Tru 3G using T-Mobile on 1900mHz in the USA

rfranzq · **Tru 3G using T-Mobile on 1900mHz in the USA -** 05-11-2012, 20:24

Tru 3G using T-Mobile on 1900mHz in the USA

Today, using an unlocked AT&T Huawei U2800A, when driving around, I received 3G with Tru using network name Tru[=T-Mobile]. The '3G' symbol was on my phone rather than the 'E' at my home. [See 'hole in the middle' below.] AT&T seems to only connect to Tru using Edge.
I do not do data so I really can't comment on performance, but I feel confident about 'connections'. T-Mobile is rapidly refarming 3G to 1900mHz band. So anyone with 1900 3G capibility should have confidence their phone can/will work 3G on Tru if you get to the USA. See map at below link.

Here is a website showing T-Mobile 1900mHz deployment in the USA. Use Zip Code 90240 to see my situation.
Sightings of T-Mobile 3G/4G/HSPA+ coverage on 1900MHz (PCS/UMTS band II) Sadly, I live in the hole in the middle of Los Angeles County.

Bossman · 05-11-2012, 23:46

Yeah. My son's TMobile prepaid sim in an at&t phone shows 3G a lot now at my house. When I do network search in addition to AT&T, I see TMobile 2G and TMobile 3G.

rfranzq · 06-11-2012, 00:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossman

........... When I do network search in addition to AT&T, I see TMobile 2G and TMobile 3G.

Now, if only I could find an inexpensive [read cheap!] 3G phone that let me do network searches.

I guess next on the list.

Bossman · 06-11-2012, 01:45

The phone being used is a basic pantech link. I'm sure it can be found on eBay.

rfranzq · **Thanks for the advice. -** 20-12-2012, 22:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossman

The phone being used is a basic pantech link. I'm sure it can be found on eBay.

Thanks for the advice. Picked up an unlocked Pantech P7040. It does exactly what you said which is what I wanted.

rfranzq · **One minute minimum on all US calls -** 22-12-2012, 05:13

Other Tru 'news' I just discovered.

A long while ago, Tru announced that they were charging 1 minute rates on all calls. My US to US experience was that US outbound calls were charged a minimum of 30 seconds ==9cents. Received calls were always 1 minute =17cents. In the last month or so that has changed. Outbound calls are now also charged the one minute rate of 17cents.
[This is all US$ and for US to US calls.]

I had been making short outbound calls to keep my [8] SIMs alive. I will be sending SMSs now.

rfranzq · **ekit is the same -** 13-11-2012, 21:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfranzq

Tru 3G using T-Mobile on 1900mHz in the USA

Today, using an unlocked AT&T Huawei U2800A, when driving around, I received 3G with Tru using network name Tru[=T-Mobile]. The '3G' symbol was on my phone rather than the 'E' at my home. [See 'hole in the middle' below.] AT&T seems to only connect to Tru using Edge.

I took a recent ekit SIM on a similar trip and got the same results. 3G on T-Mobile, 2G[edge] on AT&T.

rfranzq · 24-11-2012, 06:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfranzq

I took a recent ekit SIM on a similar trip and got the same results. 3G on T-Mobile, 2G[edge] on AT&T.

More of the same today. Unfortunately, the ekit seem prefers AT&T and thus 2G to T-Mobile. No way to manually switch networks with the phone either.

rfranzq · **update -** 30-11-2012, 04:01

Today, when I got up, my T-Mobile SIM was showing 3G. It went on and off a lot during the day. I assume they are testing. Pity I don't use data.

DRNewcomb · 13-11-2012, 22:49

One thing about T-Mobile is that they have 3G (AWS) in places where they have no 2G service (e.g. Port St. Joe & Apalachicola, Fla.) They may have decided that allowing roamers on 3G (AWS or 1900) is good for business. OTOH, in many places ATT's 3G service has been saturated.

	(#1)
rfranzq (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 774 Join Date: 21 Apr 2009 Country:	Tru 3G using T-Mobile on 1900mHz in the USA - 05-11-2012, 20:24 Tru 3G using T-Mobile on 1900mHz in the USA Today, using an unlocked AT&T Huawei U2800A, when driving around, I received 3G with Tru using network name Tru[=T-Mobile]. The '3G' symbol was on my phone rather than the 'E' at my home. [See 'hole in the middle' below.] AT&T seems to only connect to Tru using Edge. I do not do data so I really can't comment on performance, but I feel confident about 'connections'. T-Mobile is rapidly refarming 3G to 1900mHz band. So anyone with 1900 3G capibility should have confidence their phone can/will work 3G on Tru if you get to the USA. See map at below link. Here is a website showing T-Mobile 1900mHz deployment in the USA. Use Zip Code 90240 to see my situation. Sightings of T-Mobile 3G/4G/HSPA+ coverage on 1900MHz (PCS/UMTS band II) Sadly, I live in the hole in the middle of Los Angeles County.

	(#2)
Bossman (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Professionist Posts: 1,257 Join Date: 22 Apr 2005 Location: Chicago Country:	05-11-2012, 23:46 Yeah. My son's TMobile prepaid sim in an at&t phone shows 3G a lot now at my house. When I do network search in addition to AT&T, I see TMobile 2G and TMobile 3G. Phones: Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, Samsung Galaxy A50, ASUS zenfone 3, Sim cards: AT&T (Contract), 3 UK, Piranha Mobile

	(#4)
Bossman (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Professionist Posts: 1,257 Join Date: 22 Apr 2005 Location: Chicago Country:	06-11-2012, 01:45 The phone being used is a basic pantech link. I'm sure it can be found on eBay. Phones: Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, Samsung Galaxy A50, ASUS zenfone 3, Sim cards: AT&T (Contract), 3 UK, Piranha Mobile

	(#6)
rfranzq (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 774 Join Date: 21 Apr 2009 Country:	One minute minimum on all US calls - 22-12-2012, 05:13 Other Tru 'news' I just discovered. A long while ago, Tru announced that they were charging 1 minute rates on all calls. My US to US experience was that US outbound calls were charged a minimum of 30 seconds ==9cents. Received calls were always 1 minute =17cents. In the last month or so that has changed. Outbound calls are now also charged the one minute rate of 17cents. [This is all US$ and for US to US calls.] I had been making short outbound calls to keep my [8] SIMs alive. I will be sending SMSs now.

	(#9)
rfranzq (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 774 Join Date: 21 Apr 2009 Country:	update - 30-11-2012, 04:01 Today, when I got up, my T-Mobile SIM was showing 3G. It went on and off a lot during the day. I assume they are testing. Pity I don't use data.

	(#10)
DRNewcomb (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Professionist Posts: 1,465 Join Date: 27 Feb 2004 Location: Mississippi, USA Country:	13-11-2012, 22:49 One thing about T-Mobile is that they have 3G (AWS) in places where they have no 2G service (e.g. Port St. Joe & Apalachicola, Fla.) They may have decided that allowing roamers on 3G (AWS or 1900) is good for business. OTOH, in many places ATT's 3G service has been saturated.