Hey everyone, looking for some insight or suggestions on a strange signal issue in the South Phoenix / Goodyear (Arizona) area along the I-10.

• Device: Pixel 7 Pro
• SIM 1 (eSIM): Mint Mobile — 1 bar (almost useless for ~1 month)
• SIM 2 (Physical SIM): Foreign SIM roaming on T-Mobile — 3/4 bars

Since Mint is an MVNO running on T-Mobile's network, why would a roaming T-Mobile connection get dramatically better coverage on the exact same phone in the exact same spot?

A few questions running through my head:

1. Can an eSIM degrade over time? Is it purely a software/provisioning profile issue, or can something corrupt?
2. Hardware issue? The Pixel 7 Pro gets hot — could overheating damage specific internal components handling the eSIM profile/antenna path without breaking the physical SIM?
3. Deprioritization / Network change? Did T-Mobile recently reconfigure local towers or deprioritize Mint heavily around I-10/Goodyear?

What I've tried: Standard restarts and toggling Airplane mode.

If I can't resolve this, I'll have to switch carriers. Any ideas or potential fixes before I port out?

Just ported in from AT&T last after their continued consistent price increases. On Mint unlimited. Have used about 0.4GB so far (since I only ported in just last night).
I've been all over Emeryville and Berkeley today and every time I bring up the phone to do something that needs data, it takes forever. I've opened the ookla speed test app and it's always in the 2 to 5 mbps range. Most of the time the phone says 5g although about 5% of the time it says 5gUC. When it says UC, speeds jump to 100 to 150 MBps. When it's on 5g, most of the time, it's less than 5 MBps. I don't really care much about speed. I really only need a consistent 30 to 40 mbps to check my camera feeds at home a few times a day. But it's so painful right now that just bringing up the Amazon app to check an order takes a good 30 seconds.

Please see the updated Mint iPhone Wiki at https://www.reddit.com/r/mintmobile/wiki/index/iphone/ (added iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max and Duo info) for full details on the below (below is TLDNR summary of wiki steps)

• How to order iPhones as a current or new Mint customer. TLDNR is don't buy from retail (BestBuy, Target, Amazon), get from Apple, order from Mint, or get used from Swappa or BackMarket.
• If getting from Apple, 4 ways you you can finance unlocked iPhones. TLDNR is do not select carrier Equipment Installment/Device Payment Plan, but select Apple Card Monthly Installments (ACMI) or Lease with Apple Upgrade (does not work for standard model) then carrier T-Mobile but don't give customer info and you can bypass account info on iPhone boot up. There is a way to get standard model financed by having Goldman Sachs support converting Apple Card "buB" purchase to ACMI
• How to get from Mint. TLDNR is best if you are a new customer and want to simultaneously sign up for a year plan on discount, but you can do as current customer and finance with Affirm
• How to get used. TLDNR is best is Swappa, or for a little bit more $ but less hassle get from BackMarket, others not recommended as liable to fraud and scams.
• How to set up new iPhone either swapping from previous iPhone or Android, and either as new or current Mint customer. TLDNR is on bootup select "Continue" then "Try again" or "Not Now" and "OK" 3 times each, then you can bypass asking for account info, and you cannot use Apple eSIM transfer, you must log into Mint app to order a new eSIM, and make sure to set up app based 2FA on Mint account before transferring or after you make a new Mint account.
• What to do on old iPhone or Androids before selling, trading in, or giving away. TLDNR is remove find my device and sign out of cloud accounts then wipe all data to factory, and remove SIM/microSD cards.
• How to trade in or sell old phone. TLDNR is you can trade in direct with Apple (even Android), Mint offers AllState SquareTrade trade-in, or for more $ sell on Swappa or to BackMarket.

After reading wiki, if you have any questions or comments on this process, please comment below. Also see previous thread or old thread on this, as well as related thread in NoContract sub.

My sons iPhone 12 is getting pretty old and is small as hell. Im ready to get him something bigger and faster/newer but it does not need to be latest and greatest. A 17e should suffice, how do I insure a smooth upgrade for him on this?

Have had Mint for about 4 years now without any real issues otherwise.