T-Mobile 4G Network Coming With Help From Comcast
| by Rob Jackson on June 5th, 2009 |
|
Sprint has WiMax. Verizon and AT&T will soon be pushing out LTE. What does T-Mobile have? A 4G Network on the way with help from Comcast if the rumors are to be believed.
According to a “trusted tipster” of TMOtoday, T-Mobile and Comcast entered into an agreement last month wherein Comcast would provide the infrastructure to support a 4G mobile network. The first two areas blessed with quadruple G-droppings? Washington D.C. and Baltimore! Which makes me happy because guess where I live?
But hold your horses there cowboy – T-Mobile won’t even begin TESTING the network for 18 months. Timeframe for actual development and market launch is a completely different ball game, especially considering the entire story has rumorville status – although it would make sense. Comcast would add a service similar to T-Mobile At Home where their land line and cell phone would operate from the same number… or something like that?
The important thing here is that while T-Mobile is rolling out their 3G network they’ve got their eyes on a 4G network. Verizon should have something solidified in early 2010 so any company without an eye on next generation mobile data speed is going to be left behind. I’m hoping T-Mobile won’t be and if this story is true, Comcast could eventually help pull them to the front of the pack.
1. Rob wrote on June 5, 2009
Comcast is complete garbage where I live. I’m not looking forward to any of this considering none of the THREE G maps T-Mobile has NOW or LATER show my area with any access to 3G, So how am I supposed to look at FOUR G with happiness?
3G is overrated regardless, The difference in speed next to an Edge network phone is MINIMAL at best. A friend of mine is on Verizon 3G in my area and his pages BARELY load a few seconds before mine on simple EDGE. People whine too much over the simplest of things.
This just proves the WRONG direction we’re going, We’re in a 100% ON DEMAND/I WANT IT NOW era and it’s only proving further incompetence and impatience. People crying over 4 seconds of websites on their phone give me the lol’s I need to move on.
2. Alex wrote on June 5, 2009
@ Rob The speed at which your web pages load on your phone doesn’t only depend on the speed of your network, but also how the phone renders pages. Also, 3g might be crappy in your area.
3. Maisum wrote on June 5, 2009
@Rob Also, depends on how many images are on the website. With HSDPA it’ll load faster yes, but theres a significant difference with EDGE and 3G. Try loading engadget on both networks and see the difference.
4. going_home wrote on June 5, 2009
What does this mean for those who live in areas without Comcast ? The area I live has Brighthouse. You have to go an hour south to get Comcast. =P
5. Rob wrote on June 5, 2009
@Alex: I have four G1’s in my home, I think I understand the process in the rendering of pages based off the phone. Regardless, When you have an HTC Touch Diamond on 3G and a G1 on Edge and there’s almost no comparison, That’s all there is to say. Verizon’s 3G is actually PERFECT in this area not to mention the test was done at 3 or 4 am where there wouldn’t even be any network congestion. Android is clearly a better platform then whatever the Diamond uses and obviously the G1 (in my opinion) is a “higher end” phone (even though it cost hundreds less) and it was crushed. No blackberry or even an iPhone has DOMINATED page renders next to a G1 on Edge. The only thing I have seen on 3G that would make me not want to use Edge is Edge “times out” alot as in I type a url or click a link and it just sits there so I have to do it again. but god forbid the next generation of this world has to move ANOTHER finger lol.
6. Ken wrote on June 6, 2009
this would be a marriage between one of my most and one of my least favorite companies. There’s little I’d like more than to see Comcast’s smoldering carcass at the bottom fiery pit. But being a DC resident and T-mobile subscriber in lust for more power… I’m torn between desire and wrath.
7. Casey wrote on June 6, 2009
Add more speed more power and i’ll be fine with everything.
8. Daniel wrote on June 6, 2009
@Rob
My town barely has Edge (60%-80% of my area is still GPRS), so be happy you at least have that.
I really wish they all had to use the same towers and that the phones would work no matter who owned the tower (I know roaming works sometimes… but thats only certain areas as well). Doesn’t look like this will ever happen since they all want to make their own high speed wireless networks…
Guess I can expect 4G in my area by 2020, but hopefully I won’t be here that long.
9. Grant wrote on June 6, 2009
JOY! 4G! …wait.. whats that? Comcast?
poo.
10. Ricky wrote on June 6, 2009
I’m glad they’re getting some help. I have T-Mobile and I love it, but i was so worried about their 4G plans since they’re barely getting their 3G out.
So yay!
11. bob wrote on June 6, 2009
you whiners have no idea what it takes to keep an infastructure up and going with so many moving parts. Your the same losers that whined about your local phone companies and now your bagging on comcast if you had half a clue you would shut your mouths and stop whining.
12. webby wrote on June 6, 2009
I always get a MAJOR difference in speed between 3G and Edge. Doing tests using the Speedtest app, I consistently get low 900’s Kbits/sec, avg about 910, high of 914. On Edge/2G, I got 178, always running many times slower on Edge than 3G.
13. Willy wrote on June 6, 2009
Rob – interesting post but you lost me, especially on your conclusions. Webby reports the pure test – but as always in the real world the theoretical differences diminish.
4G is out in Russia (HTC 4G) and i assume elsewhere. Likely rollout in US Verizon/ ATT 2010-2012
What’s LTE?
14. Jason D wrote on June 6, 2009
Webby, I agree, here in the Chicagoland area, 3G is way way better than Edge. Doing something as simple as clicking a link that does not navigate to a new page, but just adds two fields and some text to the current page can take over a minute on edge — but what’s more likely is that it’ll spin it’s wheels and fail. On 3G I’m waiting 10 maybe 15 seconds. Sounds like Rob has really weak 3G in his area, which can’t be construed to suggest 3G is no different. Yeah, an HD plasma screen TV, viewed from a block away looks about as good as tiny 13″ Tube TV right in front of you. But sit them next to each other and there’s no comparison.
15. Aita wrote on June 6, 2009
wow getting 4G with T-mobile and then finding out its through comcast is a sick joke. Its like having a wet dream and then waking up with a cancer lol. i keed i keed. But honestly I don’t really mind that comcast is rolling out the network as my entire area is comcast. Sure I don’t really like them but I don’t really have a say in how T-mobile rolls out 4G, so why bitch?
16. G wrote on June 6, 2009
@Rob Yah your 100% right! Let us not invest in new technology for faster communication.
Also by that logic we SHOULD throttle our ISP’s packets because we don’t want to pay for network expansion. Who needs fast internet speeds we got time to burn!
Let us forget we have cell phones and start chizzling away at stone. Technology advancement is bunk!
17. Rob wrote on June 6, 2009
Lol G you moron..”Faster communication”? “Fast internet speeds?” I have 4 G1’s lol, I’m not some technology nazi. I’m simply an advocate for patience. Comcast is a MONOPOLY in my area, You need to take other things into consideration instead of being some moron on phandroid pretending I’m a tech nazi when I guarantee I support/own more “new tech products” than 5 people in your immediate family.
18. SDscorch wrote on June 6, 2009
i’m in southern california so i’ve never had the pleasure of interacting with anything comcast – but i’ve heard a LOT of negative feedback concerning them
:(
19. E.T. wrote on June 6, 2009
comcast is like the armpit of the internet service provider world..god i hate comcast so the news with 4G is kind of bitter sweet.
20. Fred wrote on June 6, 2009
Don’t believe any of the propaganda about LTE just around the corner (2010…yea right!). It is being done to slow (and hopefully kill) adoption of WiMAX and protect/extend their investments in the inferior 3G network.
Independent 3rd party experts say LTE is at least 3-5 years away from any sort of significant roll out!
21. Joe wrote on June 6, 2009
comcast is a part owner of the new clearwire.
22. steve wrote on June 7, 2009
ALEX & OTHERS,
Verizon doesnt have a 3G network like T-mobile – Verizon has CDMA while T-mobile has UMTS – it is a BIG difference.
T-mobile’s 3G network can easily be upgraded to 20Mbit, which soon could happen…
Steve
23. twilightwolf90 wrote on June 7, 2009
Just wanna chime in and say that I also live in NoVA. Comcast is complete shit. They have the worst technicians and the worst customer service, and completely overcharge. Switched to FIOS for everything and we’ve been happy with it. Verizon is definitely better for human relations and the hardware is just better.
24. jeff mccune wrote on June 7, 2009
For you guys worrying about the coverage area of 4g,If I remember correctly, the 4g network will be running on the tv waves that digital tv left behind, so, wouldn’t we have 4g network anywhere we could watch simple free tv?
And on that same note, we never had to pay for those signals before, so why would we now? I mean yes, they had to buy that wavelength area or whatever but shouldn’t we expect to have this technology for free after their debts are paid?
(This is where the REAL geeks rip into me, and then give me the simple answer i need.)
25. babyBIGboss wrote on June 7, 2009
give comcast a break
a you may never know it is going with t mobile it might just get better
26. Crush wrote on June 8, 2009
@rob
Are you suggesting we stick with edge?
And why are you pushing the number of G1’s you have as a reference to technical knowledge or awareness?
The bottom line is this… edge is completely inferior. its theoretical speed isn’t even close to the real-life speed of HSDPA or HSPA… streaming video, downloads, PC-like web browsing and many other functions, just aren’t smooth, efficient, or timely with edge. Sorry dude. Faster mobile networks are a necessity and no matter how mad you get, you can’t justify EDGE over 3G or 4G networks. PLUS, it’s not just about phones… There’s air cards, tethering, and netbooks coming soon… ARE YOU REALLY SAYING EDGE IS SUFFICIENT for those?
Sorry T-Mo hasn’t built out 3G in your area… I’m in Houston. It’s nearly everywhere here and the difference is ridiculous (great). To be honest the 3G speeds arent even topped out spec wise. Theres room to expand still before the move to WiMax or LTE. I’d like to see AT&T’s HSPA+ at 21MBPS.
27. Gram wrote on June 8, 2009
@Rob Yah, sorry I should have specified, my comment was only in regard to your “Have it now” generation. I have no beef’s with your monopoly argument. I live in western Canada; we only have 2 ISP’s. Both of them work vary closely together to make sure the consumer gets the shunt. They don’t need to upgrade since its Telus or Shaw or the “56K”.
28. ybandg wrote on June 8, 2009
@twilightwolf90
I agree 100%. I’m in NoVA too and Comcast is the devil. I wish I could switch to FIOS but sadly, it’s not available in my area yet.
Hopefully T-MO is steering this ship and not the other way around.
29. msn wrote on June 10, 2009
comcast customer service has been pretty bad in my experience (ATL area) but it’s not been a big deal since my actual service has been quite good. we don’t have FIOS as an option, but my standard cable modem service absolutely SMOKES the DSL offerings here and in the 8 or 9 years that I’ve had my cable modem, I’ve only had a total of maybe a day of downtime (much of that was due to the crappy cable modem I initially had, and the rest was due to comcast network upgrades that eventually resulted in huge speed increases – I routinely see downloads in the 20+mbits/sec range and uploads of 1.5+ mbps).
30. lol wrote on June 13, 2009
Lol. Rob sounds like a douchebag
31. assman wrote on June 20, 2009
Hey Rob, stop sending us your geese, and cold weather!
32. chris l wrote on November 28, 2009
This should at least clear the air on a lot of points addressed above and at minimum provide you with a jump-off point to investigate further. educate yourself its more productive than arguing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4G
33. ikarlos wrote on January 4, 2010
Actually whoever doesnt know what 4G is, its actauly will be up to 1ox faster than 3G, do you know what that really means? Have u ever load pages over Edge? what about over Wifi? Yeah now u can really see the difference dont u? Thats 4G compared to 3G but the only bad part will be that 4G wont be available in rural areas only in the major cities. So all you noobies out there i dont think you know what it actually means.Its a great year for Tmobile ext year and hopefully they can dominate by next year. Sprint thinks they are the best but i dont think they are.
34. Cell Girl wrote on January 21, 2010
Okay guys listen. Comcast is no where near as bad as Charter (which Comcast owns). At least Comcast’s customer care is in the U.S. T-Mobile is a great company with great values. Like one person said hopefully it will rub off on Comcast. T-Mobile has taken their time rolling out their 3G because the network they wanted to set up would make converting to 4G as simple as flipping a switch. Now with the others they are going to have to basically replace their towers. Now as far as the correlation between CDMA, GSM, 3G, etc. is that all of the new phones coming out will run on GSM 850 / GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900 WCDMA 900 / WCDMA 1700 / WCDMA 2100. So they operate on both. Now in order to get the better faster 3G, you have to have a phone with WCDMA 900 / WCDMA 1700 / WCDMA 2100. Otherwise you are going to be on EDGE or GPRS. The U.S. has always been behind in Cell technology, just take a look at T-Mobile Germany which sells the iPhone. Also check out NTT DoCoMo in Japan. 3G was first introduced in the U.S. by Verizon in 2002 and here it is eight years later. So imagine how long it will take for 4G to be widely available. So everyone take a chill pill, be happy wireless technology has advanced as far as it has. I have a G1 but also still have my Nokia 100 which is like the 8-Track player of cell phones.