Is T-Mobile technically gonna become like Sprint/Verizon?

[Hinano]

I was just thinking...since Tmob's 3G network is on the 1700 band and not many phone makers make phones that include this band...when 3G is indeed rolled out, technically doesn't that mean we're all gonna have to buy only Tmobile branded phones? Like yea sure you can use unlocked phones with tmob still, but in order to take advantage of 3G you're gonna have to give in and get their handsets...which is somewhat how Sprint and Verizon work.

So in a sense, the unlocked freedom is gonna partially go away. :confused: It doesn't seem like the rest of the world is gonna produce handsets that include the 1700 band, other than tmobile exclusives...What does everyone think?

[SJSMR2]

I think that sounds like a good theory. I just hope you are wrong and that manufactures begin to include 1700 in their phones. Since you can buy a Quad band phone for voice why not a tri-band for 3G. Something like that would be great.

[greenblood]

T-Mobile still has GSM, while AWS band will be included in unlocked phones next year (I want N73 successor with AWS HSDPA)
Canada and Mexico will have AWS band auction in the future, that AWS will become one of 3G bands

[kinjutsu11]

Some manufacturers will make 1700mhz band 3G phones, we just won't be able to expect the vast amount of phones that we have now on 2G. But yea, technically you can say that our unlock freedom goes partially away, but this is true with AT&T as well. Take a look at the N95, it was rereleased with American 3G bands to work on AT&T's network, but it was not picked up by AT&T.

[greenblood]

currently Nokia is pretty aggressive on supplying AWS compliant phones, way more aggressive than Samsung
6263
5610 (6500s has EXACTLY SAME HARDWARE)
but more unlocked AWS compliant phones will come late next year, so does HTC
but LG will never, ever

[Hinano]

That's okay all of LG's phones suck anyway ;)

But I'm glad to hear that there's a movement to get the 1700 band phones released. Hopefully this will become a more popular trend in the future