Is T-Mobile's 3G service rolling out nationwide in October?

According to the overactive internet rumor party line, T-Mobile is planning to take its currently limited 3G service nationwide come October. TmoNews claims -- thanks to an anonymous tipster, of course -- that on October 1st, the telco will bring speedy service to 27 of its top markets, including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, and Miami, amongst others. Of course, right now this is pure speculation and hearsay, until we get confirmation from T-Mobile (or at least some hard evidence), we'll just have to keep our fingers and toes crossed.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

[^ @ Jul 7th 2008 9:17AM]

T-mobile network in the USA must be prehistoric with dinosaurs using their mobiles, 3g been out since 2003 on all networks in uk and many other countrys

[Mikey @ Jul 7th 2008 9:29AM]

Well the UK is much, much smaller than the US. So getting around to install all the equipment will take a lot longer than it would in the UK. But I do agree, the Us seems to be lacking in mobile technologies compared to the rest of the world. Well that was the case before...

[fortunado @ Jul 7th 2008 9:44AM]

you looked at a map lately? A good deal more real estate to cover than in the UK.

[Chris @ Jul 7th 2008 10:14AM]

Pfft, dont sweat it. The reception in the UK is great only if you live inside a major city centre. Merely a few miles outside of that and you are lucky to get a signal at all let alone one worth using.

[fh @ Jul 7th 2008 10:22AM]

Tmo USA is also a comparatively small company compared to AT&T and Verizon, so this is a relatively ambitious development.

Also, note tie-ups with the FCC in the auction for a acquiring 3G spectrum:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-Mobile_USA#3G_Upgrade

[Jeffrey Fourmile @ Jul 7th 2008 9:19AM]

You do know that this site is read worldwide and therefore 'nationwide' is a meaningless term in a headline?

[rob @ Jul 7th 2008 9:55AM]

nationwide is exactly right, this article has nothing to do with any other part of the T-Mobile world. 3g has been around for some time now in the US ( Cingular / AT&T ) and abroad.

[DefPo3t @ Jul 7th 2008 11:00AM]

You do know that engadget.com is based out of the USA

[RichardBronosky @ Jul 7th 2008 11:55AM]

OP is absolutely correct title should have stated US-wide, since T-Mobile is in many nations.

[inteller @ Jul 7th 2008 9:50AM]

Welcome to 2006.

[Hansel Marrero @ Jul 7th 2008 9:54AM]

A few weeks ago I spoke to T-Mobile reps both on the phone and in store and they have confirmed this for me.

Thing is, will they charge extra for 3g even if you already have a tmobile unlimited data plan? Seems like keeping the same rates for a free upgrade for current customers would be a nice incentive to keep people from jumping ship.

[shmengie @ Jul 7th 2008 10:10AM]

att is bumping their unlimited plan by $10 a month for 3g. sounds reasonable. as a t-mo customer, i'd gladly pay the same.

[Cagrino @ Jul 7th 2008 10:31AM]

AT&T's 3G personal PDA service has always been $10 more than their EDGE service. iPhone users just think they are paying more for the same service.

[7on @ Jul 7th 2008 10:58AM]

Why? you can't import phones from other counties with T-mo. It should remain the same and Edge costs should go down to unlimited $9.99.

[Matthew @ Jul 7th 2008 11:42AM]

Not reasonable at all. Unlimited data is currently 19.99. 29.99 for unlimited mobile internet is definitely too expensive. That's more expensive that normal internet.

[RichardBronosky @ Jul 7th 2008 11:58AM]

@7on,

[quote]Why? you can't import phones from other counties with T-mo[/quote]

I'm using a Nokia N95 from Finland on T-Mobile in Atlanta, GA, USA right now. So, how do you figure?

[Shahryar @ Jul 7th 2008 12:53PM]

I'm with Matthew. $30's too expensive for data. $20 w/ the T-mobile hotspot access is fair. When they upgrade their systems, they really should not raise prices by an extra $10. We waited way too long for 3G to have to pay extra for this now.

I believe people who have the iPhone now will have to pay an extra $10 a month if they want to take advantage of the iPhone 3G. And that higher monthly cost is another reason I wouldn't consider the iPhone and/or AT&T.

[lauralemay @ Jul 7th 2008 6:10PM]

@RichardBronosky, TMO US's 3G network works on a frequency unique to TMO and incompatible both with AT&T's 3G and all the euro 3G networks. You can still use a euro phone for voice and edge but unless you have a phone that explicitly supports TMO's frequencies the 3G won't light up. There's certainly a possiblity there will be phones that support many-band 3G but right now the only phones that support TMO 3G are those offered by TMO itself.

kind of sux.

[PictureMERollins @ Jul 7th 2008 10:37AM]

It is sad that the US is so behind in cell tech but I wouldn't trade our media supremacy (movies, television) for better cell service. What's been on Sky lately?

[Falc @ Jul 7th 2008 10:36AM]

how does this affect users that don't have a data plan with t-mobile??? (like me, my shadow has wifi and that is enough for me)

[Tony @ Jul 7th 2008 12:36PM]

Thank you for using affect properly in a sentence. Everyone take note; this only happens once in a blue moon.

[Stasguy @ Jul 7th 2008 3:18PM]

@Tony he used affect correctly.
"how does this effect users that don't have a data plan with t-mobile???" does not sound quite right
Falc, there may be better coverage, and that is about it.

[Tony @ Jul 7th 2008 5:30PM]

@ Stasguy

That's what I said, did you really need to argue it still?

[sobephish @ Jul 7th 2008 12:01PM]

too bad the 3g phone selection is still garbage

loyal tmobile fan but i'm really getting close to my breaking point if they dont hurry this up...

[Shahryar @ Jul 7th 2008 12:44PM]

Agreed. IAre there any phones worthwhile w/ T-mobile's US 3G bands that are out or coming out soon? I love T-mobile and really don't want to leave them.

[chefgon_ign @ Jul 7th 2008 12:59PM]

I will gladly pay for an unlocked smart phone with 3G if T-mo ever gets around to adding Cleveland to their list of 3G markets. Until then, I'm sticking with my Dash.

[andy @ Jul 7th 2008 12:17PM]

Meanwhile T-Mobile doesn't even provide me with EDGE at home and work; just GPRS. My voice coverage has declined in the 8 months I've had T-Mobile, as well as tower hand-offs that no longer work. It is frustrating and T-Mobile is doing nothing to remedy.

[vinylhero @ Jul 7th 2008 2:45PM]

Pray tell, which of T-Mobile's sh*tty phones support 3G? Compared to ATT&T and Verizon, could T-Mobile possibly offer a more woeful selection of phones?

[Josh @ Jul 7th 2008 3:01PM]

Are they launching UMTS or HSPA (or Evolved HSPA)? all different versions of 3G.

I hope they have a well improved backhaul that can carry all the traffic that is going to go their way. According to this report at http://www.internetevolution.com/author.asp?section_id=629&doc_id=154713&f_src=flffour the rate of growth for data traffic of four to eight fold (and that's an underestimate)

[Garst @ Jul 7th 2008 3:01PM]

Too bad other carriers are getting ready to roll-out 4G service. T-mobile will still be far behind everyone else.

[Tyson @ Jul 7th 2008 7:00PM]

I hate to be a hater but since in NY we already had it rolled out does that means we are just better or do they just like us more?

[vwgtiron @ Jul 8th 2008 2:43AM]

i talked with a rep no charge for 3g if you have the existing unlimited data plan for 20 dollars

[zbot @ Jul 8th 2008 9:05PM]

do we know what phones will be available at launch to take advantage of the 3G network?

[shiva @ Jul 9th 2008 10:52PM]

at least t-mobile and apple are on the same page by finally adding 3G to their list.......

[MG @ Aug 6th 2008 7:52PM]

@RichardBronosky -- what lauralemay said ...

and also when I was in Helsinki in June, I was able to use Sonera 3G quite well with my unlocked Treo 750 -- but in the US, stuck on the tmobile network because work pays for it, I only get edge and the tmobile 3G will never work with my Treo
even more ironically I would say, my layover was in Munich; in the airport there the D-Telekom 3G worked great, and they own T-Mobile USA.