November 17, 2024

Next iPhone to Support T-Mobile's AWS Spectrum Band?

Posted January 11, 2012 at 4:34pm by iClarified · 14333 views
T-Mobile is saying that Apple's next iPhone will use a chip that supports the AWS spectrum band used by the network, reports CNET.

CEO Philipp Humm claims the reason T-Mobile hasn't been given the opportunity to carry the iPhone is because it's on a different band than the rest of the market.

"The key reason we didn't have the iPhone in the past is we are on different band than globally the market was," Humm said. "That is something which will change over time. Chipsets are also evolving to be able to allow for more bands."

Neville Ray, Chief Technology Officer of T-Mobile, says that problem will go away with the next iPhone.

"The next chipset will support AWS," he said in an interview with CNET. "The challenge that existed in the past will go away."

Ray claims to have seen the roadmap of chipsets that Apple plans to use, and knows the new chip will have that capability. However, it's still up to Apple to strike a deal with T-Mobile.

iPhone users who have unlocked their devices for use with T-Mobile are currently stuck with slow data speeds; however, a report last month claimed that in selected areas T-Mobile was switching on 3G for frequencies that existing unlocked iPhones and other devices can use as part of its 84Mbps upgrade.

Update:
T-Mobile says that the CTO has not seen Apple's roadmap.

Read More [via MacRumors]