We live remotely for 6 months of the year and were sent the letter May 19 when T-Mobile decided to launch their excessive roaming campaign. I too was a long time customer and had been with T-Mobile since it took over Voicestream. I...

We've invested a lot of money on these devices which we worked very hard for and are now being told essentially that we don't have the right to own them in order to escape these "mandatory fees", which clearly are technically not required.

Further more, AT&T now performs an extortion practice whereby they scan their network for the IMEI (a phone's unique identifier) to detect if you are using a smartphone, so even if you "downgrade" to a dumbphone, remove the data tariff, then insert a SIM back into a smartphone (which you own outright) their system identifies the change and AUTOMATICALLY adds, without your permission, the mandatory data tariff - even if you disable it on your phone and use WiFi instead! The equivalent analogy to apply here is a cable company detecting that you are using an HD TV and automatically upgrading you to a mandatory HD Cable package - why should they? They certainly aren't allowed to do this, so why is AT&T & Verizon allowed to? This should be illegal practice and the consumer should have the right to opt out of data if they own a smartphone outright and without carrier subsidy!

As a result of this issue, I went to a T-mobile ...

way to go, man! let them (T-Mob) think twice before they offer "secure communication" options for a separate fee.

Sure, but why bother? I would expect a mobile worker to use a much better/ergonomic device such as a Blackberry.

... have been a T-Mobile customer for many years (back to VoiceStream days) and frequently had problems with network roaming where AT&T refused to allow T-Mobile roaming on their network. Even now my office can pick up a T-Mobile or AT&T signal and...

Loss of information is invaluable.

I asked for a different replacement phone from T-mobile. Sure I was told, I could get the G1 Google phone for $399 - $40 loyal T-mobile customer discount + 2 year additional contract added to...

Anyways, my bet is on the three without T-Mobile. Don't forget that DISH has Satellites...aka: terrestrial network which could provide free worldwide...

Sure if you get it unlocked (assuming it will be hacked quickly for unlocking) you will be able to put a T-Mobile SIM in it and use it on their 2G network, but it will not work on T-Mobile's 3G network. The specs...

... seems to me like you are a bit of a whiney technology user. wah, I dont want to put in the home stereo because when it rings I have to un plug it, wah the ipod touch has 32 gigs and costs 400 bucks.
haha

Ill tell you exactly what I did.
I am a T-mobile ...

... and T-mobile both began taking orders for Google Android phones last week. T-mobile works only on T- mobile network while zzzphones 4 band, 2 sim card phone works in 95% of the worlds countrys. No other companies have announced Google Android.