T-Mobile customers expecting they’re about to gain iPhone support because AT&T is in the process of buying their service provider are in for a bit of a disappointment. T-Mobile confirmed after the announcement that it isn’t going to be carrying the iPhone — at least not for now — and is still promoting competing smartphones like Samsung’s Galaxy S 4G.
The company said in a statement:
T-Mobile USA remains an independent company. The acquisition is expected to be completed in approximately 12 months. We do not offer the iPhone. We offer cutting edge devices like the Samsung Galaxy S 4G and coming soon our new Sidekick 4G.
Word of AT&T’s buyout plans surfaced Sunday. The deal will set AT&T back about US$39 billion in cash and stock, and has already gained approval from both company’s Board of Directors.
Along with a slew of new customers, AT&T will also get all of the radio spectrum under T-Mobile’s control. The deal doesn’t, however, give T-Mobile customers an immediate path into the iPhone 4.
While the iPhone 4 is capable of handling voice calls on T-Mobile’s cell network, it doesn’t include the appropriate 3G wireless data frequencies, so Apple’s smartphone would be limited to slower EDGE data connections.
Apple could potentially include T-Mobile’s 3G data frequencies in the next iPhone model, but for now it appears that the cell carrier is out of the iPhone loop.
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