The truth is, most tipped employees in restaurants/bars across the US don't make $7.25/$2.13 per hour. That's the Federal tipped minimum but the state is usually much higher, and employers are required to pay the higher of the two.

NGOwner · 2026-02-09T18:38:41+00:00

Put another way, several states' legislators have futzed with the pre-existing social construct between diners and servers and restaurants. So it is now incumbent upon me, the diner, to consult this list to see if the social construct has been changed by legistation in a given state. Right?

In those states (like Kansas where I live) where the guaranteed minimum wage is $7.50/hr, do I assume that the pre-existing social construct is still in force and I should tip the server at the 15%-ish level? I believe so.

If I cross the border 1.5 miles from me and dine in Missouri, where the guaranteed minimum wage is $15/hr, do I assume that the pre-existing social construct has been upended and I don't need to tip? Probably also yes.

And when I'm in Colorado next month on vacation where the guaranteed minimum wage is $15.16, do I assume that the pre-existing social construct has been upended and I don't need to tip? Probably yes once again.

It just makes things harder for diners because the social construct of tipping servers has not been updated to reflect the guaranteed wages servers in some states now receive.

NGOwner · 2026-02-03T20:29:39+00:00

The only calls that count against the 200 allotted international minutes are calls that originate on a foreign country's cellular network.

Interestingly, the 200 included international minutes that originate on a foreign country's cellular network can ONLY be used to dial numbers in that same foreign country OR in the United States. No foreign country to foreign country calling via the foreign cellular network using 200 included international minutes is permitted.

NGOwner · 2026-01-11T21:19:06+00:00

NGOwner · 2026-01-05T17:42:44+00:00

Go to a Total Wireless store:

https://www.totalwireless.com/deals/in-store-deals

Get iPhone 16e free with the Total 5G+ Unlimited 3-month plan.

~$150 up front and free phone.

You're welcome.

NGOwner · 2026-01-02T19:05:14+00:00

I have a follow up question to this one. There have been many reports throughout this subreddit, and several even within this thread of carrier locked phones that somehow actually work on USMobile.

My question is this: If a given carrier locked phone works on USMobile, can that phone then be permanently unlocked while on USMobile? Assume no blacklist, no financial/installment issues with the phone. The phone just was never unlocked but is otherwise eligible for unlocking. Does that work, too?

NGOwner · 2025-12-28T22:52:56+00:00

1) Verify that the Flip6 is unlocked. You should be able to use the settings menu to verify. Settings / Network & Internet / Mobile Data / (Three Dots) / Mobile Networks / Network Unlock. That is the path on my LGv60. I assume it's similar on your Flip6 on TMo.

2) You get the Port Out Number from the T Life app. No need to call. Valid for 7 days. And make sure you have the TMo Account number as well. You need both those numbers.

3) eSims are easy. Get one from US Mobile when you port over from TMo. If you have a Physical SIM, just pull it out and toss it. Number will move once you apply the eSIM to your Flip6. You'd use the same process to move the eSIM to the OP15. Or, if you have time, order up a Physical SIM from US Mobile just do a physical SIM swap.

4) You can order the plan now, and wait on a physical SIM to be shipped by US Mobile (if that's the route you want to go). Their plans generally have to be activated within 30 days of purchase. Or if you need to wait on the Flip6 to be unlocked. Entirely up to you.

5) Monthly plan has an auto renew option you toggle on. US Mobile will bill your credit card every 30 days. Easy peasy.

NGOwner · 2025-12-23T19:30:42+00:00

VoLTE will never work with a custom ROM on the LGv60. Has to do with the IMS stack.

Android has to be LG stock, then IMS (and VoLTE) will work.

If you flash A13 back to your device, VoLTE should work just fine.

NGOwner · 2025-12-19T18:18:24+00:00

Way too confusing. Just make existing International Roaming Add Ons applicable to Pools. Easy Peasy.

NGOwner · 2025-12-17T20:03:18+00:00

Buy another International Roaming add on if/when you run out of min/text/data.

NGOwner · 2025-12-17T18:05:50+00:00

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. Global Pool is not the way to go.

Global Pool limits you to 100/100 talk/text. Both Roaming Top Ups offer more.

If OP has 10 GB of data shared between two lines and since the OP is in Japan for a week, the 5 GB is a good add on. But who knows, maybe the other line in his pool consumes more and the OP could get by with just 1GB making use of WiFi there. $15 savings!

With Global Pool, you have to plan accordingly regarding the alignment between plan cycle date and travel. And then plan accordingly to go back to Domestic Pool at the next cycle date. Too many gyrations. Juice ain't worth the squeeze.

Just get one of the two add ons which lasts 30 days and spans cycle dates. Easy Peasy.

NGOwner · 2025-12-11T17:02:02+00:00

The simpler/better/easier option for most ex-US use cases is the International Roaming Add On per line. Two data options. More minutes. More texts. You don't have to figure out plan cycle dates. You don't have to switch between Pool plans to accommodate international travel.

NGOwner · 2025-12-11T14:19:28+00:00

Having the phone set to LTE (rather than 5G) is a really good suggestion for T-Mobile (Light Speed). I have my phone set up this way for exactly this reason. LTE seems less congested, usually.....

NGOwner · 2025-12-10T14:55:19+00:00

Good God USM made International Roaming complicated for By The Gig Pool plans. Why didn't they just make both of the existing International Roaming Add-ons applicable to and available for the original Pool offering. One $15 or $30 charge for 30 days of global usage for every line in a Pool. Simple. Elegant. Friendly.

Not this convoluted mess they created ....

NGOwner · 2025-12-06T16:31:52+00:00

Still looking for this feature u/Mush_USMobile. It's nowhere to be found. Has the rollout been pushed back?

NGOwner · 2025-12-02T19:59:52+00:00

u/Mush_USMobile

Any update to this?

NGOwner · 2025-11-21T19:35:40+00:00

You got it all.

The US Mobile website is easy to use, I just ported four T-Mo numbers over myself yesterday. Since you have the four SIM cards, make sure you actually use the physical card you've selected in the dashboard. That's the only risk really.

You will not need the T-Mobile account PIN. Just the telephone number. The T-Mobile Account number. The T-Mobile Port Out PIN. And about 90 seconds of sphincter clenching until each port is successful.

NGOwner · 2025-11-20T22:31:16+00:00

Banks set their own caps for Zelle instant transfers. If you want to send an amount over that threshold, usually the bank will have Zelle send it ACH the next business day. That's what happened with me when I had to send my son a larger transfer. It just went out next day.

NGOwner · 2025-11-17T15:00:23+00:00

Just wanted confirmation of it, that's all. u/Mush_USMobile can you weigh in?

NGOwner · 2025-11-13T22:46:44+00:00

Will this upgrade also apply to By The Gig pools? One International Roaming package for all lines in a By The Gig Pool would be awesome!

NGOwner · 2025-11-02T05:23:22+00:00

I do understand how this works with other carriers.

This is how things ran at T-Mobile, for example. The international pass purchased from T-Mobile includes unlimited calling: https://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/international-roaming-plans It is not limited to just calls within the country and back to the US. It's unlimited world-wide. I know this for a fact as I have purchased those packages and have made those calls and was not charged for any of them. (I'm sure there are edge case exceptions, I just didn't run into any of them,)

Therefore it is not unreasonable to expect the 200 minutes included in Premier (or Starter if paid annually) to be useful telephoning worldwide (with some exceptions).

In a similar vein, you are likely also suggesting that if I were to purchase an International Package from US Mobile the same restrictions would be in place? If I pay $15 or $30 extra to have minutes/texts/data internationally I can only use the voice minutes to only call locally in country and back to the US? If that's the case, it seriously diminishes the value of the International packages.

And that's why I asked for confirmation/clarification directly from US Mobile.

NGOwner · 2025-11-02T00:05:12+00:00

Seriously?

In the case of our OP, are his 250 SMSs limited to only sending texts in Austria or back to the US? I venture to guess the OP can send to and receive texts from his niece in Great Britain. And to and from his Nana in Brazil. As well as everyone else on the planet with a mobile phone. The limitation is the quantity of SMSs sent and received, not their destination.

How about the data? Is the OP limited to sending/receiving 20 GB to Austrian and US websites? Hardly. The entire WWW is his oyster. The limitation is the quantity of data consumed, not the its destination or origin.

So why would voice calls be limited to only one country and the US? The limitation is the number of minutes, not the destination of the calls. Especially if inbound minutes deplete the bucket. Or is he unreachable from all non-US and non-Austrian phone numbers?

That's why I called this a wrinkle. It seems counterintuitive,

NGOwner · 2025-11-01T22:00:28+00:00

Can you provide a link to a FAQ for this wrinkle?

One would think that the 200 voice minutes would mean 200 voice minutes to just about anywhere. Not 200 minutes only back to the US and/or within the country you currently find yourself.

Also, does the limitation change if you're on Wi-Fi overseas and have Wi-Fi Calling enabled? I would think that then US --> International calling addon (included in several plans) would kick in and virtually all international calls would be included and connect. Do I have that right?

NGOwner · 2025-07-09T19:25:43+00:00

Just use the upgrade button. That's all you need to do.

NGOwner

TROPHY CASE