[Release]3G on T-Mobile starting May 1st

[Neobond]

T-Mobile is rolling out 3G (UMTS) support starting May 1st in NYC. TmoNews.

-How does this new network compare to AT&T's 3G network?
-What are the chances of it working with the new iPhone?
-Do current Total Internet customers get 3G automatically with supported Handset?

Hope this hasn't been talked about yet, couldn't find anything on this new news.

 

[kdawg]

I don't think many 3g handsets will be compatible do to the fact that T-mobile is on a weird spectrum of the 3g band.... I have read that european 3G phones will be downgraded to 2.5 G. No chance it will work with 3g iphone if this is the case.

 

[gloss]

It's voice-only at the moment, which sucks.

 

[DreamPod]

T-Mobile's 3G service uses a different frequency spectrum than AT&T's. So it's doubtful it'll be supported, as it would require a different radio in the already-cramped iPhone.

 

[ruinfx]

It's voice-only at the moment, which sucks.

when i read that today on engadgetmobile i just laughed. t-mobile is a joke.

the xperia x1 will actually have quadband HSDPA but i think phones like it will not be the norm.

to answer your question about the iphone supporting 1700mhz i have a question for you: why would apple support a frequency that the only US carrier allowed to legally sell the iphone, at&t, does not have? the answer is they wouldnt.

 

[RubberShoes]

yea but does Germany's T-Mobile have 3G? I'm pretty sure all the iphones in circulation, as well as future manufactured iphones are all the same across all countries, so if Germany or anywhere else the 3G iphone is released that may have that frequency, Apple has to build that support into the device.

Unless its different country by country...

 

[gloss]

when i read that today on engadgetmobile i just laughed. t-mobile is a joke.

Actually, Gizmodo made an update later and apparently this is how all 3G networks are traditionally rolled out. Data comes later.

 

[Applejuiced]

3G voice only in NY.
Data maybe a few years later if that even happens nationwide.

 

[aristobrat]

to answer your question about the iphone supporting 1700mhz i have a question for you: why would apple support a frequency that the only US carrier allowed to legally sell the iphone, at&t, does not have?

Maybe to make the next iPhone more attractive to the 68 million European T-Mobile subscribers whose phones roam on T-Mobile's network when they're in the US, not AT&Ts?

Remember when most GSM phones were tri-band and didn't include AT&T's 850mhz freq because it was one of the few carriers in the world that used it? Now it's not hard to find quad-band phones at all.

My guess is that the iPhone will be this way, eventually. If not this rev, then more than likely the next. Esp now that it looks like Apple's not so tied to "exclusive carriers" anymore.

 

[ruinfx]

Actually, Gizmodo made an update later and apparently this is how all 3G networks are traditionally rolled out. Data comes later.

and engadget refuted that claim. sorry.

P.S. -Don't believe everything you hear about this kind of thing being status quo. Every single major US 3G network -- including Cingular, Verizon, and Sprint -- went live as either data card-only (with phones added later), or data and voice together.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/30/t-mobile-to-debut-3g-as-voice-only-no-data-were-over-it/

Maybe to make the next iPhone more attractive to the 68 million European T-Mobile subscribers whose phones roam on T-Mobile's network when they're in the US, not AT&Ts?

Remember when most GSM phones were tri-band and didn't include AT&T's 850mhz freq because it was one of the few carriers in the world that used it? Now it's not hard to find quad-band phones at all.

My guess is that the iPhone will be this way, eventually. If not this rev, then more than likely the next. Esp now that it looks like Apple's not so tied to "exclusive carriers" anymore.

well i guess this all comes down to how apple handles the radios in the iphone. will they be:

1. 2 models. US spec with 850/1900mhz 3G and Euro spec with 2100mhz 3G
2. 1 global model with 850/1900/2100mhz 3G

I think #1 is more likely so that apple can protect AT&Ts exclusivity and not have to worry about people in the US importing unlocked iphones from Europe.

If, like you said, they want to allow roaming for the 68 million European T-Mobile subscribers I could see the Euro spec eventually becoming 1700/2100mhz, but not putting 1700mhz on the US spec because there would be no need (due to AT&T being the only legal distributor and them not using it).