{"id":653010,"date":"2013-04-17T19:50:32","date_gmt":"2013-04-17T23:50:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gigaom.com\/?p=632095"},"modified":"2013-04-17T19:50:32","modified_gmt":"2013-04-17T23:50:32","slug":"new-iphone-5-gives-t-mobiles-mvnos-a-network-boost-but-still-no-lte","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/653010","title":{"rendered":"New iPhone 5 gives T-Mobile\u2019s MVNOs a network boost, but still no LTE"},"content":{"rendered":"

Apple\u2019s newly retooled iPhone 5<\/a> makes it easier not just for T-Mobile to deliver 3G service to the Apple aficionados among its customers, but also for its mobile virtual network operator<\/a> (MVNO) partners.<\/p>\n

T-Mobile MVNO Solavei<\/a> said on Wednesday it will fully support all of the HSPA+ radios in the new version of the iPhone 5. That means anywhere T-Mobile offers 3G service, Solavei will too. Previously all iPhones\u2019 3G capabilities were restricted to areas where T-Mobile had completed its ongoing network overhaul<\/a>, which to date is about 50 cities. Solavei –\u00a0which has adopted a multi-level marketing approach (think Amway) to distributing its service –\u00a0is selling the unlocked iPhone 5 directly to customers for the steep price of $700 through its retail partner GSMNation<\/a>. But\u00a0unlocked versions of the device will work just fine with Solavei’s SIM cards.<\/p>\n

Solavei, however, won\u2019t get access to T-Mo\u2019s latest and greatest 4G network though. The MVNO confirmed that none of its customers will be able to tap T-Mobile\u2019s LTE network, no matter what phone they own. T-Mobile has only launched LTE in seven cities<\/a>, and it appears to be keeping its new 4G service for itself for the time being. I would expect that change eventually though. Sprint, for instance, is already opening its new LTE network to its numerous MVNO partners<\/a>.<\/p>\n

T-Mobile\u2019s 3G network, though, is nothing to scoff at. T-Mo the only U.S. carrier to offer dual-carrier HSPA+<\/a>, which is now accessible by the iPhone 5 and many other devices supporting its Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) band. T-Mobile also has several other MVNO partners, such as Tracfone\u2019s Straight Talk Wireless, that can theoretically support the iPhone 5. Solavei is the only one we know of that is selling a nano-SIM card that fits into to device, but many consumers are getting around that problem by cutting larger SIM cards down to size.<\/p>\n

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