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If youโre struggling with whether to choose between MetroPCS vs. T-Mobile, then this article is perfect for you. T-Mobile is among the most popular cellular carriers in the industry. Within a short span, this company has managed to convince more users to switch over to its service by introducing some incredible features. For instance, T-Mobile ended the mandatory two-year contracts and introduced unlimited plans.
They have also made significant improvements in their coverage map as well as performance. There is always something new to look forward to with T-Mobile because itโs a cellular service thatโs focused on what the customers need. They even launched a national 5G network and as such, the subscriber count has been growing by the day.
That being said, T-Mobile has a couple of competitors on its tail. One cellular service giving T-Mobile a run for its money is MetroPCS. Itโs now referred to as Metro after T-Mobile acquired it.
Metro is a great option especially because it offers almost the same features and at lower prices. Furthermore, it runs on the T-Mobile network. Metro is mainly a prepaid service provider and offers different plans to suit your needs and budget.
When Metro and T-Mobile are placed side by side, it can be difficult to choose the best fit for you. On one hand, Metro has many of the features youโll get on T-Mobile and its prices are much lower. On the other hand, T-Mobile brings to the table unlimited plans and a fast-performing network.
To water down things a bit, letโs stack up the two carrier services against each other and see how they measure up. This will give you an insight into what you gain and lose when you opt for one wireless provider over the other. This is a detailed comparison of Metro and T-Mobile.
Table of Contents
MetroPCS vs. T-Mobile: Coverage
In the past few years, T-Mobile has upgraded in terms of improving its coverage and the company has never looked back. It only gets better and better. Reports from some testing firms confirm T-Mobile ranks among the top best in categories such as data speed and 4G LTE accessibility.
The network speeds and performance of T-Mobile in some of its areas even surpasses the likes of Verizon and AT&T. If the good numbers are anything to go by, T-Mobile actually has a strong network. The users can comfortably carry out their internet activities without running into issues like buffering and slow connections.
With that in mind, MetroPCS uses the T-Mobile network. This means the subscribers also get to enjoy the strong network and fast speeds. The coverage for both carrier services is pretty much the same. In simpler terms, MetroPCS customers and those of T-Mobile shouldnโt have anything to complain about.
4G LTE is available across the United States and this includes many parts in the rural areas. The T-Mobile network offers some of the best speeds and coverage in the country.
The only place where T-Mobile gets an edge is network usage. Itโs true that they use the same network but the T-Mobile customers are prioritized. As such, the Metro subscribers are limited on how they use and benefit from the T-Mobile network.
Whenever there is network congestion as a result of many people using the network at any given time, T-Mobile prioritizes its customers over Metro. The Metro customers may encounter slower speeds than normal.
Deprioritization is a major issue that the Metro customers face and it tends to occur without warning. You might be watching your favorite show and all of a sudden the connection is lost or unstable. But itโs not something to worry about because the provider tries their best to ensure it doesnโt happen often.
All in all, there is a small margin between their average download speeds. An average user wouldnโt notice the difference even during deprioritization. However, T-Mobile offers the highest data speeds without any compromises. You can still go for MetroPCS because the difference in performance is not that much.
MetroPCS vs. T-Mobile: Plans
Phone plans from cellular providers can be confusing and complicated. T-Mobile offers both prepaid and postpaid plans. Metro offers only prepaid plans. The T-Mobile postpaid plans include Essentials, Magenta and Magenta Plus and the prices range from $60-80 for the individual lines. With this you get, unlimited text, talk and 4G LTE data among several other features. There are also discounts for the family lines.
The confusing part is the fact that T-Mobile provides two prepaid plans under its name. For $40 per month, you will have 10GB of LTE data. You only need to pay $50 per month to receive unlimited 4G LTE data.
At an extra fee, users can add on their plans some features like streaming in HD resolution and other benefits. Recently, T-Mobile unveiled a variation on the unlimited plan thatโs meant to appeal to the seniors. Any person who is 55 years and older gets two unlimited plans for only $55 per month.
MetroPCS, on the other hand, offers a total of four plans. These range from 2GB of LTE data all the way to unlimited with great discounts for multiple lines. At only $30 per month, the subscribers are given the unlimited talk, text and 2GB of 4G LTE data.
If you upgrade to the $40 plan, you will have more data going all the way to 10GB. The $50 and $60 plans make everything unlimited while the $60 plan allows users to create their personal hotspots.
The truth is Metro includes lots of perks for the users compared to T-Mobile. For instance, the unlimited plans come with subscriptions to Amazon Prime and Google One Storage. For individuals, Metro is the cheaper option.
Its plans cost way less than what you would pay for at T-Mobile. Since most people donโt really need unlimited data, they can easily opt for affordable plans. But if you need unlimited data that are less costly, MetroPCS is your best choice.
Unlimited data from this provider costs $50 per month. This is $20 less than what you would get from T-Mobile. Of course, there will be a few compromises and disadvantages of choosing one over the other.
The $50 unlimited plan from Metro doesnโt allow tethering while T-Mobile provides you with unlimited hotspot data, though at slower 3G speeds. Even if you upgrade to MetroPCโs $60 unlimited plan, there will still be restrictions on video streaming.
The family plans appear similar for both cellphone services. But you will get a discount when you add more lines to your MetroPCS account. For instance, four lines on MetroPCS will cost you $140 and $160 on T-Mobile. Though itโs fair to say Metro offers its customers better savings compared to T-Mobile.
Whoโs Got The Better Selection of Phones
All carriers allow the customers to bring their own phones. That doesnโt mean all phones are compatible with the service. T-Mobile offers a wide selection of the latest smartphones and even throws into the mix some great deals.
You can access the service on top phones like Samsung, Apple and Google. There are also a couple of affordable phones at T-Mobile that sell for less than $200. Therefore, if you canโt afford high-end smartphones such as Apple and Samsung, youโll have some budget-priced options on your display.
If youโre looking for a good bargain, T-Mobile has its own phone that costs only $150. You can either pay off the amount for the phones upfront or over monthly installments. For the T-Mobile phone, you are allowed to pay for it in $6 installments over twenty-four months.
Metro, on the other hand, has a less diverse phone selection. The company specializes mainly in budget devices. If you are a budget shopper, Metro would be the better choice. Out of the about 34 phones offered, at least 25 have a price tag thatโs under $200.
On a good day, you may come across special offers that lower the prices even further to less than $100. Metro does offer several flagship phones but you wonโt miss something that fits your particular needs.
Sadly, you canโt pay in monthly instalments. The good thing is most of their devices are quite cheap and you wonโt find a better deal through another carrier including T-Mobile.
Are there any perks?
Itโs not surprising for carriers like T-Mobile and Metro to offer bonuses and perks to their subscribers. The truth is most people look for a carrier service that also provides some juicy perks.
Thankfully, thatโs really the case here. However, they have slightly different approaches. T-Mobile has plenty of juicy perks up its sleeve. Among its standout features is the weekly Tuesday giveaway to the subscribers and an appealing international travel plan.
The weekly giveaways include discounted cinema tickets and sometimes free food at certain chains. Families that donโt have power users are eligible for an account credit. This is usually more of a reward for limiting data usage.
Also, all the T-Mobile plans consist of free music streaming and SD or HD video streaming depending on the specific plan. The subscribers with at least two lines or more can receive a Netflix subscription. MetroPCS is mostly focused on saving data.
It canโt really match all the goodies T-Mobile has to offer the subscribers but there are a few extras. For instance, the data maximizer feature helps the subscribers to save data by streaming videos at a lower resolution.
You only need the 6GB plan to stream music from various apps like Apple Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio and Spotify without blowing through your allotted LTE data. Similarly, some of the metro plans include Google One and Amazon Prime. This is perfect for the customers because they are able to make the most out of their plan.
The area where Metro comes short is international plans. Metro might have cheaper international plans but T-Mobile wins with the better coverage abroad. The standard plan allows you to enjoy unlimited texts and data in about 140 countries in the world. Metro only offers international services in a few select countries and they may charge you extra for it. Furthermore, they only focus on calls and texts abroad.
Customer service
Customer service is very important when choosing a carrier service. Each of these companies handles their customer service separately even though T-Mobile owns Metro.
With that being said, T-Mobile has better customer service when compared to its counterpart. It gives the users a wide range of solutions and options on how to reach the customer support service and get solutions to their queries. You can reach out to them online, in-store, on the phone, on social media, or simply use their forum.
Itโs never difficult to find help when you most need it. The phone representatives are also quite responsive, friendly and helpful which is all the subscribers want in customer service.
Metro is yet to find its ground in customer service let alone match T-Mobile. They donโt have an online chat option and some users have complained that their social media responses are too slow.
However, phone support is available to the customers round the clock. The only problem is the lengthy wait times on the phone. It really a hassle getting help from the Metro customer service. Hopefully, they will improve and do something about the areas that are lacking.
Customer service is not usually a big deal for prepaid customers. Such services are low maintenance and you might not really need the assistance of a customer support agent to solve the minor issues. All in all, T-Mobile offers high-quality customer service, unlike its counterpart.
Final Verdict: Which is the best service?
Both carrier services are great options. But overall, T-Mobile is the better and perfect choice for its incredible perks and top-tier experience for the customers. You receive unlimited talk, texts and data in addition to a selection of the latest smartphones. It has a strong network and excellent coverage across the country. This makes it an excellent pick.
If youโre only looking to save significantly, Metro is the right choice. It has enticing discounts and budget-friendly smartphones. Metro runs on the T-Mobile network so you still get a reliable service that wonโt cost you an arm and a leg. But first ask yourself if youโre willing to miss out on extra perks, suffer deprioritization once in a while and cope with less than ideal customer service.
