subject: ATandT to Phase Out T-Mobile 3G Phones in Two Years so jailbreak your iPhone [print this page] ATandT to Phase Out T-Mobile 3G Phones in Two Years so jailbreak your iPhone
T-Mobile pledged that all of its existing phones will probably be safe should AT&T get the No. 4 wireless carrier next year. But AT&T noted that T-Mobile's 3G phones will have to be replaced.
One of the many ins-and-outs of AT&T's proposed plan to buy T-Mobile USA will be the issue of what will eventually the carrier's smartphone lineup.
T-Mobile-which has 33.7 million subscriber's on its GSM-based HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access) network plus a solid swath of 4G technology AT&T covets to construct out its own LTE (Long-Term Evolution) plans-dismissed any worry.
The United States' No. 4 carrier said in a FAQ Web page that consumers' T-Mobile devices "will operate exactly the same in the future because it does today." That's in the near term.
AT&T told Associated Press that customers using T-Mobile 3G phones would need to replace existing 3G devices because T-Mobile's existing 3G cell towers could be repurposed for 4G.
T-Mobile phones would have to get replaced with phones designed to use AT&T's 3G frequencies, or even upgrade to devices running on AT&T's 4G LTE network. GigaOm noted that AT&T's timeframe because of this transition is within a couple of years of closing the offer.
T-Mobile sells RIM Blackberry smartphones, Nokia handsets and lots of feature phones made by Samsung, LG yet others.
Android has arguably become the maximum amount of its flagship platform as Apple's iphone is now for AT&T. It was T-Mobile that launched the very first two Android smartphones, the G1 in 2008 and the myTouch 3G last year.
T-Mobile currently offers roughly twelve Android handsets within the U.S., including its HTC myTouch, Samsung Galaxy S, and Motorola Cliq portfolios.
Forrester Research analyst Charles Golvin told eWEEK AT&T would continue to push its own Android devices.
"But AT&T has a lot of Android phones-look at simply how much marketing muscle they're putting behind the Moto Atrix during the NCAA tournament-and will continue to invest in the woking platform, I believe."
There's no doubt AT&T has ratcheted up its persistence for Android in the wake of Verizon launching the iphone 4 in January. The Atrix 4G easily stacks up to any Droid device from Verizon and the HTC Evo 4G from Sprint.
Certainly, the prospect of your buy-out in one year's time will raise concerns among existing customers and cause doubt among potential new subscribers. T-Mobile said in the FAQ that customers should still subscribe to T-Mobile service:
"T-Mobile USA supplies the latest wireless devices that are affordable on America's Largest 4G Network and also the combination of AT&T and T-Mobile USA means even stronger service for the customers. Now could be an enjoyable experience to become a T-Mobile customer."
But there's no question consumers is going to be loath to purchase a phone from your company placing its future in the hands of a rival with ambitious, potentially conflicting designs.
