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No I'm serious. Name me one phone I can use AT&T AND Tmobile 3G on? Or one phone that works on Sprint and Verizon without having to be flashed?

Most new T-Mobile android devices have added ATT bands in anticipation of the merger. There are a lot of penta band Blackberries. Also the new Galaxy Nexus is a penta band. In fact the Qualcomm chip used in the Verizon 4 and along with the 4S includes those bands, Apple software just doesnt allow it.
 
Intel Macs won't happen either, and neither will regional carriers ever get the iPhone ;) This just proves to me, "never say never with Apple"

Hey believe me, I will be happier than anyone when it does happen! I have no love for AT&T or Verizon. But I'm a numbers guy so if Apple's quotes to the community that the average selling price of an iPhone is currently $600-$650 (due to the carrier subsidies), than I don't see IN THE SHORT TERM where a $200-$300 iPhone to those prepaid carriers is going to fit in. Global prepaid iPhones outside the US aren't cheap. But it works for Apple because of GSM and is a much larger market. Follow the money.
 
T-Mobile did a HORRIBLE decision a few years back to have their 3G on their own frequency, rather than follow suit with the rest of the world.

Now they have to live with it.

No, its the US Government and their excellent management of spectrum who's to blame for choosing that frequency. If anything T-Mobile did a good thing taking AWS, frees the 1900 mhz spectrum of more congestion.
 
Most new T-Mobile android devices have added ATT bands in anticipation of the merger. There are a lot of penta band Blackberries. Also the new Galaxy Nexus is a penta band. In fact the Qualcomm chip used in the Verizon 4 and along with the 4S includes those bands, Apple software just doesnt allow it.

the chips has the frequency because of qualcomm and world phones (not because t-mobile asked to include them).

ALWAYS higher end phones had more frequency capability and cheaper phones had only carrier frequency to save cost... - do not take word by word - but this is true...
 
WTF? Apple is going for REGIONAL CARRIERS BEFORE T-MOBILE? God damn AT&T Merger, I know that is the real reason why Apple didn't go for T-Mobile!

No, the reason is money. Sprint agreed with Apple that Sprint would buy a minimum amount of iPhones (i.e. they promised Apple a lot of guaranteed money) if Apple redesigned the iPhone to be compatible with Sprint. The regional carriers are compatible with Sprint / Verizon so the iPhone will now work on them without another redesign (i.e. that's why the iPhone is being sold on some regional carriers).

T-Mobile wants to sell off their United States business and will not guarantee an acceptable (to Apple) minimum iPhone purchase to induce Apple to redesign the iPhone for T-Mobile use (read the article from a few months ago where T-Mobile claimed they had no plans on getting the iPhone).

If you want the iPhone on T-Mobile, complain to T-Mobile.
 
Most new T-Mobile android devices have added ATT bands in anticipation of the merger. There are a lot of penta band Blackberries. Also the new Galaxy Nexus is a penta band. In fact the Qualcomm chip used in the Verizon 4 and along with the 4S includes those bands, Apple software just doesnt allow it.

So the Galaxy Nexus will work on AT&T 3G and Tmobile 3G with a simple sim swap and changing the APN in settings? Because the Nexus S I have doesn't work like that and yes it is unlocked. Which Blackberry model does RIM sell unlocked that also works on all 3G with a sim swap? Please educate me, and I'll confess that Apple is behind then.
 
Nothing against the new guy, but...

...I hope all of the preorders can be filled before these new customers start getting their phones.
 
That was what they were allocated by the FCC, they were small time and got the small frequency that was left over. Was not their decision.

To be fair, T-Mobile was late to the party and didn't participate in the early auctions of the 850MHz spectrum that AT&T uses. VZW also picked up some AWS space, but hasn't done much with it.
 
I use C Spire and I admit I got a bit excited when I got the email this morning about the 4S. I really like Android, but I admit I am tempted by this. They still haven't said when it will be available, though.

One of the reasons I never got an iPhone was because I liked Cellular South's plans too much. I have a plan for 500 minutes, unlimited text and data for $50/month. I'm worried about where they are headed though. With this name change, they also changed their plans. They still advertise "unlimited data", but if you read the fine print, that doesn't include streaming. You have to pay extra to get streaming data, even stuff like YouTube. Thankfully, I'm grandfathered in on my old plan, which is truly unlimited, but if they make me change plans to get the iPhone, I won't bother.
 
+1

US Cellular, please?

I'm hoping US Cellular jumps on board in the next month or so. I JUST signed up for a verizon iPhone but it wont be here till the end of the month, so if US Cellular announces they are in, I'm sending the thing back and sticking with US Cellular (they have been very good to me and have a great network here).
 
No, the reason is money. Sprint agreed with Apple that Sprint would buy a minimum amount of iPhones (i.e. they promised Apple a lot of guaranteed money) if Apple redesigned the iPhone to be compatible with Sprint. The regional carriers are compatible with Sprint / Verizon so the iPhone will now work on them without another redesign (i.e. that's why the iPhone is being sold on some regional carriers).

T-Mobile wants to sell off their United States business and will not guarantee an acceptable (to Apple) minimum iPhone purchase to induce Apple to redesign the iPhone for T-Mobile use (read the article from a few months ago where T-Mobile claimed they had no plans on getting the iPhone).

If you want the iPhone on T-Mobile, complain to T-Mobile.

C-Spire surely won't have the same cash as T-Mobile does. I don't think that that is the real issue at hand.
 
Ain't happening. Virgin, Boost, MetroPCS. They are based on the premise that you buy your phone outright. How many of their customers would buy the iPhone4 for $549? So no, won't happen until a lower tier iPhone can be had for $299. Which is probably a couple of years out and by that time will be too late to matter for those carriers.
I'd buy it for a cheaper plan. After a couple of months I'll get back the money spent on the phone with the amount of savings per month.

I was looking at C-Spire before they announced that they were getting the iPhone, saw the $50 plan and was like that's pretty good. But now that they are removing streaming and charging $30 for unlimited, they're just like AT&T/Verizon/Sprint. Why even bother changing now. I'm guessing it'll be released shortly after Oct 29th, since that's when their free streaming ends.
 
I'd buy it for a cheaper plan. After a couple of months I'll get back the money spent on the phone with the amount of savings per month.

First of all, it will take more than a couple months to justify paying all the phone cost upfront. But in general you are correct.
Second, the US market doesn't work that way. Our tongues drop back in our throat when we see a $300 sticker price let alone $500-$600. The subsidized "cheap" phone is too engrained and we pay way too much over the contract length. But then b!tch about being locked in to a contract.

----------

My guess is that it will happen in November when the unlocked version of the iPhone comes out. I just wonder what VM's pricing will be.

Sounds like a bet. Throw out a number, and if you say less than $500 I'll take you up on it.
 
T-Mobile uses 1700/2100MHz AWS for all 3G on their US network, because in their long-ass delay AT&T hogged all of the 850MHz band and there wasn't any left. That's why using an iPhone on T-Mo only gets you EDGE service, and conversely why T-Mo doesn't sell iPhones.

There were probably plans to launch an iPhone on their network this time around, which were canned due to the buyout. Odd, because there are plenty of Latin America (and I think a Canadian) providers that use the 1700/2100 band. However, while plenty of people would buy iPhones from those markets they probably aren't "worth the investment".

I think what REALLY floors me is none of the prepaid companies (particularly Virgin Mobile, which still carries a "cool" vibe despite being a prepaid carrier) have the iPhone. Maybe Apple is paranoid of getting in with the "trashy prepaid crowd", but I'm guessing that the iphone is already a drug dealer favorite (just as german luxury cars are)
 
First of all, it will take more than a couple months to justify paying all the phone cost upfront. But in general you are correct.
Second, the US market doesn't work that way. Our tongues drop back in our throat when we see a $300 sticker price let alone $500-$600. The subsidized "cheap" phone is too engrained and we pay way too much over the contract length. But then b!tch about being locked in to a contract.

Just because other people in the US are that way, doesn't mean everybody is that way. If the carriers would offer a cheaper plan for people who bring their own phones, then more people would start buying phones outright.

Carriers should sell the service, not the device. Thats why all carriers should have been GSM from the getgo in the US.
 
It looks like they use Sprint's or Verizon's network for their nationwide coverage.

Oh thanks, I think you're right. Looking at coverage maps for a nearby area, C Spire and Verizon dead zones match up rather neatly. Here is my scientific analysis:

screenshot20111019at114.png


Sprint's map doesn't compare so well.
 
I'd buy it for a cheaper plan. After a couple of months I'll get back the money spent on the phone with the amount of savings per month.

I was looking at C-Spire before they announced that they were getting the iPhone, saw the $50 plan and was like that's pretty good. But now that they are removing streaming and charging $30 for unlimited, they're just like AT&T/Verizon/Sprint. Why even bother changing now. I'm guessing it'll be released shortly after Oct 29th, since that's when their free streaming ends.

That's probably true. I'm really disappointed in their new plans and the advertising gimmicks they are doing with them. I'd rather have a hard data cap that this kind of crap. At least with something like Verizon's caps, I can use any kind of data as long as I stay under the cap. Newsflash, Cspire: Making me pay extra for streaming data is NOT "Infinite" data.

Edit: Yes, Cspire does roam on Verizon's network outside their main home area.
 
Just because other people in the US are that way, doesn't mean everybody is that way. If the carriers would offer a cheaper plan for people who bring their own phones, then more people would start buying phones outright.
You would think, but Tmobile tried doing that a year ago (Google search Tmobile black project) which obviously failed seeing how they are seeking to be acquired. Plus the carriers aren't in a rush to "cheapen" there rates, even if it means they aren't subsidizing hardware. They like that locked-in revenue stream, not fly-by-night customers as they would be called.

Carriers should sell the service, not the device. Thats why all carriers should have been GSM from the getgo in the US.
Eeeeeexacty!!! Couldn't agree more! But that would be "socialist" and people around here bristle at government regulation.
 
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