During an event in New York City on Tuesday, T-Mobile announced that it will be adding a series of 4G LTE devices to its speedy new network. These devices include the Samsung Galaxy S 4, BlackBerry Z10, Samsung Galaxy Note II and HTC One and ... the iPhone 5.
As soon as T-Mobile President and CEO John Legere stepped onto a small platform-like stage, he declared that there would be a lot of news from the mobile carrier. And he wasn't kidding.
"This is an important day for people who love their iPhone but can’t stand the pain other carriers put them through to own one," Legere said in a press release which went out during the event. "We feel their pain. I've felt the pain. So we’re rewriting the rules of wireless to provide a radically simple, affordable iPhone 5 experience — on an extremely powerful network."
"The phone that redefined the industry is coming to T-Mobile," he said. "T-Mobile will be the only carrier to offer the iPhone 5 without a contract ... on a screaming 4G LTE network."
The iPhone 5 will be available to T-Mobile customers for $100 down, plus monthly payments of $20 for 24 months. There is no annual contract. "If we suck this month, drop us," Legere said, emphasizing the benefit of such an arrangement. If you leave T-Mobile before the end of the 24 months, you can either return the device "for a fair market value" or you can continue making payments to T-Mobile (and use the phone on another carrier).
T-Mobile will allow customers to pre-order the iPhone 5 beginning on April 5. The device will start shipping on April 12.
The Samsung Galaxy S 4, BlackBerry Z10, HTC One, and Samsung Galaxy Note II will also be available for a $100 down, plus monthly payments. (The amount of the monthly payments appears to vary slightly. The Z10, for example, is only $18 per month. Additionally, the iPhone 4S will be available for $70 down, plus monthly payments of $20 for 24 months.)
Actual devices aside, T-Mobile's got some network news as well. The carrier launched its speedy 4G LTE network in seven metropolitan areas, including Baltimore; Houston; Kansas City; Las Vegas; Phoenix; San Jose, Calif.; and Washington, D.C. By the end of 2013, T-Mobile hopes to offer 4G LTE connectivity to 200 million users.
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