T-Mobile Free Data Speeds in France--Warning: Nerdy Post

Our recent Rhone river cruise was my first with T-Mobile free data in Europe, so I decided to check data rates throughout the cruise. I used the SpeedTest app on my LG V20 smart phone. Over the cruise I checked the rates whenever I thought about it and had adequate signal. I ended up with 18 tests taken along the trip from Cannes to Paris. I tried to have at least 3 bars (out of 5) when I tested. The phone indicated that I had a 4G connection.

Results are:

Download: 0.27 Mbps

Standard deviation: 0.02 Mbps

Max: 0.30

Min: 0.20

Upload: 0.35 Mbps

Standard Deviation: 0.30

Max: 1.30 Mbps

Min: 0.10 Mbps

Ping:: 331 ms

Standard Deviation: 74 ms

Max.: 417 ms

Min: 179 ms

For comparison, when I run these tests in the U.S., I typically get:

Download: 30 to 80 Mbps

Upload: 2 to 20 Mbps

Ping 10s to 50 ms

Obviously T-Mobile’s data rates in France are very much lower than typical U.S. Interestingly enough, the small print on T-Mobiles web site says:

“Standard international speeds approx. 128Kbps”

This translates to 0.13 Mbps, so they’re actually a little faster than promised. Having said this, I found that the speeds were generally adequate for what I wanted to do.

Thanks! I'll be using T-Mobile for the first time on our upcoming trip next week. Hopefully data combined with the wi-fi will work for my sporadic updates.

Obviously T-Mobile’s data rates in France are very much lower than typical U.S. Interestingly enough, the small print on T-Mobiles web site says:

 

“Standard international speeds approx. 128Kbps”

Those speeds are far lower than the actual data rates available in France, so although it may be 'free' they are obviously capping at a tiny fraction of the normal speed unfortunately.

I will be in France in 2 weeks and T mobile user. my husband and I both have tmobile, I paid an extra $25 for next month for higher speeds. Will let you know

FuelScience, this is what I expect when I go to Europe in a few weeks. It's also what I experienced in India this February. Though there were times when the phone indicated 4GLTE signal, the data speeds were still much slower, along the lines of 2G service. They do specifically say that international data speeds are that slow. Thanks for being a fellow tech nerd and testing this out for me! :cool:

I am considering the extra $25 for faster speeds too, but odds are, I won't bother. The throttled speeds were good enough in India, and should be just fine in Europe. Besides, I need to be out enjoying my vacation and not playing on my phone (as Chris accuses me of doing... :o)

India was a fun mishmash of different carriers and different signal speeds, BTW. I got the occasional 1x signal, majority 2G, some 3G and I did hit a rare 4GLTE in major cities. But on the Hooghly River, we frequently got a signal that the phone characterized as E, which I had never heard of. I had to go look it up! I think the signal will be a little more reliable for this next trip.

JP,

Like you, I really didn't notice the slower speeds. If I hadn't bothered to check it, I wouldn't have guessed that it was significantly slower than what I get at home.

When we were in France last month we did notice that often the T-Mobile connection was at 2G. Hooking up to the WiFi in our 2 hotels, and while on the ship seemed to provide a faster data rate, but I did not do any actual testing to verify rates.

I've been traveling with T-Mobile for a few years. While they have had promos where they offer faster speeds in certain countries, their website states this about speed:

Coverage not available in some areas; we are not responsible for the performance of our roaming partners’ networks. Standard speeds approx. 128 Kbps. No tethering.

Our recent Rhone river cruise was my first with T-Mobile free data in Europe, so I decided to check data rates throughout the cruise. I used the SpeedTest app on my LG V20 smart phone. Over the cruise I checked the rates whenever I thought about it and had adequate signal. I ended up with 18 tests taken along the trip from Cannes to Paris. I tried to have at least 3 bars (out of 5) when I tested. The phone indicated that I had a 4G connection.

 

Results are:

 

Download: 0.27 Mbps

Standard deviation: 0.02 Mbps

Max: 0.30

Min: 0.20

 

Upload: 0.35 Mbps

Standard Deviation: 0.30

Max: 1.30 Mbps

Min: 0.10 Mbps

 

Ping:: 331 ms

Standard Deviation: 74 ms

Max.: 417 ms

Min: 179 ms

 

For comparison, when I run these tests in the U.S., I typically get:

 

Download: 30 to 80 Mbps

Upload: 2 to 20 Mbps

Ping 10s to 50 ms

 

Obviously T-Mobile’s data rates in France are very much lower than typical U.S. Interestingly enough, the small print on T-Mobiles web site says:

 

“Standard international speeds approx. 128Kbps”

 

This translates to 0.13 Mbps, so they’re actually a little faster than promised. Having said this, I found that the speeds were generally adequate for what I wanted to do.

As a MOG (mom of geek) could someone pls post similar re Apple I Phone 6 on Verizon plan, Geek is not traveling with me and he would just go:rolleyes:

Carole

I cant post geek stats but what I can tell you is that I have a 7+ and I get waaaaaaaaay better reception than my husband and daughter who have 6's. I'm sure it has something tech-y to do with the chips.

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JP,

 

Like you, I really didn't notice the slower speeds. If I hadn't bothered to check it, I wouldn't have guessed that it was significantly slower than what I get at home.

I broke down and upgraded my plan for this month. Since I'll want real time access to metro maps, and I'll be using some mobile tickets, I have to have decent access.

They now have an upgrade for $5 per month per line, which includes 4G tethering (first 10MB) and double speed international data. The $25 plan adds stateside international calling which I don't need. I use Skype or my NetTalk service and pay as I go when I need to call internationally, so that extra would be wasted.

I will download the speedtest app and try to check some speeds where we are going (Prague, Berlin, Copenhagen) to see if the $5 upgrade changes things substantially. I have already noticed a huge difference when tethering, though. :D

Plans. I went with the ONE Plus. It seems like a decent deal for what I need. However some of the additional benefits are domestic only.

Add T-Mobile ONE Plus for only $5/line/mo

• Unlimited HD video streaming (US only)
  
• Unlimited mobile hotspot with first 10GB at up to 4G LTE speeds
  
• Go abroad with 2x the data speed
  
• Unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi on Gogo®-enabled flights
  
• Voicemail to Text
  
• Name ID
  

Add T-Mobile ONE Plus International for only $25/line/mo

• Unlimited international calling to landlines in 70+ countries and mobile numbers in 30+ countries
  
• Unlimited 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot*
  
• Unlimited HD video streaming (US only)
  
• Unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi on Gogo®-enabled flights
  
• Go abroad with 2x the data speed
  
• Voicemail to Text
  
• Name ID
  

We had very fast connection in Germany this December once we got to the Czech Republic the connection was a crawl.

T Mobile update just returned from France. My phone and my husband's phone both had TMobile, my phone had

T-Mobile ONE Plus International for only $25/line/mo which was no different than the regular speed my husband had which was slow. Fast enough to open email's but not attachments, post and read facebook. id Disappointed that my $25 did not improve the connection.

Hm. Kind of an opposite experience for me. I was in Germany, Czech republic, and Denmark last week.

Before we left I paid the $5 per month for higher international data speeds without the calling allowance. I found that in Prague and Berlin, speeds were very good and we posted tons of FB pictures. The uploads were quite fast. I also used lots of data-hungry mapping apps (Google maps and a bunch of public transport apps) which worked reasonably quickly.

Speed seemed a little slower in DK, but still very adequate for posting, etc.

There were occasional spells (seconds to a minute) in all 3 places where data would seem to suddenly slow to a crawl but that was short-lived.

I unfortunately forgot to download the Speedtest app to measure speeds directly. Sorry. I was distracted by all the other stuff going on.

I wonder what was different about your experience in France? I'd be annoyed too! Now I will have to figure out how to get there and test it myself! ;)

Question - were you in large cities with 4G? Or in areas with slower connections? Did you notice what kind of signal you had? In some places last week we only had an "E" network. This is noticeably slower, as expected, because it's only about 2.5G.

So I knew that speeds would be slow when I saw E. But I was really happy with my speed when I had a 3G or 4G signal.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

I did do the speedtest but it is on my phone, I will post them later. I finally broke and bought the T mobile high speed data pass which was good as myT Mobile at home. We were on the Orange network where LTE was available, my husband has an Iphone which showed LTE but he connected at dial up speeds. Last December we were in Germany and connect to the T mobile ( telcom) and it was great.

This is a very timely and helpful discussion as I am getting ready to leave AT&T after 20 years and move to TMobile. International rates are a big part of the reason.

Thanks!

My speeds

Sent from my SM-G955U using Forums mobile app

Thanks for posting. All over the place. Some cellular network speeds were decent it seems. Others seemed like tin cans and string...

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

Thanks for posting. All over the place. Some cellular network speeds were decent it seems. Others seemed like tin cans and string...

The fast speeds due to the fact I bought a High Speed Data pass for $25