T-Mobile's been quietly, slowly rolling out their 3G network following its debut in New York City earlier this Spring. When I say quietly, I mean it: While T-Mo currently sells a few 3G (AWS) capable handsets, they're not even marketing them as such in stores or online.
Yesterday, TmoNews posted a "take this with a bucket of salt" rumor regarding a possible nationwide launch of T-Mo's 3G services this October. Beyond the obvious, this bears mentioning for a few reasons:
- While T-Mobile is generally last to the game with high-tech offerings like 3G data services, they usually get things right when they get around to launching them. Without getting our hopes too high, it's worth considering that when they finally go live with 3G services from coast-to-coast, TMo will most likely do it right the first time with a minimum of service problems and a maximum, if you will, of quality offerings.
- As everyone and their Moms either complains about AT&T's newly raised iPhone plan rates or scrambles to offer a discounted "All-In" voice and data plan, T-Mo continues to offer the best values in the business when it comes to good ol' fashioned voice plans. The new additions of UMA-based services like HotSpot@Home and T-Mobile@Home have increased the carrier's cost-effective offerings for home and mobile voice calling. It stands to reason that T-Mo's data services should continue their tradition of putting some bang behind your buck.
- T-Mo's back in bed with Sony Ericsson, and also has an exclusive on Motorola's new ROKR E8. On the one hand, SE and MOTO have both fallen on hard times as of late. On the other hand that means they're both working extra-hard to get back in the game. And the SE Xperia X1 and MOTO ZN5 both are looking pretty interesting in pre-release form. Hey, we gotta be optimistic, right?
- Totally unsubstantiated rumors are flying around regarding a 5MP cameraphone from Samsung and a "Knock your socks off iPhone killer" coming from T-Mobile in Q4 of this year. Love those pie-in-the-sky rumors, right? Seriously, though, you've gotta thing T-Mo's got something cool in the works as a flagship 3G device.
Only time will tell, but personally I'm going to maintain my "Off contract T-Mobile customer" status a little while longer. Dare (VZW) and iPhone 3G (AT&T) are tempting, but between my "old" unlocked iPhone and all of the amazing unlocked GSM devices available for import, I can hold out to see just what T-Mobile has in store when -- I mean, if and when -- they finally roll out 3G across the land.
