T-Mobile To Announce 3G Plans?

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2024016,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03129TX1K0000605' target='_blank'>http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,175...3129TX1K0000605</a><br /><br /></div><i>"According to an article published late yesterday in eWeek, T-Mobile is expected to hold a press conference on Friday where the company will supposedly announce its first foray into UMTS, finally catching up with its rivals on the 3G bandwagon. However, assuming these rumors are true, T-Mobile will allegedly announce UMTS and/or HSDPA on paired 1700MHz and 2100MHz bands -- part of the spectrum that it snatched up just a few weeks ago."</i><br /><br />Faster is better, and T-Mobile hopefully will be making their subscribers happier with an announcement regarding UMTS / HSDPA in the next few days. As a T-Mo subscriber since 2002, I have seen their network coverage grow amazingly in the last 4 years, and so I believe a national roll-out of UMTS / HSDPA will only add to their appeal. Now the only question is - will they announce and if they announce, when can we actually expect to be enjoying these speeds? I predict mid-2008 - just in time to stream US Presidential Campaign ads to your handset.

[myuser]

Yup.

1710 - 1755 MHz Channels are paired with 2110 - 2155 MHz.

[cholcomb]

Great so now every one will have to go buy a device that doesn't exist yet with the 1700 band. Lets see that would give us GSM(900 + 1800) UMTS(2100), GSM(1900 + 850) UMTS(1900+850) for Cingular, UMTS(2100 + 800) and now a UMTS(1700 + 2100) for the US T-Mobile. I've already bought two HTC TyTN's. If this is the case I'm switching to Cingular, I've been with T-Mobile for 4 years now and have no problem with them but it's cheaper for me to switch to Cingular and keep my TyTN's then buy 2 new devices.

[cliffjb]

What's the chance (if technically possible) that HTC could provide a patch for the TyTn allowing the 1700+2100 pair?

[cholcomb]

No chance of a firmware upgrade to alow 1700 band, it's an actual hardware radio. If they would ever realease the software radio's then it would be posible but last I heard they are still 5-10 years away from that happening.

[WorksForTurkeys]

well I guess it will be good if T-Mobile gets a speed increase, but if it's like the speed improvement I realized from their Edge service, I'll pass (I can get faster and more reliable connections using tin cans and string). Supporting the newer protocols is only an empty gesture without sufficient access points; until T-Mobile dramatically increases my ability to get an maintain a broadband connection within the city, I have no use for them at any price.

[Jon Westfall]

For anyone who missed it, Engadget is reporting the full details about T-Mobile's announcement - check it out:

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/10/06/t-mobile-details-3g-plans/