T-Mobile iPhone / iPhone 4 Coming This Fall; Talk About a Deja-Vu Feeling [T-Mobile Rumored to Launch the iPhone Again; Is It the iPhone 3GS or the iPhone 4?]
Poor Sprint, nobody pays attention to it when it comes to alternative carriers in the USA for the iPhone. We keep talking about Verizon, which seems to be the favorite carrier to get Apple’s smartphone soon, but every once in a while someone says that T-Mobile USA is also getting ready to offer the phone to its subscribers.

Whatever the case may be, what’s clear is that Apple will have to build a new iPhone model for both Verizon and T-Mobile. While Verizon is a CDMA carrier so current iPhones can’t be used on its network right now, T-Mobile is a GSM carrier, but it doesn’t have the same 3G bands as AT&T which means that unlocked iPhones will only take advantage of T-Mobile’s EDGE network. And, it also means Apple will have to design a special iPhone for T-Mobile too.
Now, the rumor goes on to say that well-placed sources revealed the fact that T-Mobile is in advanced talks with Apple for a certain device. Well, it’s not the iPad, is it folks? It must be the iPhone, or at least a certain version of it. Would Apple bring the iPhone 4 to T-Mobile later this year or would it rather launch a T-Mobile iPhone 3GS instead?
The iPhone 4 comes with support for the 2100MHz band which is one of the two 3G bands used by T-Mobile. Would that make it a suitable candidate for operating on T-Mobile’s 3G network? The problem is, although it might not be one, and we’ll need further clarification here from experts, whether the 2100MHz band will suffice as T-Mobile currently uses the 1700MHz and 2100MHz spectrum for 3G support.
We’re only speculating at this time as this rumor can’t and won’t be confirmed for quite a while. What we can tell you is that T-Mobile is definitely upgrading its whole network, and while it’s not moving to real 4G just yet, more and more U.S. T-Mobile customers will get some dependable 3.5G connectivity soon. Just in time for a fall launch of the iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4, wouldn’t you agree?
AT&T, what are your thoughts on the matter?
- Clive Roberts
- Matt

