T-Mobile

T-Mobile bets the iPhone will curb subscriber churn

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 28, 2016

As you know, T-Mobile USA, the nation's fourth-largest carrier, will finally land Apple's iPhone next year. The Deutsche Telekom-owned telco is making no excuse for its failure to land the sough-after device earlier and, unsurprisingly, is looking to tap the popularity of the Apple smartphone to win back some of its subscribers lost to rivals AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint.

T-Mobile USA CEO John Legere told reporters on Friday that his company, which has 33 million customers in the United States, is hoping to steal would-be subscribers who are eyeing an iPhone on a rival network. Even more so, the German company acknowledges that having the iPhone is key to returning to growth in subscriptions by the end of 2013...

T-Mobile to eliminate handset subsidies ahead of iPhone launch

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

On Thursday, Deutsche Telekom announced that T-Mobile USA had entered into an agreement with Apple to bring products to market next year. CEO John Legere confirmed the news while speaking at a conference this week, saying that T-Mobile will indeed be carrying the iPhone in 2013, and it will be offering it in a "different" way...

T-Mobile confirms: we will start selling Apple products in 2013

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 28, 2016

This is interesting. Even though it claimed it couldn't afford the iPhone due to Apple's stringent terms of business and the billions required in upfront subsidy, Deutsche Telekom-owned T-Mobile USA, the nation's fourth-largest, has confirmed an agreement to start carrying some mobile products from Apple beginning with next year.

Though the carrier did not specifically confirm the long-expected iPhone distribution agreement, this development is the best indication yet that T-Mobile USA stands poised to finally land the iconic Apple smartphone and tablet on its network in 2013...

T-Mobile could announce iPhone deal next week

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

All that free support to unlockers might not have been in vain. Merrill Lynch analyst Scott Craig reports in a note to clients Thursday that Deutsche Telekom could announce a long-expected iPhone deal for T-Mobile USA as early as next week. Funny, we thought the German carrier could not afford Apple's handset.

“We recognize that it has been a point of churn for us”, the carrier's op-chief recently said in response to concerns related to lack of iPhone in its offering. The company confirmed it lost nearly half a million subscribers because of the iPhone 5 launch.

Truth be told, T-Mobile, which has 33 million customers, now hosts about 1.5 million unlocked iPhones on its network. Moreover, it's been rolling out its iPhone-friendly HSPA+ network on the 1900MHz band in more markets. Our take is that a T-Mobile iPhone is inevitable, if not imminent...

T-Mobile says it cannot afford the iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated September 26, 2016

T-Mobile is the furthest behind of the four major U.S. telcos in 4G LTE deployment and it's been losing customers to AT&T, Verizon and Sprint over its ongoing inability to offer the iPhone. Though the Deutsche Telekom-owned carrier offers free support and Nano SIMs to unlockers, it stopped using the iPhone name to drive sales.

As things stand now, a much-needed deal with Apple continues to be just a wishful thinking. Optimists amongst analysts are positive 2013 will be the year the iPhone lands on T-Mobile's network. Others point to the $10 billion dent in carriers' profits over high iPhone subsidy, which is estimated to an average of $425 per handset. And now, T-Mobile's op-chief re-iterates that his company won't be able to afford the iPhone unless Apple budges on its asinine position...

T-Mobile confirms nearly half a million customers lost in Q3 over iPhone 5 launch

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated September 26, 2016

The nation's fourth-largest carrier continues to experience the side-effects of remaining the sole major U.S. telco without Apple's popular iPhone. The company this morning reported third-quarter earnings and the results are depressing. It lost 492,000 contract customers, down from the 557,000 loss in the June quarter but also up over the year-ago quarter when it reported loss of 389,000 contracts.

As a result, revenue for the quarter shrank to $4.9 billion, a 6.4 percent decline, while service revenue experienced an 8.7 percent drop...

T-Mobile brings faster HSPA+ speeds to Baltimore, Houston and Washington D.C. markets

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

T-Mobile USA, the fourth-largest telco in the United States, continues expanding its iPhone-compatible HSPA+ network on the 1900MHz band (incorrectly advertised as "4G"). Today, the company announced that HSPA+ is now available to customers in the Washington D.C., Baltimore and Houston markets.

I'm sure you know T-Mobile USA is the sole major telco in the U.S. without the iPhone (next year, maybe?). But with its offering of Nano SIMs for iPhone 5 owners, free support to unlockers and unlimited 4G data plans, T-Mobile is a good choice for unlocked iPhone owners curious to take advantage of HSPA+ speeds...

AT&T and T-Mobile sharing networks in Sandy-affected areas

Cody Lee ∙ October 31, 2012

This is pretty cool: AT&T and T-Mobile have both announced that they will be temporarily combining their coverage in areas devastated by Hurricane Sandy on Monday night.

The deal will allow subscribers from the two carriers to roam on either network without incurring penalties, or affecting their rate plans, and it should greatly improve their service...

Analyst says T-Mobile could finally land the iPhone in 2013

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 20, 2017

Here we go again. T-Mobile USA, the nation's fourth-largest carrier and the only major U.S. telco without Apple's iconic smartphone, should finally land the latest iPhone early next year, if an analyst with Morgan Stanley is to be trusted.

This isn't the first time analysts made such an estimate and the carrier on its part has been appeasing to its iPhone-totting customers with free support to unlockers, Nano SIMs for the iPhone 5 and a broad marketing push to sell Apple users to its unlimited data plans...

T-Mobile tells employees to stop using the iPhone name to drive sales

Cody Lee ∙ October 10, 2012

After being snubbed by Apple as an iPhone partner for several years, T-Mobile finally decided to take matters into its own hands. It started updating its network to be more compatible with the handset, and launched a nationwide "bring your own device" campaign to attract unlocked iPhone users.

The marketing has caused quite the buzz in the media, but only time will tell if it resonates with consumers. Unfortunately, T-Mobile may not get to find out. According to a new report, the carrier has sent out an internal memo indicating that it can no longer use the iPhone to drive sales...

Some T-Mobile stores receiving Nano SIM cards for iPhone 5

Cody Lee ∙ October 7, 2012

Great news for folks who have managed to get their hands on an unlocked iPhone 5 and are looking to start up T-Mobile service with the handset. Reports are coming in this weekend that some of the carrier's retail stores have started receiving shipments of iPhone 5-compatible Nano SIM cards...

T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS to become one

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 10, 2018

Following its failed acquisition with AT&T, T-Mobile USA's parent company Deutsche Telekom just announced that it has reached a deal to combine its U.S. operations with MetroPCS, the nation's fifth-largest carrier. What's in it for you?

For starters, T-Mobile gets to finally jump on the 4G LTE bandwagon as MetroPCS has been deploying this technology over the past two years. This could be a bargaining chip the merged carriers may just need to finally land the iPhone...