On September 21, T-Mobile USA may try to convince you NOT to buy the iPhone 5

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

T-Mobile may not be getting the iPhone 5 this year, making them once again the only major US carrier bereft of Apple's multi-million selling mobile device, and if they can't have it, dammit, they're going to make sure you don't have one either. This according to David Beren at TmoNews, who received a couple of images in his inbox hinting at what the future just might hold, or rather not hold, for T-Mobile USA.

Based on both pieces of information that just came into our inbox, we’re trying to draw two conclusions, one that T-Mobile isn’t getting the iPhone 5, which shouldn’t surprise anyone. The second is that with the receipt of new Monthly4G microSIM kits supporting the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, T-Mobile is close to announcing some news about their network refarm.

The second of the two images details September Training Priorities (Retail, Branded, RPS) and includes a section on Selling Against the iPhone.

September 21 is, of course, the day iMore learned Apple will be launching the iPhone 5 in the US. If T-Mo wants their reps selling against it, odds are it's because they won't be selling it.

T-Mobile has historically been incompatible with the iPhone due to their use of the less common AWS frequencies for 3G. The lack of an official iPhone on their network has led to severe competitive problems for T-Mobile in the past. Since the iPhone 5 may support LTE, which T-Mobile won't start supporting until 2013, that mat not be likely to change any time soon.

Previously, the 3G incompatibility meant anyone running an unlocked iPhone on T-Mobile's network was limited to 2G EDGE speeds. Still, over a million T-Mobile customers chose to do just that. In recent months, T-Mobile has been offering cheap family plans and reassigning compatible bands to 3G to help give those unofficial iPhone customers a better value and experience. T-Mobile even placed a bubble around Apple's WWDC 2012 event back in June as a symbolic gesture.

While nothing is official until Apple makes a proper announcement, if they're once again frozen out of the iPhone party this year, September 21 isn't going to be a happy day at T-Mobile USA regardless of their training plans.

Source: TmoNews

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

7 Comments
  • Well it makes sense that if they aren't going to have an lte network just give them last years model that works with their 3g. It would still sell very well for those who have been waiting for the iphone and don't care about it being last years model.
  • A network that I don't use is going to attempt to tell me not to go with the iPhone 5. Yeah, good luck with that.
  • hat many people do not understand about tmobile is that they are an extremely reliable compnay that traditionally had excellent customer service at rates that were much lower than Verizon or AT & T. If "last year's model" is available at regional and prepay carriers such as Cricket, and Virgin Mobile, there should be no problem for over one million Tmobile customers who already have iphones on tmobile's network. Quite frankly, sometimes 2G edge is actually faster than say Sprints very slow "3G" network. It shouldn't matter for many people since wi-fi is available in so many different places in the U.S. and in many instances is still faster than 4G LTE. I was a very happy T-mobile customer for 10 solid years and cannot say enough good things about Tmobile. I switched to verizon in order to purchase a iphone4 because ATT won't work at my house, but I pay very dearly for Verizon service - $30 more per month with a lot of limitations, wheras Tmobile was $30 cheaper per month for unlimited everything. When my contract is up in a few months, I am serioulsy considering buying a new iphone outright (unlocked) and going right back to Tmobile, because in my metro area, Tmobile is just as reliable as verizon and it has always worked well every place I have went on vacation also. Now, if wi-fi were not available, I could see why many would not want to put an iphone on tmobile's network and for the life of me, I cannot understand why to this day, almost every regional carrier and many pre-paid carriers have the iphone now, but tmobile still does not. can anyone explain???
  • Well I was looking forward to getting an iPhone5 on Tmo. Looks like that won't happen. I'm not going to spend 60+ more dollars per month for the privilege of using a new iPhone. I'd use a straight talk sim on att if I knew it would do LTE. Seeing what it might be that's a no go to. Well looks like i'll be picking up a new Moto Nexus when it comes out instead of the iPhone. I have a gsm Gnex and I got it specifically cause of the OG iPhone5 (4S) last year. I'm not going back to small anytime soon. Apple doesn't want to play ball, fine. You just made my choice alot easier.
  • how is any of that apples fault?
  • AND, they will FAIL.
  • Are you serious? T-Mobile will not be getting the iPhone again? FAIL