for 300mb of data.

 

[JetBlackPanda]

I have been a tmobile customer for 9 years... someone tell me If this is bad? Will I eventualy be able to get an iphone?

Edit: can a mod please fix my tag? The flag is jacked and it should say member not junior member.

 

[clav]

Several of my friends have Sprint. In order to tether, without breaking their TOS, you have to activate their "wifi hotspot" service, which allows you to tether devices, via wifi to to your phone.

So say you have Sprint with unlimited data and want to tether to a laptop/tablet/etc without breaking TOS, you have to pay $30 per month for this service.

I use USB. More reliable and charges your phone at the same time.

You mean acting your phone as wireless hotspot, but that doesn't mean Sprint charges $30 for tethering. USB is included, right?

 

[Kodiak690]

I thought he was talking about $30/month for tethering. That's not true at all.

From what I understand you can tether without the $30 charge, but it is against their TOS and you have to use an app like PDANet.

I don't know how strict Sprint is/will be, but look at AT&T recently cracking down on people tethering.

 

[numble]

The chance it won't go throught exists and at the end of the day your contract is going change. This isn't the end of the world.

Edit: fuck forgot to quote. Dam iPhone browsing

The $3 billion cancellation charge they must pay Deutsche Telecom if the merger doesn't clear regulations means that AT&T will spend a lot to lobby Congress for approval.

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

The $3 billion cancellation charge they must pay Deutsche Telecom if the merger doesn't clear regulations means that AT&T will spend a lot to lobby Congress for approval.

No doubt, but at least haters of this news have something to believe in!

Anyway, you quote made me realize i said is instead of isnt as well as forgetting to quote. Previewing posts is important!

 

[Kodiak690]

I use USB. More reliable and charges your phone at the same time.

You mean acting your phone as wireless hotspot, but that doesn't mean Sprint charges $30 for tethering. USB is included, right?

You tether via USB with Sprint right now? I may be wrong, but all of my friends who have switched to Sprint have told me that you have to pay for the hotspot in order to tether without breaking their TOS.

If that's wrong, then I'm mistaken and have idiot friends.. lol.

 

[giga]

I have been a tmobile customer for 9 years... someone tell me If this is bad? Will I eventualy be able to get an iphone?

Edit: can a mod please fix my tag? The flag is jacked and it should say member not junior member.

Sign a new contract before the transfer of ownership in ~12 months and you can keep your rates when AT&T takes over.

The iPhone 6 will be T-Mobile (AT&T) compatible. No clue if the iPhone 5 will be unlocked.

 

[clav]

You tether via USB with Sprint right now? I may be wrong, but all of my friends who have switched to Sprint have told me that you have to pay for the hotspot in order to tether without breaking their TOS.

If that's wrong, then I'm mistaken and have idiot friends.. lol.

Hm. Reading about this more, I think you might be right regarding the TOS.

However, it seems like Sprint hasn't done anything about it. They're tacky with the wording in regarding it's a wireless hotspot, and the sales rep only know how to push that.

What contradicts this is some HTC Sprint phones come with tethering apps, and Sprint says it's OK with it.

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

Sign a new contract before the transfer of ownership in ~12 months and you can keep your rates when AT&T takes over.

The iPhone 6 will be T-Mobile (AT&T) compatible. No clue if the iPhone 5 will be unlocked.

Its so stupid how they are unlocked everywhere but here it seems.

But yeah, definitely resign to keep those rates just in case

 

[lo escondido]

yes sir, regular phone functions (calling, texting) operate on GSM 850/900/1800/1900. So any unlocked phone can be used between the carriers. Data is when things get hairy

How quickly could they start making phones that use both bandwidths or convert one of the towers to the other?

This sucks because I love T-Mobile and not so much At&t but I need a GSM phone because I plan on traveling a lot. Which 3g does Europe use? Particularly Spain.

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

Several of my friends have Sprint. In order to tether, without breaking their TOS, you have to activate their "wifi hotspot" service, which allows you to tether devices, via wifi to to your phone.

So say you have Sprint with unlimited data and want to tether to a laptop/tablet/etc without breaking TOS, you have to pay $30 per month for this service.

T-Mobile only charges $15 a month for unlimited tethering.

IMO charging for tethering is BS anyway. The data is still coming through your phone if you are tethered or not.

No one beats T-Mobile. Great selection of Android phones, unlimited data, unlimited messaging, unlimited Visual Voice Mail, Unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited roaming, unlimited myfaves, and unlimited roaming plus, anytime minutes of your choice and tethering for less than $99 per month after tax.

 

[Pkaz01]

So this means At&T customers will get access to phones that T-mobile already has?

 

[kehs]

Cash and stocks. No way the US government should fund a private merger.

Not directly no but, it's down the line for the wirelss expansion proposal:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2011/02/marquette_mich_in_this.html

The administration also plans a one-time allotment of $5 billion from a federal phone subsidy to be used for wireless broadband expansion in rural areas.

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

So this means At&T customers will get access to phones that T-mobile already has?

Yes you will finally get decent phones.

 

[BoboBrazil]

Yes you will finally get decent phones.

Except now T-Mobile will no longer exist to offer those phones and you'll still be stuck with ATT's crap in 12 months.

 

[gkryhewy]

Sign a new contract before the transfer of ownership in ~12 months and you can keep your rates when AT&T takes over.

The iPhone 6 will be T-Mobile (AT&T) compatible. No clue if the iPhone 5 will be unlocked.

Well, you can keep your rates until that next renewal expires, anyway...

I'm coming up on a new TMO upgrade in early May, and I've been dying for a new Android phone. I guess I'll just upgrade as planned (LG g2X supposed to be released 4/20). I would be interested in an iPhone down the line, but I have to assume there will be an amended upgrade path once the sale is finalized in a year.

 

[Pkaz01]

Except now T-Mobile will no longer exist to offer those phones and you'll still be stuck with ATT's crap in 12 months.

I am going to be stuck with ATT's crap regardless since i'm already on it. I was just looking for a good phone with qwerty. All ATT has right now is the iphone. This changes things though even though its a one year wait .

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

Except now T-Mobile will no longer exist to offer those phones and you'll still be stuck with ATT's crap in 12 months.

And that's the joke.

 

[ClassyPenguin]

No one beats T-Mobile. Great selection of Android phones, unlimited data, unlimited messaging, unlimited Visual Voice Mail, Unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited roaming, unlimited myfaves, and unlimited roaming plus, anytime minutes of your choice and tethering for less than $99 per month after tax.

we will now get charged for each of those.

I am sick and tired of AT&T. I have U-verse at my apartment and I have to call them almost every month because of their shit service.

 

[Kodiak690]

T-Mobile only charges $15 a month for unlimited tethering.

IMO charging for tethering is BS anyway. The data is still coming through your phone if you are tethered or not.

No one beats T-Mobile. Great selection of Android phones, unlimited data, unlimited messaging, unlimited Visual Voice Mail, Unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited roaming, unlimited myfaves, and unlimited roaming plus, anytime minutes of your choice and tethering for less than $99 per month after tax.

Yeah, I totally agree. They bone us on charges.

That's the reason I was thinking T-Mobile before today.. Tethering is only $15. My only other problem was that I didn't like their phone selection.. But the price for the phone plan was good too.

I think I compared a family plan with T-Mobile w/ tethering and data versus that 450 min Sprint plan and the T-Mobile plan was only about $5 a month more per month, but included 2 lines instead of just one.. And more minutes.

Maybe I should just switch to T-Mobile since it sounds like they'll honor whatever plan I sign up for and worry about it all in 2 years.

 

[kaskade]

The exciting news for me as a tmobile customer is the iPhone. I wonder if it'd come earlier, like when the iPhone 5 comes out, or only once all the business-y stuff is finished.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

$25 billion in cash + $14 billion in stock! Holy crap!!!