T-Mobile’s 3G

I got the Tmobile G1 back in Oct 08 and tmobile said they would have 3G in OKC by feb 09'. I also work in a place that blocks most sites so having at least the EDGE network is nice but I would love to have 3g although when I was in Tampa, FL in Jan they had 3G and it was still kinda slow. I have been with Tmobile for 9 years (my 1st and only cell carrier) now and love the customer service.

So the G1 is pretty good? The EDGE experience I have is not that much of an true test because my biggest problem is typing in the addresses. My current phone does not have the QWERTY keyboard so it takes a long time to type in an address. If I could just type the addresses in quicker, it would make it a lot easier. The web sites seem to load reasonably quick. Also my current phone cannot see most sites because of the browser limitation. Since the G1 is a Google phone and uses Android, is it safe to say the browser is the Chrome browser? It seems to render pages pretty good. The G1 is definately an option though I have never spoken to anyone that actually had one to get an honest opinion. Thanks for the post.

Howdy Paul. Fellow long-time (2000) OKC TMo customer and Tinker worker (97) here... Your story and position on TMo is very much in line with mine. But I will say that pretty much everything I have ever wanted from TMo has eventually come to pass, it has just taken crazy patience on my part for some of it. So I tend to be a little more forgiving of them than friends and co-workers are with their carriers. And I am similarly ridiculed for my perceived undeserved loyalty to TMo. However, I feel overall more rewarded than any of them, at least insofar as I can be, with regard to a mobile carrier.

My main reason for writing is to report on my G1 3G vs Edge experience. I have family in Philadelphia, which has TMo 3G, so I have experienced both Edge and 3G on the G1 since getting it in October. While the G1 is not a perfect phone by any means, I am very much enjoying the experience, in particular the steady improvement of the device as TMo/Google release updates to the OS. Yes there are still many frustrations. But when you've learned to be TMo-style patient, you come to have faith that all the issues will eventually be worked out, and many of them already have been.

Edge experience in OKC has been very acceptable, to the extent that even at home, unless I'm downloading music, I don't bother switching from Edge to wi-fi for most tasks. I have a speedtest application on my G1 and test results show 188Kbps for my Edge service, which is comparable to very low end DSL (I have a friend that pays $40/mo to get 128K DSL from TDS in Jones), so I'm feeling good about Edge. I was similarly craving me some TMo 3G here in OKC when I first got my G1, but as I've experienced the Edge performance I've backed off a bit, PLUS after experiencomg TMo's idea of 3G in Philly, I've really gotten far less concerned about it, though it'd be nice to have that option sooner rather than later, especially if they do something like allow you to download music over 3G like AT&T is finally doing for the iPhone.

My 3G speedtest in Philly pegged at around 800Kbps, which is a statistically significant improvement over Edge, but I must say that it didn't "feel" much faster. In fact, since 3G zaps the battery down much faster on the G1, after a day or two with 3G in Philly, I turned it off and went back to Edge. Just wasn't worth the battery sacrifice. I'm sure once the TMo 3G network is more mature they'll crank up the speed, but right now, it's just not that much to get excited about, at least in my limited experience.

As far as the G1 browser, yes, it is "Mini-Chrome", so it works very well, though be advised that, like the similarly webkit-based iPhone browser, it doesn't support Flash, so if you visit/prefer Flash-heavy sites you'll be unimpressed. I personally loathe Flash on principle, so I'm satisfied with my G1 Mini-Chrome goodness. What's really nice is that since it is based on the same tech as the iPhone browser, all the sites that have made iPhone friendly versions work just as well on the G1. "Regular" websites work fine, too, (i.e. non-iPhone-customized) and you can zoom and what not like an iPhone. There has really only been a few times where I found the web browsing experience to be unacceptable, and I largely blame the site authors in those cases.

One last bit of G1 evangelism if you don't mind... you seem to be as Google-friendly as myself. If that's the case, let me just say that the G1 will simplify a number of aspects of your life. As I almost religiously use Google Calendar to coordinate a crazy large portion of my life, having a phone that syncs with that service has been a force multiplier for me if you catch my drift. Seriously. Since other people have edit access to some of my calendars, there are times when things that I didn't even know about pop up on my phone, seemingly miraculously getting me to right place on time (my default notification is 1hr, so usually enough to get me somewhere). Getting push Gmail is everything I hoped it would be. And now that I'm converted over to Google contacts, worrying about my phone having the right contact info is a non-issue these days. So for the most part, with regard to my data-in-the-cloud experience, everything just works and I feel far more productive when compared to my days of Windows Mobile data synchronization ridiculousness. Now if only I could get the AF to switch from Outlook calendars to gCal (yeah right) my universe would reach a new level of harmony.

Anyway, I hope my experience helps in your future OKC TMo and G1 decision making.

Hello Shawn,

What a great post. You answered just about every question I had to ask about the G1. I have been sitting on the fence for some time whether to buy the G1 phone. Yes I do use Google/Gmail/Google Calendar/Google Docs/ etc. Are you the Shawn that I went to school with at Del City? I will not post the last name from your email that accompanied your post to preserve your privacy. I went to elementary, junior high and high school with someone with your first and last name.

The G1 phone has been on my wish list for a while but I was not sure if it would hold up on EDGE. My contract ends in June and I will be eligible to upgrade then. You are right though about being loyal to them. One time I almost switched and took a two week trial of Alltel and their signal was great except at my home. I actually felt guilty for betraying T-Mobile though my contract had not expired as of that time. People think I am crazy for sticking with them but like you I have been rewarded. There have been times when my kids have lost or broken their phones and T-Mobile came through for us.

I saw the loyalty plan that T-Mobile just offered to those that have been with them for a while. I really wanted to sign up but since I plan on upgrading to data plans for all my phones in June, I thought it would just be too expensive to add that loyalty unlimited plan in addition to the data plans. I do think they need to put antennas on the water tower in front of building 3001 like AT&T; does so they will have good signal penetration. I know they have antennas on the Bomber tower on 29th and also on the Tinker water tower near the GM plant.

I work in the office area in the front of 3001 upstairs near the North end and I am lucky to get one bar in my office if I stand in the right place. Right out in the hallway I get nearly a full scale signal. Anyway, thanks for the post and the information.

I grew up in Philadelphia, and didn't move here until college, so I'm not who you think I am. However, there was someone in one of my college classes with the same name, so maybe that was him.

You and I work in the same building, though I'm more in the middle. I feel your pain as far signal strength. I can't wear my phone on my belt while sitting at my desk. I have to sit it on a nearby table to keep from losing signal, and if I get a call, I have to take it to the hall to have the conversation or I might lose the signal during the conversation. I suspect it's the lead paint they're not telling us about. Or something similarly dreadful.

Anyway, let me know if you have any questions I didn't answer. I use the heck out of the G1, so probably I'll have some level of insight. I had my TMo MDA for 2.5 years and the G1 is several orders of magnitude better, so this will be my phone until the plastic starts to biodegrade, barring some unforeseen sweet deal on a future Gx.

It's a little bit ironic that we're having this discussion and your wife Twitters about switching her cell phone to AT&T... :)

That is funny Shawn. If you could have read the entire rant in its context you would see she was being sarcastic. At the same time, I was Twittering about my hatred for AT&T; because my home phone and Internet went out for 24 hours. She was sarcastically responding to my rants.

I see. I did catch what you were saying, but didn't pick up her sarcasm. I just presumed there was something going on like an AT&T hardline outage and poor TMo signal at the same time.

It was a hard line outage as a neighbor two doors down hired a plumber that had cut the phone lines underground. We are back up and running now. My cell phone has been very dependable and I am still considering that G1. I hope you are staying safe with the treacherous 2 millimeters of snow out there. You must save yourself and stay out of the weather.
I posted about it here... http://paulmccord.net/2009/03/28/blizzard-2009/

My sentiments exactly, concerning the weather. I've been keeping our mutual friend (Stephanie in PHX) up to date. She loves the snow and is jealous. Considered driving back just to see it. She says it's 75 there today, so I think she's crazy for wanting to swap.

YESSSSSS!!!

The good news... 3G in OKC!!!

The bad news... Q4. :(


I'm grateful and all, but I can't BELIEVE the kinds of cities that are going BEFORE OKC. Lubbock? Pueblo? Oy.


http://www.tmonews.com/2009/04/ready-for-3g-gal...

Thanks Shawn!

That is good news if it turns out to be true. I would like to believe that we have a slow deployment due to our massive land area that must be covered. :) I can dream that we have some sort of importance in the decision making process.

I hate that my blog has been blocked from work but oh well. I knew it was a matter of time. This is one of the reasons that I really need to get access via my phone.

Thanks again,
Paul

The one I have trouble with getting 3G before OKC is Wichita Falls.... I guess it's easier to convert the two towers there. haha.

LOL Gary,

You may have a point. I am optimistic this time will go quickly since we are already in the second quarter. I had planned to get a smart phone when my contract ran out in June but with this delay I may wait to see what other phones they offer when 3G becomes available. The G1 has been on my dream list for some time.

Paul

It may ease your mind to know that a strong EDGE signal is far better than a weak 3G signal. At least that's what my brother and I have concluded. (I have a Sony Ericsson TM506. He, a G1.)

My home is at the bottom of a "valley" between 3G areas with decent EDGE reception, while my job (fortunately where I want it most) generally has solid 3G through most of the building.

One of the commute routes passes through the heart of a 55+ community and we're not talking one of those "active adult" developments. It is bathed in 3G end to end, while nearby areas that are far more likely to contain a more appropriate demographic get EDGE. Hopefully the deployment of 3G will be/is more consistent in your locale.

I was recently told that midOctober of 09 wa shold see 3g in oklahoma city

That would be great news Wally. I am very anxious to see that.

What about Enid at least give us better EDGE coverage. Right now if I want EDGE speed I have to go down town which if you know Enid it ain't very big. I've also been with T Mobile for a while five years and two months to be exact. I have a G1 and my I gave my girl friend a My Touch I pay alot for my service but it is still a bargain for all I have.

I live in Norman OK.. just bought the I touch. I thought when i bought it, that T Mobile was 3 G here.. i had received a brochure from them with my bill..that advertised 3G.. when i called and ordered it I asked about the getting the unlimited 3g internet.. i was quoted a price.. i signed up.. then found out i am on edge.. and they wont tell me when okc is getting 3g either.. all i got to say is i pray to god when it does come to OKC that it works in Norman.. if it doesnt.. lord.. i haved been with T Mobile for ever.. hopefully it will come this way soon..and i agree with you all.. they should give people some kind of time frame..

Well I have received a time frame both from the tmonews.com site that we would be getting it in the fourth quarter of 2009. This was confirmed to me by the Midwest City store when they told me that we have a November 12th scheduled date. I did not have the patience to wait until 3G was turned on so I went with the Blackberry 8900 back in May. To be quite honest, the EDGE has not been that bad on my phone. I have even been able to stream audio from radio stations on my phone. I have been able to watch Youtube videos too. When I am at home, I use the Wifi for UMA calling. I have read a lot about the Mytouch phone. I hear it is an Android phone and it sounds cool. I am curious how your experience has been. I would not worry too much about the 3G service because we are only one month away. Also if you read tmonews.com, they are going to switch on the HSPA+ soon and it will be way faster than AT&T's 3G service.

Thanks for the post.

I love the my touch.. there are a whole lot of apps.. i have loaded specific ones i like which i guess is the whole reason.. Can i ask you what HSPA+ is you were refering to? I have never heard of it.. All i know.. i would like to be able to surf faster on mytouch.. watch videos with out the endless buffering.. when i am at my daughters and access her Cox signal through wifi... it is great to watch the vids and such. I have ATT 3g on my laptop and it is pretty fast.. if my phone can get that fast i would be happy..

That sounds like a great phone. To read about HSPA+ you can go here... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Speed_Packet_...

The current 3G is just HSPA.

You can read about Oklahoma City getting 3G here... http://androidandme.com/2009/04/news/im-finally...

Oklahoma City gets 3G today, October 15, 2009... http://paulmccord.net/2009/10/15/t-mobile-3g/