On Jan 17, 2010, at 3:39 PM, Steve Smith wrote:
Thanks for the feedback.
<snip>
T-mobile: I can't quite remember why I got fed up with T-mobile 5
years ago, but I am a little leery about going into another contract
until I've got a better feel for what I'd be getting from them.
Anyone (even non-iPhone) customers in the Santa Fe area who can
endorse (or trash) them?
I've had great service with them for > 10 years.
When I started traveling to europe quite a bit, they helped a lot,
both here (explaining that I needed both an unlocked handset and
international roaming), and in europe (explaining on their 611 world-
wide service number how to change to the euro frequency for Dede's
phone).
They also gave me an unlock code before they generally do .. I think
they unlock their subsidized phones at 11 months into the 2 year
contract, they did mine much earlier for a trip that needed it.
They also give you a new deal on a phone after 9 months, I think it
is. They give you a new subscriber price, altho extend the contract
for two years. This sounds odd to want, but for example, I can get a
new cheap phone to lend to family or take to europe (we generally have
one phone on a local pre-paid SIM and one on the home SIM and use
international roaming.) It also lets me decide on a GPhone if I want
one and they have a good price.
Local expertise is important. The guys at the tmobile store at Rodeo
and Cerillos .. next to Blue Corn .. beer & phones, great combo! ..
are *very* expert, and quite helpful.
I compare this to a 14-day trial with ATT when the iPhone first came
out. Exactly the opposite experience. Local folks not smart enough
to answer questions. No unlock for europe, and clueless about
european use. Poor reception where I hang out. European roaming 50%
more expensive. I returned the iPhone for the 10% restock fee. That
was back when you could go to the Apple Store in Abq and buy it w/o
ATT contract. Don't know how to get the iPhone now w/o ATT.
No provider is really great, but tmobile has been way ahead of whoever
is second.
All this said, the GPhone direction may make a lot of this moot. You
can buy your phone from Google (at a price) and independently choose
your provider.
-- Owen
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