Network Speed:  

In those urban areas where T-Mobile’s 3G network is operational, the services speed is competitive with the more mature networks of AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless. Perhaps a bit slower, on average, but realistically we have to compare a range of speeds and there’s a lot of overlap. Unfortunately, their 3G network remains tiny compare to the other national carriers. It currently covers about 30 major markets and the expansion rate is expected to increase. We’ll let you know as developments occur.

Network Coverage:  

We don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but the limited footprint of T-Mobile’s 3G network discussed above under Network Speed is the same issue here with coverage. T-Mobile’s data coverage using 2G EDGE and GPRS is far more extensive but we’re talking mobile broadband so they don’t count.

Data Network Reliability:  

T-Mobile has consistently scored high marks for reliability typically being bested only by Verizon Wireless and Alltel.

Help/Support:  

T-Mobile is a standout in customer service rating by users. The most recent J.D. Power and Associates ratings of Wireless Customer Care Performance, rated T-Mobile number one, a position that they’ve held for quite some time with the exception of the previous rating period in which they were beaten by both Verizon Wireless and Alltel. Consumer Reports’ latest survey data puts T-Mobile behind VZW and Alltel in a number of markets but pretty consistently ahead of AT&T and Sprint. The assistance that we received from them in test calls actually placed them behind AT&T as well but we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt based on the massive size of the surveys by J.D. Power and Consumer Reports.

T-Mobile is just beginning to play in the Mobile Broadband arena. They still have a lot of network infrastructure catching up to do but the fundamentals are in place to compete on a higher level once that’s accomplished.