T-Mobile: To Put It In Polite Terms - Kiss My Booty
Written: Jan 14 '05 (Updated Jan 15 '05)
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Pros: cutting-edge technology, great deals on phones and plans
Cons: below par reception for Long Island residents, horrible reception for Upper West Side residents
The Bottom Line: I wouldn't recommend T-Mobile because there are better companies out there who focus more on what customers want - reception and honesty.
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| jetbluefan1's Full Review: T-Mobile Phone Service in New York |
Where do I start? That's a question that should strike everyone when trying to explain his or her T-Mobile experience(s). This company has so many hidden fees and problems that my mind may just explode from all the information that it's maintaining...
I have a family plan for me, my wife, my mom and dad (yeah, we're that close). The monthly base price is $69 plus $10 for each additional line. Therefore, our regular bill is $99 without taxes, which bumps it up to about $120. I also get unlimited text messages (just my phone), which is another $7 a month. So, all in all, an average phone bill is $130, give or take a couple of dollars.
When comparing rates, I feel that T-Mobile has the lowest. Our family plan includes 800 minutes, free weekends, free nights (9pm-7am), and 50 free receiving text messages (for the phones without the 'unlimited plan'). I feel that 800 minutes is more than sufficient for my family's needs as we can all call each other for free, and we can call other T-Mobile customers for free also.
Also, we get free roaming, meaning that I can call a friend out in California while using up my regular minutes, or I can call him on the weekend without using any of my minutes. That's truly a plus with T-Mobile. Also, my cousin can call me from Europe and I don't get charged any minutes. However, if I call Europe, I'm charged $1.35 a minute...explain that one to me.
If I go over the 800 minute limit in a month, each additional minute costs me $.35. Each text message, whether it be receiving or departing, is $.05 if you have already used up your 50 free incoming ones or don't have the unlimited plan.
T-Mobile will nickle and dime you every way that they possibly can. For example, when signing my contract, I was under the impression that all text messages were $.05. However, I soon found out that the ones to Europe are $.15 (this was before I got the unlimited plan). As a result, my August bill was well over $300 and I had to call in and complain that this hadn't been stated in the contract. As a result, I was met halfway and only had to pay for half of the Europe text messages. However, I had to get in touch with several different agents for one to actually do something about it instead of telling me, "There's nothing we can do about it."
Another way T-Mobile nickle and dimes you every way possible is by not fully explaining "free nights." Here's the scenario that I was in: It was the night of the 24th (the last day on my billing cycle), and we had already gone over our 800 minute limit by 11 minutes. At 8:58pm, I was receiving an incoming call from a friend in Rochester, and I figured, "What the hell, I'll just answer it and pay the two minute charge of $.70). WRONG! That 24-minute phone call ended up costing me $8 and change. And why? Because "free nights" only applies to calls starting after 9pm, not going into 9pm. I was so upset about this and the customer service rep. on the other side of the line was given an earful from another person who works in customer service (me). This is just one reason why I will not be renewing my contract with T-Mobile.
Yet another way that T-Mobile nickle and dimes you is by calling a second a minute. For example, this morning I was calling my former supervisor to see how things were going. When she didn't answer her phone and I hung up while the line was still ringing, I was charged with a "one second phone call", which equates to a minute off of my 800 minutes. Since when does not contacting someone count as using your plan minutes?
It's also important to note that there's a $175 contract-void fee, meaning that if you want to stop using T-Mobile as your mobile carrier, you need to hand over $175....not nice. Also, everytime you get a new phone or change your plan, your contract is renewed for another year. Therefore, I highly recommend on making up your mind before signing any agreements.
As far as getting free phones and the such, there are only 'deals' every 11 months. For example, I signed my last contract with T-Mobile in August '04. Therefore, if I want to get another phone that has a good deal, I need to wait until July. And why's this? Because if you get a new phone, your contract is once again renewed...
However, T-Mobile offers some great deals. I got my Samsung e-105 for free ($100 rebate), and it's an awesome phone. My wife got a brand new Seimens phone for only $50. There are also some deals on camera phones, but most of these deals are not available to newcomers of the company.
It's time to leave Candyland and move onto Hell. Sorry to ruin the fun.
T-Mobile's reception sucks. I live in Nassau County, Long Island, and I don't get reception in some of the most populated areas:
First off, I don't get reception on Southern State Parkway. How can I not get reception on Southern State Parkway? This is one of the most popular roadways in Long Island and caters to hundreds of thousands of people daily. A T-Mobile phone is useless on that road.
I also cannot get reception south of Merrick Road. Neighborhoods south of Merrick Road are known to be richer than the already wealthy ones more north. However, a lot of people live in those neighborhoods, and T-Mobile is useless to them. I lived in my aunt's house (south of Merrick Road) for several months this past summer/fall, and I thought I was in Hell because I was not able to get even a bar of reception on my cell. However, my aunt - who has Verizon - gets nearly perfect reception.
Another place in Long Island where you cannot get reception is in various places on the North Shore. When going to visit my cousin in Manhasset, I have trouble getting in touch with him to let him know that I'm only five minutes away.
In New York City, I don't get any reception in apartments on the Upper West Side. I actually have to go outside to make a call in this case.
Despite all the common places where I cannot get reception while my Verizon friends can, there are some places where T-Mobile has the edge. I sometimes get reception in subway stations, while on the Long Island Railroad, and when in schools (which have dampers) or near school areas.
Quite basically, you need to be in a place far, far from water - sometimes over a mile away - or not in a low-ceiling structure to get good reception with T-Mobile. Sometimes it's hard to position yourself in one of these types of locations, and sometimes it's downright inconvenient.
T-Mobile is on the cutting edge of technology. I really like what they have done in this department. I can now check "T-Zones" and download new background designs and songs (which I can make into ringtones) at a $1 fee. Also, just by typing in several simple numbers and hitting the "Send" button, I can check how many plan minutes I have used within a matter of seconds.
However, in the scheme of things, T-Mobile really needs to step it up on getting people good reception. There have been several days where the lines have been down and I have not been able to get ANY reception at all! That's unacceptable. My aunt who has Verizon has never had such problems and keeps on telling me to change my cell phone service provider.
When it comes to getting what you pay for, even T-Mobile - the least expensive of providers - doesn't impress. I'd recommend spending some extra dollars to go with a company that can actually get you reception in populated areas and one that doesn't have these tacky surcharges.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 130
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