T-mobile home internet

[seahag2020]

Is anyone using the t-mobile home internet plan in different locations if so how is it working? It looks like I could use it at home and then take it with me when I go camping.

thanks Kevin 

[Bill Joyce]

Can't be moved - https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/t-mobile-home-internet-service-now-out-of-beta-is-still-not-mobile-friendly/

[Bill Joyce]

An alternative some of us on this forum use is Calyx Institutes T-Mobile based unlimited plans - https://calyxinstitute.org/membership/internet .  We are on the Sustainer plan and it is working well in most places, but the new Contributor Plus plan is cheaper and should work at least as well.  The places these plans do not work as well are where T-Mobile does not have good coverage.

[k4rs]

T-Mobile home internet recently became available at our home base in Florida.  We have been searching for better internet access for some time and immediately signed up.  Our previous options were slow DSL or an even slower WISP at much higher price.  Overall we are happy.  The speeds are MUCH faster than our DSL (especially the upload speed), ping times are quite acceptable, and other than one glitch that tech support quickly resolved, has been reliable.  We have found a couple of issues.  One VoIP app and the video streaming service Hulu are not compatible.  I have also been unable to remotely access my security video system.

Getting back on topic, shortly after we started using T-Mobile home internet, they sent me a survey about our experience.  Several of the questions dealt with using it in other locations away from home.  This implies to me that while the official position is only at home,  it may be possible to use while traveling.   I certainly plan to try it the next time we go somewhere.

Safe Travels and Happy New Year...

[dartmouth01]

I have it but I'm stationary.  I have read alot of comments on reddit and other forums, and I haven't heard of anyone having issues moving with the service, but technically its not allowed in the terms and conditions.  Basically, do it until you can't, then at that point, do something else.  Verizon is also offering similar service for $25/month.

 

[durangodon]

2 hours ago, dartmouth01 said:

Verizon is also offering similar service for $25/month.

Do you have a link for this service?  I tried T-Mobile Home Internet and the speeds were great, until they weren't.  At times, I couldn't even browse the net, much less stream video.  I sent it back.

Verizon has great wireless service in my area, but I haven't seen any wireless offers for $25 month.  In fact, even though the Verizon cellular service is much better than T-Mobile's, Verizon Home Internet is not offered here.  I did see where they are offering fiber internet service for $25, but no fiber close to me.

[dartmouth01]

https://www.verizon.com/about/news/ditch-cable-verizon-home-internet

[durangodon]

9 hours ago, dartmouth01 said:

https://www.verizon.com/about/news/ditch-cable-verizon-home-internet

Thanks for the link.  Not available to me.  😢

[seahag2020]

thank you for the reply's just had my knee replaced and getting back to look at options for internet on the road

[BusDreamer]

Been using a T-Mobile home internet hot spot 90 miles away from my home address for a couple months. No trouble yet.

[seahag2020]

 i am going to give it a try. if it does not work i will send it back the good thing is there is no contract

thanks kevin

[TXiceman]

We tried the T-Mobile Home Internet and it did not play well with our ADT security system and took it back 4 days later.  Then they started auto debiting my credit card....twice and some BS usage fee for the 4 days.  Fter a lot of discussions, I finally got it off my card...I hope.  We will see on the next billing cycle.

If you take it back, make sure they get it cancelled as well as you credit card on file and get a copy of any and all paperwork.

Teh device actually worked pretty well for internet and even streamed from it.

 

Ken

[Chalkie]

14 hours ago, TXiceman said:

We tried the T-Mobile Home Internet and it did not play well with our ADT security system

Just curious, how did it not work well with ADT?

[TXiceman]

4 hours ago, Chalkie said:

Just curious, how did it not work well with ADT?

Too slow and appears to ADT as a hot spot which they do not like for service.

Ken

[Chalkie]

18 hours ago, TXiceman said:

Too slow and appears to ADT as a hot spot which they do not like for service.

Ken

That makes sense as that is pretty much what it is. And if you are not connected to a 5G tower with adequate bandwidth it will be slower. 

 

[k4rs]

I thought I would post an update.  We have had T-Mobile home Internet for almost a year now and have been very satisfied.  We brought it with us while traveling this summer.  It has worked everywhere we have been except one location that was WAY out in the boonies and down in a valley.  Speeds have varied quite a bit but was always adequate for web browsing, email, and video streaming.  Most locations were slower than what we get at home but one spot was MUCH faster.  I believe we made the correct choice getting T-Mobile rather than Starlink.  It works well for us at a much lower cost.

Safe Travels...

 

[Lou Schneider]

I tried to use T-Mobile's home internet back in June in an outbuilding on my sister's property and it was (and continues to be) one of the worst experiences I've ever had with a company.

My sister's property has good T-Mobile coverage but it's rural and 50 miles away from the closest T-Mobile store.  So I signed up on the net and T-Mobile shipped the equipment to her house via UPS.

Like others have said, the setup is location specific and you have to download an app to your phone so it can take a GPS tagged picture at the installed location.

The original device came with a part rattling around inside it.  I called their support line, they told me to plug it in and see if it worked before they'd authorize a replacement.  I did, and it failed halfway through the setup.

They sent me a second device.  It had a jammed SIM card slot so I couldn't insert the supplied SIM.  I again called support and told them I wanted to cancel (this was within the free trial period) and returned both units via UPS.

At the end of June T-Mobile billed my card for $50.  I called them again, went through everything that happened including returning both units.  They said I had used 6.8 kilobytes of service which meant the account was active.  Apparently this happened during the failed setup attempt.

After much discussion including bumping up through two levels of supervisors, T-mobile acknowledged both units had been returned and the account should not have been activated.   But since I was no longer a current customer, they wouldn't refund the $50 to my credit card.  Instead, I will receive a $50 Visa gift card which should arrive sometime in October.

Edited September 5, 2023 by Lou Schneider

[dartmouth01]

I've been using mine stationary in Lake Tahoe for about a year or more.  Its been great, only suffering occasionally during peak tourist season.  Haven't tried travelling with it but I'm sure it would do fine, but i have an unlimited T-Mobile cell line as well as the old Mobley lines for that if needed.

[RV_]

Roger, I dislike T-Mobile and their parent company DT. Especially after a fiasco with their phones and phone service that they issued to us as new customers, and could not get to work for four days during which we had no phone service. It was in the middle of this fiasco and should be over now.

However, I respect your comm and computer expertise so I just called them because my area now has 5G just about everywhere in the city and 'burbs.

They now offer free equipment gateway/router for life, Speeds here 100Mbps down and 24 Up, a $150 gift card, and price lock for life of $50 a month when paid with debit card, three free months of service which I can try out alongside my current service with Centurylink. I would have to pay now an initial processing fee/payment of $50. I get a seven day complete money back guarantee where they refund the processing fee 100% (The $50.)

Granted they were just bringing on 5G at that time and they were working issues with CDMA and Dish 3G/4G as well as having just merged with Sprint recently. So perhaps I will try it alongside of my Centurylink service. With $150 gift card and three free months, 50 bucks a month all taxes and fees and equipment are included.

I am on the phone now with Century link to ask if they price match  and doing local research. I will let you know when I decide to try or not.

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by RV_

[RV_]

46 minutes ago, Lou Schneider said:

After much discussion including bumping up through two levels of supervisors, T-mobile acknowledged both units had been returned and the account should not have been activated.   But since I was no longer a current customer, they wouldn't refund the $50 to my credit card.  Instead, I will receive a $50 Visa gift card which should arrive sometime in October.

That sounds like my experience with them last year with phones. But since this does not involve setting up phones. They said no problems with 100% refunds. They kept $30 bucks even though they could not make our phones work after spending hours at their store twice. I canceled within 7 days and then the trouble began. Their clerk made a mistake on the trade in on one of the two trade in phones and they said they could not refund that one because of their clerk's error?? So let us know if they s tardily do actually refund you.

However I can risk 50 bucks to see, and then if I do need to quit from poor service whatever and I have again to battle to get my money  back again if needed, I'll check back here. I am on hold now with CenturyLink who have been great since we moved here, to see if they are willing to price match as the speeds 100-150Mbps down 24 up ate similar. As well, Fiber to home is on the way very soon.

Edited September 5, 2023 by RV_

[RV_]

I just got through and I was paying Centurylink $55 a month locked in and $10 a month for my gateway router with WiFi 6 etc. My new bill to keep me from switching to T Mobile home Internet is $45 a month for the same speeds (100-150 down 20 up,) and no equipment rental fees. They are sending me a new modem that is a free gift to keep me as a customer because mine is a rental only unit, and they are paying to ship the rental back.

However, the City utilities, Google, and Ting, are bringing fiber to home with synchronous speeds of 500 Mbps up and down for the same price.  $89 for 1TB up and down.

So before switching from a great company with great service, call them and see if they are as good and will price match to keep you..

That said, I may yet be doing the $50 trial of T-Mobile service still keeping mine for the free period to see if they offer any advantage.

Excerpt:

"The answer is no. None of the CenturyLink internet plans have a data cap for practical purposes. All of them offer virtually unlimited data allowance. This rids you from any data overage fees and passive-aggressive messages reminding you multiple times that you have crossed a point of no return."

https://www.highspeedinternet.com/providers/centurylink/internet

 

Edited September 5, 2023 by RV_

[RV_]

Roger thanks for the incentive to check and save money either way. Great info and update bud.

[Chalkie]

23 hours ago, RV_ said:

However, the City utilities, Google, and Ting, are bringing fiber to home with synchronous speeds of 500 Mbps up and down for the same price.  $89 for 1TB up and down.

This is pretty exciting to hear about my old home town as I think more cities should be pushing high speed internet. However, in atypical Springs fashion however it looks like they are starting the buildout in the "high rent" areas of town instead of downtown. Maybe if they get a cash infusion from Google they can cut the buildout time more.  But it does look good on the resume of the person that gets paid 5 times the salary of the governor, which is not bad for a public employee, I guess.

[RV_]

18 hours ago, Chalkie said:

This is pretty exciting to hear about my old home town as I think more cities should be pushing high speed internet.

I just did the Ookla Speed Test on my current Centurylink copper wired Internet connection. I test from my main computer system upstairs wirelessly to get my actual operating speeds. My WiFi 6 modem is downstairs and serves a lot of computers and devices. My new free upgrade WiFi6 gateway/router will be delivered today as part of their deal to keep my business. Great company.

I may still try the T-Mobile just to see if the service is better than wired here. The advantage of the wireless modem/routers is they can be moved anywhere in the house without drilling/pulling/adding connectors for wiring. My printer for all systems is up here not downstairs and it is an Ethernet wired laser Brother DCP-7065DN. I bought six hi-capacity aftermarket toner cartridges for ~ 8 bucks each on sale and have only used two in the last eight years, and one drum unit $12 for it I have not used. They work as well as the $60 brother ones. We use digital (not paper from printing) almost exclusively now. I use a two Netgear PL1000 1TB Powerline adapters to plug the Ethernet network printer into and the other connected to the router downstairs which connects via a short Ethernet cable to the router and is plugged into a wall outlet and uses the house wiring to connect to the second just plugged into the wall, which has an Ethernet outlet that will avoid pulling more wires around or through the house. These are not as fast as direct Ethernet cabling but fast enough to handle printer data. So our phones etc all have access to the printer that are connected to the router wirelessly. Ours are just fine for our printer but now they have combo Powerline Ethernet and WiFi extender in one set of two for $79! https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Wi-Fi-Extender-TL-WPA7617KIT/dp/B09L85MFNY?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

Far cheaper than hiring the cable job or buying tools to put the connectors on the Ethernet cable after pulling it through and the cable. Not to mention I'm less inclined to climb 12 foot ladders these days. Until I checked today I was unaware how inexpensive the combo WiFi extenders and HomePlug Powerline adapters are today.

We are in a middle income area and all the fiber has been pulled here and the effort is ongoing. The lower middle income folks are complaining about digging in and around their properties to make it happen despite the companies fixing any damage or having it fixed. Some folks would complain if you hung them with a new rope!

5G is strong just about everywhere here now and they started with the Powers corridor.

Yesterday was our 51st Anniversary and it brings home how changed our world is . . . for the better by far! We take video calls on Google "Meet" free to our kids in Germany for granted now, and the call quality is perfect. 24 years ago we thought a millennium bug in computers was going to cause worldwide blackouts and planes falling from the sky. In 2000 we thought dial-up at 23Kbps not Mbps in 2003 was good, then  we thought 5Mbps was great speed to use our Netflix streaming DVD in our Wii to watch movies in standard definition. No smart phones until 2007 and dash navigation devices were starting to come into their own with Garmin and Magellan leading that pack. Remember the crazy allegations that 5G was harmful?

"Since the release of 5G, many false claims about its health appeared on social media. Examples of these myths include:

• COVID-19 vaccines contain 5G microchips
• 5G release is used to cover up the COVID-19 pandemic
• 5G causes headaches, migraines, and dizziness

There is no proof behind these claims."

Source with more: https://www.healthline.com/health/is-5g-harmful#false-claims

 

😉

Edited September 7, 2023 by RV_

[Lou Schneider]

Here in Pahrump (an isolated community of about 40,000 people) our local electric co-op floated the idea of providing high speed internet about 6 years ago.  Based on overwhelming initial interest they set up an interim WiMax network by placing nodes on extended utility poles on a 1 mile square grid and giving subscribers over the air routers and external antennas.  Originally they used Dish network style dishes with their offset feedhorns whick makes them look like they're pointing at the ground.  Later subscribers got panel antennas.  Speed is 40-50 Mbps up and down.

As of now they've extended fiber to about half of the town and will be shutting down the WiMax network once everyone is switched over.  The problem is there are about a dozen people here in the park subscribed to the WiMax service and we don't know how we can extend last mile fiber into the park.  Our electrical service is all underground, and at 35+ years old any conduits are likely clogged with mud and debris meaning getting fiber to individual sites will require lots of new trenching ($$$).

Here's a good video on how Valley Electric is building out the fiber network.

https://fb.watch/mVNP_e5x5v/

Edited September 7, 2023 by Lou Schneider