T-Mobile Planning Further 3G Expansion In Run-Up To Android G1 Launch

T-Mobile USA has announced plans to have 3G HSDPA coverage in 21 markets by mid-October, a schedule no doubt prompted by the imminent announcement of the T-Mobile G1, the first Android-powered cellphone on the market.  The data-centric handset will be able to take advantage of up to 1Mbps download speeds, and will be announced on September 23rd (at an event Android Community will be Live Blogging).

The next step of the plan is to add a further six markets by the end of the year, taking the total to 27 areas and in fact catering for more than two-thirds of the carrier's existing data customers.  The T-Mobile 3G network is currently available in the following areas:

By mid-October, the carrier plans to have added the following locations:

The final six areas to be added before the end of 2008 are:

T-Mobile continues to refer to its upcoming "new and compelling data-centric, all-in-one devices"; it's uncertain whether this is meant to be the Android device, or something different.

Press Release:

T-Mobile USA Announces Commercial 3G Network Availability in 21 Markets By Mid-October

Company Confirms Launch of UMTS/HSDPA in Major Markets Across the Country and Details Plans for Additional Markets in the Fourth Quarter

BELLEVUE, Wash. – Sept. 18, 2008 – T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced highlights of the company's wireless network expansion plans, including the deployment of its third-generation (3G) wireless broadband service to 27 major markets in the United States by the end of 2008. The planned expansion is expected to deliver T-Mobile 3G services to more than two-thirds of T-Mobile's current data customers, with meaningful expansion to additional customers and markets through 2009.

T-Mobile's UMTS/HSDPA high-speed data network is currently available across 13 major metropolitan markets: Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Minneapolis, New York (including northern New Jersey and Long Island), Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio and San Diego. The company plans to expand its service by mid-October to additional markets, including Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Orlando, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Francisco and Seattle. An additional six markets — Birmingham, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Memphis and Tampa — are expected to have the network available before the end of the year, increasing the number of markets with T-Mobile's 3G network to 27 markets.

"With the faster data speeds delivered by our 3G network, T-Mobile looks forward to offering mobile products and services that place the full power of the Web in our customers' hands," said Cole Brodman, chief development officer, T-Mobile USA.

T-Mobile's 3G network supports multiple UMTS capable-phones as well as the HSDPA-enabled

Sony Ericsson TM506, a mass-market flip phone. In the coming months, T-Mobile plans to offer new and compelling data-centric, all-in-one devices that will help make the most of T-Mobile's HSDPA network, which can deliver download speeds of up to 1 Mbps. The faster speeds allow T-Mobile customers to take full advantage of new and emerging applications from social networking to sending live video.

The launch of the 3G network also enables T-Mobile to accommodate and serve customers more efficiently through the use of its AWS spectrum, effectively doubling T-Mobile USA's spectrum position and laying the foundation for the company's future growth.

T-Mobile and the U.S. government, namely the Department of Commerce, Department of Defense and the Department of Justice, continue to work closely and effectively together to make available AWS spectrum that will give our customers access to T-Mobile's 3G network.

As the 3G service rolls out in targeted major markets, T-Mobile will continue to build upon its

T-Mobile® HotSpot Wi-Fi network — its wireless high-speed Internet offering that launched in 2002 — and its nationwide voice and data network, to empower customers to effortlessly stay connected using the best available network.

T-Mobile USA is part of T-Mobile International, which is following a common technology path across all of its markets in Europe and the United States, from GSM/GPRS/EDGE to UMTS/HSDPA. T-Mobile USA greatly benefits from T-Mobile International's 3G experiences in Europe, where adoption of non-messaging mobile data is growing dynamically; and with more than 125 million customers worldwide, T-Mobile International is able to generate significant global procurement synergies.