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T-Mobile Bolsters 3G Network Ahead Of Android Launch

Today T-Mobile announced that it is going to light up half a dozen more 3G markets, just in time for the arrival of the HTC Dream phone running Android. By mid-October, T-Mobile will have 21 3G markets up and running.

The timing is no coincidence. Even though T-Mobile, Google, and HTC are announcing the first Android handset in NYC next week, the phone will not be available right away. Most reports are suggesting that Oct. 17 is the date the HTC Dream will be available on the street. Small wonder, then, that "mid-October" is when T-Mobile plans to add more markets to its 3G footprint.

Right now, T-Mobile's 1,700-MHz flavor of 3G is running in Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Minneapolis, New York (including northern New Jersey and Long Island), Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio, and San Diego. In those markets, handsets that have the correct radio inside will automatically use the 1,700-MHz spectrum for both voice and data services.

Next month, T-Mobile will be adding Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Orlando, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Seattle. And by the close of 2008, expect to see Birmingham, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Memphis, and Tampa up and running, as well. That will make for a total of 27 markets. T-Mobile said it plans to continue its 3G network build-out into 2009.

"With the faster data speeds delivered by our 3G network, T-Mobile looks forward to offering mobile products and services that place the full power of the Web in our customers' hands," said Cole Brodman, chief development officer of T-Mobile USA.

What isn't known is if the HTC Dream will actually have a 1,700-MHz 3G-compatible radio in it. All the parties involved -- T-Mobile, HTC, and Google -- would look pretty silly if it didn't. One of the core features Google wanted as a part of Android is access to 3G data services.

It appears that all the pieces are falling into place at the right time.

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