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Meldonox
Jan 13, 2006

Hey, are you listening to a word I'm saying?

Don Lapre posted:

Yea, its membership wireless kiosk in the store. I think all of them have them. No $25 upgrade/sim charge or $25 byod sim charge.

Am I reading this correctly that I can go to Costco with a new phone as an existing subscriber and they'll activate it for free? I was concerned I'd have to go to the corporate store and pay to activate it.

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hiddenriverninja
May 10, 2013

life is locomotion
keep moving
trust that you'll find your way

Tiny Lowtax posted:

I’m confused. If I get the ZTE Quartz smartwatch, do I have to have a data plan for it? Can it just run off my phone?

I have an Asus smart watch and it gets its internet by piggybacking on my phone data via Bluetooth. It also can connect to Wi-Fi by itself.

Don Lapre
Mar 28, 2001

If you're having problems you're either holding the phone wrong or you have tiny girl hands.

Meldonox posted:

Am I reading this correctly that I can go to Costco with a new phone as an existing subscriber and they'll activate it for free? I was concerned I'd have to go to the corporate store and pay to activate it.

If you are using an existing line with a new phone just swap the sim. But yes if you are setting up a new BYOD line you can do it there with no fee.

Meldonox
Jan 13, 2006

Hey, are you listening to a word I'm saying?

Don Lapre posted:

If you are using an existing line with a new phone just swap the sim. But yes if you are setting up a new BYOD line you can do it there with no fee.

It's a different size sim, is my only problem.

Don Lapre
Mar 28, 2001

If you're having problems you're either holding the phone wrong or you have tiny girl hands.

Meldonox posted:

It's a different size sim, is my only problem.

Ahh not sure about that.

nimper
Jun 19, 2003

livin' in a hopium den

Tiny Lowtax posted:

I’m confused. If I get the ZTE Quartz smartwatch, do I have to have a data plan for it? Can it just run off my phone?

You can run it off your phone. I don't know if TMobile makes you put it on a plan, though.

Don Lapre
Mar 28, 2001

If you're having problems you're either holding the phone wrong or you have tiny girl hands.
If anyone was gonna do the pixel 2 promo and hasn't added a line yet, well you are screwed.

utonium
Dec 17, 2002

Don Lapre posted:

If anyone was gonna do the pixel 2 promo and hasn't added a line yet, well you are screwed.
Yeah, you told me in the Android thread that I should log in to my account to see if the line was there except -- I have no account to log into yet. Last week, I went through the T-Mobile Advantage site, purchased a $25 SIM postpaid SIM kit, added a T-Mobile ONE plan to it, and now the SIM kit is sitting in front of me. I got emails about my service agreement and order status, but I didn't see a T-Mobile phone number yet. Without that, I can't create a My T-Mobile account online, or step through the rebate promo page.

The return policy says I have 20 days from today to get a refund, so I guess I could just open this kit up and give it a shot? I can't tell if my line is activated from the time of purchase, or when I pop the SIM in and the line is "activated" then.

No rebate means no T-Mobile for me so this is some crummy timing.

Don Lapre
Mar 28, 2001

If you're having problems you're either holding the phone wrong or you have tiny girl hands.

utonium posted:

Yeah, you told me in the Android thread that I should log in to my account to see if the line was there except -- I have no account to log into yet. Last week, I went through the T-Mobile Advantage site, purchased a $25 SIM postpaid SIM kit, added a T-Mobile ONE plan to it, and now the SIM kit is sitting in front of me. I got emails about my service agreement and order status, but I didn't see a T-Mobile phone number yet. Without that, I can't create a My T-Mobile account online, or step through the rebate promo page.

The return policy says I have 20 days from today to get a refund, so I guess I could just open this kit up and give it a shot? I can't tell if my line is activated from the time of purchase, or when I pop the SIM in and the line is "activated" then.

No rebate means no T-Mobile for me so this is some crummy timing.

The line is activated regardless of when you insert it into a phone i believe.

SurgicalOntologist
Jun 17, 2004

I'm getting my S8 replaced with Premimum Protection, and I was hoping to sell it as I also have an S8+ (did the 2-for-1 deal a few months back) I would rather use. Will I be able to unlock the phone without opening the box? Does the 40-day timer for unlocking start over?

datajosh
May 3, 2002

I had the realization these aren't my problem!

SurgicalOntologist posted:

I'm getting my S8 replaced with Premimum Protection, and I was hoping to sell it as I also have an S8+ (did the 2-for-1 deal a few months back) I would rather use. Will I be able to unlock the phone without opening the box? Does the 40-day timer for unlocking start over?
I'm not sure about the timer but you have to use the Device Unlock app to actually unlock it so it'll have to be opened.

utonium
Dec 17, 2002

Don Lapre posted:

The line is activated regardless of when you insert it into a phone i believe.
I popped in the SIM, ported my number over last night, and earlier today put my info and the 17PIXEL2HALF code into the T-Mobile promotions page. It said I may be eligible and let me finish the whole process, so fingers crossed. Thanks for the encouraging answers.

Over There
Jun 28, 2013

by Azathoth
I'm trying to figure out the best option here. There are two things I want:

1. The iPhone X

2. To switch to Verizon because the coverage where I'm at sucks and I'm losing it every time I go on a road trip or to see the inlaws, and at work.

I currently have a iPhone 8 plus, which still has about $600 on it. I talked to verizon today and we figured out the best method to this would be to pay off the iphone, then switch to verizon, then buy the X through apple, then sell the 8 while it's still new and people are searching for a slightly cheaper one online.

My concern is that my husband who works at apple says that usually you can't use a tmobile phone on verizon because of the lack of CDMA, but the verizon representative believes that there is software now to make it compatible. So I'm going to try out a verizon sim card on it tonight to see if it will work.

I also heard that tmobile will be expanding its coverage by the end of this year so it makes me wonder if it's even worth switching.

Anyone else go through anything like this?

SeANMcBAY
Jun 28, 2006

Look on the bright side.



T-Mobile is getting much better coverage soon with its new radio band but none of the iPhones out now support it, including the 8 and X.

Bentai
Jul 8, 2004


NERF THIS!


What model iPhone 8 do you have? iPhone 8 Models A1863 and A1864 have CDMA support and would be able to be used on Verizon.

Over There
Jun 28, 2013

by Azathoth

Bentai posted:

What model iPhone 8 do you have? iPhone 8 Models A1863 and A1864 have CDMA support and would be able to be used on Verizon.

It's A1897. For some reason he is saying that it should work. Maybe he's just wrong.

SeANMcBAY posted:

T-Mobile is getting much better coverage soon with its new radio band but none of the iPhones out now support it, including the 8 and X.

Wonderful

Bentai
Jul 8, 2004


NERF THIS!


Over There posted:

It's A1897. For some reason he is saying that it should work. Maybe he's just wrong.
https://www.apple.com/iphone-8/specs/

According to their own spec site, the A1897 does not support CDMA. :(

Duckman2008
Jan 6, 2010

TFW you see Flyers goaltending.
Grimey Drawer

Over There posted:

I'm trying to figure out the best option here. There are two things I want:

1. The iPhone X

2. To switch to Verizon because the coverage where I'm at sucks and I'm losing it every time I go on a road trip or to see the inlaws, and at work.

I currently have a iPhone 8 plus, which still has about $600 on it. I talked to verizon today and we figured out the best method to this would be to pay off the iphone, then switch to verizon, then buy the X through apple, then sell the 8 while it's still new and people are searching for a slightly cheaper one online.

My concern is that my husband who works at apple says that usually you can't use a tmobile phone on verizon because of the lack of CDMA, but the verizon representative believes that there is software now to make it compatible. So I'm going to try out a verizon sim card on it tonight to see if it will work.

I also heard that tmobile will be expanding its coverage by the end of this year so it makes me wonder if it's even worth switching.

Anyone else go through anything like this?

Yeah, the T-Mobile iPhone 8+ won’t work on Verizon.

Buy the 8+ from Apple is fine, just get the Verizon version (should default since that would be the carrier you select), but don’t switch to Verizon until the X comes in. Aka keep Service on T-Mobile until then.

Any questions or issues feel free to stop by the Verizon thread or PM me.

Over There
Jun 28, 2013

by Azathoth

Bentai posted:

https://www.apple.com/iphone-8/specs/

According to their own spec site, the A1897 does not support CDMA. :(

Hmm okay. I guess if that happens then I will have to create a new line with Verizon and buy the phone then close out T-Mobile and sell it.

Dumb

Over There
Jun 28, 2013

by Azathoth

Duckman2008 posted:

Yeah, the T-Mobile iPhone 8+ won’t work on Verizon.

Buy the 8+ from Apple is fine, just get the Verizon version (should default since that would be the carrier you select), but don’t switch to Verizon until the X comes in. Aka keep Service on T-Mobile until then.

Any questions or issues feel free to stop by the Verizon thread or PM me.

Appreciate it!

nimper
Jun 19, 2003

livin' in a hopium den
How much of a problem is lack of CDMA support on Verizon anymore given that Verizon's network is mostly VoLTE capable?

Duckman2008
Jan 6, 2010

TFW you see Flyers goaltending.
Grimey Drawer

nimper posted:

How much of a problem is lack of CDMA support on Verizon anymore given that Verizon's network is mostly VoLTE capable?

Very dependent on where you are. In Philadelphia there’s a very populated area in the suburbs where tower rollout has been limited (Verizon says by local government), so there are still pockets of 3G in an area right next to a big city as an example. Calls get dropped if you are using VOLTE only and driving down the street. Also, there are likely more rural areas still getting some of the rollout.

The other thing is Verizon won’t accept a phone for VOLTE, it has to be compatible. So even if you could argue the iPhone 8+ can be programmed just for VOLTE, Verizon just doesn’t offer that option.

CDMA probably has another 2ish years of life, for better or worse.

sweart gliwere
Jul 5, 2005

better to die an evil wizard,
than to live as a grand one.
Pillbug
Caution to anyone looking forward to T-Mobile's shoe size going up: make sure to check for your specific area before getting comfortable.

Raleigh NC and its surrounding cities won't get some of the new T-Mobile expansion because of media broadcasting dibs, last I checked.

nimper
Jun 19, 2003

livin' in a hopium den

sweart gliwere posted:

Caution to anyone looking forward to T-Mobile's shoe size going up: make sure to check for your specific area before getting comfortable.

Raleigh NC and its surrounding cities won't get some of the new T-Mobile expansion because of media broadcasting dibs, last I checked.

Which media broadcasting dibs?

hint: All TV stations in the channel 38-51 range will move frequency to accommodate the 600mhz cellular network rollout. Most of North Carolina is in Phase 5 of the relocation, which is scheduled to be complete by September 2019.

https://www.fcc.gov/about-fcc/fcc-initiatives/incentive-auctions/transition-schedule

nimper fucked around with this message at 15:53 on Nov 14, 2017

Blue Train
Jun 17, 2012

600mhz was previously used for either uhf or vhf broadcasting iirc

Blue Train
Jun 17, 2012

T-Mobile identified 1.2 million square miles where 600 MHz spectrum is available for deployment. The company plans to launch 600 MHz network this year in Wyoming, Southwest and Northeast Oregon, West Texas, Southwest Kansas, the Oklahoma panhandle, Western North Dakota, Maine, Coastal North Carolina, Central Pennsylvania, Central Virginia and Eastern Washington. The map below shows all areas where T-Mobile notified low power TV stations about commencement of operations. The areas are Partial Economic Areas ("PEA") defined by the FCC for the purpose of issuing 600 MHz licenses. A notification about deployment in an area does not mean the whole area will soon be covered by 600 MHz network.


On October 10th T-Mobile announced a partnership with Fox Television Stations to accelerate relocation of WWOR-TV in New York City by 16 months. This agreement and pending agreements with other stations will allow T-Mobile deploy 600 MHz in 2018 to 38 million people in addition to 62 million who live in the areas already clear for deployment. See Q3 Investor Factbook.

-----

11 TV stations that won reverse auction bids to go off air went off air by 10/25/2017. 132 stations that agreed to share a channel in exchange for cash must start sharing by 1/23/2018 unless granted a 90 days extension. For details see "Ready To Pay" Public Notice and the list of stations.


One station DKHPB-CD cancelled the license and one station KPOM-CD relocated earlier than planned.


Relocation of 985 US and 62 Canadian TV stations, also known as repacking, is organized into 10 phases. During the first phase that is scheduled to be finished by 11/30/2018 the stations shown below will be relocated to lower channels or rearranged within VHF and low UHF channels:

nimper
Jun 19, 2003

livin' in a hopium den

Blue Train posted:

600mhz was previously used for either uhf or vhf broadcasting iirc

Yeah, but I wanted forums poster "sweart gliwere" to explain how the "media broadcasting dibs" were somehow not extinguished after the spectrum auction.

Blue Train
Jun 17, 2012

Some are still using it they have a few more months to relocate

nimper
Jun 19, 2003

livin' in a hopium den

Blue Train posted:

Some are still using it they have a few more months to relocate

You and I know this. Forums poster "sweart gliwere" does not appear to know this and he is representing that Tmobile won't expand in Raleigh based on his not knowing this.

Blue Train
Jun 17, 2012

oic, gotcha

sweart gliwere
Jul 5, 2005

better to die an evil wizard,
than to live as a grand one.
Pillbug
Last time forums poster "I" read up on them was a few months back, but here's links:

http://www.spectrumgateway.com/600-mhz-spectrum
http://www.spectrumgateway.com/t-mobile-700a-spectrum

Is NC's capitol area (Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill) not missing some of the frequency expansion? Exclusion Zones is the term I remember for a few spots with protected broadcasts. And they'd need a future UScellular roaming agreement for the triangle, even though neighboring areas will get native 700 etc.

sweart gliwere fucked around with this message at 00:48 on Nov 15, 2017

nimper
Jun 19, 2003

livin' in a hopium den
So, based on the maps in your links:

TMobile bought 600mhz licenses nationwide as part of the recent spectrum auction. The Raleigh area TV stations will move out of the 600mhz range by September 2019.

TMobile doesn't own 700mhz spectrum in Raleigh. This isn't because of any media interests or exclusion zones.

Rhyno
Mar 22, 2003
Probation
Can't post for 10 years!
Hey guys, long time Tmo user here. For the last few years I've outright bought a device (Nexus, BLU etc) and used it on Tmo's service. I accidentally drowned my 5X and have been limping along with a R1 and it's a piece of poo poo and I want to grab a new phone. My lovely fiance has offered to get me a new phone as an early xmas present but only if it's one she can put on a payment plan through our existing billing. I hate all Apple products so what's the best non IOS phone i can get in store currently? A good camera and smaller handset are priorities.

plester1
Jul 9, 2004





Rhyno posted:

Hey guys, long time Tmo user here. For the last few years I've outright bought a device (Nexus, BLU etc) and used it on Tmo's service. I accidentally drowned my 5X and have been limping along with a R1 and it's a piece of poo poo and I want to grab a new phone. My lovely fiance has offered to get me a new phone as an early xmas present but only if it's one she can put on a payment plan through our existing billing. I hate all Apple products so what's the best non IOS phone i can get in store currently? A good camera and smaller handset are priorities.

You should check out a Samsung Galaxy S8.

goku chewbacca
Dec 14, 2002
T-Mobile is having a pre-Black Friday BOGO deal starting tomorrow. Apple, Samsung, and LG flagships are all buy one get one, and I think you can mix and match brands. The cheaper one gets refunded by rebate card. I’ve done this twice now with Samsungs, selling an S7 Edge and Note 8 on Swappa. Ends up paying for most of the phone you keep. For example, bought a Note 8 and S8, sold the Note 8 for a $250 loss, and got the kept S8 refunded by rebate. Means the S8 cost $250 plus the tax on the full price.

Rhyno
Mar 22, 2003
Probation
Can't post for 10 years!

goku chewbacca posted:

T-Mobile is having a pre-Black Friday BOGO deal starting tomorrow. Apple, Samsung, and LG flagships are all buy one get one, and I think you can mix and match brands. The cheaper one gets refunded by rebate card. I’ve done this twice now with Samsungs, selling an S7 Edge and Note 8 on Swappa. Ends up paying for most of the phone you keep. For example, bought a Note 8 and S8, sold the Note 8 for a $250 loss, and got the kept S8 refunded by rebate. Means the S8 cost $250 plus the tax on the full price.

Motherfucker.


I just bought an S8 and those dicks didn't breathe a word about this.

SeANMcBAY
Jun 28, 2006

Look on the bright side.



What iPhones are going to be offered for buy one get one?

heffray
Sep 18, 2010

iPhones 8, 8 plus, 7, 7 plus; up to $700. You can get a bit more $ value with the Samsung offer, and the GS8 Active is included (which includes 600mhz support).

The promo requires you to add a new line, which complicates things a little. Rhyno: it starts tomorrow and wasn't announced until today, likely the reps didn't notice it.

Maneki Neko
Oct 27, 2000

How bad does "add a line" screw with the sweet promo pricing deal I've got?

I'm on the old "2 lines for $100 + 20% off + free 3rd line + free TMobile One Plus" deal from earlier this year and am wary of making any changes to get a deal on a phone.

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Dr Tran
Dec 17, 2002

HE'S GOT A PH.D. IN
KICKING YOUR ASS!
I wonder if I can combine the BOGO deal with signing up my mom for the senior plan.

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