Some Unlocked iPhones On T-Mobile's Network Get 3G Coverage
by Joe White
December 19, 2011
According to a number of reports, certain unlocked iPhone handsets have been able to connect to T-Mobile's 3G cellular data network.
The news hit the Web in a report from Tmonews (and reached us via 9to5Mac), in which the website wrote:
Nevada, parts of Northern California and the Pacific Northwest are also seeing some pockets of 1900MHz spectrum refarming for HSPA+. There are other parts of the country T-Mobile can refarm the 1900MHz spectrum but, the focus is on the Pacific Northwest, Nevada, Utah and California for right now from what we’re told. We should emphasize and emphasize greatly that this post does not mean that all of the aforementioned areas are seeing this refarmed spectrum, just pockets inside those areas.It's common knowledge that T-Mobile's network is not compatible with the iPhone: while Apple's handset is compatible with the conventional 850/900/1900/2100MHz frequency bands, T-Mobile's network operates on the unconventional 1700/2100MHz bands. However, it would appear that something has changed. Besides the aforementioned report, a T-Mobile representative has been quoted as noting that an
unlocked iPhone 4S will work on T-Mobile with speeds up to the max of the iPhone’s capability, using the UMTS 1 (HSPA+, 2100MHz) band of the iPhone [.]Though T-Mobile doesn't officially carry the iPhone handset, over one million iPhones currently run on T-Mobile's network. If T-Mobile does launch HSPA+ 1900MHz across the country, a potential iPhone-carrying deal could be orchestrated by Apple. We'll keep you posted.
