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tmobile and iphone, will it ever happen?

jackson1714

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does anyone know why tmobile decided to back android this year and not get the iphone? i am long time tmobile user for about 10 years now. it literally broke my heart that 3 out of the 4 major u.s. carriers have the iphone. i have had an upgrade for years but since i use the iphone i havent used it. i was so excited about all the iphone rumors this summer only to be let down. do you guys think its because of the proposed at&t take over, i assumed with that we would get the iphone? i also heard something about they would have to make a device specific for tmobile? any insight or opinions are welcome? so what do you guys think?
 

zackawee27

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does anyone know why tmobile decided to back android this year and not get the iphone? i am long time tmobile user for about 10 years now. it literally broke my heart that 3 out of the 4 major u.s. carriers have the iphone. i have had an upgrade for years but since i use the iphone i havent used it. i was so excited about all the iphone rumors this summer only to be let down. do you guys think its because of the proposed at&t take over, i assumed with that we would get the iphone? i also heard something about they would have to make a device specific for tmobile? any insight or opinions are welcome? so what do you guys think?

AT&T and T-Mobile are still going to merge unless Sprint and Verizon's law suit goes through. But, if it does than you would have to wait until next year to see if T-Mobile will get it, if AT&T merges with T-Mobile, than they would have the same ESN and would be able to work on each others network. At least that's what I think, you could contact AT&T or T-Mobile for all the latest news. Good luck :)
 
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anon(4698833)

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I still very much believe that AT&T and Tmobile will merge...so i don't think they have a real need to make a big deal over getting the iPhone, since it'll kind of migrate over anyways.
 

Alli

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The iPhone not working on T-Mobile is more complex than this. Currently, T-Mo in the US uses a different frequency than any other carrier in the world. Apple has not built that frequency into its radio, so while you can use an iPhone on T-Mo, it will not get 3G.

Once the merger goes through (if it goes through), it has nothing to do with ESN's, but rather the fact that T-Mo will be using AT&T's towers, which broadcast on the frequencies that the iPhone uses.
 

GibMcFragger

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The iPhone not working on T-Mobile is more complex than this. Currently, T-Mo in the US uses a different frequency than any other carrier in the world. Apple has not built that frequency into its radio, so while you can use an iPhone on T-Mo, it will not get 3G.

Once the merger goes through (if it goes through), it has nothing to do with ESN's, but rather the fact that T-Mo will be using AT&T's towers, which broadcast on the frequencies that the iPhone uses.

T-Mo use the same Frequencies as Wind, don't they? Or am I wrong. :)


Beamed over the interwebz from my iPhone 4 on iOS 5 GM
 

liquidzoo

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T-Mobile offers 3G over the 1700MHz band, while offering Edge over 850 and 1900 MHz. AT&T (and the rest of the world) offer 3G and Edge over 850 & 1900 MHz.
 
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Conan Kudo

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T-Mo use the same Frequencies as Wind, don't they? Or am I wrong. :)


Beamed over the interwebz from my iPhone 4 on iOS 5 GM

More accurately, WIND uses the same frequencies as T-Mobile USA, but yes. Most of the world does not use 850/1900, though. In fact, most of the world uses 900/1800/2100. T-Mobile's frequencies were carved out of 1800/2100. Only in the Americas is 850/1900 used. In Hong Kong and Australia, they use 850/2100, though.

The true reason for T-Mobile not getting the iPhone this year is probably because Apple forces each carrier to buy iPhones for multiple years regardless of how well they sell in carrier shops. For example, AT&T was forced to buy four years worth of iPhones at a supply level equal to half of their subscriber base at the end of 2007. In 2007, Cingular had 90 million subscribers, so Cingular had to commit to 45 million iPhones. Verizon did the same thing, though theirs did not have an exclusivity contract, so they just committed to 55 million iPhones for four years. Sprint had to commit to 25 million iPhones for four years (valued at $20 billion). If T-Mobile were to commit to the iPhone at this time, it would cost them roughly $10-12 billion. That money is better spent completing the nationwide upgrade of the home network to HSPA+ and preparing migrate GSM+EDGE to LTE.

Plus, if AT&T does acquire T-Mobile USA, then T-Mobile doesn't need to get the iPhone separately from Apple. However, if they do remain separate, you can bet Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom will get T-Mobile USA the iPhone as soon as possible. They can't afford that kind of competitive disadvantage.
 
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buci1er

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If i'm not mistaken, the iPhone 4S has the T-Mobile "4G" bands built into it. So if you got one unlocked. It'd either be 4G or Edge....quite a difference.
 

jackson1714

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I still very much believe that AT&T and Tmobile will merge...so i don't think they have a real need to make a big deal over getting the iPhone, since it'll kind of migrate over anyways.
hope youre right? i love my iphone but its not at its full potential being on the tmobile network.
 

jackson1714

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The iPhone not working on T-Mobile is more complex than this. Currently, T-Mo in the US uses a different frequency than any other carrier in the world. Apple has not built that frequency into its radio, so while you can use an iPhone on T-Mo, it will not get 3G.

Once the merger goes through (if it goes through), it has nothing to do with ESN's, but rather the fact that T-Mo will be using AT&T's towers, which broadcast on the frequencies that the iPhone uses.
alabackwards? is that alabama? haha
 

korp#IM

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I would be ... T-Mobile is seen as unstable, or the future is unclear. With that being said why would Apple waste time putting a phone on the network if it might just crumble.
 

Conan Kudo

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hope youre right? i love my iphone but its not at its full potential being on the tmobile network.

The acquisition isn't the only way that the iPhone will arrive on the T-Mobile network. My guess is that the next iPhone (which will probably have 21Mbps or 42Mbps HSPA+) will support T-Mobile's network if the deal does not go through. Since the Department of Justice, Sprint-Nextel, and C Spire Wireless are all suing AT&T to block the acquisition, it'll probably be blocked. The court date is February 21, I believe. It'll be decided within two to four weeks, according to the judge presiding over the case. Also, the FCC has taken a negative tone to the acquisition and current opinion favors the FCC blocking the transfer of licenses to AT&T, which effectively kills the acquisition.
 

lennyj17

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I wonder with T-Mobile being left out of the party along with the Regional carriers (Metro, Cricket, USCC) if this just opens the flood gates for mass exodus to the Big 3....Something tells me T-mobile no matter how many Android they release is NOT going to be able to dodge the adverse effects of being the only major without the iPhone.
 

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