T-Mobile - Is it worth getting?

[QCK]

My girlfriend currently has an I phone 4 with AT&T and is paying a little over $100/month. We live in the Huntsville Alabama area and should have decent coverage here with T-Mobile. I'm not sure how great their coverages is elsewhere. From what I have read Verizon has the best coverage across the US including rural areas and AT&T is just fine in the city areas. Can anyone here please tell me the good and/or bad things about T-mobile? I have heard from people who have had it in the past that their coverage is not so great.

They offer an unlimited plan for $50 which should meet her needs found here: Monthly 4G Prepaid Plans | Compare Prepaid Data Plans | T-Mobile. Also right now she can get $200 back by trading in her phone: Guaranteed $100 back for any Smartphone trade-in | T-Mobile

So my main questions are: How is their service? Is it worth changing over? I know know there is a fee to get out of the AT&T contract. And if it is worth it what phone would your recommend her to get for just normal, talk, texting, email and Facebook browsing a few times a day with T-Mobile.

 

[mikew]

Best thing you can do is look at their coverage maps. Since the breakup of the ATT deal, they have returned to growth mode. They got some sweetheart roaming deals and some money. I know that my home had a terrible time with their data. It is now on par with what I expected.

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[navychop]

That iPhone is major overkill for the purposes you list. If the Facebook function could be dropped, you don't even need a smartphone.

I pay a little over $100/mo for three phones in a family plan, one of which is an iPhone with "unlimited" data. But we don't use many minutes and hardly ever text.

All that matters is coverage in YOUR area. If Verizon is better is city X and AT&T is better in city Y, it matters little to you if you're not in those cities. Nationwide, there's not a tremendous difference between V & A. Better coverage here, higher speeds there, etc. If T-Mobile works in your area and has a phone that is acceptable, why not save the bucks?

 

[Neutron]

That iPhone is major overkill for the purposes you list. If the Facebook function could be dropped, you don't even need a smartphone.

I pay a little over $100/mo for three phones in a family plan, one of which is an iPhone with "unlimited" data. But we don't use many minutes and hardly ever text.

All that matters is coverage in YOUR area. If Verizon is better is city X and AT&T is better in city Y, it matters little to you if you're not in those cities. Nationwide, there's not a tremendous difference between V & A. Better coverage here, higher speeds there, etc. If T-Mobile works in your area and has a phone that is acceptable, why not save the bucks?

I wish our phone plan was that inexpensive. With Verizon we pay $140 a month for two iPhones with 2GB of data each, 1400 minutes, and unlimited texting.