Bad news if you're on T-Mobile USA and want the new iPhone

[wildonrio]

First of all, unless Apple decides to sell unlocked phones (which I'm hearing is very possible), the new phone will have a new bootloader, which means back to the drawing boards for the hackers. When the 4.09 bootloader came out, if you recall, it took months to unlock the iPhone again.

Second of all, even if you get an unlocked phone you can forget about 3G for a long time:

• AT&T runs 3G at 850Mhz and 1900Mhz. T-Mobile USA runs 3G at 2100Mhz. Unless Apple supports 2100Mhz as well, 3G will never work on the iPhone under T-Mobile. However, Europe uses 2100Mhz, so you might be able to get a hold on a European iPhone and unlock it. Big hassle tho if you ask me.
• T-Mobile only offers 3G in New York currently. They have plans to release it nationwide, but it will literally take years. You'll have to check their release schedule for your specific state.

I'm on T-Mobile USA, and I'm thinking I'm gonna have to switch back to AT&T. Not too worried but it just means another break the contract $200 fee, which always sucks.

Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this...

[ravman]

T-Mobile US runs on 1700Mhz, not 2100Mhz. So even the European 3G phones will not work for T-Mobile here in the US.


Here is the 3G band deployments across the world:

UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA frequency bands deployment

* Band I (W-CDMA 2100) in Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania (ITU Region 1) and Brazil (part of ITU Region 2)

* Band II (W-CDMA 1900) in North America and South America (ITU Region 2)

* Band IV (W-CDMA 1700 or Advanced Wireless Services) in the United States (T-Mobile USA)

* Band V (W-CDMA 850) in America, Canada, parts of South America, parts of Asia (ITU Region 2 and ITU Region 3)

* Band VIII (W-CDMA 900) in Europe, Asia, Oceania (ITU Region 1 and ITU Region 3)

Originally Posted by wildonrio

First of all, unless Apple decides to sell unlocked phones (which I'm hearing is very possible), the new phone will have a new bootloader, which means back to the drawing boards for the hackers. When the 4.09 bootloader came out, if you recall, it took months to unlock the iPhone again.

Second of all, even if you get an unlocked phone you can forget about 3G for a long time:

• AT&T runs 3G at 850Mhz and 1900Mhz. T-Mobile USA runs 3G at 2100Mhz. Unless Apple supports 2100Mhz as well, 3G will never work on the iPhone under T-Mobile. However, Europe uses 2100Mhz, so you might be able to get a hold on a European iPhone and unlock it. Big hassle tho if you ask me.
• T-Mobile only offers 3G in New York currently. They have plans to release it nationwide, but it will literally take years. You'll have to check their release schedule for your specific state.

I'm on T-Mobile USA, and I'm thinking I'm gonna have to switch back to AT&T. Not too worried but it just means another break the contract $200 fee, which always sucks.

Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this...

[macgirl]

this should be interesting. iirc, europe runs their 3G network on the 2100 mhz frequency. will apple be making 2 versions of the iphone to work on the 3G networks in europe and the u.s.?

EDIT: ravman beat me to it...

[Quake97]

You can still use the 2nd gen iPhone on T-Mobile if/when it gets unlocked by the hacking community. You just won't get the 3G capabilities. Unless Apple is smoking crack, the new iPhone will support both the European and North American 3G bands and well as the 2G bands.

Joe

[ravman]

The iPhone will probably be tri-band for 3G: Tri-band domestic UMTS/HSDPA - 850/1900/2100 MHz

And Quad band for GSM/EDGE: Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE - 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

If this is the case, then yes, the iPhone will be the same for both Europe and US. But either way, it won't work on the T-Mobile 3G network.

I can see T-Mobile losing a lot of customers over this.

Originally Posted by Quake97

You can still use the 2nd gen iPhone on T-Mobile if/when it gets unlocked by the hacking community. You just won't get the 3G capabilities. Unless Apple is smoking crack, the new iPhone will support both the European and North American 3G bands and well as the 2G bands.

Joe

[jslappa]

Good point Ravman, and thanks for doing your homework on the 3G band break-down. I also believe that Apple will make sure that the new iPhone will work on Euro 3G as well as US AT&T bands. I would imagine that Apple's contract with AT&T is the reason why we won't see T-Mobile's band stuffed in there as well.

As for a new bootloader, I belive that is innevitable as well. As long as that bootloader is secure, the value of the 1st gen iPhone will remail high on the secondary market.