My wife and I were on Verizon and we recently switched to T-Mobile. I did a lot of comparison and found that for the same price it would cost us to just remain on Verizon with our old phones, we could each get brand new iPhone 5s, more data per month, at about 60 bucks less per month. Plus we weren't locked in a contract. Plus when the phone subsidy is paid off our bill goes down. Plus when we go to Mexico (her sis might be getting married there) they give us international data free without so much as having to call (this was a nightmare when I had to deal with it on Verizon last year). Plus when and if you go over your data limit, T-mobile doesn't smack you down with insane overages, they merely slow your speed down and don't charge you (really slow, but you can still check email).

I had my last phone for 3 years, so I expect I will take advantage of the drop in the subsidy price, but we'll see. Verizon still has the best network, but T has been great for me in the state region I live in and the three cities I've traveled to and spent time in since I switched. I lost some signal around the Appalachian Mountains on a drive from Detroit to D.C., but other than that I've not had any issues that have caught my attention.

All things being equal T-Mob crushes the competition in my mind, as long as you live in their network area. The other carriers are so consumer-hostile that even if they are a bit better than T-mob, as long as T is getting the job done for me I'll remain with them. I know they are a massive profit-seeking company, but their attitude towards their customers actually matters. I loath the bigger carriers.

In the meantime, T-Mobile is cheaper, doesn't lock you in, doesn't charge you for going over your limit, and doesn't charge you a subsidy price when you've paid off your phone. As long as you get coverage from them it's a no-brainer in my book.