T Mobile 55+ Plan

[twistedtree]

Question for those that have done the Trent thru Canada:

How's the coverage and options up there? I have Verison and if I get my service for $5 that will probably work, but don't like it. Hope that's not $5 additional.

Also, someone mentioned satellite WiFi, BandB, was that you? What's the skinny on that? When I search it, I find little info, except very expensive $1 a minute Iridium service. Don't need the phone, just WiFi.

Also, how long is the Trend, until one gets into north Lake Huron and gets good Verizon signals again?

The Verizon international roaming in Canada is $6 additional, per day.

 

[Northern Spy]

Here's a link to the Telus cellular map with overlays to give you an idea of Canadian cell coverage.

https://www.telus.com/en/bc/mobility/network/coverage-map.jsp

 

[Ken E.]

Here's a link to the Telus cellular map with overlays to give you an idea of Canadian cell coverage.

https://www.telus.com/en/bc/mobility/network/coverage-map.jsp

Thanks for the link. The coverage areas shown are accurate based on our experience.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Here's a link to the Telus cellular map with overlays to give you an idea of Canadian cell coverage.

https://www.telus.com/en/bc/mobility/network/coverage-map.jsp

We have also experienced Bell and Rogers in these areas along with Telis on west coast BC.

 

[Northern Spy]

We have also experienced Bell and Rogers in these areas along with Telis on west coast BC.

Bell uses Telus towers in coastal BC. Rogers doesn't have as widespread coverage on the coast, but yes, they do have cell towers.

Can see towers here:

https://www.ertyu.org/steven_nikkel/cancellsites.html

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

The Verizon international roaming in Canada is $6 additional, per day.

We have a Verizon plan that has the Canadian plan as part of the package. And yes it is $6 a day additional, but only charged if you use it for that day. So in areas with no cell service, no $6 charge.

This plan is much much better and cheaper than AT&T. I have also been told the plan is better than a Canadian plan. Some of our Canadian friends couldn't believe the data we used and was part of our plan. They told me data usage was very expensive.

 

[newbernbuck]

I switched to the T-mobile 55+ 2 lines for $60 plan about a month ago. I'm in eastern NC.
Mixed reviews so far, the line porting was not so smooth and so far a few dropped calls and some delayed texts. Local store not that helpful. The real test will be when on the water. I'll give it a couple months more and if not happy will go back to Straight talk.

 

[BandB]

I switched to the T-mobile 55+ 2 lines for $60 plan about a month ago. I'm in eastern NC.
Mixed reviews so far, the line porting was not so smooth and so far a few dropped calls and some delayed texts. Local store not that helpful. The real test will be when on the water. I'll give it a couple months more and if not happy will go back to Straight talk.

Perhaps find a different local store. There are stores that tend to just sell and others that are full service and glad to help with issues.

 

[twistedtree]

We have a Verizon plan that has the Canadian plan as part of the package. And yes it is $6 a day additional, but only charged if you use it for that day. So in areas with no cell service, no $6 charge.

This plan is much much better and cheaper than AT&T. I have also been told the plan is better than a Canadian plan. Some of our Canadian friends couldn't believe the data we used and was part of our plan. They told me data usage was very expensive.

I agree the Verizon Canada roaming at $6/day is better than ATT. Their daily plan is $10/day.

We have traveled BC with both a roaming Verizon device and a native Telus device. At times the Telus device was on LTE when the Verizon device was roaming on 3G. This "feature" is not very prominent in really built up areas like Vancouver or Victoria, but becomes more apparent as you get into less populated areas. That said, the next year I just used Verzon roaming rather than have to go through the Telus hoops. So in my experience, pluses and minuses both ways.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I also have a cell phone booster.........

 

[Ken E.]

I also have a cell phone booster.........

I installed Wilson booster a couple years ago. Thought they might be snake oil but I usually get a couple extra bars with it so it's well worth it, especially in BC and AK.

 

[Gordon J]

Some food for thought

I have been a Verizon customer for about 20 years. My wife and I travel quite a bit. When we travel for extended periods say 6 to 8 weeks to Europe we suspend the phone. We are now in the second month of a four month trip to the Bahamas. In late November I called Verizon to suspend the phone and was told that I could not suspend the phone for more than 90 days in a one year.

Being a former sailboater, I was Loathe to pay for service that I was not using. I canceled both of my wife’s and my Verizon phones. When we return to the states we will figure out if we go back to Verizon or some other cheaper plan.

As an aside, Verizon also charges you a monthly fee so they can suspend your service. It’s not as if they were not making money off of me so I could keep the telephone number.

I am still fuming over the fact that I could not suspend the phones for a longer period of time. Perhaps this is the policy with all phone companies but you can bet Verizon will be among my last choices for phone service come spring.

I don’t know what Verizon customer acquisition costs are on a per person basis but they seem to think it is trivial.

 

[Phyrcooler]

I have had T-mobile for slightly over a year since retiring and turning in my Gov't Verizon phone. Service was pretty good... but slightly less in both speed and coverage than Verizon. I then found and switched to T-mobile's 55-Unlimited program last month which saved me $10 bucks per month while adding a second line! NICE! I was paying $70 for my single line. So now my wife has a personal iPhone in addition to her issued phone for $60/mo.

In SoCal and on the water along the coast coverage has been pretty good. I pay an extra $25 per month for unlimited LTE/HD Hotspot from my phone (vs. reported 3G hotspot speed). I did this to enable my phone to provide Wifi for my tablet, wife's tablet, and the twins iPads - and not worry about any "throttling". It handles all 4 simultaneously pretty darn well. I had given up on the HORRIBLE wifi service provided by Beacon in my marina - and the $25 extra per month for unlimited HD hotspot covers my need. Now, we just use my phone as the hotspot/router on the boat.

Coverage in Vancouver, BC and in Alaska this summer was comparable to my Verizon phone.

 

[knotheadcharters]

As a Merchant Mariner most of us use T-Mobile, They have best international plans and by far the cheapest domestic plans. Att international sucks both in voice and data and extremely expensive.

 

[Seevee]

For you Canadian travelers,

What's the best plan for use on the Trent for a month or so?

Trying to get that info on the web is like pulling teeth. Go no where on T Mobiles site.

 

[A330NRT]

Trent Severn

We did the Trent in 2014. Went to a T-mobile store and purchased a chip for our Ipad. I believe it was $30/month for 5 gb with no roaming or data charges for 5 weeks at a time. After that you just log in from the US and it started the 5 weeks over again. It roamed on any company that was available. I switched to the 55+ plan in October from ATT. Used to pay $130/month so it's quite a savings. It is less reliable than ATT but I'm retired and can live with that.

 

[BandB]

T-Mobile about to pass AT&T for most retail locations.

Interesting opinions I read when the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint fell through. It said the real losers in the failure to merge would be Verizon and AT&T as it would leave the two disruptors as opposed to just one. Well, sure seems the case.

I know our T-Mobile sales have increased significantly although nationwide the growth is only 7% in dollar volume. Of course 7% in dollars is far more in phones due to pricing.

 

[Donsan]

T-Mobile about to pass AT&T for most retail locations.

Interesting opinions I read when the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint fell through. It said the real losers in the failure to merge would be Verizon and AT&T as it would leave the two disruptors as opposed to just one. Well, sure seems the case.

I know our T-Mobile sales have increased significantly although nationwide the growth is only 7% in dollar volume. Of course 7% in dollars is far more in phones due to pricing.

Be careful or you are going to need a commercial account.

 

[meridian]

I switched to the T-mobile 55+ 2 lines for $60 plan about a month ago. I'm in eastern NC.

Mixed reviews so far, the line porting was not so smooth and so far a few dropped calls and some delayed texts. Local store not that helpful. The real test will be when on the water. I'll give it a couple months more and if not happy will go back to Straight talk.

Is this with unlimited data? Any hotspot usage and at what speed?

 

[BandB]

Be careful or you are going to need a commercial account.

I don't think so since not going to disclose any locations...lol. I am shocked to see the business T-Mobile has picked up from this group. The 55+ program clearly working. Sure is a cut throat business. If only we had such competition for cable and satellite and such.

 

[FlyWright]

I switched to the T-mobile 55+ 2 lines for $60 plan about a month ago. I'm in eastern NC.
Mixed reviews so far, the line porting was not so smooth and so far a few dropped calls and some delayed texts. Local store not that helpful. The real test will be when on the water. I'll give it a couple months more and if not happy will go back to Straight talk.

NB Buck,

Do you use your phone as a hotspot? If so, are there restrictions or fees?

I'm having a hard time finding out about the hotspot use on the 55+ plan.

 

[FlyWright]

Interesting 5G news...

https://www.axios.com/trump-team-de...ork-f1e92a49-60f2-4e3e-acd4-f3eb03d910ff.html

 

[FlyWright]

I have had T-mobile for slightly over a year since retiring and turning in my Gov't Verizon phone. Service was pretty good... but slightly less in both speed and coverage than Verizon. I then found and switched to T-mobile's 55-Unlimited program last month which saved me $10 bucks per month while adding a second line! NICE! I was paying $70 for my single line. So now my wife has a personal iPhone in addition to her issued phone for $60/mo.

In SoCal and on the water along the coast coverage has been pretty good. I pay an extra $25 per month for unlimited LTE/HD Hotspot from my phone (vs. reported 3G hotspot speed). I did this to enable my phone to provide Wifi for my tablet, wife's tablet, and the twins iPads - and not worry about any "throttling". It handles all 4 simultaneously pretty darn well. I had given up on the HORRIBLE wifi service provided by Beacon in my marina - and the $25 extra per month for unlimited HD hotspot covers my need. Now, we just use my phone as the hotspot/router on the boat.

Coverage in Vancouver, BC and in Alaska this summer was comparable to my Verizon phone.

Just saw this, Phyrcooler. Great info. Thanks!

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

NB Buck,

Do you use your phone as a hotspot? If so, are there restrictions or fees?

I'm having a hard time finding out about the hotspot use on the 55+ plan.

We use our phones as hotspots all the time. I will turn it on and place it in our cell booster. Works great.

 

[A330NRT]

We use our phones as hotspots all the time with no restrictions or fees.

 

[twistedtree]

One thing I would suggest for anyone considering a plan change, is to read the fine print about the service you are considering. Plans change, and what one person has been using successfully for the past several years is not necessarily what you would get signing up today. My son, for example, had one of ATT's first unlimited data plans from the original iPhone introduction. Those didn't last long, and they tried everything they could to get him to switch to some "better" plan that of course dropped the unlimited data. I checked into T-mobile because a friend has used it very successfully, including in Mexico with great data speed and quantity. But the plans today are quite different, especially for hot spot operation.

 

[FlyWright]

We have a Verizon plan that has the Canadian plan as part of the package.

We use our phones as hotspots all the time. I will turn it on and place it in our cell booster. Works great.

Thanks, but I was asking about the subject T-Mobile 55+ plan. You mentioned that you have Verizon. I do this much on my AT&T plan and that's why I'm asking about extra fees or restrictions on the T Mobile 55+ plan that I'm considering.

One thing I would suggest for anyone considering a plan change, is to read the fine print about the service you are considering. Plans change, and what one person has been using successfully for the past several years is not necessarily what you would get signing up today. My son, for example, had one of ATT's first unlimited data plans from the original iPhone introduction. Those didn't last long, and they tried everything they could to get him to switch to some "better" plan that of course dropped the unlimited data. I checked into T-mobile because a friend has used it very successfully, including in Mexico with great data speed and quantity. But the plans today are quite different, especially for hot spot operation.

Probably the best advice. I'll have to visit the T Mobile store for details.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Thanks, but I was asking about the subject T-Mobile 55+ plan. You mentioned that you have Verizon.

Yes you did. Sorry for the post drift.

 

[caltexflanc]

Tethering on T Mobile One is unlimited at 3G speed. It's there in the fine print.

 

[BandB]

Tethering on T Mobile One is unlimited at 3G speed. It's there in the fine print.

And that's the policy this month, as someone said previously. These rules change all the time. It scares me a little with T-Mobile's customer growth, will they have to start taking away or reducing to accommodate it. Aggressive plans have pitfalls.