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iPhone 3G, will it work on Tmobile's 3G network?

K

k2snow

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 16, 2008
38
0
Ok, thanks to the board and all of your help I successfully unlocked my 2G iPhone and am using it on Tmobile. The service is terrible but Im enjoying having the capabilities that the iPhne offers. Now, heres the question. I am greedy and want the new of the new, so if I happen to get a new 3G for xmas, can I use it on Tmobile, on thei 3G network, or would it just be EDGE?


Thanks for all of your help in advance and Happy Holidays!

jeff
 
You wouldn't be able to use 3G on T-Mobile since they use odd frequencies for their 3G (1700MHz, 2100MHz) as opposed to AT&T's 850MHz and 1900MHz. So you'd only be able to use EDGE.

And as for using it on anyone other than AT&T, you'd have to buy one from a country and carrier that sells unlocked iPhone 3Gs since there isn't a do-it-yourself unlock yet.
 
Unless you wanna buy those who-the-hell-knows-if-it-works SIM card "trickers."

Does anyone know if those work?
 
Are you kidding people?
t-Mobile's 3G works with the iPhone!
As some of you might know, T-Mobile sells the iPhone in some European countries.
And of course, 3G works over there even on T-Mobiles "odd" frequencies (who would buy a phone with "3G" in its name if 3G doesn't work?).
I highly doubt that the frequencies T-Mobile uses in Europe are different from the frequencies they use in America.
The problem is: The iPhone is locked to AT&T, it won't work with T-Mobile at all! The only thing you can do is that you buy an unlocked one from italy.
Also, T-Mobile has virtually no 3G coverage in the US.
 
Lucbert said:
I reallt doubt that T-Mobile uses other frequencies in Europe than in America
Click to expand...
Doubt no longer. T-Mobile US, in fact, does NOT use the same frequency as in Europe, ... or as AT&T.

Having been left out of the 3G race put on by its fellow national carriers, it comes as no surprise that T-Mobile has officially committed to rolling out UMTS / HSDPA on the 1700 and 2100MHz bands at a cost of some $2.1 billion. Unfortunately, the specrum is a few megahertz off from the UMTS 2100 used elsewhere, meaning existing 3G handsets designed to operate in Europe will be relegated to doing their 2.5G thing when roaming stateside
Click to expand...
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/10/06/t-mobile-details-3g-plans/
 
Omg, are they dumb? OR has it something to do with licensing? I mean, does AT&T already own the frequenties T-Mobile uses in Europe so T-Mobile has to use others in America?
I don't get it!
 
Lucbert said:
Omg, are they dumb? OR has it something to do with licensing? I mean, does AT&T already own the frequenties T-Mobile uses in Europe so T-Mobile has to use others in America?
I don't get it!
Click to expand...

It has nothing to do with AT&T owning frequencies overseas. AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile etc do not actually own any frequencies. They license the right to use them from the FCC. Europe has their own regulations, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the USA carriers.

The issue T-Mobile USA has is that there's a limited amount of wireless spectrum available. So they had to bid for what was up for auction, and the "standard" bandwith spectrums that most GSM phones use were not available. I don't know all the technicals of it, but in a nutshell if you're going to get annoyed that T-Mobile has non-standard 3G don't blame AT&T...it has everything to do with T-Mobile taking forever to decide to roll 3G out in the USA and the weird spectrums they were forced to buy licenses for because that was all they could get from the FCC auction.
 
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