T-Mobile ‘hoping’ to offer iPhone this year, says report
March 18th, 2010, 5:20 pm · 13 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress
Spotted: Add another iPhone rumor to the list. The Financial Times is reporting that T-Mobile may end AT&T’s lock on the Apple iPhone later this year.
René Obermann, chief executive of T-Mobile USA’s German parent Deutsche Telekom, told the publication that the company is focusing on mobile Internet. And then there’s this sentence buried at the bottom:
The iPhone has provided AT&T with strong revenue growth, and T-Mobile USA is hoping to start selling the popular smartphone later this year or next year.
But are the two connected? Did Obermann really say during the FT interview that T-Mobile will offer the iPhone this year? It would seem that way based on how the story was written. But why bury this juicy nugget?
It could be that it’s because in Germany, T-Mobile sells the iPhone. So perhaps the German-based reporter didn’t think a direct quote from Obermann was crucial.
However, this isn’t the first time T-Mobile has appeared as a possible iPhone vendor. In December, Thomas Weisel analyst Doug Reid said he believed T-Mobile would be next and not Verizon Wireless, as others have long theorized. Why T-Mobile? ”Apple wants to move away from exclusivity; T-Mobile achieves this for Apple in the U.S.,” Reid wrote.
T-Mobile also uses the same wireless technology as AT&T so an iPhone doesn’t need a complete hardware overhaul to join the T-Mobile network.
I guess we’ll find out this fall whether there’s any truth to the story.
From the web:
- T-Mobile USA in profits pledge (Financial Times)
- T-Mobile USA Hoping To Sell The iPhone Later This Year (Business Insider)
- T-Mobile USA eyeing iPhone launch this year or next? (Engadget)
- Apple iPhone coming to T-Mobile instead of Verizon Wireless in 2010? (BloggingStocks.com)
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I’d be one of the first in line. I want an iPhone because I’ve helped develop some apps from my company but I don’t have one myself. I have T-Mobile now, and I don’t want AT&T. Hopefully they’ll offer it soon.
You get just an Iphone now and installed jailbreak that unlock your phone and work in T-Mobile only thing missing is lack of 3G support.
Phil – You don’t know that T-Mobile IS AT&T? What tech company do you work for?
GSM = the GLOBAL standard, the reason Apple will NEVER make a CDMA compatible phone, too many limitations. 4G = LTE get used to it.
T-Mobile buys blocks of time from AT&T just like Boost and Metro PCS (obviously different companies – technologies)
Jail break and be happy with half the features and NO updates.
AT&T is a fine network. You must live in the ghetto.
Same network 10yrs minimal issues.
PACBELL wireless=CIngular=ATT renaming= Current AT&T
Leroy… you are apparently a bit ignorant…
Apple has started the process in one of it’s Chinese plants to begin cranking out CDMA iPhone’s later this year, so you’re wrong there…
http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2010/03/30/att-pointed-lower-on-new-iphone-reports/
T-Mo is NOT AT&T… now your not only wrong, you’re being stupid.
AT&T is not a ‘fine’ network, they are a mediocre one… the firm I work for has users of all of the major US services, and AT&T is #4 on the list of quality according to our user base… crappy reception, more dropped calls, outages, etc.
Hey Phil,
You can get an unlocked Iphone – Or get a used Iphone…go on Utube and watch a video on how to unlock it. There are a ton of kids out there that breeze you through it. Mine works beautifully with T-Mobile.The customer service people at T-mobile can help if you have issues. I absolutey love it and T-Mobile made it really easy to get an unlimited Phone, Data, Text Plan for a fraction of what our Verizon plan cost
Because T-Mobile and AT&T are both GSM, doesn’t T-Mobile just use AT&T cell network instead of trying to reinvent the wheel and build their own? So essentially its still AT&T service?
Nope, each own their respective networks. Since both are GSM, the current radio in the iPhone will operate on the T-Mobile 2G network. It will need a hardware tweak to run on the 3G side but that isn’t a big deal as the chipsets are already available.
That’s right, T-Mobile just got on to the scene in the last 5 years and dropped BILLIONS into the AMERICAN telephony infrastructure and created the newest, hottest cellular network in the world. HA
RENTING from AT&T.
Yeah, I will stick with the big V)… I gave cingular a chance after PacBell went bust, and the service blew. They have Verizon on price, but for business I need reception, and Verizon can’t be beat. Thanks for the info though, interesting turn of events.
Big V’s are for wimps. I like my V’s nice and snug.
Sorry Gadgetress- I couldn’t fall asleep.
Are you kidding me??? Tmobile is the WORST! Tmobile is way worse than ATT for dropped calls, poor cell & data service and lack of current technology in the US. Now if we were in Europe, sure, but not in the US…
i have been waiting for this for a long time. i hope it goes through