T-Mobile adds Memphis and Tampa to its 3G network with Washington on its radar by the end of 2008. The carrier plans to have 120 major U.S. cities on the network for the rollout of its T-Mobile G1 with Google smart phone, the first mobile device to feature Google's Android mobile operating system.
T-Mobile is aggressively adding markets to its 3G network in advance of the
Oct. 22 debut of its G1 with Google smart phone powered by
Google's Android
mobile operating system. The carrier lit up a 3G network Oct. 17 in Sacramento,
Calif., and plans to launch 3G networks in Memphis
and Tampa the week of Oct. 20. When
Washington is added in November,
T-Mobile says it will have 3G coverage in 120 U.S.
cities.
The network can deliver download speeds of up to 1M bps, allowing T-Mobile
customers with 3G-capable handsets to take advantage of new and emerging applications
such as the wide array of services that will be accessible on the G1 with
Google, the carrier's highly anticipated smart phone set for an Oct. 22 public
debut.
"We're excited about the broad scale and reach of our 3G footprint in
major cities across the nation, already accessible by tens of millions of
consumers. And today, where the majority of our customers use data services,
our 3G network is there for them," Neville Ray, senior vice president of
Engineering and Operations for T-Mobile USA, said in a statement. "Our 3G
footprint will continue to expand, and we look forward to continuing to deliver
the rich experiences a 3G network can bring to T-Mobile customers."
T-Mobile, meanwhile, continues to neither confirm nor deny Internet rumors
that it has preordered 1.5 million G1 with Google smart phones from
manufacturer
HTC. Even if the numbers are
inflated, the presales demand
seems
to support T-Mobile's prediction that it will sell more than 500,000 units
by the end of 2008. HTC, which is
manufacturing the G1, has said it expects that T-Mobile will sell 600,000 to
700,000 units from late October through Dec. 31 and as many as 2 million by the
end of 2009.
Presale orders are currently limited to existing
T-Mobile customers. Orders placed before Oct. 21 will be shipped on or around
Nov. 10. T-Mobile is selling the G1 for $179, with a two-year voice and data
service plan.
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