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It's been a while but both T-Mobile and Verizon finally decided to add some incentives to pull in new business from the other carriers. New and existing T-Mobile for Business customers who add a voice line on a qualified T-Mobile ONE plan and port-in a number from Sprint, AT&T, or Verizon for the new line can get a one-time $100 port-in bill credit. The cool part is this offer can be combined with Carrier Freedom and current device promotions like the Samsung and LG BOGOs! There’s no better time for businesses to switch to America’s Best Unlimited Network. Verizon is offering our Business clients $200 per device when they Bring Their Own Device.  
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Remember those annoying maps that Verizon used to show with all of the red for them and a little magenta for T-Mobile? Well, they can no longer show those because T-Mobile caught up with coverage. The biggest benefit that AT&T and Verizon had was ownership of 700mHZ while the other guys had 1700mHZ and above. Well, last year T-Mobile spent $435 on 700mHZ bandwidth. They now work in doors far better. Earlier this year, they won the 600mHZ spectrum auction with an $8 billion purchase. They are building out their 600mHZ network and both LG and Samsung already have devices on the market that support it. Next year, when Apple joins the 600mHZ party and adds "Band 71" support, AT&T and Verizon are going to be in deep trouble... Here are the current USA frequencies being used. T-Mobile will be the only major carrier with 600mHZ so next year, they should surpass all of the carriers for coverage. They already win for data speeds in most markets.    As a wireless analyst, I've focused my energies on iOS over Android for a number of reasons. Market share, simplicity, reliability and security were among the most obvious considerations. One equipment manufacturer versus a dozen, one Operating system versus various versions of OS, combined with carrier bloatware made Androids far more difficult to trouble shoot. On the other hand, Androids seem so much further advanced feature-wise, compared to Apple. After all, Apple's making a huge deal about their latest Amoled bezel-less screen and Facial recognition? Samsung has had this stuff for years. This all seems like a Deja Vu. Half a dozen years ago, I traded my iPhone 3 and T-Mobile to an HTC EVO on Sprint. That was back when Sprint was first, not worst, having recently launched the very first 4G network in the USA in conjunction with Clearwire, called 4G WiMax. The HTC EVO was the first device to support this technology and was awesome, except for the fact that it's battery life seemed to get worse by the week. Between that, and Sprint not getting any other carriers to buy in to 4G WiMax, it fizzled. I even tried a SAMSUNG S3 but eventually went back to Apple with an iPhone 4s. I still have an iPhone 6s+/64GB that I never gave up for the 7 or 8 series because I valued my 3.5mm headset jack too much to give it up. Well, a funny thing happened. After reading mixed reviews for the iPhone X and some stellar reviews for Samsung's S8+, I asked my SmartPhone repair tech if he had any demo deals on either. He had just taken back in a Samsung S8+ in new condition that was too confusing for one of his users who went back to her iPhone. I looked at the device carefully and quickly realized that I could keep my 3.5mm jack, my biometric finger print unlocking and still get nearly all of the benefits of the iPhone X. Sorry Apple! My Galaxy S8 still has my 3.5mm jack, my biometric fingerprint unlock and is also still waterproof, something that you guys said was not possible. Did I mention that my S8+ also has a bigger Amoled screen (6.2") and supports facial recognition. This was not surprising to me since Samsung actually makes Apple's Amoled screens. I thought I would miss SIRI but was I wrong. I ended up getting a whole team of virtual assistants who, unlike SIRI, all get my commands right the first time. Alexa, Bixby, Cortana, and Google's Assistant all work great with my voice commands. While I wasn't crazy about Samsung's Facial Recognition, they have something far better anyway. IRIS Scanning is the bomb and the easiest unlock solution I have ever used. At this point, by getting the S8+ instead of the iPhone X, I was able to save enough $ to buy a brand new custom made surfboard. When Apple makes a Bezel less iPhone SE model with all the features of the 8, I might consider going back. I loved my 4s and 5s because they could be used so easily with one hand. The only draw back was the small screen which could get bigger without a bezel. Until then, I think I may stay with the S8+.  Samsung's S8+   Last chance. If you need an application and can fill it out immediately, I can make this happen! New and existing postpaid and T-Mobile for Business customers, including employees (T-Mobile, NonTMO), who buy an iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, or 8 Plus on EIP can get another iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, or 8 Plus on us (of equal or lesser value up to $700 via rebate card) when they also purchase it on EIP and activate or add on at least one new line on a T-Mobile ONE or select Simple Choice Unlimited with unlimited high-speed data plan during the promotional period.  Back before Sprint went from first to worst, their HTC EVO model was the most state of the art device on the market. It was a beast for features but more importantly, it was the first quality device in the US that supported 4G. Granted, it had awful battery life, but everything else about that device was cool, right down to the little red kick stand on the back which made viewing video much easier. The problem was Sprint and Clearwire guessed wrong. While they championed WiMAX 4G technology, the rest of the world went with Long Term Evolution (LTE). I upgraded the EVO to a Samsung S3 which was mediocre. Aside from a confusing menu, the ringer volume would turn off while in my pocket. I came to the conclusion I had the wrong device with the wrong carrier. About five years ago, I moved to T-Mobile and have had a half dozen iPhone models since, right up to my 6S+ which is now sitting on my dresser at home. I've been agonizing over upgrading but was not impressed enough by the iPhone 7 or 8 series to make a move. My device processor speeds were great and the shooter on my 6s+ was nearly as good as my $800 Nikon DSLR camera. The iPhone X was certainly intriguing though. After realizing that the "cheap" $1000 model would actually cost me $1230 after adding AppleCare +, and a case, I balked. After all, Apple took away my 3.5mm headset jack because they claimed they could not waterproof the device with it. Well, a funny thing happened. I asked my Mobile Phone repair expert if he had any high-end Smartphones I might be interested in. He knew I was an "Apple dude", but told me that the S8+ was Samsung's version of the iPhone X and then some. He had taken one in that was in mint condition and made me a deal I couldn't refuse. He was right! I'm three days into using this device and am not missing my iPhone at all. In fact, this device is worlds ahead of my iPhone 6s+. It has a bigger screen than any iPhone (6.2") . It has biometric unlock, facial unlock or IRIS unlock. The latter is the coolest. It is waterproof and still has my trusty 3.5mm Headset Jack. I don't miss Siri a bit either. I know have a whole team of voice attendants working for me (Alexa, Bixby and Google).  T-Mobile is now offering a "Black Friday" special, Two for the price of one on the iPhone 8 series, 7 series, Samsung's Galaxy 8 series and several LG models. For more information on how to take advantage of this immediately, contact Dr Wireless. If you snooze, you will lose as this is available only for a few days...    It looks like Apple is just getting started with their new bezel-less X design. After all, Samsung has been building most of their high end models with bezel-less Amoled screens for years. Ming-Chi Kuo, financial analyst and most accurate predictor of all Apple things to come announced that the above three models will be coming next year. The wireless carriers hate when manufacturers come out with new models so quickly but Apple could obviously care less. Let's hope all of these new models also add support for T-Mobile's newest 600mHZ frequency. For those who cannot afford a four figure iPhone X, it appears that the X design will be offered with Apple's older TFT-LCD design, hopefully in the $650 range. We will keep an eye open for an more news on these models. I'd swear that Ming-Chi Kuo has somebody on the inside at Apple because he is right far more often than wrong with his prognostications.   Well, the iPhone X has been on the market for almost two weeks. I spoke with several of my clients that were early adopters. They got their iPhone X models on day one. The general consensus is this device far exceeded their expectations. I cannot draw conclusions from the opinions of just three of my clients though. If you have recently purchased an iPhone X, please let me know your thoughts. Obviously, none of these folks have dropped their devices yet. Remember, it's not a matter of "If". It's a matter of when. After visiting multiple Apple chat rooms, it's clear that the glass casing is not as durable as Apple claims. What this means is anyone planning on buying an iPhone X, better throw down an extra $200 for Apple Care+ and $30 for a high quality case to protect your investment. With AppleCare +, you are protected from almost everything but loss and theft. The downside is that you only get two incidents. If you've got butterfingers, or chronically lose your SmartPhones, the X may not be a great choice. After all, for "other repairs", beyond screen replacement, it's $550 without AppleCare+. You could buy a new iPhone 7 for those repair costs. I had previously provided some information about AppleCare+ for this device that was not quite accurate. Steve Beasley, one of my colleagues and a knowledgeable Apple iOS Consultant, kindly provided me with Apple's latest repair information. He also agrees that anyone getting an iPhone X absolutely needs to get a good quality case and AppleCare plus. Every iPhone comes with one year of hardware repair coverage through its limited warranty and up to 90 days of complimentary support. AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage, plus applicable tax. In addition, you’ll get 24/7 priority access to Apple experts via chat or phone. Purchase AppleCare+ with your new iPhone. Or buy it within 60 days of your iPhone purchase:
Ask me how to get a discount on a new iPhone X.   If you ever thought about moving to T-Mobile, here is another great argument. Buy one, get one FREE! The iPhone X is not included here but the all of the 7 and 8 series are. So is the Samsung Galaxy models including the S8+ which I just got personally. Contact me ASAP as this is a Black Friday Deal that will come and go quickly...  I'm often asked why someone in the wireless industry would still be using a three year old iPhone 6s+. As I use my 3.5mm earphone jack every time I get on an airplane, I didn't like the fact that Apple took this away on the 7 series . I spoke to an Apple "Genius" trying to explain that it's not just having to use a stupid adaptor that I'm going to lose eventually. The deal breaker was not being able to charge the device while listening to my Amazon Prime Music. Apple's iPhone 8 did absolutely nothing for me. The 8+ on the other hand, had a better shooter and integrated dual optical image stabilization and was very tempting. Unfortunately, it still had Apple's obsolete bezel. I decided to wait for the iPhone X to come out before upgrading, as it's features looked intriguing.  Don't get me wrong. The Apple iPhone X is beautiful! What's not to like? The 5.8" edge-to-edge OLED screen, glass body, Facial recognition, wireless inductive charging, and lack of the home button make this device unique to Apple. Before pulling the trigger though, I figured it best to wait for the first wave of reviews from my fellow analysts and first adopters. Apple sold this device on sex appeal and assured everyone during their launch that the glass was the most durable of any iPhone ever. What a crock of s**t, according to CNET and several other organizations that performed drop tests. The iPhone X turned out to be far more fragile than all previous models. Yes, the phone has sex appeal but anyone buying one is an idiot not to immediately put a case on it. It gets worse. Apple doubled the price of Apple care on this device from $100 to $200. Technically, AppleCare does not cover customer abuse (dropping it). They will charge $179 for screen replacement with AppleCare. Repairing just the screen of an iPhone X without AppleCare will set you back $279, but it gets worse. When Apple assesses your phone for what it calls “other damage,” repair fees could surge as high as $549. This was enough to make me evaluate what these kinds of features would cost on an Android Google platform model. What I found was Samsung's S8+ offered even more features and functionality than the iPhone X without sacrifices. The above picture of my new phone looks like an iPhone X. After all, it has the edge-to-edge screen, facial recognition, lack of home button. The difference is my new phone has an 6.2" screen, Facial recognition and Iris scanning, Biometric finger print sensor, and yes... the 3.5mm jack. Did I mention it's water resistant too? The S8+ reviews were phenomenal and it's been out long enough for all the bugs to be worked out. Samsung also made it super easy to move from my iPhone to Android Nougat 7 with their amazing Smart Switch, content transfer tool. It was just like moving from one iPhone to another. Nearly everything moved over including my screen saver. About 98% of my Apple Apps also moved over too which I found amazing. The Facial recognition feature is a bit buggy but the IRIS scanner is killer. Remember, Samsung actually makes Apple's OLED screens. They have offered these Super Amoled screens for the last 5 years on most models so it ticks me off when I hear Apple talking about how state of the art their new screen is. Obviously, this is just day two with my new Galaxy S8+ so it's too early to review GOOGLE's OS. I can say that after using an iPhone 6s+, this new S8+ blows the doors off it for web browsing. I've been watching the Hawaiian Pro Surfing contest (above picture) at Haleiwa, Hawaii and that 6.2" screen is amazing!   Starting November 16, Netflix On Us will be available in the ordering system for Business customers on qualifying T-Mobile ONE™ Business plans with Taxes and Fees included at no extra charge. This is terrific news for new subscribers. Existing subscribers will need to be very careful as T-Mobile uses these types of promotions to induce existing subscribers to give up their current plans that may be far better more generous. I would not give up any of the non eligible plans for Netflix as these plans are less expensive and/or have features no longer included on the newer T-Mobile ONE rates. Eligibility • Eligible: Customers with B or I/S account types on qualifying 2-12 line T-Mobile ONE Business plans with Taxes and Fees included. • Not eligible: Single line, 2 for $100, 55+, and 13+ TE or Simple Choice plans.  |
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March 2021
CategoriesAuthorJoel Saltzman has over twenty years of wireless industry experience. He is currently CEO and Chief Wireless Analyst for Dr Wireless. |
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