Rumor no more, T-Mobile has finally acknowledged that its high-speed Internet for cell phones is coming to Orange County and many more places this year.
For O.C., T-Mobile said today the service will launch by mid October. By the end of the year, its 3G service will be in 27 markets.
This coincides nicely with the company’s recent invitation to select media to Tuesday’s launch of the first Google cell phone, which is using Google’s new software called Android. There’s a lot of anticipation with Google Android, which is considered to be a rival to Apple’s iPhone. Android, too, will have a marketplace for users to download new software applications like games, productivity tools and more.
In today’s announcement, there is no mention of the Google phone. But T-Mobile does say it will offer the Sony Ericsson TM506, a mass-market flip phone. (Image on right provided by the company.)
Here’s the lowdown on the 3G rollout:
T-Mobile 3G active today: Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Minneapolis, New York (including northern New Jersey and Long Island), Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio and San Diego.
Getting 3G by mid-October: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles/Orange County, Orlando, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Francisco and Seattle.
Getting 3G by end of year: Birmingham, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Memphis and Tampa
T-Mobile, which is the last of the four major cellular networks to offer 3G, says its download speeds are up to 1 Mbps. The company had to work with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Department of Defense and Department of Justice to get access to the spectrum that allows communication at 3G speeds. It is using the UMTS/HSDPA 3G technology.
- Update: Google Android phone out next week? (Gadgetress)
- The Google phone is coming, here are your options (Gadgetress)
- Psst: T-Mobile’s 3G one-third less than AT&T’s iPhone plan (Gadgetress)
- Android Developers’ Blog (Google)
- Android Developers’ YouTube videos
- FCC approved, Android cleared for launch? (Engadget)
- Why wait for Android when iPhone is already here? (Gadgetress)
Tamara 'the Gadgetress' Chuang
[...] Finally, T-Mobile speaks: 3G Internet coming to O.C. [...]
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Why is it that only Tmobile customers in OC and parts of LA had NO service on Monday….
It was because of 3G installation. I’ve been w/ TMobile 5 yrs.
They treat their ongoing customers like crap and dote on “new” customers.
The customer service people are patronizing and clueless (robotic in responses) when you call about any questions beyond the most basic!!!!
When my contract is up I am gone!!!!
The worst service I have ever experienced!!!!
Look at Starbucks…..people got tired of obnoxious, incapable barristas and stopped spending $4.00 for a “special” cup of coffee….now they are learning it’s about customer service baby.
Take your dollars away from companies that don’t take care of you and let their business go to hell.
Only then will they work on what’s important….commitment to quality and customer service.
Are you kidding? “How fast is it?” Would someone please fire the Gadgetress and have someone that actually knows technology report on it. Sheesh. If I wanted any less helpful information on tech I’d ask my grandma.
Woo hoo! How fast is it?
3G is active in Orange County. It is just not going to be announced officially until L.A. is ready to go. My SE tm506 is running off TMo 3G right now.
The outage on Monday was NOT due to this 3g upgrade. There was an accident where construction crews accidentally cut a fiber optic network that affected over 280 cell sites.
Outage was caused by the severing of 2 AT&T OC12 (really big internet lines) in Irvine. Did not have happy customers on Monday…..me one of them.
As a T-Mobile customer regrettably still under contract for two more months, I can assure you that T-Mobile s u c k s.
TINAE: You may be right. My T-Mobile service was dead indoors for several hours on Monday. I have not verified yet with T-Mobile though but I was thinking the same thing…
This caused a massive outage on Monday.