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No T-Mobile iPhone 5, But Hope Isn’t Lost

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Another year, another iPhone launch without T-Mobile. Apple’s latest iPhone, iPhone 5, will not be heading to T-Mobile’s network, at least not officially.

Yesterday in San Francisco, Apple announced the new iPhone 5 will be released on AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon starting September 21st. It will be heading to C-Spire Wireless and Cricket a week later on September 28th.

However, the nation’s fourth largest carrier, T-Mobile, will not be getting the iPhone 5.

As GigaOm points out though, that doesn’t mean that all hope is lost for those looking to get Apple’s new iPhone 5 up and running on T-Mobile’s network.

Read: Don’t Plan on Cutting Micro SIM to fit iPhone 5 Nano SIM Slot.

iphone 5 front and back

The iPhone 5 won’t be on T-Mobile at launch.

The network bands that Apple launched with the new iPhone 5 match up perfectly with the ones that T-Mobile is planning for its new 3G and 4G networks.

T-Mobile already began shifting its HSPA+ network to 1900 MHz and the carrier says there will be a much larger footprint by the end of the year. At that point, all iPhone models should run on T-Mobile’s 3G network in areas where T-Mobile has upgraded.

Apple’s new iPhone 5 will feature also three different 4G LTE bands, one of which is Advanced Wireless Services (AWS). The AWS spectrum is the same spectrum that T-Mobile will use with its 4G LTE network next year.

Once that takes place, T-Mobile’s networks will be similar to those found on AT&T which means that those who might want to use the iPhone 5 on T-Mobile will want to either buy the AT&T model or a Canadian iPhone 5 at they run on similar bands.

Read: T-Mobile iPhone 5 Possible in 2013?

Sim-card-Size

The Micro SIM card not work with the iPhone 5’s Nano SIM slot.

All of this of course assumes that Apple and T-Mobile won’t strike a deal to officially carry the iPhone 5 at any point. It’s possible that we could see a T-Mobile iPhone 5 sometime in 2013 once the carrier launches its 4G LTE network but thus far, we haven’t heard anything.

Unfortunately, this may be the only chance that T-Mobile customers have to use the iPhone 5 as the iPhone 5’s new Nano SIM slot may be too small for a trimmed Micro SIM. Previous iPhone models have allowed for owners to cut SIM cards to fit into the Micro SIM slot.

Despite the fact that T-Mobile won’t carry the iPhone 5 at launch, T-Mobile is gearing up to heavily promote the iPhone on its network. Just, not the new one.

T-Mobile employees have been instructed to sell against the iPhone 5 on September 21st, the iPhone 5’s release date. Part of T-Mobile’s promotion could be its new MicroSIM kit that works with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S and which allows customers to bring unlocked iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S devices to T-Mobile’s network.

Are you interested in a T-Mobile iPhone 5?

14 Comments

14 Comments

  1. NYCHW82

    09/14/2012 at 8:16 am

    Honestly, I don’t even need all those new features on the iPhone 5. All I really wanted was T-Mobile connectivity. I’m debating whether to say with T-Mobile or switch to AT&T because I want the new iPhone, even though I’ve been with them for 7 years.

    • John

      09/14/2012 at 3:29 pm

      Go ahead and switch, I did 3 years ago and have had an iPhone on AT&T since and do not regret leaving TMO at all. Plus customer service there has gone to shit, they threaten reps with loosing their job if they dont meet sales goals, so they add shit to your account w/o your knowledge. Whatever you do DONT call customer service or you risk having useless sh** like voicemail to text, name id, family allowances, etc added without your permission. Trust me you’ll be happier. BTW I just ordered my 3rd iPhone today (iPhone 5).

    • Genevieve

      09/26/2012 at 10:28 pm

      Remember when you switch AT&T will make you cry when u have to deal with customer service. I have been w Tmobile for 15 yrs n have had the best customer service at my finger tips. You won’t get that loyalty w AT&T. I’m waiting for iPhone on tmobile. Then we will have the best of both.

    • Fawaz

      11/02/2012 at 4:01 pm

      Stay with T-Mobile. You won’t find their low prices in AT&T, Verizon, or SPRINT! Trust me, I tried all three. Plus, t mobile will be getting 4G LTE and the iphone 5 from AT&T will work on it. BTW I live in a place where there is AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint 4G LTE, and T-Mobile’s 4G is faster!!! And cheaper!!! And Unlimited!!!

  2. JVZOO

    09/14/2012 at 12:04 pm

    I have been with T-Mobile for 5 years, and I been waiting for the iphone and I guess you cant fix stupid. T-Mobile must be run by the dumbest people on earth if c spire & cricket are getting the iphone but not not us. Its time to abandon t-mobile EN-MASS they have failed us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Noel

      09/16/2012 at 1:30 pm

      Really…WELL IF U HAVE 15 BILLION TO GIVE APPLE ON TMOBILE’S BEHALF. With that kind of money they should better improve their Network…exactly what they have been doing since the buyout failed. Those improvements will not only make room for the iPhone in the future but a myriad of other devices.

  3. John

    09/14/2012 at 3:51 pm

    Don’t hold your breath for T-Mobile getting the iPhone. The culture there is like a bunch of fandroids. The reps hate the iPhone for the most part, and management doesn’t want to pay the high subsidy costs. Recent internal documents indicate that there’s no plans to get the iPhone and the response from management is angered, as if they wished the iPhone would just go away. Instead, Apple continues go grow the iPhone and it just gets bigger year after year after year. Right now, the big push is to “sell against the iPhone”. They give reps scripts to read (full of lies and misinformation and exaggerations) to convince customers that Android is “better”. In reality, even though I’m an iPhone fan, even I know neither is “better” it’s matter of choice. T-Mobile is too cheap to lower profit margins to give their customers the choice. On the plus side, T-Mobile has refarmed their AWS frequencies so iPhone users can take advantage of T-MO’s HSPA+ 3G/4G network, so iPhones in use on their network can (or soon will) use 3G/4G, and eventually LTE (when TMO gets around to it next summer). Also, FaceTime and Visual Voicemail will now work on T-Mobile’s network. So, it’s obvious that T-Mobile is catering to users who bring their own iPhone, but their greed won’t allow them to lower their profit margins by bringing in the iPhone, which would cost them more to purchase. This greed is apparent when you see they sell the Galaxy S III at $280 after a $50 rebate (that has high cost data plans attached if you want to see that 50 bucks), so to buy an S3 from T-Mobile, you need to part with $330 bucks. Even if you get the rebate, it’s still $280 bucks while Amazon is selling it for half that amount ($140).

    • Gary

      09/20/2012 at 12:42 pm

      While I agree with what you are saying, I will disagree on a couple of points. I have an AT&T iPhone 4s and while the phone is great, the plan is super expensive. I have all of the rest of my family (4 total) on T-Mobile family plan and only pay about 150 a month with all but one on a 2G plan that slows down after 2G. While I hate the dropped calls and poor coverage, the cost is better than what I would pay for a family plan on at&t, which would be about double. And also, you can get the Galaxy S III at Sams or Walmart on T-Mobile for $149, which is a great deal.

  4. Phu

    09/14/2012 at 3:51 pm

    I have been with T-mobile since 2001…and have been patiently waiting for them to carry the iPhone year after year. It has been 6 years. Their stubbornness is killing me. I am not sure why they are not willing to do it. I really don’t want to leave them, but I may have to now. I have a MacBook and iPods, so i don’t want an Android. And it is not like their connectivity is all that great.

  5. Brandon

    09/15/2012 at 7:01 pm

    OK, this is f***ing pissing me off. i have been with t-mobile for 6 years waiting and waiting and waiting for an iPhone to be released, T-mobile has been with me through thick and thin and yet this s**t is the only thing making me mad. I hope T-mobile will one day f***ing realize how stupid they are being, i mean seriously. T-mobile should realize this equation:
    T-mobile plans + apple technology = A PURE AWESOME SMARTPHONE
    please do this T-mobile, i can guarantee that getting the iPhone will make you nothing but progress and money. you might even turn into the number one company, just PLEASE GET THE iPHONE!!!

  6. masnne

    09/17/2012 at 7:02 am

    I work in T-mobile, I Phone -8 will availabe in 2042 with T0mobile.

  7. John F.

    09/18/2012 at 10:12 am

    We’ve been on T-Mobile for 10 years, and with an iPhone for 2 years there. Suits us well. We haven’t needed massive bandwidth, but I’m happy to see that T-Mobile is refarming PCS for WCDMA (3G/HSPA+) and deploying LTE on AWS. That means iPhones will no longer be limited to EDGE — they will do 3G/HSPA+ (now in some markets, more later) and an iPhone 5 (if available unlocked) will do LTE next year.

    This will be an improvement for us. I would rather buy my own usubsidized, unlocked iPhone and use it on our cheap (grandfathered $25/month voice and data) T-Mobile plan than pay $70 per month just so I could have a subsidy every couple of years for a new iPhone.

  8. Mary

    09/24/2012 at 11:12 pm

    Just get an unlocked iPhone people! We’ve had an iPhone on TMo for years. It’s not as fast but it still works great and we still save $$$!

  9. Fawaz

    11/06/2012 at 1:14 pm

    Get the AT&T, it will work on T-Mobile’s 4G LTE in 2013!

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