iPhone 5 on T-Mobile
T-Mobile announcing it would be carrying the iPhone 5 in April marked a notable moment for its long-time users. Apple fans who couldn’t wait for the carrier to hop on the bandwagon have been using jailbroken AT&T model iPhones to keep up with the latest models.
When T-Mobile announced its partnership with Apple and the launch of its 4G LTE network, users with unlocked iPhones were concerned they wouldn’t be able to access the network. The good news is the T-Mobile version of the smartphone is an only slightly tweaked version of AT&T’s, and will support a 1700mhz band. Both unlocked phones and AT&T users who wish to switch to T-Mobile can access the LTE network with a few steps.
Unfortunately, the tweak won’t work on the Verizon iPhone 5 model, as they don’t have the proper radios to connect with T-Mobile’s AWS bands. Also, the tweak won’t allow unlocked iPhones access to T-Mobile’s slower HSPA+ network. Therefore, users who opt to switch to the T-Mobile will have to wait for an update from Apple to have access if they’re out of the coverage area–which is currently only available in 7 U.S. cities (Baltimore, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Jose and Washington D.C.).
Could this jailbreak tweak hand over a wave of new subscribers for T-Mobile? Only time will tell. Also, its newly released rate plans are attractive, and may cause other major carriers to lose some of their users and lock in current customers.
What are your thoughts on the tweak? Share with us in the comments!