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T-Mobile USA Executive Offers Letter to Customers Regarding Lack of iPhone

Sorry T-Mobile

If you want to get off ATT or Verizon, it looks like Sprint is going to be an outstanding option shortly.
 
It makes sense that T-mobile hasn't been given the iPhone;

1.) It isn't one of the largest networks
2.) When Sprint came into the cards, it was already believed that AT&T would be purchasing T-Mobile

Apple is waiting to see how the AT&T/T-Mobile merger plays out to save itself some complications.
 
zeromeus said:
YES! Why else would they offer the iPhone unlocked?
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Kar98 said:
They did?
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zeromeus said:
Apple essentially GAVE T-mobile the iPhone. What T-Mobile COULD do is... tell customers to go to the Apple store, purchase the iPhone unlocked, then give their customer a nice $400 rebate for a 2 year service contract. Heck, if Tmobile were to just give $300 rebate, MANY customers would gladly stay with them.
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how would they make up the cost for the rebate? att sells the phone for $199 and makes up the actual ($650 or whatever it is ) cost through data plan subsidies. even if tmobile would give them a rebate since tmobile's 3G network is incompatible with the current iphone how would they recover the rebate costs?
 
Consultant said:
Jeez. Different frequencies. Different frequencies. Different frequencies.

Most carriers around the world use the standard. T-Mobile US does not.

Phones have to be made specifically for T-Mobile US, and they don't work at full speed on standard GSM networks around the world. Take any GSM phone from Europe and it'll only work as EDGE on T-Mobile US.

Yes I see your white text.
Click to expand...

Take a GSM from from Europe and it only works on Edge any where in the US.

AT&T does not use the same 3G frequencies as Europe. Apple and others could easily add in the missing frequencies and some have. The chip set supporting them is exactly the same. Only change is adjusting them. Extra cost is minimal. They do not have to pay for special chips or patents like they could for CDMA phones for Verizon.
 
T-Mumble and their CMO

I'll say it again for the record... Is this man the CMO of a technology company OR a cereal box manufacturer?? If he is playing the CMO of a technology company and he publicly states that he's 'waiting for the call', then he is the WORST CMO in the history of mankind... IF, I am a stockholder of any part of this company, I would be protesting in the streets for this clowns head - TODAY !!

JUST AWFUL... I'm a customer for two more months and after 12 years - I'M DONE...
 
I understand the guy. Why invest millions in new advertising , technology and deals required to have the iPhone when you're pretty sure your company is going to be gobbled up by Ma Bell in a year.
 
fahadqureshi said:
how would they make up the cost for the rebate? att sells the phone for $199 and makes up the actual ($650 or whatever it is ) cost through data plan subsidies. even if tmobile would give them a rebate since tmobile's 3G network is incompatible with the current iphone how would they recover the rebate costs?
Click to expand...

The same way Verizon and AT&T recover the cost.. through data plans... Meaning the iphone rebate is only available to customers with a data plan.
 
You know it's been mentioned multiple times, Brodman says (every time when asked about the iPhone 5) that T-Mobile will not be receiving the iPhone 5 this year. He does not say they will be receiving the iPhone. He's being very specific. Maybe they'll be getting it very early next year. This is wishful thinking, but let me rationalise my thought process first.

So when Apple wants to add a carrier, there are months of talks and such before a deal is agreed upon. Then the network needs to prep for adding the iPhone to their lineup. As someone earlier said, when Sprint was being considered to be brought on board, it seemed likely that the T-Mobile/AT&T merger would go through. So it wouldn't have made sense at the time for Apple to introduce a T-Mobile iPhone. But now, with all the opposition (most notably from the DOJ) about this merger, it seems less likely to go through. Maybe Apple is now working out a deal to add the iPhone, but it won't be available at the initial launch due to time constraints. It could come at a later point in time. After all, the Verizon iPhone was launched in the middle of the iPhone 4 release cycle after everyone thought it would be announced at WWDC. On the other hand, this could just mean that T-Mobile won't be getting the iPhone. I just wanted to inject a bit of hope here :)
 
zeromeus said:
The same way Verizon and AT&T recover the cost.. through data plans... Meaning the iphone rebate is only available to customers with a data plan.
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maybe i misunderstood i thought the whole issue was that the iphone wont work on tmobile's 3G frequency. unless you mean by offering a edge data plan? i personally wouldnt pay $20 or $25 a month just for edge and matter of fact wouldnt even want an iphone with just edge. seems like it would be pretty crippled without 3G.
 
fahadqureshi said:
maybe i misunderstood i thought the whole issue was that the iphone wont work on tmobile's 3G frequency. unless you mean by offering a edge data plan? i personally wouldnt pay $20 or $25 a month just for edge and matter of fact wouldnt even want an iphone with just edge. seems like it would be pretty crippled without 3G.
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1,000,000 plus unlocked iphone on Tmobile disagreed with you... Yes, even with edge.
 
I believe it was under the assumption that T-Mobile would get the iPhone by default eventually through the merger between AT&T and themselves. That is probably why there is no dialog on this subject for them. Now that the DOJ stifled the merger, the subject's position is to only be brought forth fully because they stand to be left out of the festivities.
 
dmcaudio said:
quite frankly, i LOVE not being required to have a data plan. Everywhere has wifi these days, and when I REALLY want to use the net on the go, I tether to my iPad. I personally think it's TOTAL CRAP that carriers require a seperate data package for each of your devices, and am glad that I can use my iPhone how i want, with whom I want.
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^This. It's great the kids can have older android phones w/o data plans but still take advantage of the family unl text plan. T-Mobile has by far the least expensive no contract family plan available and the most flexible data options. If their GSM frequencies didn't suffer somewhat indoors they would be even better. Though free, built-in wifi calling makes up for this in most cases.

Cheers,
 
fahadqureshi said:
maybe i misunderstood i thought the whole issue was that the iphone wont work on tmobile's 3G frequency. unless you mean by offering a edge data plan? i personally wouldnt pay $20 or $25 a month just for edge and matter of fact wouldnt even want an iphone with just edge. seems like it would be pretty crippled without 3G.
Click to expand...

Nah. I just want a decent phone without having to fork out at least $75 a month for the privilege of using it. 3G? There's wi-fi all over the place. I'm not even using EDGE. Unlocked iPhone 3G on T-Mobile prepaid, costs me about $30 each month for unlimited SMS and MMS, and ten cents per minute.
 
Sucks that every other phone maker can support TMO, but Apple can not. Looks like I have to get a HTC. I have a iMac and iPad, wanted the complete ecosystem and iOS5 and iCloud.
 
It says something when a company has comment on a product they don't even sell.
 
PCClone said:
Sucks that every other phone maker can support TMO, but Apple can not. Looks like I have to get a HTC. I have a iMac and iPad, wanted the complete ecosystem and iOS5 and iCloud.
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Me too. I want the iPhone 5, but I may end up having to get the HTC Radar or whatever Windows Phone device Nokia releases. But if I can get it to work unlocked on T-Mobile, then I'll definitely be going that route.
 
Bwinski said:
I'll say it again for the record... Is this man the CMO of a technology company OR a cereal box manufacturer?? If he is playing the CMO of a technology company and he publicly states that he's 'waiting for the call', then he is the WORST CMO in the history of mankind... IF, I am a stockholder of any part of this company, I would be protesting in the streets for this clowns head - TODAY !!

JUST AWFUL... I'm a customer for two more months and after 12 years - I'M DONE...
Click to expand...

Based on when the CMO stated, "Please know that we think the iPhone is a great device and Apple knows that we’d like to add it to our line-up." means T-Mobile has been in communication with Apple about the iPhone and that it isn't T-Mobile, but rather Apple that will not bring the iPhone to their network.
 
My family make up for 4 of that million users using an iPhone on T-mobile. The T-mobile price is right. The service coverage is fine. The biggest drawback is EDGE is so slow. Really hope a legitimate T-mobile iPhone comes soon or even better is if Verizon lowered their price to match T-mobile.
 
No data plan!

I love being on T-mobile with my iPhone. Both my wife and I have old, unlock iPhones -- with no data plan -- and are on a relatively cheap family plan. We're light users of our phones and are almost always near a Wi-fi zone. I'm upset that our discount days are drawing to a close...
 
dmcaudio said:
quite frankly, i LOVE not being required to have a data plan. Everywhere has wifi these days, and when I REALLY want to use the net on the go, I tether to my iPad. I personally think it's TOTAL CRAP that carriers require a seperate data package for each of your devices, and am glad that I can use my iPhone how i want, with whom I want.
Click to expand...

panzer06 said:
^This. It's great the kids can have older android phones w/o data plans but still take advantage of the family unl text plan. T-Mobile has by far the least expensive no contract family plan available and the most flexible data options. If their GSM frequencies didn't suffer somewhat indoors they would be even better. Though free, built-in wifi calling makes up for this in most cases.

Cheers,
Click to expand...
I bought my phone outright and just dropped in my prepaid T-Mobile SIM. I don't get 3G data but I get everything else and I know what stores have free Wi-Fi now. I will be shopping at them more often now. ;)

$50/month for the basic no contract plan with data is not a terrible starting point either.
 
I've been a T-Mobile customer since they were Voicestream. Yes my SIM has voicestream printed on it.

I've had an iPhone 3GS and an iPhone 4 on T-Mobile since they became available (both factory unlocked) running on T-Mobile EDGE.

Recently T-Mobile had the gall to require that I pay for their "smart phone data rate even though I cannot take advantage of 3G from my iPhone. That was an insult to the 1 million iPhone customers on T-Mobile. STRIKE 1

To add further insult, T-Mobile customers cannot activate their iPhone 4 on Facetime. After a lot of testing with Apple and no support out of T-Mobile, there is very strong evidence that this is a T-Mobile problem with the Carrier 10.0 configuration being able to properly communicate with the Apple SMS activation center for Facetime. STRIKE 2

Now Cole Brodman, Chief Marketing Officer, T-Mobile USA admits in the press release that T-Mobile will not have the iPhone. He takes credit for the 1 million iPhone customers on T-Mobile who are not getting Facetime, Visual Voicemail, or the smart phone data services and 3G bandwidth that they must pay for since by T-Mobile's rules an iPhone is a smart phone. STRIKE 3

Regrettably, if the new iPhone 4GS/5 (what ever it is called) is a world phone that can run on GSM and CDMA, T-Mobile will be loosing a 12 year customer.
 
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