Unlocked iPhones Working On T-Mobile USA’s 3G Network in Some Areas

Few months back, T-Mobile USA had revealed it had over a million unlocked iPhones running on its network.

That was a large number of iPhone users using T-Mobile USA’s network when you consider that iPhone does not support T-Mobile’s 3G data network due to the incompatibility with the 1700/2100 MHz bands used by T-Mobile, which means iPhone users could only use the slow EDGE network.

We may have some good news for them, as some users are reporting that their iPhones are picking up T-Mobile USA's 3G data signal. Electronista reports:

Multiple reports have emerged of T-Mobile switching on 3G for frequencies that existing unlocked iPhones and other devices can use. At least some parts of Nevada and some parts of Northern California and the Northwest are seeing 1,900MHz repurposed to be used as additional carrying space for the HSPA+ 84Mbps network anticipated for 2012. Those who live in the altered areas are seeing speeds faster not just than they would on EDGE but faster than AT&T's real-world 3G, at 7.92Mbps down and 1.8Mbps up.

Here's the reason:

TmoNews (via MacRumors) reports that T-Mobile USA has begun refarming some of its spectrum to roll out HSPA+ 84 network. For this purpose, T-Mobile seems to have moved its 3G network to iPhone compatible 1900 MHz band in some "pockets" of the country.

First and foremost, the area we’re specifically talking about is Nevada as that is where this individual unlocked iPhone owner lives. However, Nevada, parts of Northern California and the Pacific Northwest are also seeing some pockets of 1900MHz spectrum refarming for HSPA+. There are other parts of the country T-Mobile can refarm the 1900MHz spectrum but, the focus is on the Pacific Northwest, Nevada, Utah and California for right now from what we’re told. We should emphasize and emphasize greatly that this post does not mean that all of the aforementioned areas are seeing this refarmed spectrum, just pockets inside those areas.

As you can see in the screenshot above, iPhone users on T-Mobile USA's network are reporting download and upload speeds that EDGE networks won't allow.

Let us know if you're one of the lucky ones to get 3G speeds on T-Mobile USA's network.