Unlocked iPhone 5 Models Gain LTE on T-Mobile
The unlocked iPhone 5 models being used on T-Mobile will now have access to the carrier's LTE network.
The company had issued a software update that will allow customers to access a slew of new features that might have been available on the iPhone 5 with other carriers.
These features include Visual Voicemail, 4G network indicator, commercial mobile alert system, HD Voice, HSPA+ connectivity and LTE.
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T-Mobile began taking pre-orders for its own iPhone 5 model that was announced by the carrier last month.
The company is offering the iPhone 5, Galaxy S4, and HTC One smartphones for a $99.99 down payment.
No annual service contract is required for customers purchasing these smartphones on T-Mobile. The carrier hopes to draw customers from other major carriers in the U.S. using this strategy.
"This is an important day for people who their iPhone but can't stand the pain other carriers put them through to own one," said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile USA, during the announcement. "We feel their pain. I've felt the pain. So we're rewriting the rules of wireless to provide a radically simple, affordable iPhone 5 experience on an extremely powerful network."
This same deal will be offered with other high-end LTE smartphones including the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One. T-Mobile revealed that it will begin carrying the Galaxy S4 on May 1. The HTC One will be available later on in the Spring.
The BlackBerry Z10 will also be available on T-Mobile for $99.99 down payment.
T-Mobile launched its LTE network in seven major metropolitan areas yesterday including Baltimore; Houston; Kansas City; Las Vegas; Phoenix; San Jose; California; and Washington, D.C. The network is expected to reach 100 million people by the middle of this year and 200 million people by the end of 2013. The carrier's HSPA+ network reaches 225 million people in 229 metropolitan areas.
