T-Mobile has begun adding iPhone-compatible 3G support to their mobile network, reports TMONews, with many customers now beginning to pick up 3G signals on unlocked iPhones.
The carrier has previously expressed interest in carrying the iPhone, but have been unable to secure arrangements with Apple due to their network’s usage of 3G bands that are incompatible with the device.
If T-Mobile continues rolling out iPhone-compatible 3G frequencies to their network, it’s possible that the carrier could soon gain the ability to begin officially offering Apple’s popular device to their customers.
Even without Apple’s approval, T-Mobile has previously reported that they have over 1 million unlocked iPhones running on their network, although up until now those users have been limited to slower 2G EDGE data speeds.
First and foremost, the area we’re specifically talking about is Nevada as that is where this individual unlocked iPhone owner lives. However, Nevada, parts of Northern California and the Pacific Northwest are also seeing some pockets of 1900MHz spectrum refarming for HSPA+. There are other parts of the country T-Mobile can refarm the 1900MHz spectrum but, the focus is on the Pacific Northwest, Nevada, Utah and California for right now…
Although T-Mobile’s iPhone-ready 3G is a rarity at the moment, it’s possible (and perhaps likely) that T-Mobile will soon expand the support to all of their current towers. The T-Mobile iPhone just became much more of a possibility.
