Telcel use north of the border

[Chop 2]

I've been using Telcel as my only cell provider for a while now, rather than buying a monthly plan from Cricket (ATT) or Straightalk while up in the US.    Telcel partners with T Mobile in the states.  While this works OK for calls etc...it isn't so great for data use.

When in the US, the data speed drops to crawl.  It is the same whether I am in rural areas or large cities where T Mobile has great service.

I am using an iPhone XR.  My wife experiences the same...using an iPhone 6.

Is anyone aware of a way to avoid this?  Is there some type of cell service setting that needs to be changed?

Thanks in advance!

 

[RickS 1,221]

What you are experiencing is just how Telcel has decided to 'run' their sharing program with T-Mobile.... OK for phone service but poor for data. I think that it is up to each partner as to how data will be treated in the 'other country'.  The reverse, a T-Mobile phone using Telcel in Mexico is good for phone and is, I think, 3G for data in Mexico but adequate per my personal experience. T-Mobile's US  'unlimited data' package 'tho is slimmed down to 5GB while in Mexico.... a decision that Telcel made, not T-Mobile. 

If you Apple phones show 'what kind of data signal is being used while in the US'....  3G, 4G, 4G LTE or god forbid EDGE or HSPA..... that might shed some light on why your download speeds are abysmal. Anything less than 4G will be doggy to non-usable.

[Chop 2]

Thanks Rick - Will probably get month to month for our time in the US.

I would call the data speeds in the US as barely usable...even at 4G.  The ping on speedtest.net will be around 280 ish and download speeds certainly under 1mbs.  Regularly 3G and often E.

[RickS 1,221]

Yes, 4G is no where as good/fast as 4G LTE... i've seen 4G be doggy too.