Instead of worrying about a consistent network ID, how about getting the
network built out to a critical mass?  Why is it taking so long to get the
roaming in place with ATTW?  Pretty soon Cingular and ATTW will have a
larger, more robust network than T-Mobile.  All the features, cool phones,
bells and whistles, cameras, ring tones, superior customer service are of no
use if there is no network. The Northeast is especially deficient - lots of
holes and limited coverage. Its all about the coverage - your phone is just
an expensive paperweight without coverage.  The people using T-Mobile break
down into two distinct groups; those who don't travel much and are attracted
to T-mo's low rates and; those who are cultishly attracted to GSM.  T-Mo
will lose their cult following real fast when ATTW and Cingular get their
networks up to critical mass.

Hey, I know this is a rant and that (probably) no one really cares - but I
am sitting here with nothing much to do. I have a T-39m by the way (love
this phone) and use T-Mo service exclusively for international travel. I use
Verizon when I am in the States. Let's face it - Verizon works everywhere
(Cingular does too, but network features are inconsistent and forget about
Sprint (they have cool phones but a weak network, although it is more robust
than T-Mo's network)).  Lately I have been going places where T-Mo does not
roam, like Oman. I have had to pick up a Vodafone SIM through Verizon to get
service in many places internationally.  I am in Oman and my T-Mo SIM says
SOS ONLY while my friends using T-Mo from Germany have full service - makes
no sense, but little in wireless telephony makes sense for the consumer.

I go to the T-Mo store in my local area (Upstate NY) to buy phones for my
guys who are going overseas and I watch customers come in complaining about
their service, "I was trying to make a call from Eire Blvd and I couldn't
get a connection."  The salesperson would take the phone, look at it and
state, "well, we have been getting a lot of sun spot activity lately, and
that has caused selective disruption to the franistan that controls the
hairball switch in the galactic control center. It should clear up in a few
years."

It is interesting to walk into the Mall Shops and talk to the 19 year old
sales people, "So, how is T-Mo's service?"

"Oh, it is the best there is, they have a tower in every city and you can
make calls wherever they have a Zipcode."

"What is this GPRS stuff?"

"Oh, that is the technology that allows you to find Jamie Lee Curtis."

"But I see that Jamie Lee has been replaced."

"Oh ya, but Cathy is just standing in to attract consumers who would
actually buy a wireless service based on an attractive spokesperson and
commercials that suggest the phone works everywhere."

"Well, I rather see a geeky little man running around saying 'can you hear
me now?' than this piece of female fluff with her phone tucked in to her low
slung waist band."

The only carrier worse than T-Mo is Nextel.  But I see they have built a
tower 500 miles high, poking into outerspace, to support their nationwide
Direct Connect.  Now a Nextel user can get a low quality, garbled connection
instantly from coast to coast.