T-Mobile today revealed that it will offer customers the Apple iPhone 5, 4S, and 4. Preorders for the iPhone 5 begin April 5, and the device will be in stores April 12.
The Apple iPhone 4S and 4 will be available in select markets later. The iPhone 5, for example, will require a $100 downpayment, with $20 monthly installments added to the customer’s bill. The customer can also choose to pay full price for the device. The iPhone 4S will require a $70 downpayment and $20 in monthly payments, and the iPhone 4 will require a $15 downpayment and $15 in monthly payments.
Apple Customized the iPhone 5 for T-Mobile’s network
T-Mobile’s version of the iPhone 5 has the same model number (A1428) as the one sold by AT&T, yet has unique tweaks that make it compatible with T-Mobile’s WCDMA/HSPA+ network in the 1700 MHz AWS band.
Unlocked A1428 iPhone 5s sold by AT&T and Apple will be able to work with T-Mobile’s LTE 1700 and WCDMA/HSPA+ 1900 networks with a minor software update, but will never work with T-Mobile’s WCDMA/HSPA+ 1700 network, according to an Apple.
T-Mobile is also the only U.S. carrier to support the iPhone 5’s wideband audio capability, which T-Mobile calls HD Voice.
That means only iPhone 5s sold by T-Mobile will have full high-speed data coverage from day one. Unlocked iPhone 5s used with T-Mobile will have limited high-speed data coverage at first, improving as T-Mobile makes progress with its network modernization this year
The iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 will not be customized for T-Mobile’s LTE network, but can access its HSPA+ service in the 1900MHz band.
