Will the 3G iphone work with TMobile 3G network in USA?

[Cedhed]

Actually tmo's 3g has data up and rolling in the limited markets its been rolled out in.

That said I doubt Apple is going to go out of their way to support tmo's US frequency. I don't think it would be financially prudent for them to spend additional money to support a network that gives them nothing in return. I could be wrong but I just don't see it.

That said even if it did support 3g most of the US is still Edge on tmo. And it's going to be a while in some areas. In 2-3 years the situation will be different, but for the time being Edge is as good as most of us are going to get.

Unless something like increased capacity or GPS is announced there is little benefit for a tmo customer to get the 3g phone.

Probably no harm that I can see in waiting (unless ATT does something with the pricing for non subsidied phones). But it's hard to say if there will be any benifit. I bought a 16 gig phone and it should suit me for the next couple of years, 3g or not. Plus I get to keep my cheap voice/data plan.

 

[butterfly0fdoom]

yes, carriers do have phones that are carrier exclusive for a limited amount of time (like the razr). the exclusive period though is usually a few months or a year. the iphone however is exclusive to AT&T until 2012, so i dont understand how you can think t-mobile will be getting it.

Knowing Apple, there is likely a provision that Apple can buy out the contract. Even then, AT&T didn't block the current iPhone from being quad-band, and it's unlikely Apple will create NA and Rest-of-world versions of the 3G iPhone. So regardless, the iPhone will more likely than not have a 3G radio that is at least tri-band. Apple doesn't answer solely to AT&T.

 

[Diode]

Knowing Apple, there is likely a provision that Apple can buy out the contract. Even then, AT&T didn't block the current iPhone from being quad-band, and it's unlikely Apple will create NA and Rest-of-world versions of the 3G iPhone. So regardless, the iPhone will more likely than not have a 3G radio that is at least tri-band. Apple doesn't answer solely to AT&T.

Yea but tri-band would most likely be 850/1900/2100 which would cover the US and most of the world.... not t-mobile's 1700

 

[ruinfx]

Knowing Apple, there is likely a provision that Apple can buy out the contract. Even then, AT&T didn't block the current iPhone from being quad-band, and it's unlikely Apple will create NA and Rest-of-world versions of the 3G iPhone. So regardless, the iPhone will more likely than not have a 3G radio that is at least tri-band. Apple doesn't answer solely to AT&T.

i agree it is possible they might put a triband 3G radio in the new iphone (WCDMA 850/1900/2100). that would allow apple to make one iphone, and satisfy AT&T. AT&T already sells a triband 3G phone so it wouldnt be a problem for them. however i am confident that still means there will be no t-mobile 3G support in the US.

it is true that apple doesnt answer solely to AT&T but they do supposedly have a contract with them to offer the iphone exclusively until 2012. apple has only themselves to blame for this though so i give them no sympathy. they could have sold the iphone unlocked and not made any deals with carriers and then they would not have to worry what AT&T thinks. that would have been the best thing to do for us, but IMO they got greedy and wanted more than just handset sales. they wanted money from the service too, so in the end we have to deal with the deal apple made with AT&T.

 

[Neobond]

...the iphone however is exclusive to AT&T until 2012...

...they do supposedly have a contract with [AT&T] to offer the iphone exclusively until 2012.

I still would like to see a source for this statement. I'm not necessarily questioning it, I just have only heard board members say this, and it has gotten to the point of being 'fact', which to me means its not fact and just speculation. Can someone clear this up?

 

[ruinfx]

I still would like to see a source for this statement. I'm not necessarily questioning it, I just have only heard board members say this, and it has gotten to the point of being 'fact', which to me means its not fact and just speculation. Can someone clear this up?

google is your friend. just put in "at&t iphone 5 years".

AT&T has exclusive U.S. distribution rights for five years — an eternity in the go-go cellphone world. And Apple is barred for that time from developing a version of the iPhone for CDMA wireless networks.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2007-05-21-at&t-iphone_N.htm

 

[lhunter]

iPhone will roam

I have spoken to several "experts" on this topic and they are all very confident that Tmobile will work with the next 3G iPhone. Here are a few relevant points:
- The new phone will still be edge compatible, since 3g is not well adopted in the US by carriers
- The chip set in the new iPhone will be designed to work with all bands and thus will not exclude Tmobile in the US; however, you will still have to hack the iPhone to allow it to accept a Tmobile SIM.
- Apple will not create different hardware platforms for different markets...they selected hardware compatible with all major carrier networks. This removes some support complexity and lowers production costs.

If you use Tmobile, just sit tight and watch ziphone.org for hack updates.

Cheers,

 

[Diode]

I have spoken to several "experts" on this topic and they are all very confident that Tmobile will work with the next 3G iPhone. Here are a few relevant points

Cheers,

There is not question the phone itself will work with t-mobile ... the question is if *3G* will work with t-mobile. This depends on if 1700 is supported on the 3G modem. Very few phones offer 3G on 1700 at this time and I don't think any of of the phones that support 1700 offer other 3G bands (VS the plethora of tri-band 3G phones).

The phones essentially have two modems ... a WCDMA modem for 3G and a GSM modem. I predict the iphone will have a quad band GSM modem (that supports edge of course) and a tri-band WDCMA modem for 3G

In short I highly doubt the new iphone will support 3G on 1700. However the GSM/edge portion will be fully compatible with t-mobile

 

[mrjoshchung]

Sum it all up!!

haha all of these responses were so fun to read...everyone just goin at it

so can i just ask what is the best thing to do in your guys' opinions?

Im debating whether to get the iPhone right now. or wait til the 3G iPhone comes out. I am a t-Mobile customer. (much cheaper than ******** AT&T)

Let's jus say the 3G won't even work on t-Mobile. Is waiting for the new iPhone just to have longer battery life worth it? or should i just settle for the iPhone right now which is probably gona be much cheaper than the 3G?

dahhhhh

 

[gloss]

way to entirely miss the point. it is NOT a matter of "can they do it?" it is a matter of "why in the world would they?"

Because building a single model worldwide saves tons of money?

 

[ruinfx]

Because building a single model worldwide saves tons of money?

creating a single model for worldwide use still does not require the 1700 band.

 

[cdd543]

As stated no one else in the world uses the 2100 downlink/ 1700 uplink that tmo usa is using. Why do you think tmo users aren't running out and buying all the current 2100 handsets out there used in other parts of the world.
If you are sticking with tmo then EDGE is going to be your friend for a long while on iphone.

 

[JBaker122586]

haha all of these responses were so fun to read...everyone just goin at it

so can i just ask what is the best thing to do in your guys' opinions?

Im debating whether to get the iPhone right now. or wait til the 3G iPhone comes out. I am a t-Mobile customer. (much cheaper than ******** AT&T)

Let's jus say the 3G won't even work on t-Mobile. Is waiting for the new iPhone just to have longer battery life worth it? or should i just settle for the iPhone right now which is probably gona be much cheaper than the 3G?

dahhhhh

1) Comparable plans aren't significantly cheaper on either of the major GSM networks in the US.
2) It is highly unlikely that the 3G iPhone will cost more than the current iPhone.
3) 3G won't work on T-Mobile, meaning a potential front-facing camera for video chat will also be useless, AND T-Mobile would have to configure a way to charge you for rumored GPS, if that will even work.

 

[ruinfx]

1) Comparable plans aren't significantly cheaper on either of the major GSM networks in the US.
2) It is highly unlikely that the 3G iPhone will cost more than the current iPhone.
3) 3G won't work on T-Mobile, meaning a potential front-facing camera for video chat will also be useless, AND T-Mobile would have to configure a way to charge you for rumored GPS, if that will even work.

you dont need the carriers permission to use gps, you can just use google maps or wait for companies like garmin to release an iphone version of their navigation software.

 

[SFStateStudent]

Isn't AT&T and T-Mobile working together already at most Starbuck's? I've been able to hook-up my iPhone and my BlackBook with AT&T & T-Mobile (not sure if these spots are 3G or not) WiFi Hotspots at just about every Starbuck's that I've been to in California.

 

[question fear]

Isn't AT&T and T-Mobile working together already at most Starbuck's? I've been able to hook-up my iPhone and my BlackBook with AT&T & T-Mobile (not sure if these spots are 3G or not) WiFi Hotspots at just about every Starbuck's that I've been to in California.

That's because AT&T now has control of the wifi hotspots, but t-mobile is still honoring the old contracts. That's through wifi, it has nothing to do with cellular technology at all.