Community Forums

BikesAndGuns · 12-17-2021, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SillyAnn

I did look into Calyx. We are moving to an area with no internet provider as of yet and very poor Verizon reception. I was told T-Mobile comes in great. This is why I signed up for the FMCA unlimited plan. If I find that T-Mobile's "5G" is available in this area, I'll probably consider Calyx.

Hope you don't have the same experience I did with the FMCA Verizon unlimited plan. Yes, it was unlimited and yes, it was not throttled. However, the discounted plan had a lower priority than the regular plans. At first, it didn't matter and I had no problems. Then, slowly but surely, as the Verizon base grew, and more and more full-pay and business customers were around me wherever I went, I was more often de-prioritized. And you know what? It simply didn't matter that I had unlimited usage and wasn't throttled. With the T-Mobile Magenta Max 55+ plan, I not only have unlimited, un-throttled usage; I don't get de-prioritized.

brobox · 12-18-2021, 05:16 AM

I found my first dead spot yesterday.

Inside of a Sam's Club where my Verizon phone did not work, T-Mobile was not any better.

Butte64 · 12-18-2021, 09:10 AM

I provided a response about what is happening with T-Mobile and FMCA. It was removed because I provided the same information in the technology forum since I suspect not everyone here in the Entegra forum reads that. Bottom line is that FMCA hotspot plan is no longer true unlimited. PM me for details or go to FMCA website. I had no Internet access last night because of it and am using my Verizon iPad now for access.

Gary.Jones · 12-18-2021, 09:21 AM

Those are the types of reports that keep me from getting too excited by T-Mobil...... time will tell.

Gary

stuartbell · 12-18-2021, 10:08 AM

Thanks to everyone who mentioned Calyx Internet in their responses.

I looked them up and have posted the costs of their highest level of service below. They offer unlimited internet and an M2000 - look no further - I think this is the lowest cost for the very best service. I've used the limited equivalent from T-Mobile and it works very well.

Calyx Internet Membership Levels
All the following memberships include unlimited mobile internet for as long as the membership is active. For memberships with a 5G device, the internet connectivity will use T-Mobile's 5G network where available.

All memberships include a Calyx T-shirt for your body and stickers for your laptop.

Sustainer $750 for first year, $500 thereafter
4G/5G Wi-Fi hotspot (MiFi M2000)

I have contacted them to see if they would waive the first year charge since I already own a M2000. I see no reason to look further = 5G from T-Mobile is implemented for maximum coverage and I already own the device and have measured the speeds at from 5 MPS to 12 MPS depending on the location. The M2000 is easy to set up, provides enough WiFi so I can lounge outside and still have WiFi and has a sufficient battery to keep on working after I am off the maines.

I routinely use the M2000 located in my TT from within the tow vehicle - so I can have real time traffic and routing with my Google Maps app. I'm comfortable any RV app would work as well in these circumstances.

If our home WiFi were not included in the HOA contract, I'd get a second M2000 for home - it performs just as well as our wired Mac desktop for watching live news and updating our website.

Even in the places not yet built out by T-Mobile, the residual LTE or even G3 service works as designed on the M2000, not as fast as 5G, but e/mail works fine and pages eventually load - even far away from a tower.

Once the FCC approves the specialized Cell boosters in the frequency T-Mobile uses, I'll purchase one and install an outside antenna. In the nonce, I have (one time) unplugged my M2000 (available from Amazon at 1/2 price - they call it used, but it is really new/discounted), taped it to a stick and hoisted it in the air for a better signal. The internal battery supported the M2000 and I had slow, but acceptable, WiFi.

https://calyxinstitute.org/membership/internet

Gary.Jones · 12-18-2021, 12:14 PM

It appears the M2000 is only usable on T-Mobile.... Impressive performance and specs, but only T0Mobile?

Gary

brobox · 12-19-2021, 07:50 AM

If you are having problems with your mifi, hotspots, etc. There is a lot going on that we are not being informed of. From Gary's post the other day, it looks like it has been kept from the public and is just now coming out. Look for a lot more shuffling in the next few months, with DISH entering the market as a player as well. I am pleased with the timing of my switch that I found out more about after the fact.

The FMCA Sprint is no longer....the switch maybe better in some areas and worse in others as they move over to 5G. With 5G really just being introduced, most can forget about old 4G FMCA Sprint plans. If it worked last week, but not now maybe the attached article will help those understand. I think we will see a lot of changes in 2022.

https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/in-...&cid=535132524

Bedlam · 12-27-2021, 04:23 PM

We are currently in Long Beach, WA. 2 bar T-mobile voice service only and 4 bar Verizon 4G data in the same locations.

brobox · 12-27-2021, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bedlam

We are currently in Long Beach, WA. 2 bar T-mobile voice service only and 4 bar Verizon 4G data in the same locations.

Try a speed test on each one, that would be interesting if there is much difference.

Bedlam · 12-27-2021, 04:33 PM

Canot get data on T-mobile here. Only voice/text comes through. Using WiFi to connect with Verizon data.

brobox · 12-27-2021, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bedlam

Canot get data on T-mobile here. Only voice/text comes through. Using WiFi to connect with Verizon data.

Thanks for that report. I have a feeling I will run into that from time to time as well. At least we have cell service at home again, and AT&T for data while traveling.

50sbuckeye · 12-27-2021, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BikesAndGuns

Hope you don't have the same experience I did with the FMCA Verizon unlimited plan. Yes, it was unlimited and yes, it was not throttled. However, the discounted plan had a lower priority than the regular plans. At first, it didn't matter and I had no problems. Then, slowly but surely, as the Verizon base grew, and more and more full-pay and business customers were around me wherever I went, I was more often de-prioritized. And you know what? It simply didn't matter that I had unlimited usage and wasn't throttled. With the T-Mobile Magenta Max 55+ plan, I not only have unlimited, un-throttled usage; I don't get de-prioritized.

X2, I just enrolled in the same plan. Works great!!

brobox · 12-28-2021, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 50sbuckeye

X2, I just enrolled in the same plan. Works great!!

Just as an added note. For the past 2+ weeks of being on the Magenta plan, I have done a "speedtest" while traveling the greater Lee County when stopped at every stop light. We are in the peak of Snowbird season where many of these areas were dead or close to it with my previous Verizon service. One such are was an intersection with 2 mobile home and 2 RV parks. That speedtest was 80 mps with T-Mobile.

The speed test have run between 20 mps to as high as 110 mps with 80 being the average. With 25 mps speed needed for streaming, I have not been in an area in all of Lee County where I did not have that speed. I can honestly say that was not the case for Verizon that I cussed for the last 2 years of being a subscriber in my home area.
If I have to give up a distant area now and then to have this kind of service where I use my phone 80% of the time, I made a good trade.