logo
T-Mobile killed Network Pass, but it has a new way to hook you

T-Mobile killed Network Pass, but it has a new way to hook you

Phone Arenaa day ago
Picking a wireless carrier isn't exactly easy – they all come with their own pros and cons. The good news? The big three – Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile – offer free trials, so you can test out their networks before making any commitments.
T-Mobile ha s been doing this for a while with its Network Pass program, which gave users 90 days to try the service, no strings attached. But that has just changed. T-Mobile has rebranded the trial to simply T-Mobile Trial, and it is no longer a 90-day thing – it is now shortened to 30 days. The change quietly went live on the carrier's website and was quickly picked up by users online.
And while the trial window is now shorter, T-Mobile is padding the experience with a lot more perks. You still get unlimited data via eSIM, but now there is also 30-day access to Magenta Status perks, T-Mobile Tuesdays freebies and T-Satellite support so you can stay connected in places with zero signal.
On top of that, T-Mobile Trial gives you in-flight Wi-Fi on up to four flights (with select airlines), Wi-Fi calling, and up to 5 GB of high-speed data when you are traveling in Canada or Mexico.
T-Mobile has boosted its free trial with new perks in an effort to attract more users to make the switch. | Image credit – T-Mobile So basically, you are trading a longer test period for a more feature-packed month. And as expected, reactions online have been all over the place.
–Bkfraiders7, Reddit, July 2025
–JackPAnderson, Reddit, July 2025 This change actually puts T-Mobile 's trial on par with what Verizon and AT&T have been doing, at least when it comes to that 30-day limit.
Verizon 's version gives you a full month and 100 GB of premium data, as long as you've got an eSIM-capable phone and the MyVerizon app. Streaming is capped at 480p on LTE and standard 5G, but once you are in an Ultra Wideband zone, that restriction goes away.
AT&T 's 30-day trial also offers 100 GB of data, plus an extra 25 GB for hotspot use. It includes talk and text in Mexico and Canada, and international texting to over 230 countries. But here is the catch: it only works with iPhones that support eSIM through the MyAT&T app, which pretty much shuts out Android users entirely, making it a big drawback compared to the other two.
Speaking of comparing phone carriers, if you are wondering which one might be the best fit for you, feel free to also check out:
Now, to try T-Mobile Trial yourself, you will need an unlocked, eligible eSIM phone and the T-Life app (it is available on both iOS and Android). You qualify if you haven't used Network Pass or T-Mobile Trial in the last 12 months and haven't been a T-Mobile or Metro by T-Mobile customer – or used a T-Mobile -powered providers like Mint Mobile or Google Fi, for example – in the past 90 days.
And the best part? No need to give up your number, swap SIMs, or even enter payment info. If you don't like it, just move on – no awkward customer service calls or sales pitches trying to rope you in.
So while the 90-day Network Pass is gone, T-Mobile 's new 30-day Trial is clearly aiming to offer more of the full Magenta experience up front. Whether it is a downgrade or a smarter play depends on how much you care about time vs perks. Switch to a 2-month Total 5G or 5G+ plan with Total Wireless and score this foldable deal.
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Useful Google Maps feature mysteriously disappears and returns. What to do next time it happens
Useful Google Maps feature mysteriously disappears and returns. What to do next time it happens

Phone Arena

time6 hours ago

  • Phone Arena

Useful Google Maps feature mysteriously disappears and returns. What to do next time it happens

Google has worked hard to make Google Maps easy to use while still stuffing plenty of useful information into the app. For example, let's say you're on the road and you need to find a gas station pronto. You may have just noticed that the gauge in your vehicle is about to be pinned to the "E." Or, if that isn't harrowing enough, nature is calling and you need a place to answer that call. Typing the word "Gas" into the Google Maps search bar at the top of the display on Android and iOS devices will show you where gas stations are located near you. It also includes the name of the gas station, the price of gas there, and whether it is open or closed. Tap on the red dot indicating the presence of a particular station, and a pop-up screen appears from the bottom covering about half of the display. This screen shows the name of the station, how far away you are from it, and even shows photos of the place. Typing Gas on the Google Maps app will show you nearby gas stations and give you directions to them. | Image credit-PhoneArena More importantly, it gives you a directions button allowing you, with one more tap, to get turn-by-turn directions to the place where you can fill up your car with gas and/or empty your bladder. This feature can be a lifesaver at a time when no driver is at his or her best. You're waiting for your car to start sputtering out, or you feel as though your bladder will explode. With your attention diverted to one or both of these things, you're not concentrating on the road as you should be. So yes, this is a feature that you'd hate to see disappear for no reason, which is something that Google is wont to do from time to time. However, according to some posts on Reddit, last week, Google removed the feature from Android phones while leaving it on iOS. One Redditor typed, "When I look up 'gas' on Google Maps, it used to show me gas stations along with the price of gas in each station. However, it seems to have stopped showing the price of gas since today on both my cell phone as well as Google Maps on a desktop web browser." Some Android users were tying this in to the installation of the latest version of Google Maps. However, this is a server-side feature, which means that the version of Google Maps shouldn't matter, and it is up to Google to flip the switch and stop this helpful tool from appearing on certain Android devices. Complaints about the disappearance of the "Gas" tool came from Canada and the U.S. (Las Vegas and the New England area of the States). Then there was the question of whether the disappearance of the feature was a bug or something that Google did on purpose. It appears that 12 hours after Android users running the Google Maps app first started noticing that typing "Gas" into the app failed to bring up the desired information, the feature started working again. Considering that there haven't been other complaints posted on Reddit about this, I think we can safely assume that this was a short-term scare for Google Maps users on Android. But should this happen again, you might want to consider installing a dedicated app that will help you find the closest gas station. The best one I've found is GasBuddy which can be loaded on both Android and iOS devices. If you tap "Gas" into Google Maps on your Android phone and you're not seeing the feature appear, then the outage could be more serious than we thought. Let us know by dropping your comment into the box below.

Google Messages set to benefit as a new RCS upgrade boosts audio and security
Google Messages set to benefit as a new RCS upgrade boosts audio and security

Phone Arena

timea day ago

  • Phone Arena

Google Messages set to benefit as a new RCS upgrade boosts audio and security

The messaging experience on Android is about to improve again. The GSMA has officially announced Universal Profile 3.1, the latest version of the technical standard that powers RCS (Rich Communication Services). The update introduces a few new capabilities that will roll out gradually across apps and carriers that support the platform, including Google Messages (and hopefully Apple Messages at some point as well).The headline feature in Universal Profile 3.1 is the addition of the xHE-AAC audio codec, which supports better sound quality in shared audio content. This means voice messages, background sound clips, and other audio-based features sent through RCS will now have clearer and more natural playback. According to the GSMA, this enhancement benefits both speech and non-speech use cases, including AI chatbot interactions that rely on xHE-AAC codec is designed for efficient audio compression and decompression, which allows for improved quality without significantly increasing file size. It should also help ensure more consistent playback across different devices and network conditions. While it may take some time for apps and carriers to implement this update, it marks a noticeable upgrade in how Android users communicate via voice. RCS messaging use is exploding in the U.S. | Image credit — T-Mobile Beyond audio improvements, Universal Profile 3.1 also introduces technical changes aimed at streamlining how RCS connects to mobile networks. Specifically, the GSMA outlines "new mechanisms for connecting RCS clients to operator services," which should lead to a more reliable and seamless onboarding experience for users setting up RCS for the first time. However, the details of how this works behind the scenes haven't been shared in full yet. There are also a few smaller upgrades included in the update. These include better spam protection, more secure file transfers, and support for using deep links to start conversations from other apps or websites. All of these are expected to roll out in future versions of apps like Google Messages as they adopt the 3.1 standard. We've been following the evolution of RCS closely, especially as it plays a larger role in Android's messaging ecosystem. With this update, the standard becomes even more competitive against services like iMessage and WhatsApp, particularly when it comes to voice communication. While RCS still depends on carrier and device support, updates like Universal Profile 3.1 show that it's steadily evolving into a richer, more capable messaging platform. Switch to Total Wireless and buy 2 months of a 5G Unlimited plan to score the phone free! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer

Samsung's One UI 8 Now Bar will be getting a major boost by the end of the year
Samsung's One UI 8 Now Bar will be getting a major boost by the end of the year

Phone Arena

timea day ago

  • Phone Arena

Samsung's One UI 8 Now Bar will be getting a major boost by the end of the year

Part of this expansion could be helped by Receive the latest Samsung news Subscribe By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy One UI 7 .0, you could only view Now Bar cards on the cover screen, but trying to interact with them would open the app or its widget. With One UI 8 , the Now Bar works the same way on both the cover and main screen, letting users interact with those cards directly from the outside display. That's a big improvement for those who like using their phone one-handed or while it's folded. Even though we don't yet know which apps will be added, it's a sign that Samsung wants to make Now Bar a bigger part of the Galaxy experience. If Samsung also decides to use Android's built-in live updates feature, it could make the Now Bar even more powerful and useful—not just for Samsung apps, but for all kinds of services. Part of this expansion could be helped by Android 16 , which includes a new tool for developers. This tool, called a standardized API, allows apps to show live updates—like a delivery or media playback—on the lock screen and status bar. Samsung's current version of One UI 8 doesn't yet use this system, but if it does in the future, it could open up Now Bar support to even more also a new improvement coming to Galaxy Z Flip phones. In.0, you could only view Now Bar cards on the cover screen, but trying to interact with them would open the app or its widget. With, the Now Bar works the same way on both the cover and main screen, letting users interact with those cards directly from the outside display. That's a big improvement for those who like using their phone one-handed or while it's though we don't yet know which apps will be added, it's a sign that Samsung wants to make Now Bar a bigger part of the Galaxy experience. If Samsung also decides to use Android's built-in live updates feature, it could make the Now Bar even more powerful and useful—not just for Samsung apps, but for all kinds of services. Samsung is getting ready to make its Now Bar feature more useful with the next big update to One UI. The Now Bar was introduced with One UI 7 .0, based on Android 15 , and lets users quickly see and control ongoing tasks—like music playback or timers—on the lock screen without needing to unlock the phone. It shows this information in a row of cards, which Samsung calls the Now biggest issue with Now Bar so far has been limited support, as only a small number of apps work with it, and most of them are made by Samsung. However, according to the official "Device Experience Guide" for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 , that's about to change. Right now, 20 apps support the Now Bar, but by the end of 2025, that number will grow to 35. Samsung didn't name the new apps, but it's clear the company wants to bring this feature to more parts of the phone experience.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store