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T-Mobile Revs Android to 42 Megs

LR Mobile News Analysis Sarah Thomas, Director, Women in Comms 9/26/2011

T-Mobile US Inc. has unveiled two High-Speed Packet Access Plus (HSPA+) smartphones, the High Tech Computer Corp. (HTC) (Taiwan: 2498) Amaze and Samsung Corp. Galaxy S II, alongside a new HSPA+ hotspot.

These are the first phones to take advantage of T-Mobile's 42Mbit/s HSPA+ upgrade deployed in 152 markets covering 170 million people across the U.S. It already covers 200 million people with its 21Mbit/s HSPA+ upgrade, which powers most existing FauxG smartphones. The carrier says the 42Mbit/s upgrade offers downloads "approaching 10Mbps with peak speeds of 27Mbps," encroaching on Verizon Wireless 's Long Term Evolution (LTE) speeds.

Both the photo-centric Amaze and Galaxy variant will be available for sale online on Oct. 10, followed by retail availability on Oct. 12.

Why this matters
T-Mobile's CMO Cole Brodman told AllThingsD that the carrier doesn't think it will get the iPhone next month when its rival Sprint Corp. (NYSE: S) is widely expected to, which makes an attractive line of Android devices all the more important. What's more, T-Mobile won't be getting LTE if AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) isn't permitted to buy it, making HSPA+ devices -- and continued speed upgrades -- equally important. (See Sprint Tiptoes Around the iPhone 5 and What Could T-Mobile Do After AT&T?)

T-Mobile is already leaning heavily on the Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) OS, with 90 percent of its smartphone sales (which make up 75 percent of its total device sales) going to Android. Going forward, the carrier plans to add more Windows Phone and BlackBerry smartphones to the mix as well.

Brodman also told Mobilize attendees Monday that phones running on its 4G network make up 15 percent of its smartphone base, but account for half of its data traffic. Of that, half is video traffic.

For more
T-Mobile has been aggressively rolling out its 42Mbit/s HSPA+ upgrades all year. Read up on its 3G evolution below.

— Sarah Reedy, Senior Reporter, Light Reading Mobile

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DCITDave 12/5/2012 | 4:52:37 PM

re: T-Mobile Revs Android to 42 Megs

Gotta watch those headlines.

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kaps 12/5/2012 | 4:52:36 PM

re: T-Mobile Revs Android to 42 Megs

It's the new line from HP? The "42-Meg?"

Seriously -- Brodman today said the phones "might" have an average download speed of 8 Mbps and "could" hit a peak download speed of 20 Mbps. Neither of which T-Mobile will guarantee in any shape or form. So it's either 42, 20, 8, or whatever. Take your pick.

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kaps 12/5/2012 | 4:52:36 PM

re: T-Mobile Revs Android to 42 Megs

It's the new line from HP? The "42-Meg?"

Seriously -- Brodman today said the phones "might" have an average download speed of 8 Mbps and "could" hit a peak download speed of 20 Mbps. Neither of which T-Mobile will guarantee in any shape or form. So it's either 42, 20, 8, or whatever. Take your pick.

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Michelle Donegan 12/5/2012 | 4:52:35 PM

re: T-Mobile Revs Android to 42 Megs

So T-Mobile USA will have the 42Mbit/s smartphones before they do back at the mother ship in Germany. Deutsche Telekom has rolled out 42Mbit/s to 95 percent of its 3G sites in Germany and the only devices it has for the service are two USB dongles from Huawei and a Samsung tablet. 

It's probably difficult for operators to get their hands on HSPA+ devices when handset makers are launching their efforts at LTE at the moment. 

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eaqle3c 12/5/2012 | 4:52:35 PM

re: T-Mobile Revs Android to 42 Megs

unless i m running torrents on my mobile phone having a speed of 8 mbps looks fine (all mails pushing by, 2 messengers,HQ youtube video). Ok, 42 meg is here, but is it for smartphones? Where is that Big Battery to power 42 meg for even half a day? And if my usage is less why would I take 42 meg.

Looks good for SOHO setups, mobile offices though.

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comtech3 12/5/2012 | 4:52:29 PM

re: T-Mobile Revs Android to 42 Megs

I will believe those throughput when I see it.However,theoretically,it is possible for wireless to have the same throughput,or close to that of their wired brethren,but wireless device has to be very close to the base  station and with good line-of -sight  for that to happen.I get the same throughput from my wireless router fifty feet away on my laptop as when I connect an ethernet cable to it.But the speed varies depending of the kind of wireless card and the CPU of the laptop.My little netbook with an Atom CPU,and my Android phone does that give me the speed that my Macbook core2duo does.

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kaps 12/5/2012 | 4:52:29 PM

re: T-Mobile Revs Android to 42 Megs

Let's get it straight -- they are NOT 42 Mbps phones, and they never will be. Just because T-Mobile calls them that, doesn't mean we have to repeat their fantasy. But apparently it works since across the board headlines and stories are calling them "42 Mbps phones." But until I see some guarantees -- any guarantees -- from T-Mobile I'm calling them "the potentially faster phones." Not as snappy but more accurate.

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kaps 12/5/2012 | 4:52:29 PM

re: T-Mobile Revs Android to 42 Megs

Let's get it straight -- they are NOT 42 Mbps phones, and they never will be. Just because T-Mobile calls them that, doesn't mean we have to repeat their fantasy. But apparently it works since across the board headlines and stories are calling them "42 Mbps phones." But until I see some guarantees -- any guarantees -- from T-Mobile I'm calling them "the potentially faster phones." Not as snappy but more accurate.

Reply | Post Message | MESSAGES LIST | START A BOARD