T-Mobile USA 3G Next Year!

[carcomptoy]

T-Mobile USA today detailed their launch plans for 3G services using the spectrum the carrier won in the most recent FCC auctions. The company will roll out UMTS / HSDPA service beginning mid 2007 in selected markets, and expects to offer nationwide 3G coverage by the end of 2008. CEO Robert Dotson says the company has "already completed 50 percent of the UMTS equipment rollout in New York." Because T-Mobile 3G services will be in a new band (1700 MHz) that no carrier could previously use, they will not be able to use current 3G handsets. However T-Mobile feels that because their 3G service will be limited to a single band, that they will be able to offer inexpensive 3G handsets after launch. Dotson also revealed that T-Mobile will launch UMA Cellular / Wi-Fi services beginning next year.
This is so great, yet so unbelievable! After all the excitement I got that we would get 2100MHz exactly like Europe, turns out it's COMPLETELY different from the European standard, which seems really pointless. So I got a 3G phone for nothing. T-Mobile at least better have an S60 phone by launch, or I will not be one happy camper. Oh, and the prices better be somewhat reasonable.:p

[TheZodiac]

Its not that its the standard thats completely different, its the fact that the spectrums are not the same within the 2100 frequency.

Either way, Im not going to Europe, so I dont mind. Not to mention, no phones have been announced for these freqs for Tmo, so the hardware needs to be there.

Personally, I want a card for a laptop or something.

[carcomptoy]

I wanna have a phone that I can use as a modem...that way I could just have decent wireless internet where ever like some other people.

[MikeUK]

This is a litte OT but are there any 3.5G/HSDPA phones out yet or announced? I remember when it first came out there were only data cards like when 3G first came out but I've never really checked.

[jayesh]

nokia n95 is hsdpa..

[SeaFox]

After all the excitement I got that we would get 2100MHz exactly like Europe, turns out it's COMPLETELY different from the European standard, which seems really pointless.

It's not pointless, it makes all those European model devices useless in the USA, so you can't buy Euro goods (or Cingular, looking at the article) and have to buy from T-Mobile. It's just another vendor lock-in method now that "locking" handsets is all but useless anymore. Another F-U to customer choice.

[carcomptoy]

It's not pointless, it makes all those European model devices useless in the USA, so you can't buy Euro goods (or Cingular, looking at the article) and have to buy from T-Mobile. It's just another vendor lock-in method now that "locking" handsets is all but useless anymore. Another F-U to customer choice.
I know it's not pointless, but it is a bit disheartening. WCDMA was supposed to bring us all together, but of course it didn't happen.nokia n95 is hsdpa..I think he means for this new frequency...right, MikeUK?