T-Mobile in Wisconsin?

[Andrew Grall]

Hello folks,

We will be relocating back to the Milwaukee area in July (yeah!!!), and I'm looking to switch wireless companies.

I've been hearing/reading good things about T-Mobile.  How are they in the Milwaukee area?  Are they capable of roaming around the state?

Thanks.

[Matt Heebner]

I have T-mobile. It is terrible if you are going to be anywhere in the state other than Milwaukee. They don't even have contracts with other wireless companies to carry a roaming signal.

North of Port Washington nothing. West of Watertown, nothing.
US cellular seems to have the largest coverage area.

Matt

[Gregg Lengling]

Best coverage is to stay with one of the original cellular carriers.  Either Cingular or US Cellular...I was with US Cellular (from 1984 to 1988) and then Cingular (ameritech) since then...Tried all the rest and they all failed.

[kermtfrg]

I have T-Mobile in Kenosha and the only time I get a good signal is when I leave the state and go to Illinois.

[veyj]

I'm quite happy with AT&T.  Their coverage includes the entire state of Wisconsin, Northern Illinois and the Twin cities.  When I was with Cingular, 1 1/2 ago, coverage cut out around the Portage area.

John

PS - Cingular has put in a $27 billion bid to buy AT&T wireless.  http://www.jsonline.com/bym/news/jan04/201405.asp

[RobbQ]

I have been a Verizon customer for many years and I have always been happy with the coverage and the service.  I would highly recommend them and last I knew they had the largest coverage area of any US provider.  Or maybe that is largest digital area?  I am not sure (ZDnet reviews I think).  

I would encourage you to check out the facts about the plans and the coverage areas.  It is funny how many sales people will lie about the competitor.  I have overheard them tell a customer that they would not have coverage by Verizon in the mall that we were standing in when I could get a nice strong signal for 100 miles in any direction.

[picopir8]

This is totaly UNTRUE.  When I go to Madison, GB, or anywhere west or north of Milwaukee I roam for free on Einstein.  Never dropped below two bars going anywhere between Milwaukee and Madison/Chicago/Oshkosh.  The only place T-Mobile dropps out is going south on I-43, right around past Elkhorn.  But Einstein goes down I-90 from Madiso to Beloit so I immagine it wouldnt take much longer before you get coverage again.

I just checked T-mobiles website and even their cheepest plan has nation-wide roaming so either you are on a really outdated plan or your roaming list in your phone is screwed up.  My Motorola T-720i picks up einstein w/o a problem.  You might want to call T-Mobile to see whats wrong.

As far as coverage, yes US Cellular and Verizon both have the best coverage, however half the time they are just dropping back down to their analog networks consequently you will loose some feature of your phone and your battery life will drain faster than if you were on a digital network.  Their digital coverage is very piss poor once you get out of urban areas.  Sprint has the largest digital coverage map but its very weak almost everywhere.   US Cellular is pretty week as well in many areas as well.  My GF cant even use her US Cellular phone in my home (tosa).  My Tmobile is still functional @ 2 bars under identical circumstances.  Not sure about Cingular but given that they are an SBC company, I prefer to keep my distance. Not sure on Nextels coverage as their plans are a bit pricey for me to even consider trying them out.

Originally posted by Matt Heebner
I have T-mobile. It is terrible if you are going to be anywhere in the state other than Milwaukee. They don't even have contracts with other wireless companies to carry a roaming signal.

North of Port Washington nothing. West of Watertown, nothing.
US cellular seems to have the largest coverage area.

Matt

[Joseph S]

Wait!!!! I had to go through Voicestream to Verizon to Sprint until I actually had digital coverage at my place. I've had very good coverage from Sprint here and on my road trips outside of the state. You don't want to be stuck with something you may be extremely dissatisfied with. The companies offer limited trials or you could borrow a friend's phone to check as well.

[mhz40]

I'll vote for ATT also.  I travel from Chicago to Plymouth and Milwaukee to Oconomowoc.  The only dead spots I have found is around a stretch of Loomis Rd from around Hwy100 south to Waterford, continuing east along Hwy 20 into Yorkville area.
IMO, US Cellular is also great (the first great carrier in SE WI).

[Bebop]

ATT is up for sale. It could be part of any of the major cellular providers.

[kkerley33]

My business requires me to travel from Fort Wayne IN, to Pulaski to Stevens Point to Madison.  I am using t-mobile...mostly because they have double the minutes of everyone else.

I just recently switched to a new phone and have not droped a call anywhere except in the middle of the Kettle Morain aroung Elkhart lake...and I doubt you would do much driving up there.

T-mobile does have a share agreement now with both Einstein and believe it or not...AT&T...but the AT&T will only pick up in areas where their are now Einstein or T-mobile towers  IE...ATT might be at 5 bars and T-mobile at 2...you will stay on t-mobile.  North and west of GB though you will be on ATT...and I have been pleased with the coverage since I switched to a better phone

[Andrew Grall]

What phone do you have?

For T-Mobile, I am waiting for Nokia 3660 or 6600 or 6620...

[kkerley33]

I am using a Nokia 6610. (it should be in the t-mobile stores, I purchased mine in Men. Falls) The phone has atleast a 40%(2 bar) better reception rate than my Motorola t66 and probably a one bar better rate than my t60 in weaker signal areas.  I was obviously a motorola fan until recently.

hope this helps

[Bebop]

If you are planing to be a new T- MObile customer. Amazon has  great deals on phones.

[picopir8]

Check out the Motorola v300.  Triband (works in europe) phone, digital camera w/ zoom, speaker phone, ability to use MP3s as ringtones, etc.  Truely remarkable phone and its -$50 through amazon.  Motorolas generally get better reception and they have better voice recognition algorithms than other companies.  They have slumped on features for a while but appear to be comming back with a vengence.

Note, AT&T and TMobile have free roaming agreements so if you get one you should get the coverage of the other.