T-Mobile Internet

Timsw wrote:

tinslep wrote:

I am considering T-Mobile internet but my 5G iPhone 13 only shows one or two bars, sometime 5G and sometime 4G LTE. Using it as a wireless hotspot has very low speeds less than 10 MBS. 

Is it worth giving the T-Moble internet a try? If I could get 50-100 MBS down it would be worth it. I would  even be willing to go with an external antenna but with 35+ wireless devices and several streaming services, it needs to be reliable. Thinking of giving it a try for a month or two before cancelling Comcast.

Towers (band 71) are within a couple of miles. T-mobile cell spot works great but without it phone calls drop a lot.

Thoughts?

An iPhone 13 is one of those phones with great 5G equipment inside, and it is doubtful the gateway will outperform it. So I'd say you're liable to get the 10Mbps or less and be disappointed. That said, sure, an ext. antenna could help considerably, but sometimes they don't work at all for some people, and I'm sure you know there is no port for it on the gateway and the gateway has to be disassembled and rigged with pigtails to even plug an antenna in. There are videos that show how to do that. The Waveform antenna and kit is the best, and you mount it and point it at the tower with the 5G on it.

Given your poor 5G speed iPhone at your location, reliability is doubtful, even with an antenna that works. In general, slow speeds, although there are exceptions, tend to go along with an unstable connection and unreliability. Fiber is reliable. Most people's DSL and cable connections are pretty reliable. 

Thanks! I really would like to dump Comcast if T-mobile internet works but do have concerns. No fiber in my area. 

I think I am going to do more testing with my iPhone 13. Only once so far have i been able to get download speeds over 100 mbs and that was outside. Going a mile or so away from home I can pull 300+.

A consistent 100+ would be fine but unless I can find a sweet spot you are right, I will be disappointed.