Unlocked GSM iPhones on T-Mobile could get LTE with carrier update

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
T-Mobile customers that brought their iPhones over to the carrier will see feature enhancements and perhaps even a data speed boost when the carrier rolls out an update on Friday.

here


TmoNews on Tuesday carried an image of a leaked screenshot showing a carrier update set for April 5. The update will bring features like Visual Voicemail, and MMS Settings, as well as "Network/Device optimizations that customers do not have access to today."

While unconfirmed, it is possible that these "optimizations" will give current iPhone owners on T-Mobile access to the network's LTE network. Currently, data speeds for iPhones on T-Mobile's network top out at 2G EDGE levels. The iPhone 5, when it reaches T-Mobile, will be able to take advantage of the carrier's new high-speed network.

Apple's iPhone 5 will make its official debut on T-Mobile on April 12, for $99 on the carrier's new UNCarrier payment plans. The OTA update for current T-Mobile iPhone users will go out to devices running iOS 6.1.x or higher beginning April 5.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member


    Some people think that the T-Mobile iPhone 5's that they will be selling are unlocked, but that doesn't seem to be the case.


     


    I did some quick research into the T-Mobile iPhones, and it seems that they are not unlocked, until somebody has fully paid them off.


     


    So, if a person needs a fully unlocked iPhone from T-Mobile, it looks like they have two choices, either pay the full amount for the phone up front, or wait 2 years until the phone is fully paid off, then it can be made unlocked.

  • Reply 2 of 9
    Dan_DilgerDan_Dilger Posts: 1,583member
    LTE support for existing, unlocked iPhone 5 phones would be sort of useful (T-Mobile only has LTE up in a very few markets right now), but if this update also provides the new firmware to enable 3G over AWS it would make the existing (pre-T-Mobile deal) iPhone 5 far more useful on the T-Mobile network.

    AWS is T-Mobile's oddball frequency used for 3G. The carrier supports fast 3G in many markets that is comparable to LTE (which is why T-Mobile has marketed this as 4G).

    It appears Apple designed support for Tmobile AWS/LTE into iPhone 5 and you just need the new firmware to activate these features (along with Visual Voicemail and support for its MMS, etc.)
  • Reply 3 of 9
    muadibemuadibe Posts: 134member
    apple ][ wrote: »
    Some people think that the T-Mobile iPhone 5's that they will be selling are unlocked, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

    I did some quick research into the T-Mobile iPhones, and it seems that they are not unlocked, until somebody has fully paid them off.

    So, if a person needs a fully unlocked iPhone from T-Mobile, it looks like they have two choices, either pay the full amount for the phone up front, or wait 2 years until the phone is fully paid off, then it can be made unlocked.

    Actually, you can pay off the phone at any point over the two year period, even after just one month, at which point you will still have saved $70 off the full price from Apple.
  • Reply 4 of 9
    muadibemuadibe Posts: 134member
    "Currently, data speeds for iPhones on T-Mobile's network top out at 2G EDGE levels."

    This is a totally false statement. I have been using an unlocked iPhone 4S on TMO and getting as much as 10 Mpbs down.

    TMO has HSPA+ and HSPA+42. It is the faster HSPA+42 network that current iPhones (including my 4S) cannot access. To be clear, that's 10 Mpbs on their SLOWER HSPA network. I imagine the speeds will be greater on their HSPA+ 42 and LTE networks.
  • Reply 5 of 9
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by muadibe View Post





    Actually, you can pay off the phone at any point over the two year period, even after just one month, at which point you will still have saved $70 off the full price from Apple.


    I agree that the T-Mobile iPhone 5 is definitely a better deal than getting it directly from Apple, since you're paying about $580 instead of $650.

  • Reply 6 of 9
    sfamilyrepsfamilyrep Posts: 2member
    Does anyone know if that includes the Verizon iPhone 5, since it can work on both the AT&T & T-Mobile networks now anyway? I'm thinking it probably does but I could be wrong.
  • Reply 7 of 9
    apple v. samsungapple v. samsung Posts: 406member
    sfamilyrep wrote: »
    Does anyone know if that includes the Verizon iPhone 5, since it can work on both the AT&T & T-Mobile networks now anyway? I'm thinking it probably does but I could be wrong.

    The VZW iPhone has different lte frequencies. By apple making the iPhone 5 lte they get to experience the Cluster Fack known as lte. everyone is using different frequencies. Where apple made only one iphone 4s they need multiple SKUs for the iPhone 5.
  • Reply 8 of 9
    macbook promacbook pro Posts: 1,605member
    bwinski wrote: »
    AND, those of us that got suckered in by the %u2018Move your iPhone over to us%u2019 program that ran over the last 3-4 months by T-Mobile, and shelled out almost a thousand bucks for an UN-LOCKED iPhone 5, NOW - WE%u2019RE SCREWED because the Hardware is NOT COMPATIBLE. AND neither T-Mobile OR Apple will step up and take responsibility for that screw up..

    Thanks clowns.. If you think I%u2019m buying another iPhone 5 just to get the OLD T-Mumble AWS network, you%u2019re just stone stupid.

    Care to join us in this thread?
  • Reply 9 of 9
    focherfocher Posts: 687member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Corrections View Post



    LTE support for existing, unlocked iPhone 5 phones would be sort of useful (T-Mobile only has LTE up in a very few markets right now), but if this update also provides the new firmware to enable 3G over AWS it would make the existing (pre-T-Mobile deal) iPhone 5 far more useful on the T-Mobile network.



    AWS is T-Mobile's oddball frequency used for 3G. The carrier supports fast 3G in many markets that is comparable to LTE (which is why T-Mobile has marketed this as 4G).



    It appears Apple designed support for Tmobile AWS/LTE into iPhone 5 and you just need the new firmware to activate these features (along with Visual Voicemail and support for its MMS, etc.)


     


    It's not at all clear what Apple is doing to support AWS on the iPhone, but what is clear is that they are making a change at the factory to the AT&T SKU to add the support. So far, the message is that no existing iPhone 5 will support AWS. You will need to buy the updated model for that capability. I'd love it if it really is a firmware update and is available to existing iPhone 5 owners. So far, that's not what has been communicated.

Sign In or Register to comment.