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Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network

By | June 23, 2011, 5:45am PDT

Summary: How popular is the iPhone? Popular enough that over a million T-Mobile customers are actively using them on a network that doesn’t officially support them.

How popular is the iPhone? Popular enough that over a million T-Mobile customers have taken unlocked iPhones, trimmed the T-Mobile SIM card to fit the phone in the case of iPhone 4s, and are actively using them on a network that doesn’t support them. That is nothing short of amazing, and proves how popular the iPhone is compared to other smartphones.

These unlocked iPhones don’t get 3G or 4G data speeds because the radios in the phones do not work on the T-Mobile network, which makes this even more amazing. Apparently these iPhone owners get what they need from the phones without support from the carrier. While you can argue that a few T-Mobile customers might do this not knowing what they are getting into, it’s hard to believe that over a million folks did this without thinking things through.

While T-Mobile doesn’t handle the iPhone currently, maybe that will change if the AT&T merger gets approved. Imagine what these customers will think if the phones work on the network as designed.

Image credit: Flickr user bfishadow

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Apple iPhone, Network, T-Mobile, Smart Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, James Kendrick

James Kendrick has been using mobile devices since they weighed 30 pounds, and has been sharing his insights on mobile technology for almost that long.

Disclosure

James Kendrick

James Kendrick has no affiliations or relationships that need to be disclosed.

Biography

James Kendrick

James Kendrick has been using mobile devices since they weighed 30 pounds, and has been sharing his insights on mobile technology for almost that long. Prior to joining ZDNet, James was the Founding Editor of jkOnTheRun, a CNET Top 100 Tech Blog that was acquired by GigaOM in 2008 and is now part of that prestigious tech network. James' writing has appeared in many print publications: Smartphone and Pocket PC Magazine, Information Week and Laptop Magazine to name a few. James' coverage of the mobile technology sector has regularly appeared in the New York Times, Salon.com and CNN/ Fortune online. Not just a writer, James has filmed numerous video reviews and how-tos that have garnered well over a million viewers. He has appeared on local news segments and been interviewed by the Associated Press on mobile technology topics. Additionally, James has been podcasting about mobile technology for years.

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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
non-biased 1st Jul
@woulddie4apple Was your dad a sailor?
View in thread
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
Rick_K 23rd Jun
When the number one selling smartphone is the iPhone 4, you wonder who is number two, and three? From what I?ve read the two most popular phones are the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 3Gs.
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Which is why Apple would never allow iOS to leave the iPhone
Will Pharaoh 23rd Jun
@Rick_K
or have 10 verions of it on the market.

If Android was exclusive to the Droid from the start, would that have made the Droid the number one selling phone?

Inquiring minds want to know. happy
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
Steven Wilson Updated - 23rd Jun
@Will Pharaoh

I think Droid would not be number 1 if they were exclusive. I believe they still have the second best operating system and since iPhone is exclusive people are just taking the second best option for now. You never really know though!!!

Steven Wilson
MySocialMania iPhone App
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
oriorda 23rd Jun
@Will Pharaoh Android is free software provided to anyone who wants it with a single purpose in mind for Google: increase the number of eyeballs for its business, which is pushing advertising to everyone it can, every time it can.

iOS, by contrast, is an infrastructure designed for one purpose only: to enable a continuous range of devices to deliver a superior user experience, when operating singly, or when operating as a group owned by a user to do so seamlessly, or likewise as part of a network of devices without limit. The emphasis here is on delivering superior user experiences, which is the only way Apple knows how to sell its hardware and services.

It is hard to believe the first purpose could deliver the second objective. It's not impossible, but highly unlikely: if you're delivering free stuff how can you afford to invest what is required to achieve the second, whereas if you're trying to achieve the second how can you possibly afford to deliver anything but superior user experiences?
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
nickmcel Updated - 24th Jun
@steftheref
So your saying that Apple doesn't want my money, but wants to give me the best experience ever?
Consider my mind blown...
Steve Jobs wants to wash my feet while Andy Rubin's sole pupose is to steal my soul. I thought the Apple profit margin was due to them charging for a brand. Both companies have their own ad revenue ..
wait, am i arguing with a wall again....I think I need to realize that you just need to let ignorant be ignorant sometimes.
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Yeah Rick!! Yeah!!!
woulddie4apple 23rd Jun
@Rick_K
There is no reason to ever buy anything other than the iPhone! Yeah!!
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Troll tricks do not work for long, it is time to come up with some new ...
DeRSSS 23rd Jun
@woulddie4apple: ... for trolling. wink
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Well, you would know
woulddie4apple 23rd Jun
You've been trolling here for quite a while!
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
Rick_K 23rd Jun
@woulddie4apple
Not everyone needs an iPhone. For many, a simple phone will suffice. Hell I do not even have a smartphone, but that may be due to experience with Windows Mobile.
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
Pete "athynz" Athens 23rd Jun
@woulddie4apple So are you a new troll or are you an old troll with a new name?
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
mrlinux 23rd Jun
Well Tmobile does not have very good 3G coverage in a lot areas so 2G would be fine. Tmobile only has 1G in my neighborhood and with everyone wanting to upgrade their iPhones yearly there are a lot of surplus phones out there.
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
Aerowind 23rd Jun
See, you kind of hit on a big subject for me. I like my smartphone, but I could quite easily do without the dataplan. There's wifi pretty much everywhere I go, and if I really need to get an app or something, I'll use it.
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
Hasam1991 23rd Jun
@Aerowind
That is another advantage, you can use iPhone on TMO without a data plan... ATT will tack it on for unlocked iPhones.
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Those T-Mobile Users Don't Have Data Plans
Schoolboy Bob 24th Jun
@Aerowind I think you hit it on the head (where Kendrick missed it).

Lots of those iphones on T-Mobile are the old ones we sold on ebay. T-Mobile users without data plans buy them and use them with just wi-fi. It's a cheap way to sort of have a status symbol.
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
non-biased 1st Jul
@Schoolboy Bob Your statement defeats your attempt to slander those iPhone users. You seem to think they got these iPhones as a status symbol but before that you said lots of them are old ones your company sold on ebay. How can it be a status symbol (not that most iPhone users consider them status symbols) if it's an old one?
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
Hasam1991 23rd Jun
I was one of the people with iPhone 2g, 3g on Tmo! EDGE is ok since most websites have a mobile version. But yes, 1,000,000 iPhones is amazing! I wonder if any single Android device has even sold 1m yet lol
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YEAH!!! I doubt Android phones are doing as AWESOME as iPhone!!
woulddie4apple 23rd Jun
@Hasam1991
So glad that we have you, me, Rick_K, and DeRSSS cheering Apple on with everything they do. YEAH!!!
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
Hasam1991 23rd Jun
@woulddie4apple
Well keep in mind I went to Android from TMO and had the most awful experience with a Samsung Galaxy S that the clerk promised me would automatically update over the air to the latest and greatest version of Android... never happened.

I bought an iPad and it came with the latest version of iOS... something so simple yet Android still shipping devices with 2.2 when 3.0 is already out...

So yea Apple cheerleader here..
0 Votes
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YEAH!! Apple cheerleader here too!!
woulddie4apple 23rd Jun
Make sure you post on every single Android blog how much you hated Android. That is REALLY important so that people are informed about how much better Apple is. YEAH!!!
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
non-biased 1st Jul
@woulddie4apple Was your dad a sailor?
0 Votes
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EVO
sir4taye@... 24th Jun
@Hasam1991
HTC EVO has sold well over 1 million units. Just saying.

@steftheref
Referring to the iPhone as a device without limits is very laughable. In fact, it is completely restricted to Jobs whim, ego, and paranoia. What a tool.
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Cellular data isn't necessary
scott@... 23rd Jun
I've done this, use an iPhone on T-Mo's network. It works--for me, at least--because 95% of the time that I'm actively using my phone, I'm in a WiFi hotspot which is usually faster then 3G. The other 5% of the time, 2G Edge works just fine. The same holds true for other phones as well. Cellular data plans are over-priced, and in many cases, are unnecessary except as a backup or fill-in situation.
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
1800AskMark 23rd Jun
What this article really tells us are that over a million users choose to use an impaired device on an unsupported network because they don't want to put up with ATT and it's lousy customer service.
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
jmiller1978 23rd Jun
@1800AskMark

I don't see that at all. I see existing T-Mobile customers who'd rather use a crippled iPhone instead of deal with a "supported" Android device. AT&T customer service has always treated me well. Sure it's pricey but I can afford it.
0 Votes
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
1800AskMark 23rd Jun
What this article is really telling us is that over one million people choose to buy an iPhone and use in a crippled mode on an unsupported network to avoid ATT.
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
neilpost 24th Jun
There are a bucket load of them on the t_Mobile network outside of the USA, where T-Mobile did not choose a dumb carrier frequency and they get 3G.

T-Mobile UK also sells them too, as does everyone else in the UK.

The story should read "....T-Mobile USA network"
0 Votes
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Jumped the Gun?
nickmcel 24th Jun
So, the source for this is a conversation of a "9to5mac" guy who talked to a t-mobile representative at some conference?
I'm thinking this story is going to pick up a lot of steam with little published facts.
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RE: Over a million iPhones in use on the T-Mobile network
scotty1024 26th Jun
I live here in the Seattle area and the T-Mobile "flag ship store" is the nearest to where I work. I can tell you there is a bit more support than most folks realize, at least at that store, for iOS devices. Not only do they have the SIM chopper they also know how to tweak things up in the settings/config files to upload to the device to tune it for best T-Mobile operation.

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