T-Mobile USA is very close to getting the iPhone in the fall, ending Apple’s exclusive relationship with AT&T, according to a highly placed source at the wireless company.
Talks between Apple and T-Mobile are at an advanced stage, our source says, and it’s 80 percent likely that the iPhone will be coming to T-Mobile in Q3.
The source works at T-Mobile but asked not to be quoted directly and to remain anonymous because they aren’t authorized to talk to the press.
T-Mobile’s parent company, Deutsche Telekom, which carries the iPhone in Germany, was able to influence, the source said. T-Mobile USA is the fourth-largest U.S. carrier with 33.7 million customers.
Apple’s exclusive contract with AT&T is reportedly ending this year, and many expect Apple to offer the iPhone to other wireless companies. Overseas, Apple has routinely added extra carriers when exclusivity deals in those markets expire.
(via Cult of Mac)
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Now this I can believe! I still don't think Apple iwll ever make a CDMA phone, but opening exclusivity to the only other GSM network in America makes sense. I just expect it will be extrememly limited as the T-Mobile network in America is super miniature compared to AT&T's craptastic network. No way they could handle a fraction of the volume of users and data bandwith that AT&T currently accomodates. But here's to hoping! Any alleviation for AT&T is good news for current subscribers.
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