T-Mobile USA steps up mobile broadband efforts

T-Mobile USA is stepping up its mobile broadband efforts, announcing a new modem and service plans that are about $10 cheaper than its top tier rivals. The move comes as T-Mobile is upgrading its HSPA network to the 7.2 version.

The webConnect Jet, made by Huawei, comes with a promotion plan of 5 GB/month of data for $50 if customers purchase through Jan. 13. A plan with 200 MB/month of data costs $30 through Jan. 13. Both plans include access to T-Mobile's network of WiFi hotspots. The webConnect Jet has up to 8GB of installable microSD memory storage, and is free with a two-year contact.

The operator lost 77,000 subscribers in the third quarter and is aggressively upgrading its HSPA network, with plans to offer the 7.2 upgrade by the end of this year. T-Mobile, the historic 3G laggard, plans to boost the speed of its network by deploying HSPA+ next year, which has theoretical downlink speeds of 21 Mbps. T-Mobile USA's Neville Ray, senior vice president of the carrier's engineering and operations, said in September that the company would deploy HSPA+ services nationwide by 2010. Ray added that HSPA+ is now available in sections of the Philadelphia area.

For more:
- see this PC Magazine article [1]

Related articles:
T-Mobile loses 77,000 subs in Q3 [2]
T-Mobile CTO: 40% of Q4 sales will be smartphones
[3]T-Mobile's Ray promises national HSPA+ deployment by mid-2010 [4]
T-Mobile USA to boost 3G network speeds to 21 Mbps [5]