T-Mobile upgrades their network to 4G/LTE and a deal with Apple to sell iPhones and iPads immediately emerges.
Last October, Verizon was all over the media as they expanded their 4G/LTE high speed network for mobile device connectivity. At that time, in an article titled “Verizon Expands The Largest 4G LTE Network – Along With Privacy Concerns”we discussed how Verizon was well ahead of other mobile carriers in their deployment of 4G/LTE with 417 markets currently covered at that time (compared to AT&T’s 76 and Sprint 15 at that time as well). T-Mobile hadn’t even begun converting their network over to 4G at the time, but they did have plans to do so in 2013, according to our report.
Well, it appears that time has arrived. T-Mobile is preparing to launch their 4G/LTE network and it could be as early as March 26. T-Mobile at least plans to make the announcement, if not make the official launch of service at an event being held in New York this March.
T-Mobile is the #4 mobile carrier in the United States and seen as many as one of the top value carriers in the country. One recent T-Mobile fan gives a good example as to why many in the states value the carrier and their service.
To be fair to disgruntled customers though, T-Mobile is said to have high cancellation fees in addition to there being difficulties in canceling service contracts altogether.
The evolution of a 4G/LTE network is significant and very important to T-Mobile, especially since most U.S. smartphones (such as the iPhone) are designed to take advantage of it these days. Back in September we discussed how T-Mobile Wants in on the iPhone 5 Party, and Verizon is Opening the Back Door. Well, T-Mobile doesn’t exactly want to keep using the back-door. They’d actually prefer an invitation by Apple to extend iPhone contracts. Well, perhaps T-Mobile’s latest 4g/LTE network upgrade is also changing the way in which the company is viewed by Apple.
According to AppleInsider, “T-Mobile has announced it has inked a deal with Apple to begin selling products in America next year, presumably including both the iPhone and iPad.” As we’ve reported in the past and as Appleinsider also confirms, “Though the iPhone is not officially available through T-Mobile [at the moment], the carrier is said to have more than 1.5 million active unlocked handsets on its network. Many of those handsets operate at wireless data speeds slower than 3G because of technical limitations with T-Mobile’s network.” No longer will this be an issue with T-Mobile 4G/LTE network upgrade.