T-Mobile USA
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T-Mobile adds Apple Music, Fox Now and more to Binge On
T-Mobile's adding a whole bunch more entertainment services to its 'Un-carrier' plans today, meaning lower data bills for customers that just can't bear to switch off Quantico while out and about.
Cell service out for thousands across the American Southeast
Cellular service appears to be down across every major provider throughout Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky with Nashville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville being the hardest hit. According to the website Down Detector, more than 10,000 AT&T, 1,000 Verizon, 7,000 T-Mobile and 300 Sprint customers are without internet or phone access. None of the affected companies have disclosed the specific reason for the outage yet, though they all have already issued vague statements about how they're working on the issue. Update: Verizon is reporting the issue is resolved as of 8PM ET, however we haven't seen an update from the others yet.
Isis NFC payment system to roll out later this year, provide iPhone support
When three of the big four mobile carriers -- AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile US, and Verizon Wireless -- agree on something, you know that it's going to get a big push. The three companies formed Isis in early 2011 to orchestrate the future of near field communication (NFC) payments, and today the joint venture announced that the Isis Mobile Wallet system will be rolled out nationwide later this year. Isis Mobile Wallet users need an NFC-enabled smartphone and a SIM-based secure element to be considered "Isis Ready." Many Samsung Android devices are equipped for NFC, both for local file sharing and payments. At this point, NFC technology isn't built into iPhones, nor has there been any word from Apple on whether the technology will be in future devices. Nevertheless, the joint venture notes that support for iPhone, Windows Phone and BlackBerry 10 will be introduced this year. Isis trials were held in Austin, Texas and Salt Lake City, Utah, and the Isis group found that the users were quite happy with paying from their smartphones. The trial showed that active users used their devices for payment more than 10 times per month, acceptance of contactless payment quadrupled to almost 4,000 locations in the two cities, and that 80 percent of the transactions took place at places like fast-food restaurants, coffee shops, gas stations, and convenience and grocery stores. If Apple doesn't embrace NFC with the next generation of iPhones, it's likely that an NFC-enabled case will be required in order to use Isis.
T-Mobile raises iPhone down payment amount
The launch of the iPhone 5 on the T-Mobile USA network last month was greeted with a lot of fanfare and a new pricing structure -- customers could pick up a 16 GB iPhone 5 with a US$99.99 down payment and then make 24 payments of $20 to purchase the phone outright. TmoNews reports that the down payment on all iPhone 5 models has been raised by $50, which raises the cost of the least expensive unlocked iPhone 5 to $630. That's not all that much less than the price of an unlocked 16 GB iPhone 5 from Apple -- $650. Of course, there's no monthly payment option if you buy direct from Apple. Customers wanting to reduce the down payment on that T-Mo iPhone 5 should remember that the carrier does take trade-ins of current iPhones. T-Mobile is seeing the benefits of the iPhone already, having sold more than a half-million devices in the first month after launching the device.
iPhone 5 cost comparison: $649 from Apple, $579 from T-Mobile
A big part of T-Mobile's UnCarrier plan revolves around the iPhone 5, and it turns out that T-Mo's offering the Apple flagship at a previously unheard-of price: $579. As CEO John Legere announced today, his company will be offering its AWS-equipped version of the iPhone 5 for $99, plus 24 monthly payments of $20. That's contract-free, but the device is locked until it's fully paid for, and the cheapest monthly plan to go with it is $50 for 500MB of data and unlimited voice and texting a month. By contrast, the same 16GB phone unlocked direct from Apple costs $649, while AT&T offers a locked model for $199 -- if you sign a 24-month contract -- and the cheapest possible plan to go with it provides a mere 300MB of data, 450 minutes and no texting at a cost of $60 a month. So, T-Mo seems to be winning the iPhone price war, and doing so handily.
iPhone coming to T-Mobile in 3-4 months
Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, T-Mobile USA Chief Executive John Legere said that the carrier will begin to sell the iPhone in about "three to four months," and that T-Mobile will be taking a different tack to selling them by dropping subsidies for the phones. At this point, most carriers heavily subsidize the iPhone -- that's why you always get tied into a two-year contract in order to get the newest device at a significant discount. While you may pay more up front for a T-Mobile iPhone, the company hopes to attract customers by not tying them to a long-term contract and offering lower service prices. Legere said that he thinks the plan might increase T-Mobile USA's market share by more than 5 percent by offering the combination of more flexibility and lower prices.
T-Mobile hopes the iPhone will curb subscriber losses
T-Mobile has been losing customers like a sieve, but that may change next year when the carrier finally starts carrying the iPhone. T-Mobile USA Chief Executive John Legere told reporters on Friday that the company hopes the iPhone will attract additional customers and expects to see a positive benefit on its subscriber base as early as next year. "It is an aggressive target but we think it is possible," Legere said. T-Mobile's subscriber numbers for the past year have been abysmal, due in part to the gap left in the carrier's handset portfolio because it didn't carry the iPhone. "It was very clear that a certain number of customers wouldn't come to the store if we didn't have the iPhone. There was a definite churn impact," he said. The carrier lost 510,000 lucrative branded-contract customers in Q1, 557,000 in Q2 and 492,000 in Q3. Ironically, this Q3 number is slightly lower thanks to the iPhone 5. T-Mobile has been vigorously courting iPhone owners, enticing them to unlock their iPhone and sign up for one of the carrier's inexpensive calling plans. It also has been upgrading its HSPA+ network and now supports the iPhone in select areas.
Daily Update for December 6, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
T-Mobile USA to get iPhone in 2013
At long last, it appears that T-Mobile USA will become the last of the "Big 4" wireless carriers in the country to carry Apple products. Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of T-Mobile USA, made an announcement today that the carrier will begin selling iPhones in 2013. To make its network iPhone-friendly, T-Mobile is investing in making its existing 3G network compatible with iPhones and will be deploying a next-generation LTE network in 2013. The company is also actively pursuing current iPhone owners to unlock their devices and move to the magenta network. All of T-Mobile's US network upgrades are going to cost a pretty penny -- All Things D reports that the company will spend $4.7 billion on capital expenditures in 2013, and about $3 billion in 2014 and 2015. The company currently spends an average of about $2.7 billion a year. There's no word on whether or not T-Mobile USA will be selling the iPad, but with all of the other carriers now hosting Apple's tablet, it's likely that the company will pursue the option. All Things D also notes that adding the iPhone will add to T-Mobile USA's cost spent in acquiring new customers, as the iPhone usually comes with a "high subsidy for contract plans."
T-Mobile drops 200MB smartphone data plan, 2GB now the new standard
T-Mobile silently killed off its $10 per month 200MB data plans, a leaked document reveals. A company spokesperson verified the news with Fierce Wireless. This decision is most likely due to the growing demand for mobile data as smartphone applications continue to evolve. Grandfathered customers will not be affected by this new policy, but will need to pay full price for a device and sign up for a "Value" plan when upgrading in order to maintain their existing service plan. T-Mobile now requires its smartphone customers to have a minimum data plan of 2GB or higher, which starts at $20 per month. While this change may make sense for most smartphone users, existing customers who are light on data and heavy on savings might have a different perspective when it's time to buy a new phone. Check out an extreme closeup of T-Mobile's document after the break.
T-Mobile leases 7,200 mobile towers to Crown Castle in a 28-year, $2.4 billion deal
T-Mobile's just received a hefty cash boost thanks to a tower-leasing agreement it's entered into with Crown Castle. The deal leases 7,200 wireless towers to the infrastructure firm for a term of 28 years in exchange for $2.4 billion -- that T-Mobile's parent Deutsche Telekom will use to pay off debt. As part of the contract, Crown Castle can buy the towers outright when the deal ends in 2040 for a further $2.4 billion -- and is planning to make money by adding another tenant to T-Mobile's system, so depending on your carrier, you might find your coverage suddenly getting a lot better.
John Legere confirmed as new Chief Executive Officer of T-Mobile USA
Back in the heat of summer, T-Mobile USA's then CEO Philipp Humm resigned to take up the mantle at Vodafone. In the interim, former COO Jim Alling stepped up to keep the chair warm while a permanent replacement was found. Today we learn that John Legere, former CEO of Global Crossing, will relieve Alling of those duties, and fill the top spot full-time. With 32 years experience in the industry, Legere also spent time at Dell as president of European, Middle East and African operations. For now, his first task will likely be leading the firm's LTE deployment, and trying to win some of the faithful back. Head past the break for the full PR and the new CEO's first video address to employees.
T-Mobile prompts employees to "sell against the iPhone"
So, what do you do if you're T-Mobile USA and not only do you not carry the iPhone now, but there's a good chance you're not going to be selling the next-generation iPhone either? That's easy -- tell your employees to "sell against the iPhone." TmoNews -- "The Unofficial T-Mobile Blog" and no relation to TUAW -- published images yesterday of internal T-Mobile memos. The first is rather innocuous, telling sales employees at T-Mobile stores that a new "Monthly4G MicroSIM Kit" will be available for iPhone 4/4S owners who wish to move to 4G on the Magenta Network. But it's the second memo that caught everyone's attention. A field sales news memo, part of which is shown at the top of this post, features a distinct header pointing out mandatory training for "selling against the iPhone." Not surprisingly, a "Grab & Go" training module and a training game are expected to drop on September 21 -- the same date being bandied about for the next-gen iPhone launch. [via Engadget]
T-Mobile USA Q2 2012 results show net customer losses of 205k, progress on LTE and AWS
The results for T-Mobile USA's second quarter of 2012 are in and first up is the bad news -- reported net customer losses of 205,000 are more than the 50,000 lost in the same period last year, and more than give back the growth reported in Q1. Of course, the carrier is banking on strategic initiatives to launch LTE service and expand coverage thanks to that AWS spectrum its receiving from AT&T and Verizon (if the deal is approved) to turn all that around, and those plans are still on track. Other high points for the quarter included the launch of Samsung's Galaxy Note and Galaxy S III, as well as a host of other handsets. Also it announced the opening of it's 1,000 T-Mobile Premium Retailer store, started pushing its prepaid and Monthly4G services at Dollar General Stores, launched two new mobile broadband data plans and added two MVNO partners. All the details are in the press release after the break, although it seems that as busy as T-Mobile has been putting pen to paper, investors will have to keep waiting to see the benefits.
T-Mobile USA gives black HTC One S to hard-working staff, leaves other Americans turning green
International HTC One S buyers might look at the black version like it's humdrum, but if you're an American who's had no realistic choice but to get the gray T-Mobile edition, black is a rare and coveted thing. T-Mobile knows this all too well, and it's using the micro arc oxidized hue as an incentive for loyal employees: work diligently enough, and a black One S with native T-Mobile HSPA+ is yours. There's no word from the TmoNews tipster as to whether or not the color will ever reach the buying public, which could make it a rare collector's item for Android lovers -- not to mention a mild form of torture for HTC enthusiasts. The optimistic among us are hoping that it's a sign of phones to come and that both black as well as gray can live in harmony on T-Mobile shelves.
T-Mobile US offers new Europe-wide 500MB roaming plan for $50
In a bid to avoid making suit-wearing execs continually eye their data use when traveling to Europe with your smartphone, T-Mobile has announced a $50 per month plan for business customers, which offers half a gig of data on both 3G and 4G (where available). Once you hit beyond that threshold, you won't be charged for overuse, but your speeds will be throttled. The plan will connect to 28 countries, including likes of the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and will launch for that sweaty business meeting in Paris next month.
Mysterious, ZTE-made T-Mobile Aspect swings by the FCC
Sometimes FCC filings are rife with details. T-Mobile and ZTE aren't playing that game right now: a device has shown up at the US agency bearing only the T-Mobile Aspect name and a ZTE F555 model number. That already tells us that it's likely to have 1,700MHz 3G inside, but the rest is left to our imaginings. It could be anything from a humdrum basic feature phone to a hotspot or future smartphone. We're hoping it's something as sleek as the upcoming Athena, but it could be an adaptation of mid-tier devices like the Mimosa X or a Windows Phone like the Orbit. With most details under wraps, we'll have to sit tight until either an official launch or until more details slip. The only certainty is that ZTE isn't finished with the US just yet.
T-Mobile USA's former CEO Phillipp Humm to become chief executive at Vodafone on October 1st
Less than 24 hours after the unexpected news that Phillipp Humm had penned his resignation as T-Mobile USA's CEO, Reuters is now reporting he himself has said a chief executive position awaits him at Vodafone. As you may know, this comes after the Magenta carrier had stated Humm would be leaving to reunite with his family back in the Old Continent, and seek a new career outside of Deutsche Telekom. According to the report, Phillipp Humm's new role will be as a chief executive for Vodafone's operations in northern and central Europe, which is set to begin as early as October 1st. Naturally, Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao seems to be quite satisfied with Humm's upcoming arrival, saying it "will be a strong addition to the Vodafone group executive committee."
T-Mobile brings out new mobile data plans mainly for the suits and ties, makes overage optional
T-Mobile just updated its prepaid data plans a month ago, and now it's the corporate crowd's turn for a shakeup. The new (and quite frankly daunting) array of primarily business-minded plans is based around whether or not you'd rather face throttling or overage fees if you push past a set cap. Overage Free plans for subsidized (Classic) and unsubsidized (Value) devices are largely self-explanatory and slow down that bandwidth cap-busting hotspot, modem or tablet until the next month. The High-speed plan range costs lower as a matter of course, but you'll be dinged to the order of two to 10 cents for every megabyte over the limit. That said, there's some bargains to be had versus other carriers, especially with the 5GB and 10GB plans. Provided you're happy with T-Mobile's coverage, it may be worth signing up to eke out a few extra dollars in savings every month.
Samsung Galaxy Note for T-Mobile pops up in claimed press shots, we try to feign surprise
There's been demo units, FCC filings and the obligatory blurry photos, so it was only a matter of time before leaked press imagery completed our picture of a Galaxy Note for T-Mobile USA. As long as they're not cosmetic makeovers by wishful T-Mobile fans, the CellPhoneSignal images portray... well, a Galaxy Note. No exotic colors, no obvious clues supporting talk that it ships with a preloaded Android 4.0 upgrade. Most of the hardware changes, then, should be all about adapting the HSPA+ 3G to support T-Mobile's airwaves. Unconfirmed talk has the Galaxy Note reaching Magenta on July 11th; that's nine months after the original version popped up, but we're sure some will be thankful just to have more choices than AT&T for that phablet fix.
