T-Mobile USA has launched a teaser site for its first HSPA+ mobile phone. While the company has been very aggressive at deploying its “3.5G” HSPA+ network, it only has USB data modems that take advantage of the speeds, which have a theoretical max of 21Mbps down. Some T-Mobile phones get higher speeds with HSPA+, but a specific chipset is needed to reach the 14.4Mbps promised on the teaser site.
As I mentioned earlier in the month, rumors pointed to an HSPA+ phone launching in September. The word on the street is that the September device will be comparable the current crop of high-end Google Android phones. Where it gets really juicy is in November, when the rumored “Project Emerald” is set to hit T-Mobile. The buzz on this phone, allegedly running Android 3.0, is that it will be the first handset in North America to feature a dual-core Snapdragon processor.
I’m extremely interested in T-Mobile’s HSPA+ phones. While I’m a big fan of the Evo 4G, its WiMax performance isn’t the best in buildings due to its frequency. HSPA+ should offer comparable speeds with better building penetration. The thought of a phone with a dual-core processor is also cool…in a that ultra-nerd way.
If they come out with a device that hits 6-8 meg down, I'll be hard pressed not to get it. That speed is just ridiculous. It would make what I'm paying for right now look like premium priced dial up.
Supposedly this is the new G1.
@smartguy The September phone, yes. The November phone is allegedly the HTC Vanguard. I'm still dreaming about a white iPhone 4 with HSPA+ though….
@rpad
boo, i was just going to say that the siloutte (sp?) of the phone is kind of like the iphone 4. oh well.
@tokz_21 It's a blank slab. That could be a number of phones. That would be enormous if turned out to be the iPhone 4, but I doubt that's what it is. I'd love to be wrong in this case.
@rpad
I guess this ad could be like a Rorschach test. You see what you want.
@tokz_21 It's funny, when I see Rorschach I automatically think of Watchmen, not the test.
@rpad
me too! we are such comic book geeks.
@Ray
I've been thinking about TMo getting the iPhone. A few questions arise.
1) would they finance or even sub this phone?
2) does tmo have the on hand cash to buy boatloads of iPhones?
I know ATT pays about $500 per unit. Curious if TMo or even VZ could afford that.
@smartguy I imagine it would be available subsidized and unsubsidized. T-Mobile is the only major American carrier that offers discounted plans for buying a phone unsubsidized. I'm not sure if T-Mo USA has the cash, but its parent company certainly does.