T-Mobile to Begin Offering iPhone 3GS in U.S.?

[MacRumors]

Wired editor-in-chief Chris Anderson yesterday tweeted that he had been told by a "T-Mobile manager" that the carrier will begin offering the iPhone 3GS "later this year", but that the iPhone 4 will not be offered.

A T-Mobile manager casually mentioned to me that they're going to get the iPhone 3GS (but not 4, oddly) later this year. Common knowledge?

The tweet is bizarre on a number of levels, beginning with Anderson's apparent ignorance of the status of iPhone carrier offerings and extending to his choice of using Twitter to share the news rather than turning to his own staff to verify the current rumor mill status and/or pursue the tip.

It is also unknown what Anderson means by a "T-Mobile manager", as a store manager would almost certainly not be privy to such information until a public announcement was made, and retail store employees are notorious for spreading incorrect information.

The rumor itself is also rather odd, as it has T-Mobile's offerings being limited to the older iPhone 3GS model, a move which would not be likely to spur tremendous interest. The existing iPhone 3GS is also apparently not compatible with the frequency bands used by T-Mobile's 3G network, despite the carrier using the same GSM technology as AT&T and the rest of Apple's iPhone carrier partners around the world.

Given the number of oddities with this report, we are placing little faith in it and are publishing it on Page 2 primarily for interest and discussion.

Article Link: T-Mobile to Begin Offering iPhone 3GS in U.S.?

 

[Small White Car]

I've always thought that T-Mobile had a good chance of getting the iPhone before Verizon (I'm talking by weeks, not years) but even I don't really think this "news" is based on anything real.

 

[Xavier]

Only the 3GS. Old phones on a so-so network

 

[SAD*FACED*CLOWN]

possible , but I don't believe it

 

[Warbrain]

Someone got played.

 

[Carlanga]

it could be possible in theory since in other countries when the exclusivity just ended (I think it happened in UK), apple gave the other carrier the older model first, and if this is true (which I highly doubt coming from just a manager) they would have to offer a really cheap EDGE data plan (something like unlimited for $10) to attract people to buy an older model in a slow network connection...

 

[JediZenMaster]

Well considering that the iPhone 3GS doesn't support the 1700 Mhz band. It's rather doubtful that t-mobile would sell a phone that would only be able to take advantage of Voice and Edge data only. Instead of their new HSPA+ network.

 

[nxent]

i call shenanigans...
do they even still make the 3gs?

 

[alent1234]

Well considering that the iPhone 3GS doesn't support the 1700 Mhz band. It's rather doubtful that t-mobile would sell a phone that would only be able to take advantage of Voice and Edge data only. Instead of their new HSPA+ network.

isn't that just a base band software upgrade?

 

[igeekone]

Either this guy is trolling or misinformed. Retail staff are always bottom of barrel when it comes to product announcements.

 

[Popeye206]

I just can't imagine why they would sell the old phones... does not make sense so it's probably not true. Apple wants to sell iPhone 4's not old 3G's.

 

[JediZenMaster]

isn't that just a base band software upgrade?

Nope. Now i could be wrong here but the iPhone 4 is Pentaband so it would support up to 5 different Umts bands. The iPhone 3GS is only quad band so it cannot support 1700.

 

[840quadra]

i call shenanigans...
do they even still make the 3gs?

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone?mco=OTY2ODA2OQ

Yes it is their low end $99 option. Replacing the 3G that filled this gap while the 3GS was the top dog.

 

[Peace]

Maybe he meant the 4GS..

Hey ! Just tossing stuff out there.

 

[scurr]

3gs can use t-mobile usa (or mine does)

Well considering that the iPhone 3GS doesn't support the 1700 Mhz band. It's rather doubtful that t-mobile would sell a phone that would only be able to take advantage of Voice and Edge data only. Instead of their new HSPA+ network.

When I travel to the US I roam to t-mobile. So my 3gs at least works on it.

Both the below say t-mobile has a 1900 network for roaming too...

http://travelabroad.o2-uktech.com/partner.php?cid=137&npid=259&payby=paymonthly&section=personal

http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/roa_gbce.shtml#SectT

 

[SockRolid]

Makes no sense

The 3GS would make T-Mobile look like the Dollar Store of cell carriers. And it would make Apple look desperate. I call BS on this rumor.

 

[pol0001]

Here in the Netherlands T-Mobile is the exclusive iPhone 4 carrier. But Vodafone is selling the 3GS version. It is their only iPhone offer.
So it could be possible that another carrier starts offering only the older model. But I don't know if it would be possible in the US from a technical point of view.

 

[manhattanboy]

The 3GS would make T-Mobile look like the Dollar Store of cell carriers.

Lol. Maybe they will have a $1 on contract deal

 

[SkippyThorson]

i call shenanigans...
do they even still make the 3gs?

This was really just asked? The iPhone 4 is that popular?

 

[Nermal]

The existing iPhone 3GS is also apparently not compatible with the frequency bands used by T-Mobile's 3G network, despite the carrier using the same GSM technology as AT&T and the rest of Apple's iPhone carrier partners around the world.

That's because GSM is 2G. Yes, the GSM bands are compatible, which is why it happily runs in 2G on T-Mobile. However, T-Mobile supplies 3G (HSPA+) at 1700 MHz, which is not compatible with any current iPhone.

 

[skeep5]

t-mobile was a bad experience. don't do it.

 

[NeuralControl]

It'd be nice if another US carrier got the iPhone, but this rumor makes no sense. Apple isn't going to start churning out the 3GS in massive quantities again. Plus, T-Mobile's 3G network won't work on the iPhone in its current state.

 

[Zeos]

AT&T Love Letter

Something is going on... I just got a Love Letter from AT&T saying how much money they are spending and how hard they are working to keep their network the best in the nation. I'm at the "whatever" point with AT&T... Our U-Verse service is poor, our home internet speeds slow, and their wireless connectivity way too spotty and unreliable. They may cover 97% of the U.S. population with wireless, but thats only if that population is standing still and not traveling on a road outside a highly urbanized area. For those of us on the road a lot, AT&T's data and voice coverage seem to drop off a cliff once you pass the last exit for a town.

 

[nxent]

This was really just asked? The iPhone 4 is that popular?

yeh, didn't realize they were still selling the 3gs aside from whatever they had left in inventories. besides, isn't there still a multi-week delay from ordering-shipping the iphone 4?

 

[smacsteve]

It seems there's been more consistent rumors about T-Mobile getting the iPhone next before Verizon in the last few months than anything else. I'd rather see T-Mobile get the iPhone personally.