Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
T-Mobile USA to Carry iPhone Beginning April 12th, Using New 'Uncarrier' Payment Plan
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The At&t model A1428 is the iPhone that T-Mobile will carry. You have the perfect iPhone to use on T-mobile's value plans...
Not really - there is a fixed cost of providing service whether it's 1 or 6 lines; after that it is all marginal cost of additional use so extra lines are cheaper to add on.
So question...does the current AT&T iPhone 5 support the same bands as the T-Mobile iPhone 5 they will be selling?
My contract is up in a few months (bought the 5 off contract, 4S on..) and am considering switching to save $27 a month and not have a 2-year contract anymore.
My contract is up in a few months (bought the 5 off contract, 4S on..) and am considering switching to save $27 a month and not have a 2-year contract anymore.
It's looking like the Tmobile iPhone 5 will support HSPA on the AWS bands! Tigris is great news as the AWS HSPA deployment is much more thorough on Tmobile than 1900.
However, will this mean a new model of iPhone? Or can the existing A1428 model perhaps do HSPA on AWS with a firmware update? After all, it can already do LTE on AWS, and it's all on the same radio chip.
Very interesting...
However, will this mean a new model of iPhone? Or can the existing A1428 model perhaps do HSPA on AWS with a firmware update? After all, it can already do LTE on AWS, and it's all on the same radio chip.
Very interesting...
T-mobile will be selling the exact same iPhone 5 as at&t. Get it unlocked and your good to go.
The thing that no one has mentioned here is that T-Mobile is buying MetroPCS (it just passed the FCC) and switching its towers to GSM, go look at MetroPCS' coverage and add that in to T-Mobile's coverage, MPCS' LTE covers most major metro areas include the entire Northeast corridor.
For voice and sms, sure, but when you have $10 add-a-line and either a $20 or $30 data plan for it, that marginally is enough to make up for a $400 device subsidy over the term plus its profit.
This was fine years ago when people didn't upgrade every year for a new iPhone or Galaxy, but has come back to bite the carriers and you better believe AT&T and Verizon are thinking of ways to end this. Their shared data plans are a big first step in that.
Thanks for the response. I get what TMobile is doing in allowing you to use a "payment plan" for your phone. I just think it's misleading to say that the other carriers are charging you a subsidy when in reality there isn't a subsidy there. The rate plan is the same cost for both those customers who choose a new phone with contract and for those who choose to bring their own phone or don't sign a contract.
I don't like misleading advertising. I'm sure with Sprint, Verizon, and At&t there is a subsidy built into the cost of monthly plans, but everyone pays the same cost. There is no way to avoid the "subsidy" just like there is no way to avoid the cost in the plan that goes to infrastructure, the part that goes to research, or the part that goes to pay employee's salaries. That's how business is done. Price points are set based on expenses and desired profit margin.
I think TMobile's new plans look like a good option for some people and competition is always beneficial for the consumer, but don't mislead people into thinking your competitor is doing something "underhanded" or "sneaky" when they aren't. TMobile is just choosing to follow the model of separating the cost of hardware from the recurring cost of the service. The only thing that makes their new plan different from Metro PCS, Cricket, or other providers that use this model is that TMobile is offering a payment plan for the hardware instead of requiring payment in full up front.
Question was about bringing unlocked iPhone ... so answer to original question is YES, $70 for unlimited as you won't need device plan.
The iPhone 5 that t-mobile will be selling unfortunately will not support aws hspa+ on 1700 MHz only aws lte on 1700.
I suppose they could use 3G, but limit the speed to 2G speed, in case 3G is more energy efficient.
Then how do you explain this?
http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/26/t-mobile-says-its-iphone-5-has-hspa-on-aws-bands/
FYI:
ATT iPhone 5 supports T-mobile USA's LTE band.
Tmobile suports LTE BAND 4.
ATT iPhone supports LTE BAND 4 and 17.
So if you want to save some money. Look for ATT iPhone 5's on craigslist/ebay.
Verizon LTE iPhone 5 is better for international markets.
ATT iPhone 5 supports T-mobile USA's LTE band.
Tmobile suports LTE BAND 4.
ATT iPhone supports LTE BAND 4 and 17.
So if you want to save some money. Look for ATT iPhone 5's on craigslist/ebay.
Verizon LTE iPhone 5 is better for international markets.
ok thanks. i'm worried about how signal penetration would be at work.. we have 30+ floors here, and not sure if T-Mo's signal is sufficient. With VZW.. sometimes even theirs struggle with 4G in certain areas of our building, and their 700mhz is supposed to be the most optimal for these situations.
Is the phone unlocked? If not you stuck, legally speaking.
Also, if you jump, I think you'd still be on the hook for the $20/month part of the deal.
I apologize if it's already been asked (haven't had time to go through the whole thread), but if i currently have an unlocked AT&T iPhone 5, will that be compatible with T-Mobile's 4G and/or LTE frequencies? I'm hoping it is LTE, but at the very least 4G would be nice.
I currently get 3G (HSPA) here in Atlanta, but while it is better than EDGE, it's still not able to stream video well.
I currently get 3G (HSPA) here in Atlanta, but while it is better than EDGE, it's still not able to stream video well.
Well, I held out for this as long as I could, and finally gave up on TMO a couple of years ago, moving to VZW. Don't see myself moving back anytime soon, given the fact that I have active contracts on VZW, and their network is more reliable and has more LTE penetration, with nobody else even close.
But I hope that this does rattle some cages. This is precisely the reason why I didn't want to see AT&T get their grubby little hands on TMO and kill it. TMO is a market disrupter, with more nationwide business credibility than Cricket or Virgin.
If this plan succeeds for TMO, it will only make things better for the consumer, no matter which carrier they're on.
But I hope that this does rattle some cages. This is precisely the reason why I didn't want to see AT&T get their grubby little hands on TMO and kill it. TMO is a market disrupter, with more nationwide business credibility than Cricket or Virgin.
If this plan succeeds for TMO, it will only make things better for the consumer, no matter which carrier they're on.
ATT's iPhone 5 are compatible with T-mobile's LTE bands (Band 4).
But ATT's iPhone 5 is not compatible with T-mobile HSPA 1700/2100 AWS. ATT iPhone 5 is supported where T-mobile has 1900 frequency HSPA support.
I'm hoping its just an update to the existing ATT A1428 model, if not guess i wil have to sell my unlocked ATT one and buy a T Mobile. I get 3G coverage in some places but most places I get EDGE and the speeds are unbearable.
From where? I've seen this comment a couple times, what other company offers unlimited call, message, data for $70?
Thanks for the explanation. But I still don't see how ATT comes in at the same price even for four lines.
TM has four lines, unlimited call and text and 2 gigs of data for $140 monthly.
ATT has four lines, unlimited call and text, just 300 megs of data for $380 monthly. Or with 3 gigs data each, $420 monthly.
That's either $240 or $280 more monthly, a difference of either $5760 or $6720 over two years. Even subtracting $1600 from that for the phone subsidy doesn't even come close. And for just $40 per month more, TM customers can get unlimited data on those four lines. What numbers are you comparing?
EDIT: If someone is happy with 300 megs on ATT, they'd be fine with 500 on TM, which offers $100 for four lines. That's a difference of $280 on the cheapest plans of each. Of course on ATT you can choose shared minutes instead of the unlimited for cheaper, but it's still more expensive than TM for a plan that's not as good.
Maybe I missed it if someone else summarized it.
If you never buy new devices this results in lower payments.
If you buy devices every time a new flagship device arrives, or you like to swap devices (say a smartphone for work, and a skinny pocket phone for the club) you can do so at any time.
When the old device is paid off its cost falls off. When you want another device it's just tagged on.
The consumer knows the cost in a way that makes sense: your bill increases x amount over x months for owning this device.
I like it.
If you never buy new devices this results in lower payments.
If you buy devices every time a new flagship device arrives, or you like to swap devices (say a smartphone for work, and a skinny pocket phone for the club) you can do so at any time.
When the old device is paid off its cost falls off. When you want another device it's just tagged on.
The consumer knows the cost in a way that makes sense: your bill increases x amount over x months for owning this device.
I like it.
500MB LTE!? I can use twice that much just on the toilet.
T-Maybe is such a horrible carrier for me since I actually travel beyond the boundaries of a city. I cover four states and would never be able to use T-Maybe.
Verizon has be far the best coverage plus the fastest LTE.
T-Maybe is such a horrible carrier for me since I actually travel beyond the boundaries of a city. I cover four states and would never be able to use T-Maybe.
Verizon has be far the best coverage plus the fastest LTE.
According to this article the TMobile iPhone 5 will support HSPA+.
Million dollar question is if its a brand new iPhone 5 with new bands OR just a firmware update to the ATT/unlocked version.
"As a “small” update, Legere revealed that T-Mobile will finally offer the iPhone 5. Customers will be able to purchase it for $99 starting on April 12 (you’ll also be paying an additional $20 on your monthly plan to pay off the remaining cost). Additionally, he noted that Apple added some new technology to T-Mobile’s iPhone 5 — it can now support LTE networks, HSPA+ 42 Mbps, and other HSPA networks."
Read more at http://venturebeat.com/2013/03/26/live-at-t-mobiles-uncarrier-event-in-nyc/#cX8mezf9u1rKDrG6.99