SCLSU-Mud-Dogs t1_j41muce wrote on January 12, 2023 at 3:39 PM

you will be fine in Columbia, don't expect that to be the same if you go anywhere rural on vacation. Mint uses the Tmobile network which I use and is completely fine 99% of the time, though I've been on vacation and just had zero cell service when people I'm with who have verizon have full coverage. To be fair though the places were the middle of no where on ski trips or in national parks. Both places I am not near often, but the chances of me needing a cell phone for an emergency there are quite high compared to being home.

baltikorean OP t1_j41njfw wrote on January 12, 2023 at 3:44 PM

Was there ever a location that wasn't as rural that surprised you with how little cell reception you get?

It's been years since I've been back but I think Wisp in Deep Creek had bad cell reception even with Verizon. I'm thinking out loud since I'll be in that area next month.

Thank you for your input.

SCLSU-Mud-Dogs t1_j41q0nn wrote on January 12, 2023 at 4:00 PM

Parts of deep creek I have had cell service with T-mobile and parts I have had absolutely nothing, same with my friends who had Verizon at the time. It has been three years since I've been.

As far as places I've been surprised where service sucked, no not at all, only been exceptional cases far from home.

TheChiefRedditor t1_j424xbv wrote on January 12, 2023 at 5:33 PM

But is the no coverage thing really mint mobiles fault or due to the fact the major network backbone provider they piggyback on (tmobile) had no coverage where you were? In other words, if wou were a "first class" regular Tmobile subscriber, would your service in that same location have been any better?

All these smaller mvno lower cost providers are piggybacking on either Verizon, Tmobile, or AT&T. I would expect that your service and coverage is going to be largely dictated by which one(s) of those guys they piggyback on more than anything else, am i right or wrong?

SCLSU-Mud-Dogs t1_j4262b6 wrote on January 12, 2023 at 5:40 PM

I use T-mobile, I guess I didn't convey that clearly enough. I just knew Mint uses T-mobile's network so I felt I could speak on the reliability of the network.