T-Mobile USA to Be Ready for iPhone by End of 2012, LTE Coming in 2013

T-Mobile USA yesterday announced its plans to begin work with Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks to roll out LTE service in 2013, taking advantage of spectrum it obtained from AT&T last week following the failed merger of the two carriers. But perhaps more importantly for iPhone users, T-Mobile's network improvements will allow it to offer HSPA+ service in the 1900 MHz band compatible with current iPhone hardware "by the end of the year".

As part of the company’s network modernization effort, T-Mobile also plans to launch 4G HSPA+ service in the 1900 MHz band in a large number of markets by the end of the year. Network modernization trials have shown up to a 33 percent increase in HSPA+ data speeds as well as improved in-building coverage. Rolling out 4G HSPA+ services in the 1900 MHz band will also provide customers with the ability to use a broader range of devices, including the iPhone, on T-Mobile’s 4G network.

T-Mobile already has over one million iPhone customers on its network and has been beefing up support for those customers even though they are currently limited to T-Mobile's much slower EDGE data network.

t mobile usa logo
T-Mobile USA began refarming its spectrum late last year, allowing a small number of users to access 3G speeds on the 1900 MHz band compatible with the iPhone. With yesterday's announcement, that refarming will spread nationwide and make it possible for the carrier to fully support the iPhone without Apple being required to build hardware specific to T-Mobile and a handful of other carriers using the 1700/2100 MHz AWS bands for their 3G/4G service.

AllThingsD notes that T-Mobile USA Chief Technology Officer Neville Ray acknowledged that the spectrum refarming will allow the carrier to aggressively target current AT&T customers whose contracts have lapsed by the end of the year.

Ray declined to comment on whether the company would directly target iPhone users in a big marketing push planned for later this year.

“It would make sense,” Ray agreed, but added, “We’re not there yet.”

Apple is widely expected to include LTE support in the next-generation iPhone, and a September-October release in line with rumors would still leave T-Mobile behind the curve with its LTE network not rolling out until 2013. But the carrier would certainly be in a much more competitive position simply by offering a fast HSPA+ network supporting the iPhone.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
replay all time playlist apple music

Apple Music Debuts All-New Personalized Playlist

Monday June 30, 2025 7:16 am PDT by
As part of its 10-year celebrations of Apple Music, Apple today released an all-new personalized playlist that collates your entire listening history. The playlist, called "Replay All Time," expands on Apple Music's existing Replay features. Previously, users could only see their top songs for each individual calendar year that they've been subscribed to Apple Music, but now, Replay All...

Top Rated Comments

ovrlrd Avatar
172 months ago
SEE! Look what happens when we don't allow monopolies via mergers. Innovation!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alphaod Avatar
172 months ago
It will be nice to have an alternative to AT&T.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smithrh Avatar
172 months ago
The only bad part is - T-Mobile would have done this sooner had they not been in negotiations for a merger.

Agree and disagree -

T-Mob now actually has money due to the failed takeover (merger my butt).

However, the parent T-mobile was really not interested in the US operations so it was not going anywhere.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tiger8 Avatar
172 months ago
Isn't the only iPhone that is compatible with HSPA+ the latest iPhone 4S? If so, then how aggressive can T-Mobile really get for contract lapsed AT&T customers, when iPhone 4S users will presumably be locked in for another year and a half?

Good question, smart customers know that breaking a contract and paying termination fee during the first 6 month of a contract is a win, breaking a contract within the 6 - 18 months period is a breakeven, and -get this- the last 6 months of your contract you actually already paid for it, and AT&T continue to force you to pay around $20 in subsidy. That's why I laugh at people who say "oh I am going to stick to my phone one more year". You are giving their greedy CEO nothing but additional pure profit.

Think about the selected few who were wise enough to sell their iPhone 4 and get an iPhone 4S a year or so after their contact.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Diode Avatar
172 months ago
Bummer that their new commercials specifically bash HSPA+ iPhones. Pretty stupid on their part, and yet another example of muddles corporate messaging.

Verizon did the same thing before launching the iPhone on their network. It's one of the reasons people said it was never coming to Verizon.

----------

What was the point in T-Mobile using moon-frequencies in the first place?

They've been "incompatible" with everything for years and years and years. Yeah, it's good that they're switching NOW, but why couldn't they have started this back in 2009 or whenever?

I think they didn't have enough 850/1900 spectrum to cover both GSM and 3G/HSPA when just about every device was GSM.

As more and more phones support 3G technologies, they can start refarming more of the GSM frequencies to 3G as their will be less devices using GSM.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
phape Avatar
172 months ago
This is great news for the budget conscience smartphone user. All those iPhone 4 and 4S's that will get unloaded when the LTE iPhone gets released this year will work quite nicely with T-Mobile's value plan (or daily prepaid options). The other major carriers don't even try to compete with T-mobile Value (aka bring your own phone) plan.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)