T-Mobile AWAY vs Starlink ROAM: In-Depth Comparison, Speed Tests, and Review
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- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
- T-Mobile's "Away" plan aims to compete with Starlink Roam, an incredibly popular travel internet service for digital nomads, RV'ers, and other adventurers. I test and compare Starlink Roam to T-Mobile Away.
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Chapters:
01:18 Unboxing the T-Mobile 5G Gateway
04:22 Pricing
07:39 Pausing Service
09:12 Coverage
11:28 Reliability
14:21 Equipment Setup
17:52 Speed Testing and Performance
23:13 Power Consumption
24:30 In Motion Speed Testing
29:46 What Do I Recommend?
#starlink #tmobilehomeinternet #mobileinternet 
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The reason I bought Starlink is that it cannot be obliterated by a hurricane or power failures. Glad I had it since land based internet, cellular, and roads were blown away in my area for weeks here in NC. I was “big man on campus” when I restored service to a bunch of neighbors using one measly Starlink and 5 POE WIFI repeaters. I also showed them how to configure their phones to use WIFI calling. I had a 1000ft box of Cat6 Ethernet cable which we strung throughout the hood with repeaters on the cable endpoints protected from weather using ziplock baggies. I was their ISP for almost 2 weeks.
You need a cell signal. If I had that, I wouldn't need starlink . Not even in the same ballpark.
I know, I keep seeing these videos compare various devices to Starlink, but at this time there really is nothing that compares, everything else needs cell service, I’d just hotspot my phone otherwise.
It snowed last night ni Federal Way WA and my Mobile had bad signal. I also bought a Starlink gen 3 but returned it. Then tried T-mobile. I liked it. But I still bought the T-mobile mini for emergency
But if you typicaly use an RV near highways this is a much cheaper option
I'm a 77 yo desert rat and spend spring and fall there, temperature dependent, exploring in my SxS. There are many places out west with zero signal of any kind. Starlink's buy-in hurt 😳 but now I have internet wherever I go. I enjoy all of your Starlink content, even though I already have mine.
Appreciate your support! I agree, Starlink is a steep investment at first, but if you need internet in remote places there really is no better option.
@@cid9099 I purchased my Starlink mini last Tuesday and took it to Quartzsite Arizona with me on Friday until Monday to test it out and it worked perfect. Usually at quartzsite with cell service it goes to almost 0 with all the snowbirds and campers there in the desert in January but with Starlink it was just like being at home.
Been using the T-mobile away setup for about 6 months now. It’s pretty darn good if your always in a 5G zone. I do have to reboot it every once in a while to reestablish a connection but minor inconvenience. But as good as T-Mobile is if your going to be off grid your going to need the Starlink system.
I use my $50 a month plan and travel with it often and it works great
u use a $50 a month plan on what service and what device? and what is your data speeds and data cap on that plan?
We worked as camp hosts in a national forest campground. Zero cell service. In the admin area, there were 8 of us. I let everyone connect to our Starlink system. Showed them how to use wifi calling. Otherwise, none of us would have internet or phone service. Even with some trees in the way. We were able to keep connectivity 98% of the time in a 24-hour period. Sure, there may be services out that can provide faster speeds. But what good is faster speed if you have zero cell coverage. We will stay with Starlink. However, thanks for your video.
We have TMobile home Internet and love the reliability. On the road though, we added the Starlink Mini because TMobile does not have the coverage. A recent trip in Alaska and driving Out left us for days without a connection with TMobile even though they are partnering with the telecom giants in Canada.
In today's video, we compare an oversized cellphone to a worldwide satellite communication device lol 😂😂
Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for supporting the channel.
@StarlinkHardware great video as always.. There's just zero real world comparison on these 2 devices... That and you couldn't pay me to go tmobile... VZW for the win, also in real world 😂
Yes, if you stay in populated areas T-Mobile is fine, but if you want global coverage - even in the middle of the ocean or the north pole - choose Starlink.
Dude! This like comparing apples to a prime rib. I know, not even close. Nothing comes close to Starlink.
Totally enjoy your videos. I have Generation 3. Totally awesome. Keep up the good work!! 🚀
Since you NEED a cell signal, just use your phone in hotspot mode. I'm on Verizon and get 100Gb/mo and since my wife is with me, we have 200Gb/mo between us. Plus, my truck has OnStar with 75Gb/mo at $15/mo. We have zero issues IF we are in a cell service zone. With that being said, we do have Starlink, and since we can pause it anytime for any length, its worth it over the TMobile.
Dude why waste your time comparing 5G to satellite? It's not even Apples to Oranges lol!!
T-Mobile compares it directly to Starlink so I had to check it out for myself.
Comparison chart/spreadsheet would be awesome. Thanks for the video's!
The problem is Tmobile doesn't have remote coverage for off-grid.
My place in western Maine is 45 drive to get tmobile signal, not ready for prime time
Yep, 100% right. 5G is only a viable option if you don't travel in remote places.
you need to do a an evaluation of the T-Mobile device with an external antenna such as the large 4 x 4 memo from wave form…… if you put one on a short pole outside on your vehicle that you can rotate in a circle to point it it will be shocked how well it will do in remote areas
I have a T-mobile cellphone. Can I put my SIM card in this Away unit?
i have 2 questions. can starlink but uses for partial months without paying for the full month? like could you unpause it for a few days or a week in a month and leave it paused the rest of the month and just pay prorata for the days you had it on? or Do you have to pay for a minimum of 1 month when active? Also, I would like to know if the T-Mobile away device has a wifi router built in. And can you comment on that. And can the wifi router be used with a different service provider or with no internet service provider, if you wanted to use it for just the router.
Good comparison
Crazy pricing and restrictions from Tmobile, Not even talking about coverage vs Starling.
Their 5G Home Internet plans are much more reasonable at $35/month (recent reduction or promotion?). It's the same cell network, same 5G gateway. I was not expecting their travel plans to be this much.
the “away” is for full-timers without a qualifying home address they could get unlimited home internet then take their home TMHI gateway on trips at times… (yes!!!…. they DO actually allow this still these days) it’s way cheaper to get set up then Starlink… there’s no extra charge to be able to use it on the road while you’re moving…. Unlike Starlink. i’ve used mine all over Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado with great success. I highly recommend the T-Mobile product….. I simply cannot see a fair comparison of T-Mobile’s product on a channel dedicated to Starlink. That’s just laughable.
i’ve used Starlink. It’s horrible where there’s trees however, I’ve gotten very usable signals with the T-Mobile device and national parks with trees blocking half the signal plus the T-Mobile device is connectors on the bottom if you need to put a high gain antenna on it…
Great video. Would like to know how you setup Starlink for your mobile testing. Is the signal strong enough to have the units in a camper and still have a reasonable download inside the vehicle? Thanks
If the material above is RF transparent, like glass, it will work fine inside as long as it isn’t obstructed by other material. It won’t work just placed inside a camper as there is usually insulation and other material that will block the signal. I did a video on my mobile road trip setup: ruclips.net/video/ItEAH2vulrE/видео.html
I already have T-Mobile for my cell. Why wouldn't I just use my hotspot function from my phone? I think Starlink would be better for emergencies though because cell towers might not work.
That’s an option if you have an unlimited plan, but many phone plans throttle aggressively past a certain data usage. Also your phone isn’t a great WiFi router so using other devices with it on a full time basis would get annoying.
This is really aimed more towards those digital nomads and people who need a full time internet source when they are traveling.
@@DISHY_tech During my travel season (5 or 6 months per year) I use Visible unlimited plan on an old phone I don't use any more. That hotspot is connected to a little travel router so all my devices (phones, laptops, TVs) can connect at any time. This allows me to work while away from home and do anything else I want to do on the internet. This past year I added a Starlink mini roam for the times I am without cell signal. Even combined, this is cheaper than T-Mobile.
The main difference is satellite vs cell tower. If u travel internationally or sail. If you are concerned about grid down situations, sat based MAY be more reliable. Cell based solutions start at $10 a month
A question on mounting a Starlink in a car. How is the connection maintained with the dish in your case needing to be pointed north while in Aussie we need to point the dish south. As the car is being driven the dish will not point in the required direction.
You point it straight up and orientation really doesn’t matter. It’s not practical to aim the dish in any direction on the move. The dish has a wide field of view and can see most of the sky.
I have T-Mobile Away and use it 24/7 whether I'm at home or camping. I doubt people use Starlink for home internet. Never need to pause it and setup is much easier than mounting antennas and having to run wires. T-Mobile away will also accommodate 50 devices.
We had TMobile Away at our home in the country. We are up on a hill but slightly below a couple hills. Not deep in a valley, though. When it worked it was great. But it went out for hours and days at a time. Customer service always told us that our local tower was down. Then multiple towers went down. I run a business and podcast so that doesn’t work for me.
When I camp I’m mostly in very remote areas with No cell signal. Away is not good for van life, off road camping or camping in general.
There's like huge difference! Coverage area!!!
The question is how much does the external antenna boost the T Mobil away in a remote area?
It’s less for boosting the signal overall, and more for allowing you to place the gateway in a sub optimal location inside, and then having the external antenna getting you a good signal outside. But there are some external antennas you can buy that will boost the overall signal (3rd party).
Would be a good combination if you can afford both. I got a better deal with T-Mobile a while back where you could pay $50 a month and get the free equipment.
Thanks for the info. I wanted to use your referral code, but it only pertains to residential services not "roam". Is there another referral code from you for "Roam" Services? Thanks.
I believe referrals only apply to Roam Unlimited and Residential, so if you are wanting Roam 50GB it won't give a free month of service.
Musk said in a speech about a year ago at STARBASE, that he & T-Mobile would be using his Starlink system for connection of internet service, so I look for this to basically merge use.
Direct to cell (what you’re referencing) is a lot different. It’s supplemental coverage for when you stray behind T-Mobile towers. It has extremely limited bandwidth and speeds. Right now it’s only capable of simple texting. Some day it might be capable as a standalone cell service, but that’s 5-10 years away.
I wish starlink would combine the satellite and the router.
They did with the Starlink Mini.
You really cannot compare them. For t-mobile, no cellular service, no internet. Satellites are everywhere.
They can be compared when a person primarily works or travels in places with cell coverage.
Do any of these work well enough indoors?
The 5G gateway works well inside, but get the Home Internet plan for fixed locations. Much cheaper. Starlink antennas need to be installed outside, and you run the cable inside to where the router will be installed.
I’m staying with Starlink
pretty good report by the way, but he made a few mistakes that were coming glaring….. regarding the T-Mobile device she never use it on the ground. You need to stick it in your window when you’re traveling to get the best results and you never mentioned that you could attach a high gain antenna to it when you’re out in the middle of the forest to get decent signals…. Good presentation, however.
They are both together now
You're probably talking about Starlink's Direct to Cell partnership with T-Mobile. Right now that service only supports basic texting functionality. In the future it will support voice calls and very limited and slow data, but that partnership is not meant for travel internet. I made a video covering some of these common misconceptions: ruclips.net/video/rtTyTFBhY6I/видео.html
Do this comparison test in a remote desert location, off grid, with very weak, or zero cell phone coverage. No 5G. (I commented before watching the entire video)
That’s an obvious limitation with T-Mobile that I mention several times in the video! Starlink is the only choice if you find yourself in those situations. T-Mobile is more for people sticking to 5G coverage areas.
40 bucks a month unlimited for T, mobile and 7 devices on 4k video with no lagging
I wonder when Starlink is going to come out with a mini with a 10 inch display tethered to the antenna with a 10-20 foot line and with its own battery inside the display or antenna making it truly all in one.
I did see in a recent survey they sent out, that they were asking about a potential Starlink battery bank. It's possible they create something that snaps into the Mini in some way to provide a more all in one unit.
This will change. My cell phone connects to starling in offices grid places.
I thought that t mobile partnered with starlink
For direct to cell supplemental coverage. But it’s just texting, not internet.
@StarlinkHardware thanks i appreciate the info I remember hearing something a while back about that but didn't have details
Why would I get this? All my cell phone have the same features at $35.
If you're needing travel internet full-time, a cell phone hotspot isn't going to cut it. You would need your phone constantly plugged in because hotspot mode drains the battery. The Wifi range isn't very far. Your phone plan would throttle your speeds after using a certain amount of data (even though it's technically unlimited). Lot's of reasons you would want a dedicated 5G modem installed in your rig for full-time travel usage. If you don't use much data a cell phone hotspot would work just fine, but T-Mobile Away is aimed more for digital nomads and full-time travelers.
dude my tmobile home internet is $50/60 and uses the same modem/router, and behaves the exact same way as your away service even though they say you can't use it that way they've never faulted me for using it on trips
Do you have a GB limit? What is your plan and cost? Looking for unlimited ideally.
T Mobile Away costs $160 per month correct?
$110/month for 200GB or $160/month for unlimited data. With autopay.
Starstink is ok if that is the only service you can get.
I have the mini, still in the box. Damn, I could have bought another Glock
T-Mobile when I'm in civilization. Starlink when in the boonies.
A combination of these would be the perfect solution, especially if you have a dual WAN router that can juggle the two connections for you. You would always have the best performance possible.
Yeah I have the mini and T-Mobile. Both work great in-conjunction with each other. And Verizon for phone service so when T-Mobile and starlink is slow, I have Verizon to come out on top
I I’ve used my T-Mobile gateway in my van on many highways and you really need to stick it in your window up high to get excellent results by the way otherwise you’re just fooling yourself
Not even comparable
What happens when T-Mobile can use Starlinks new satellite cell service for data in 2026/2027?
Direct to cell will be very limited in terms of bandwidth and speeds. It won’t be internet that you can use for streaming, and you wouldn’t want it as your full-time internet. Direct to cell is good for supplemental coverage for texting, phone calls, and very low amounts of data (only texting is available right now).
I literally bought a starlink mini. But also bought a T-MOBILE modem high-speed internet. Guess what, I can't return the Mini
Why not? Starlink has a 30 day return policy for a full refund. And partial refund beyond that.
@DISHY_tech really, I should try to return it. I wish I knew I had just opened it a week ago. I ordered in November
If the signal comes from a cell tower, the T-Mobile unit will not solve the problem of overloaded cell towers. It will be no better than your phone. Starlink does not use cell towers and therefore is not overloaded and you can get a signal. This is a no-brainer.
T-Mobile gateway NEEDS TO AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE!!!!! I’ve been a user since they very first came out… it’s ridiculous to put it on the ground and expect to get excellent signal
This is apples to oranges , two completely different systems. If I have a cell signal I'd already have internet and Hotspot on my phone. T mobile is useless as a roaming internet service. I have no dog in this fight as I have neither service.
It’s relevant to people sticking to areas with coverage, like interstates and bigger towns. A trucker commented earlier that it worked great for them. Makes sense, as truckers typically spend time on major roadways that have 5G coverage.
I tried the mobile away and the speed was so up and down thar I sent it back
Good to know, thanks for the report.
OTR Driver here T-Mobile away is the best. Don't have to worry about somebody stealing it.
I am missing something! Cellular vs Starlink is not remotely comparable! A waste of time really!!
Just trying to explain the differences for people that are researching both options. Both are travel internet plans, so they are comparable in many ways. Especially for digital nomads who are full-timers, but tend to travel in populated areas that will have 5G.
O Lord, God has searched T-Mobile and known good products for the Internet. 1/28/2025
Apples and oranges.
If I had 5g I wouldn't need Starlink to begin with. Apples to oranges.....
True, but some people are traveling in areas with 5G mostly, so the comparison is valid for some.
There’s even no point whatsoever to get T-Mobile away if it only works with cell phone signal .. what’s the point of even getting that if it just works just like ur phone ???? And have had mobile for 16 years abducts been awesome and would never change carriers but this just seems silly to but the T-Mobile away since ur phone dies the same thing .. did I miss something .. Star link is for off grid T-Mobile isn’t at all .. I hardly get no service in many parts of Colorado up around Yellowstone and a few other places
The T-Mobile unit would not work there's holes in the top of the case.. rain and moisture would destroy it no matter of time
Yep, it’s not outdoor rated. Doesn’t need to be because you can still get a signal with the gateway inside a vehicle or house, protected from the elements. This was just a temporary setup outside to test the speeds of both systems.
This must be a paid advertisement for T-Mobile, right?
Nope, just some dude testing it out in his yard. I bought everything you see tested in the video.
These videos of people trying to sell you on “Cellular Hotspots” (basically) and say it’s better than Starlink and are soooo misleading people. It’s getting old.
I been out 5 different locations in my Cargo conversion, 3 in Florida, where you’d think you’d have cellular service. But no. Not one spot in Fla had service. One spot was 20 minutes outside Orlando and the other spot was 30 minutes from Miami. Once in NC in the mountains, before Hurricane and once in Arkansas and not one place had cellular. I plan on hitting Yellowstone up and I know it has no cellular service there with T-Mobile Or AT&T. So that’s why I have Starlink. I’ve had it since beta. I have 3 now at different locations. Won’t go back to landline or cellular. It’s plenty fast enough to stream movies on several TVs at same time and browse internet. I do it everyday at my home. I have another on a yacht so definitely not getting cellular out there. 😂😂
I don't know what video you're watching, but I certainly am not trying to sell anyone on T-Mobile. I just did real world testing and comparison between the two where I'm located. I said several times in the video that I don't consider T-Mobile Away as even a real competitor to Starlink. I made it very clear that Away only works if you are in places with 5G coverage.
There are plenty of folks who might be interested in T-Mobile Away and who don't stray off the beaten path. There was a trucker that commented the other day about how well it was working for them on interstates and around cities. There are other people that watch the video besides you. So just because it's not a good fit for your situation doesn't mean it's not a valid consideration for others who might have different situations and use cases for it.
@ wasn’t referring to your content. It’s was for all those shills, grifters that get free devices and try to put it toe to toe with Starlink, so they can get more free crap by misleading people. It’s not even remotely comparable. It’s no different than those who tried to compare it to a hard line a few years ago. It’s just shills with click bait. There are several videos out there doing this.
Like I said, you don’t even need to be that far outside of a major city, like Miami, and you got nothing for cellular. I been to several campgrounds around Miami.
My home back in Oklahoma is 20 minutes from a major city and it’s the same way. A huge part of Texas has no cellular. You can drive for hours with no cell service there. The same goes for New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.
I haven’t been to a campground yet that has had cellular coverage at it. I have T-Mobile and AT&T so it’s not a certain carrier coverage issue. Cellular companies don’t care about rural areas, only coverage along interstates and cities.
This is like comparing a Cell Phone VS Pager!!! TMobile is the Pager!! Seriously??
That analogy makes no sense because T-Mobile Away is actually a cell phone, why would it be a pager in your comparison lol
NOPE 100% WRONG 😊
I Jave A RUclipsr Running A Mini In HIS KING OF THE HAMMERS RACE Guess Where Its Mounted [UNDER HIS FRONT FIBERGLASS HOOD ] 😊 And works just fine
T-mobiles Box Is Way to thick
Im Buying A Mini Starlink 4 My Side-by-side Because I Can Mount IT under My Front Hood 👍
Apples v Oranges.
Yes, they are both fruit and can be compared on how they taste!
No basis for cf
T-Mobile is piggy backing off of starlink now, soooo?
They have direct to cell that provides supplemental text message coverage in areas without cell service, but it doesn’t provide internet service.
Not comparable, Period!
If a person travels in areas covered by 5G it’s a perfectly valid comparison.
@@DISHY_tech we know how poor the interstate coverage is from 5g. Even in Manhattan, New York City, with full bar 5g you can’t do nothing.
Hey Siri, let me do a test in the middle of the city where there’s a bunch of T-Mobile towers and put it up against Starlink. What a stupid comparison. Go out to the middle of nowhere and then make the comparison.
Why is that a stupid comparison when there are people, like truckers, that stick around main roads and cities? Like I mention several times in the video, Away doesn’t have the coverage and it’s not suitable for remote areas. So it’s only a good option for people who stay within cell coverage. And there are people that only stick around where 5G covers.
T-Mobile is not a serious competition to Starlink ! Fail
If you only travel in areas with coverage, it certainly is an option to consider.
All more money grab bs.
Compared satellite to 5g ? 😂 waste of time.
Thanks for choosing to waste your time with me!
T mobile internet is bad 👎
Worked pretty well in my testing. Depends on your areas coverage and where you travel.
Very bad connectivity starlink
Connectivity is fine, no issues there. Starlink just doesn't have the highest download and upload speeds compared to the best 5G signal from T-Mobile. Where Starlink excels is in remote areas where 5G doesn't exist. That's why people buy Starlink.
I had issues big time with T-mobile 1 1/2 yrs ago. I was sooo mad. It was great for the first couple weeks, and then connections issues to where I had to reset the gateway at least 10x a day. We'd also get up in yhe morning and it's flashing to tell is it needs rebooted. Gaming...horrible. absolutely HORRIBLE. It's not so much cause of connection issues, it's the fact that the nimrod company would constantly switch your connection to a different tower. "We make tool for other users and only keep a certain % on each tower, so we'll bounce people around. NOOOO! Ahen that happens, that glitch in changing towers causes just a slight enough of a disconnection, it kicks you out of your gaming session. It would happen at minimum 20x a day. Absolutely no reason for it. They don't even let you choose a dedicated tower to stay locked on because they want to shuffle people around. Never again unless they fix that issue and I highly doubt they have, nor care.