T-Mobile USA Launches 3G Service with Voice and Data

T-Mobile USA has begun the long-delayed rollout of its 3G service. Despite what earlier reports said, this includes both voice and high-speed data.

The company is starting this process by launching its UMTS/HSDPA network in New York City. It says it plans to continue the rollout of its 3G network across major metropolitan markets through the year. By year's end, T-Mobile expects its high-speed data network will be available in cities where a majority of its subscribers currently use data services.

Although this news will doubtless be welcomed by many of this telecom's subscribers, the four devices this telecom offers now that can access this network are featurephones, not smartphones, and can only connect via UMTS, which is not tremendously faster than this carrier's 2.5G service EDGE.

Still, T-Mobile plans to offer its first HSDPA device in the coming months, along with new data-centric, all-in-one devices that can take better advantage of its high-speed network.

A Slightly Different Version of 3G

In order to get the radio spectrum it needed to create a national 3G network, T-Mobile had to use a different frequency from the other N. American carriers that offer UMTS service. This means that standard U.S. 3G phones won't be able to access T-Mobile's 3G network.

The four phones available now with support for this network are the Nokia 6263, Nokia 3555, Samsung T639, and Samsung T819.

Playing Catchup

In 2006, this company paid billions of dollars to acquire the rights to the wireless spectrum it needs to roll out this 3G network. However, the government agencies that were using that spectrum at the time ran into problems freeing it up.

The long delay has been hard on this telecom, as until now it has been the only major wireless carrier in the United States without a 3G network. And one of its competitors, Sprint, is going to start offering a 4G network to customers later this year.

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