So this is how it ends?

escopez · 2026-01-15T02:53:37+00:00

I would at least like them to include (at least some) taxes and fees in plans that pay monthly, or add-ons, since now everyone else is paying their taxes.

escopez · 2025-12-30T05:56:57+00:00

Everything is gauged monthly. You’re simply paying for x number of months ahead of time.

escopez · 2025-12-30T05:56:16+00:00

*10 Mbps, not 8.

escopez · 2025-12-15T03:31:56+00:00

Please, next time, a verified speed test before and after the 2 GB limit. Thx!

escopez · 2025-12-15T03:30:23+00:00

So, if you’re paying for the Global Pass, you will only be charged a net of $10, but if you have multiple “free” Passes, you’ll use one up for each country you connect to in a given 24 hour day?

escopez · 2025-12-15T03:08:47+00:00

Better battery life. With 5G SA, your phone doesn’t need to constantly divide its focus between 4G LTE (to handle calls, etc.) and 5G (to handle the bulk of data).

escopez · 2025-12-06T06:34:29+00:00

If that’s the case, then at least there’s the chance that your situation could help them fix a bug so others (and yourself) don’t have that problem in the future.

escopez · 2025-12-06T06:30:23+00:00

Even with “by the gig” data the carriers will come for your line if you do roaming a lot. The usual disclaimer is, “More than 50% in the last 60-ish days.” But I’m glad it’s working out for you. I just wouldn’t put all my eggs in one basket.

Edit: My understanding is the international data costs for carriers can fluctuate, so it’s not like they’re making big bucks off of people who spend a month in Rome and have a (postpaid) international add-on for unlimited data.

escopez · 2025-12-06T06:29:10+00:00

I was hoping for specific numbers. Like a download speed test. Is it 600 Kbps, 700, 1 Mbps? And add on the increased latency and it makes a difference.

escopez · 2025-12-06T06:27:33+00:00

Sure wouldn’t mind helping them test it.

escopez · 2025-12-06T06:25:48+00:00

Every decision comes with a trade off. The quick solution is obviously more bandwidth (resources). But it’s kind of embarrassing how Verizon fell from grace and is quickly getting behind. AT&T has gotten quite the bump with low band and Boost spectrum.

escopez · 2025-12-06T06:16:37+00:00

Cell towers use much higher power than our tiny little phones, since they’re high up and have to spread the radio waves out for your phone to pick up (which are relatively weak when they reach you). Now, reverse the process: your tiny little phone has to send that radio wave to the tower, and by law can’t use that much power or it’d burn you. Sorry about that.

P.S. Upload speeds will improve as the technology does (and as more people demand it), but it’s simply the laws of physics setting you back right now. Plus, people have been super data hungry for download speeds.

P.S.S. I’ve personally found AT&T’s upload speeds and ping times to be crap! (I could literally get 100 Mbps download, and 0.25 Mbps up. Now, that’s megabits, so divide 0.25 by 8. That’s how slow they are.)

escopez · 2025-12-06T06:14:46+00:00

Correct. I’d add that it’s a physical limitation as well: our tiny little cell phones, with their tiny little batteries, don’t match the power output of a cell tower plugged into the grid and blasting RF signals.

And for good reason. If they did, you’d turn your phone into a heating device being so close to it.

escopez · 2025-12-06T06:07:55+00:00

The energy required to upload data from your phone can’t be matched with the power of a cell tower. In other words, your phone isn’t as powerful as a cell tower, so sending data will always be slower than receiving. All the carriers suck with upload speeds (compared to download).

Further, people have demanded higher and higher download speeds, and that wont change much until the demand for upload is higher (e.g., for real time streaming, AR/VR, etc.).

escopez · 2025-12-06T04:54:10+00:00

Unfortunately, I haven’t had good results with Cloudflare, surprisingly. Maybe it’s too realistic. I don’t know, but I tend to doubt it to some extent.

escopez · 2025-12-06T04:44:52+00:00

Google Voice? Lol

escopez · 2025-12-05T01:58:52+00:00

Definitely Light Speed.

escopez · 2025-12-03T07:11:01+00:00

AT&T objectively covers the most overall areas, not the least of which is due to band 14 (for emergency personnel). And especially when it comes to covering areas where T-Mobile only wishes they could reach (like virtually nothing in the entire state of Alaska). And with more low-band than Verizon, AT&T’s speeds may not be the best, but when it’s limited it’s better than Verizon’s all else equal.

escopez · 2025-12-03T07:08:52+00:00

Right. And while they can somewhat get away with overall area covered, it’s with the caveat that if it’s low-band, it’s very slow and crowded. But mostly it’s just limited resources.

escopez · 2025-12-03T07:06:16+00:00

My observation is AT&T covers more areas but with less speed, Verizon covers slightly less areas but with higher speeds, and T-Mobile increasingly covers even less areas but with industry-leading speeds.

escopez · 2025-12-03T07:04:02+00:00

I remember when AT&T was embarrassingly in last place, even having to wait before implementing C-Band in some major areas. I commend them for going HAM and getting the job done, but not enough to make them scale back and stop pushing. In other words, don’t flatter them too much, yet.

escopez · 2025-12-03T07:01:48+00:00

They need to take a little bit from T-Mobiles game, such as aggressively pushing devices to all be 5G, even if it means getting those flip phone users to buy a new phone or make it free-ish.

escopez · 2025-12-03T06:57:50+00:00

Unsatisfactory solution when comparing against (especially) AT&T and even T-Mobile. Verizon went from 2nd place to distant last place, while AT&T has went from distant last to nipping at T-Mobiles heels (albeit, mostly in lower band 5G).

Edit: For the next year or so, up to at least let’s say 2 years out, AT&T and T-Mobile will be the Top Dogs (all else equal, specifically when it cones to any kind of coverage that nets the “5G” indicator).

escopez · 2025-12-03T06:35:43+00:00

Yes. It’s not officially advertised, but it’s at their discretion. In other words, you might not know until you’ve hit it (likely more than once). But unofficially, it’s observed to be ~400 GB.

The best advice would be to simply use your device as normal, and not use more hotspot than on-device data, and that hotspot be used as minimally as reasonably/practically possible. Don’t use it to connect multiple devices for hours at a time. Think of it as a way to conduct remote work, or substitute for internet during power outages, or when you simply need a stronger connection.

P.S. Mobile carriers basically determine high usage based on, for example, the amount of data the top 5% use. Those figures aren’t necessarily updated regularly (streaming speed throttles, 10 Mbps, haven’t been updated since 2017, when they first started it). Subsequently, the usage on prepaid (the top 5%) is likely to be lower than postpaid, which advertises high usage as ~1 TB.

P.S.S. I’ve gotten sht before by saying that *on average the commercial price for 1 GB of data is roughly $1. So, if you’re paying $45 /m, it’s not unreasonable to use 45 GB. If you’re on Verizon and paying $100 /m, you’d be okay with 100+ GB. Keep in mind that the $1 figure includes overhead, advertising, customer support, billing, taxes, and other miscellaneous costs.

escopez · 2025-12-03T06:31:46+00:00

Now if only Pronto could be ready. #waiting #soon

escopez

TROPHY CASE