Samsung recently updated its website to include a list of T-Mobile devices that will receive Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades. “Samsung is in close communication with both Google and our carrier partners to upgrade devices to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich as quickly and as smoothly as possible,” the company wrote on its website. The manufacturer will be issuing over-the-air updates to the Galaxy S II, Galaxy S Blaze 4G, Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus and Galaxy Tab 10.1. Unfortunately, neither T-Mobile nor Samsung have announced a release schedule for the upcoming updates.

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T-Mobile in March said that the company was looking to restructure and in doing so, it cut 5% of its workforce while closing seven call centers. Now, in a memo sent to employees on Tuesday, T-Mobile USA CEO Philipp Humm said the carrier will begin a “new structure” plan that will involve some difficult decisions. “Changes will include some position eliminations and changes to individual roles and responsibilities,” the executive wrote. While no specific details were provided in the note, the letter clearly suggests layoffs are coming to the troubled wireless company in the coming weeks. Humm’s memo follows below in its entirety.

Dear colleagues,

Since the beginning of the year, T-Mobile has stressed that 2012 is a rebuilding year for the company. A vital step in that process was announced in March with the consolidation of our call centers. This week, T-Mobile is taking the second essential step. We are announcing a new structure that further aligns our costs with our revenue realities, enables teams who support our field organization to act and react with greater speed and effectiveness to customer and market opportunities, and better positions us to return to growth.

The new organization required difficult decisions that will impact some of our employees. This week, news will be shared personally with employees and teams who are directly affected by the restructuring. Changes will include some position eliminations and changes to individual roles and responsibilities. It is important to emphasize these impacts to employees result from business decisions. We have tremendous employees here at T-Mobile and we truly wish we could retain all our talent, but our business realities require hard choices. For affected team members, we are providing generous transition support including severance, assistance with COBRA continuation coverage, and outplacement services. As mentioned in the March announcement, customer service representatives in the remaining 17 call centers, technicians in engineering, and frontline employees in our T-Mobile corporate-owned stores will not be affected.

Our rebuilt structure enables T-Mobile to realize significant savings, allowing us to invest in future growth – in particular modernizing our network to LTE, repositioning the T-Mobile brand, and aggressively pursuing the B2B segment where we plan to add 1,000 positions over the next few years. We gain the agility to put resources where the current opportunities are, grow in areas where potential is greatest, and act on emerging opportunities quickly and rationally.

The restructuring provides a sustainable organizational model, centered on our T-Mobile Values, with the following attributes:

A greater focus on driving Customer Delight by reducing the layers between working teams and executive leadership, and shifting and consolidating groups in the field sales regions and the FSC to minimize redundant work – resulting in more effective coordination and communication.

A renewed emphasis on Best Place to Perform and Grow:
Enhanced people manager spans of control (number of direct reports), enabling faster decisions, more ability to execute, and more empowerment of employees at all levels.
Evolution of our leadership model from player-coach, where more time is spent on daily tasks than on planning and guiding, to leader-coach, where time is focused more strategically on coaching, developing, delegating, and motivating.

We approached the restructuring process and decisions with care, rigor and cross-functional alignment. A team comprised of top leaders, with support from industry-leading subject matter experts, worked closely together over the past few months to develop an effective and sustainable structure. We strongly believe the organizational principles we applied are lasting ones. More details on the new organizational structure will be shared in department and team communications this week and more broadly after that.

I want to assure you we will move through the communications this week very thoughtfully, but also as quickly as we can while preserving the quality of the conversations that need to happen. As always, our T-Mobile Values will guide our actions.

Thank you for your patience as we work through what will be a difficult week. Thank you for your continued commitment.

With sincere appreciation,

Philipp Humm
CEO & President
T-Mobile USA

[Via The Verge]

Following a rough holiday quarter for the nation’s No.4 carrier, T-Mobile on Thursday reported results for the first quarter of 2012. Adjusted OIBDA was up 7.2% from the first quarter last year to $1.27 billion and average revenue per user grew to $58 from $56 in the year-ago quarter. The carrier still saw significant contract subscriber losses, however, with 510,000 T-Mobile-brand contract customers having left the carrier last quarter. Net subscriber additions swung from a loss of 526,000 customers in the fourth quarter to a gain of 187,000 subscribers, however, and the carrier was home to 33.4 million subscribers at the end of the first quarter. T-Mobile’s full press release follows below.

T-Mobile USA Reports First Quarter 2012 Operating Results

BELLEVUE, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–T-Mobile USA, Inc. today reported first quarter 2012 results and provided an update on its 2011 annual assessment of indefinite-lived assets. In the first quarter of 2012, T-Mobile USA reported adjusted OIBDA of $1.27 billion, up 7.2% from $1.19 billion reported in the first quarter of 2011 and branded contract ARPU in the first quarter of 2012 of $58, up from $56 in the first quarter of 2011. Additionally, net customer additions were 187,000 in the first quarter of 2012, compared to 99,000 net customer losses in the first quarter of 2011.

“T-Mobile USA delivered an encouraging adjusted OIBDA year-on-year increase in the first quarter of 2012. Philipp Humm and his team managed the business with improved efficiency in a still difficult environment, laying the foundation for successful implementation of the Challenger Strategy”

“In the first quarter, T-Mobile USA delivered strong performance across several key metrics – adding customers, increasing branded ARPUs year-on-year and effectively managing costs to deliver a solid adjusted OIBDA margin. While branded contract churn remains a focus, in the first quarter of 2012 we achieved our lowest level in seven quarters,” said Philipp Humm, CEO and President of T-Mobile USA. “In just a short time since the December breakup of the AT&T deal, T-Mobile USA has redefined and restarted our Challenger Strategy including phase one of a major brand re-launch to redefine T-Mobile in the marketplace.”

“T-Mobile USA delivered an encouraging adjusted OIBDA year-on-year increase in the first quarter of 2012. Philipp Humm and his team managed the business with improved efficiency in a still difficult environment, laying the foundation for successful implementation of the Challenger Strategy,” said René Obermann, CEO of Deutsche Telekom.

T-Mobile USA Challenger Highlights

T-Mobile USA has made considerable progress in executing against the reinvigorated Challenger Strategy, which was announced in February 2012. Most significant is progress against the newly announced $4 billion network modernization and 4G evolution effort, which will further improve existing voice and data coverage and pave the way for long term evolution (“LTE”) service in 2013. Already this year, T-Mobile USA has entered into a spectrum exchange agreement with Leap Wireless International, Inc. and secured key AWS spectrum licenses from AT&T, which were agreed to as part of the breakup of the proposed merger between the two companies. More recently, T-Mobile USA signed agreements with Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks to deploy state-of-the-art LTE-capable equipment at 37,000 cell sites in 2012 and 2013.

Other investment areas core to T-Mobile USA’s Challenger Strategy include continued retail expansion as well as an increased investment in the brand. So far this year, the Company has expanded its branded distribution, adding 115 new branded dealers and earned Wal-Mart’s 2011 “Supplier of the Year” award in both the Wireless category and the overall Entertainment Division.

The company also unveiled phase-one of a brand re-launch program, introducing a new ad campaign that encourages customers to Test Drive T-Mobile USA’s competitive 4G experience.

Additionally, the Company continued to expand its portfolio of compelling 4G smartphones in the first quarter. T-Mobile USA became the first U.S. carrier to offer a Nokia Windows® Phone, the affordable, 4G-capable Nokia Lumia 710, and launched the 42 Mbps-capable Samsung Galaxy S® Blaze™ 4G. In April 2012, T-Mobile USA launched the 42 Mbps-capable HTC One™ S.

Total Customers

T-Mobile USA served 33.4 million customers at the end of first quarter 2012, compared to 33.2 million customers at the end of the fourth quarter of 2011 and 33.6 million customers at the end of first quarter 2011.

First quarter 2012 net customer additions of 187,000, compared to net customer losses of 526,000 in the fourth quarter of 2011, and net customer losses of 99,000 in the first quarter of 2011.

The sequential increase in net customer additions was driven primarily by improvements in churn from branded contract and machine-to-machine (“M2M”) customers. Year-on-year, net customer additions also improved related to the growth of T-Mobile USA’s unlimited Monthly 4G prepaid plans.

Branded Customers

Branded contract net customer losses, excluding M2M, were 510,000 in the first quarter of 2012, a 28% improvement from the fourth quarter of 2011 and an 11% improvement from the first quarter of 2011.

Sequentially, the improvement in branded contract customer losses was driven primarily by fewer branded contract deactivations. The fourth quarter of 2011 included significantly higher contract deactivations as a result of the launch of the iPhone 4S by three nationwide competitors in mid-October.

The year-over-year improvement in branded contract customer losses was driven primarily by lower branded contract churn related to the strategic phase-out of discontinued products, such as FlexPay, partially offset by fewer branded contract gross additions.

The Company discontinued its FlexPay and Even More Plus products in 2011 due to low customer satisfaction and profitability. In the first quarter of 2012, remaining core branded contract and prepaid products saw year-on-year growth as customers continue to migrate from discontinued products.

Branded prepaid net customer additions, excluding MVNO customers, were 249,000 in the first quarter of 2012; up from fourth quarter 2011 branded prepaid net customer additions of 220,000 and improved from 82,000 net branded prepaid customer losses in the first quarter of 2011.
The sequential and year-on-year improvement in branded prepaid net customer additions was due to increased branded prepaid gross additions, a result of the continued success of unlimited Monthly 4G prepaid plans introduced in the second quarter of 2011. Additionally, improvements in churn related to the strategic phase-out of discontinued products, such as FlexPay No Contract, also contributed to prepaid net addition growth.

Wholesale

M2M net customer additions were 262,000 in the first quarter of 2012 compared to net customer losses of 95,000 in the fourth quarter of 2011 and net customer additions of 192,000 in the first quarter of 2011.

The sequential change was driven by improved M2M customer churn. In the fourth quarter of 2011, there were significantly higher M2M deactivations including a nearly 265,000 deactivation related to one customer. M2M customers, which have significantly lower ARPUs (averaging less than $2) than other contract customers, totaled 2.7 million at March 31, 2012.

The year-over-year change was driven by higher M2M gross customer additions, partially offset by higher deactivations.

MVNO customers increased in the first quarter of 2012, totaling 3.8 million customers as of March 31, 2012.

Sequentially, MVNO net customer additions increased due primarily to fewer MVNO customer deactivations.

Compared to the first quarter of 2011, MVNO net customer additions decreased due primarily to fewer MVNO gross customer additions.

Churn from branded customers was 3.2% in the first quarter of 2012, down 40 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2011 and 10 basis point from the first quarter of 2011.
Sequentially and year-on-year, branded churn decreased due in part to churn reduction initiatives. Additionally, branded churn in the fourth quarter of 2011 was higher as a result of competitive market conditions and the launch of the iPhone 4S by three competitors.

Branded contract churn, excluding M2M customers, was 2.5% in the first quarter of 2012, down 50 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2011 and 10 basis point from the first quarter of 2011.

The sequential and year-on-year improvement in branded contract churn was the result of T-Mobile USA’s continued churn reduction initiatives. Additionally, the fourth quarter of 2011 was negatively impacted by competitors’ launches of the iPhone 4S, which is not offered by T-Mobile USA.

Branded prepaid churn, excluding MVNO, was 6.4% in the first quarter of 2012, down 30 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2011 and down 60 basis points from the first quarter of 2011.

The sequential and year-on-year decrease in branded prepaid churn was driven primarily by the continued strategic phase-out of discontinued high-churn products, such as FlexPay No Contract.

Branded contract Average Revenue Per User (“ARPU”), excluding M2M customers, was $58 in the first quarter of 2012, consistent with the fourth quarter of 2011 and up $2 from the first quarter of 2011.
Year-on-year, branded contract ARPU increased as data revenue growth more than offset lower voice revenue, which included effects from the shift to unlimited Value plans. Branded contract ARPU also benefited from the introduction of reconnection fees in the third quarter of 2011, which increased branded contract ARPU by approximately $1 year-on-year.

Branded contract data ARPU of $18.80 in the first quarter of 2012, increased 3.9% sequentially and 18.2% year-on-year from the continued adoption of data plans.
3G/4G smartphones used by contract customers now account for 11.6 million or 53% of total branded contract customers, up from 11.0 million or 49% in the fourth quarter of 2011 and 9.1 million or 38% in the first quarter of 2011.

Branded prepaid ARPU, excluding MVNO customers, was $25 in the first quarter of 2012, consistent with the fourth quarter of 2011 and up $1 from the first quarter of 2011.
Year-on-year, branded prepaid ARPU increased primarily due to continued growth in unlimited Monthly 4G prepaid products. The discontinuation of certain products, such as FlexPay No Contract, also impacted the year-on-year development in branded prepaid ARPU. Branded prepaid ARPU, excluding FlexPay No Contract, increased $8 year-on-year to $25 in the first quarter of 2012.

Branded data ARPU in the first quarter of 2012 amounted to $16.90 per branded customer, an increase of 2.4% from the fourth quarter of 2011 and 15.8% from the first quarter of 2011.

3G/4G smartphone sales were 2.5 million units in the first quarter of 2012, slightly lower than 2.6 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011, but a 25% increase from 2.0 million units sold in the first quarter of 2011. Smartphone sales accounted for 80% of units, or 94% of handset sales revenues, in the first quarter of 2012.
Blended ARPU was $45 in the first quarter of 2012, down $1 from both the fourth quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2011 primarily due to dilution from wholesale customers and a change in portfolio mix towards branded prepaid customers.

Revenue

Service revenues were $4.4 billion in the first quarter of 2012, down 2.7% from the fourth quarter of 2011 and down 4.0% from the first quarter of 2011.
Sequentially and year-on-year, quarterly service revenues decreased primarily due to branded contract customer losses, which were partially offset by the increased adoption of data plans in the contract and prepaid customer base. Additionally, branded prepaid revenues increased compared to the fourth quarter of 2011 and first quarter of 2011, a result of the continued success of unlimited Monthly 4G prepaid plans. Service revenues were also negatively impacted by the growth in unlimited Value plans, which do not include subsidized handset equipment. However, handset equipment sales sold in connection with Value plans resulted in higher equipment sales, as described below.
Data service revenues were $1.4 billion in the first quarter of 2012, up 1.0% from the fourth quarter of 2011 and 8.2% from the first quarter of 2011.
Total revenues, including service, equipment sales, and other revenues were $5.0 billion in the first quarter of 2012, down 2.8% from the fourth quarter of 2011 and 2.5% from the first quarter of 2011.

Compared to the fourth and first quarters of 2011, total revenues changed due primarily to branded contract customer losses as described above. Additionally, equipment revenues increased year-on-year, despite lower overall sales volumes, due to handset program changes in connection with T-Mobile USA’s Value plans and due to stronger smartphone sales. As a result, total revenues declined less than service revenues.

Adjusted OIBDA

T-Mobile USA reported Adjusted OIBDA of $1.27 billion in the first quarter of 2012, down 9.0% from the fourth quarter of 2011, but up 7.2% from the first quarter of 2011.
Adjusted OIBDA in the first quarter of 2012 and the fourth quarter of 2011 excludes special charges of $30 million and $123 million, respectively, primarily consisting of employee retention benefit expenses related to the terminated AT&T transaction. Additionally, T-Mobile USA announced in March that it will consolidate its call center operations from 24 to 17 facilities by the end of the second quarter of 2012, which resulted in organizational restructuring expenses in the first quarter of 2012.
Sequentially, adjusted OIBDA decreased as a result of lower service revenues driven by branded customer losses and higher general and administrative expenses, as described below.

Year-on-year, adjusted OIBDA increased as a result of reduced losses from equipment subsidies due to handset program changes from the unlimited Value plans, lower network expenses and continued cost management programs. This decrease was partially offset by higher general and administrative expenses, as described below.
Adjusted OIBDA margin was 29% in the first quarter of 2012, down from 31% in fourth quarter of 2011, but up from 26% in the first quarter of 2011.
Sequentially, OIBDA margin decreased slightly as a result of lower service revenues driven by branded customer losses.

Year-on-year OIBDA margin improved significantly due to the reductions in equipment subsidies in connection with unlimited Value plans.
During the first quarter of 2012, T-Mobile USA completed the 2011 annual impairment assessment of its indefinite-lived assets. As a result of the impairment assessment, T-Mobile USA recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $3.9 billion related to goodwill and $2.5 billion related to spectrum licenses, with an associated $1.0 billion tax benefit for the quarter ended December 31, 2011. These charges had no effect on either the Company’s current cash balance or future cash flows.

Operating Expenses

Total operating expenses (excluding impairment, restructuring and AT&T transaction-related costs) were $4.5 billion in the first quarter of 2012, down 0.7% from the fourth quarter of 2011 and 4.3% from the first quarter of 2011.
Losses from equipment subsidies in the first quarter of 2012 were $310 million (equipment revenues of $535 million, less cost of equipment sales of $845 million), decreased 4.6% from fourth quarter 2011 and 41.6% from first quarter 2011. The year-on-year decrease in net subsidy was due primarily to handset program changes from the unlimited Value plans.

Network expenses of $1.2 billion in the first quarter of 2012, were consistent with the fourth quarter of 2011, but decreased 4.5% from the first quarter of 2011. This year-on-year decrease was due primarily to reduced rates of providing long distance service. Additionally, due to the transition to enhanced backhaul (e.g. fiber), T-Mobile USA was able to accommodate higher data volumes year-on-year without significant increases in network costs.

Customer acquisition expenses in the first quarter of 2012 of $749 million decreased 8.8% from the fourth quarter of 2011 and 4.2% from the first quarter of 2011. This sequential decrease was due primarily to reductions in advertising which are typical for the first quarter following the fourth quarter holiday sales activity. Year-on-year, this decrease was due primarily to the shift in mix towards prepaid customers, resulting in reduced commission expenses.

General and administrative expenses in the first quarter of 2012 of $970 million increased 10.0% from the fourth quarter of 2011 and 5.4% from the first quarter of 2011. This sequential increase was due primarily to higher personnel incentive expenses and contract renewal upgrade commissions. The year-on-year increase was due primarily to higher bad debt expense associated with new products (e.g. deposit products) and changes in customer mix toward subprime customers.
Depreciation and amortization expenses of $747 million in the first quarter of 2012 were fairly consistent with both the fourth quarter of 2011 and first quarter of 2011.

Capital Expenditures

Cash capital expenditures were $747 million in the first quarter of 2012, an increase of 35.6% from the fourth quarter of 2011 and consistent with the first quarter of 2011.
In the first quarter of 2012, T-Mobile USA announced that it will invest $4 billion in total to strengthen its 4G network, including the planned launch of LTE technology in 2013. Expenditures in the first quarter of 2012 were due in part to these network modernization efforts. Sequentially, there were also increased payments related to seasonal payment timing differences. T-Mobile USA has continued to invest in its 4G network, which now reaches over 220 million people.

 

Commitments and contingencies

Stockholder’s equity:
Common stock and additional paid-in capital 31,600 31,600
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (1 ) (28 )
Accumulated deficit (15,587 ) (15,787 )
Total stockholder’s equity 16,012 15,785
Total liabilities and stockholder’s equity $ 40,074 $ 40,609

T-MOBILE USA
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(dollars in millions)

(unaudited)

Quarter Ended Quarter Ended Quarter Ended
March 31, December 31, March 31,

2012
2011 2011

Revenues:
Branded Contract $ 3,821 $ 3,966 $ 4,108
Branded Prepaid 377 350 323
Total Branded Revenues 4,198 4,316 4,431
Wholesale 130 128 86
Roaming and other services 116 121 113
Total Service Revenues 4,444 4,565 4,630
Equipment sales 535 549 487
Total Service and Sales Revenues 4,979 5,114 5,117
Other 55 65 44
Total revenues 5,034 5,179 5,161
Operating expenses:
Network 1,196 1,202 1,253
Cost of equipment sales 845 874 1,018
Customer acquisition 749 821 782
General and administrative 970 882 920
Depreciation and amortization 747 761 735

Total operating expenses (excluding impairment, restructuring and AT&T transaction-related costs)
4,507 4,540 4,708
Impairment charges – 6,420 -
AT&T transaction-related costs 24 123 -
Restructuring costs 6 – -

Total operating expenses (including impairment, restructuring and AT&T transaction-related costs)
4,537 11,083 4,708
Operating income/(loss) 497 (5,904 ) 453

Other expense, net (172 ) (178 ) (184 )
Income/(loss) before income taxes 325 (6,082 ) 269

Income tax (expense)/benefit (125 ) 685 (134 )
Net income/(loss) 200 (5,397 ) 135

Other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax:

Unrealized gain/(loss) on cash flow hedges and foreign currency translation
26 94 (25 )

Unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities
1 – 4
Total comprehensive income/(loss) $ 227 $ (5,303 ) $ 114

T-MOBILE USA
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(dollars in millions)

(unaudited)

Quarter Ended Quarter Ended Quarter Ended
March 31, December 31, March 31,
2012 2011 2011
Operating activities:
Net income/(loss) $ 200 $ (5,397 ) $ 135

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Impairment charges – 6,420 -
Depreciation and amortization 747 761 735
Income tax expense/(benefit) 125 (685 ) 134
Bad debt expense 256 230 165
Other, net 22 27 53
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable (90 ) (136 ) 20
Inventory 31 65 (27 )
Other current and non-current assets (89 ) (71 ) (66 )
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (63 ) 76 7
Accrued liabilities related to restructuring and AT&T transaction-related costs (109 ) 120 -
Net cash provided by operating activities 1,030 1,410 1,156
Investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment (747 ) (551 ) (749 )
Expenditures related to spectrum licenses (4 ) (8 ) (4 )
Short-term affiliate loan receivable, net (279 ) (905 ) (450 )
Other, net (11 ) 23 2
Net cash used in investing activities (1,041 ) (1,441 ) (1,201 )
Financing activities:
Short-term borrowings, net – - 33
Net cash provided by financing activities – - 33

Change in cash and cash equivalents (11 ) (31 ) (12 )
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 390 421 109
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 379 $ 390 $ 97

T-MOBILE USA
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures to GAAP Financial Measures

(dollars in millions)

(unaudited)

This press release includes non-GAAP financial measures. The non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, the information provided in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations from the non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are provided below following Selected Data and the financial statements.

Adjusted OIBDA is reconciled to operating income as follows:

Q1 Full Year Q4 Q3 Q2 Q1
2012 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011
Adjusted OIBDA $ 1,274 $ 5,310 $ 1,400 $ 1,445 $ 1,277 $ 1,188
Depreciation and amortization (747 ) (2,982 ) (761 ) (731 ) (755 ) (735 )
Adjusted operating income (excl. impairment, restructuring and AT&T transaction-related costs) 527 2,328 639 714 522 453
Impairment charges – (6,420 ) (6,420 ) – - -
Restructuring charges (6 ) – - – - -
AT&T transaction-related costs (24 ) (187 ) (123 ) (51 ) (13 ) -
Operating income/(loss) $ 497 $ (4,279 ) $ (5,904 ) $ 663 $ 509 $ 453

T-Mobile’s parent company, Deutsche Telekom AG, has reportedly been discussing a potential merger with MetroPCS, according to Bloomberg. The talks come as T-Mobile continues to suffer from large subscriber defections, having lost 802,000 net customers in the fourth quarter of 2011 alone. Deutsche Telekom is considering a stock-swap transaction that would give the German company control over the combined entity, which would be publicly listed, although an outright sale of T-Mobile is possible too. T-Mobile, the nation’s fourth largest carrier, has been looking for options since its failed merger with AT&T last November. MetroPCS has 9.5 million subscribers as of January 2012 and operates the fifth largest wireless network in the United States.

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Now that T-Mobile and AT&T don’t have to pretend to like each other anymore, the nation’s No.4 carrier can go back to attacking AT&T and its top-selling smartphone, Apple’s iPhone 4S. T-Mobile debuted a new TV commercial this week that once again takes aim at AT&T’s slow network and Apple’s popular iPhone. ”If this is the speed of the iPhone 4S on AT&T, what does 4G speed on T-Mobile look like?” the ad’s narrator asks as a man cruises along the highway on a motorcycle. Then, T-Mobile’s TV spokeswoman flies by the man while decked in leather on her new motorcycle. T-Mobile might be going out of its way to draw attention to the fact that Apple’s iPhone will be supported on its network by the end of the year but in the meantime, expect plenty more ads taking shots at Apple’s handset and its top U.S. carrier partner. The full video can be viewed below.

T-Mobile has acknowledged internally that Apple’s iPhone offers a “poor customer experience” on its network, but the nation’s No.4 carrier is working as quickly as it can to change that. The company announced this past February that it will be performing upgrades to its network that bring faster data speeds to users who purchase an iPhone on their own and unlock it for use on T-Mobile, and on Tuesday the carrier said the work will be performed ahead of schedule.

Apple has tested an iPhone compatible with T-Mobile’s network, as BGR exclusively revealed more than a year ago, but such a device has yet to launch for reasons unknown. T-Mobile executives have stated publicly on a number of occasions that not carrying the iPhone is having a huge negative impact on the carrier’s performance. But Apple is preparing to launch its sixth iPhone handset later this year, and there are still no signs that the phone is set to be released by T-Mobile.

Because the carrier has not managed to work out a deal with Apple, it is making moves on its own to accommodate iPhone fans. By the end of 2012, T-Mobile will have launched HSPA+ “4G” service on the 1900MHz band in “a large number of markets.” By no coincidence, Apple’s iPhone is compatible with HSPA+ on the 1900MHz band.

“As part of the company’s network modernization effort, T-Mobile also plans to launch 4G HSPA+ service in the 1900 MHz band in a large number of markets by the end of the year,” T-Mobile stated in a press release on Tuesday. “Network modernization trials have shown up to a 33 percent increase in HSPA+ data speeds as well as improved in-building coverage. Rolling out 4G HSPA+ services in the 1900 MHz band will also provide customers with the ability to use a broader range of devices, including the iPhone, on T-Mobile’s 4G network.”

T-Mobile will not be able to compete with AT&T, Verizon Wireless or Sprint on price, of course. Because the company has not managed to secure a deal with Apple, it will not sell subsidized iPhone handsets directly to its customers. Instead, they will have to purchase used or factory unlocked handsets for use on T-Mobile’s network, or close their accounts with other carriers, unlock their iPhones and open a new account with T-Mobile. While this is less than ideal and a number of subscribers will be put off by the hassel and expense, it won’t stop everyone — T-Mobile noted last summer that its network was home to more than 1 million iPhones at that time.

Apple’s next iPhone is expected to be a complete redesign that will launch this coming fall, and it is also expected to be compatible with 4G LTE networks in the United States. Even if T-Mobile can’t secure a contract with Apple to offer the iPhone directly, its HSPA+ network enhancements this year and LTE roll-out next year will make using the new iPhone on its network as good an experience as possible for millions of its subscribers.

Behold the Ghost of Palm Past. Earlier this week, industry watchers got to relive the rise and fall of webOS as Research In Motion gave the world a brief look at a gorgeous new smartphone platform while failing to convince anyone that it can succeed in a market dominated by Apple and Google. RIM’s stock plummeted from a high of $14.62 earlier this week to the $11-range as a result. Then, on Thursday, Samsung took the wraps off its latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S III. The impressive smartphone’s design was described as having been inspired by pebbles that had been smoothed be the flow of water in a river. There was once another smartphone with a design inspired by river rocks, but I can’t quite put my finger on it…

To make Samsung’s Galaxy S III announcement even more Palm-like, the South Korean vendor even aired a short promotional video featuring a somewhat creepy woman discussing the new phone. Granted, she didn’t appear to be hallucinating at the time, but the similarities between this promo and Palm’s uncomfortably pale spokeswoman were definitely there.

Of course Samsung certainly is not where Palm was in 2009, and it isn’t where RIM is today. Samsung is the No.1 smartphone vendor in the world, and its mobile business is pushing the company’s profits to new heights.

But despite a big-budget press conference featuring a live orchestra and an Olympic Games sponsorship, the Samsung Galaxy S III wasn’t met with overwhelming enthusiasm, as Samsung had undoubtedly hoped.

The Galaxy S III is an impressive phone. It features a quad-core 1.4GHz Exynos processor, a gigantic 4.8-inch high-definition Super AMOLED display and an ultra-slim case that is among the thinnest in the world. Even still, it’s just not that exciting.

The design looks to be a less impressive take on HTC’s One X, opting for cheap plastic in place of HTC’s unibody polycarbonate case. Samsung’s “S Voice” voice-command feature is a dumbed down version of Siri, and AllShare is all too familiar. Some might say Samsung’s new TouchWiz interface atop Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich can’t match the sleek look and feel of HTC’s Sense 4, and the Galaxy S III’s new camera software is a clear improvement over previous-generation Samsung handsets, but it falls well short of matching HTC’s Image Sense software and the new camera hardware found on its One-series phones.

The biggest winner on Thursday afternoon may very well have been HTC.

Samsung’s new smartphone will launch on nearly 300 carriers in the coming months, and it will be a top seller. Samsung mobile boss JK Shin on Thursday said that the company aims to sell 200 million smartphones in 2012, and the way things are looking right now, this is a very real possibility — Samsung shipped an estimated 44.5 million smartphones in the first quarter, and its new flagship phone won’t even begin rolling out until later this month.

There is another vendor that should be doing everything in its power to make sure Samsung doesn’t meet that goal, however, and that vendor is HTC. HTC had a record run in 2011 that was abruptly halted when Apple launched the iPhone 4S. The Taiwan-based smartphone company has been sliding since then, and its profit plummeted 70% in the first quarter this year.

HTC responded with three smartphones. Three fantastic smartphones that marry cutting edge technology with sleek designs and high quality materials. We’ve seen what a company can do with just three smartphones, but products alone won’t right this ship. HTC might be well-served to take a page from Apple’s book and double, triple or even quadruple down on marketing. No consumer electronics company spends more money marketing its gadgets than Apple, and perhaps not entirely by coincidence, no consumer electronics company in the world makes as much money as Apple.

The HTC One S — one of the most gorgeous smartphones I have ever held — is now available on T-Mobile, a carrier in desperate need of a hit. Or is it? Did the One S even launch? Is T-Mobile selling it? For every HTC One S commercial on TV, I see 20 commercials featuring the T-Mobile girl decked out in leather riding around on a crotch rocket while on-screen text talks up T-Mobile’s 4G network. Maybe it’s because I’m in a small market (New York) and HTC and T-Mobile are hitting larger markets harder with the One S.

And is the One X launching this Sunday on AT&T? I know AT&T sells the iPhone and the carrier is making sure as many people as possible are made aware of Nokia’s Lumia 900 thanks to the Finnish vendor’s deep pockets, but HTC’s One X will hardly be a contender at AT&T — which sells more smartphones than any other carrier in the all-too-important U.S. market — unless HTC puts its money where its mouth is.

Maybe HTC is banking on Sprint’s version of the One X, the HTC EVO 4G LTE, which is an amazing LTE phone with no LTE network to support it and a back cover that might invoke your gag reflex.

There is a window, and it is open. HTC got a head start on Samsung’s Galaxy S III and its One-series smartphones have everything it takes to find success… if wireless subscribers are made aware of their existence more effectively and aggressively.

That window may slam shut this summer when the Galaxy S III launches, and it may have iron bars bolted over it this coming fall when Apple launches its next-generation iPhone. In the meantime, HTC has little time to spare if it hopes to seize this opportunity and become a smartphone leader once again.

Samsung’s new flagship smartphone may launch on all four major U.S. carriers as well as a number of regional carriers beginning this summer. Samsung on Thursday unveiled the Galaxy S III during a press conference in London, and the vendor said its sleek new smartphone will launch on nearly 300 different wireless service providers around the world in the coming months. At the same time, Samsung added a page on its U.S. website that allows users to sign up to receive more information about the Galaxy S III when it becomes available. On the page, a drop-down menu asks users to select their carrier preference, and found within that list are AT&T, C Spire Wireless, MetroPCS, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless. While this is by no means confirmation that the handset will launch on each of the seven carriers listed, it seems unlikely that Samsung would simply list random carriers and omit popular options such as Cricket, which currently offers a Samsung smartphone, and other sizable regional carriers. Samsung’s current flagship phone, the Galaxy S II, is available from all major U.S. carriers with the exception of Verizon Wireless.

[Via TmoNews]

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Samsung’s smartphone-tablet hybrid, the Galaxy Note, is currently available exclusively on AT&T in the United States. According to leaked images published by TmoNews, however, the supersized handset will soon be making its way onto T-Mobile. Subscribers on the nation’s fourth-largest carrier were previously limited to software hacks in order to grant the popular “phablet” access to T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network. The leaked images suggest that the device is running Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich and contains the usual preloaded T-Mobile apps — Name ID, Mall, TV and My T-Mobile. No details regarding a launch time frame were made available.

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T-Mobile’s new flagship Android phone, the HTC One S, is now available for sale online and in stores nationwide. Featuring a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display, a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 16GB of internal storage plus 25GB of free cloud-based Dropbox storage for two years, an 8-megapixel rear camera, Sense 4 atop Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and HSPA+ 42Mbps connectivity, the HTC One S packs a tremendous amount of technology into a sleek unibody aluminum case that measures just 7.95 millimeters thick. BGR reviewed the HTC One S last week and said it is likely best smartphone ever to hit T-Mobile, and the sleek Android phone is now available for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year contract.

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Following AT&T’s failed attempt to acquire T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom for $39 billion, AT&T had to pay a lofty break-up fee as per the terms of its agreement. AT&T’s related expenses totaled $4 billion, and included in that sum was the transfer of AWS spectrum licenses to T-Mobile in 128 different markets. On Wednesday, T-Mobile announced that the Federal Communications Commission has approved the transfer. ”We applaud the FCC for acting swiftly to approve the transfer of these spectrum licenses,” T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray said in a statement. The nation’s No.4 carrier will use its newly acquired spectrum to help build out its next-generation 4G LTE network, which it hopes to launch next year.

HTC is in a bind, too. Not a Nokia-sized bind, perhaps, but a tough situation nonetheless. The Taiwan-based vendor has been making terrific smartphones for a number of years now, but it really saw its business take off in 2011 with six consecutive months of record revenue. That impressive streak came to an abrupt end thanks to the launch of the iPhone 4S and increased competition from Samsung, however, and the company’s new One-series smartphones are the first collective step toward regaining an edge in the competitive smartphone market. Two One-series smartphones are set to launch in the United States this month, and here, I take a look at T-Mobile’s upcoming flagship One S to see if it may indeed position HTC for a comeback.

The Inside

HTC’s One-series smartphones are all impressive, and I’ve spent some time with each of the three handsets the company unveiled in Barcelona this past February. The One V was a surprisingly capable entry-level smartphone, and the One X is a tremendous high-end device. For my money, however, the One S is the star of the show.

The One X garnered the lion’s share of attention when these devices were unveiled, and the fanfare for this impressive device started even before then in November when BGR exclusively detailed the phone ahead of its announcement. The One X deserves all of the attention it is getting, but the One S absolutely shouldn’t be lost in the shuffle.

HTC’s One S is a marvel of modern design and engineering. In a case that is just 7.95 millimeters thick, HTC packed an array of cutting-edge technology that couldn’t fit into a smartphone three times its thickness even a year ago.

A Qualcomm MSM8260A Snapdragon S4 processor, which combines a dual-core 1.5GHz Krait CPU and an Adreno 225 GPU, powers the One S, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is very responsive as a result. Responsiveness aside, I have noticed some slight hiccups here and there under heavy use, but we’ll cover that a bit later.

The One S also houses GSM, WCDMA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios, as well as 16GB of internal storage that is not expandable and 1GB of RAM. This is T-Mobile’s fourth cell phone and sixth device overall to support the carrier’s HSPA+ 42 network technology, and I found data speeds to be a bit faster than other previous-generation 4G networks.

I saw very slow data speeds of less than 1Mbps in and around BGR’s offices in the heart of midtown Manhattan — this is on par with AT&T’s HSPA service and Verizon’s EV-DO network in midtown — but things definitely picked up as I moved away from the chaos. Download speeds averaged between 6.5Mbps and 7Mbps, peaking at about 9Mbps, and upload speeds hovered between 1 and 2Mbps. This smartphone is more than fast enough to accommodate users’ needs, especially in less densely populated regions, but according to T-Mobile, speeds will be even more impressive at launch. The carrier provided BGR with the following statement via email:

During your review of the HTC One S, you may have noticed speeds inconsistent with your past experience on our HSPA+ 42 network. These are not the speeds consumers will experience – your pre-launch device needs to be provisioned today to provide access to T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 42 network. This provision will be active on consumer devices at launch.

HTC somehow managed to include a 1,650 mAh battery in the ultra-slim One S, and while I haven’t had the T-Mobile-branded version of this handset for long enough to comment on battery life, I have been using the international version of the phone for several weeks and the battery has been surprisingly solid. HTC took a lot of time picking components and tweaking software in order to squeeze as much life as possible out of the battery, and the company has done a tremendous job.

I am able to get well over 24 hours of use out of the One S on a single charge, and that typically includes sending and receiving dozens of emails, streaming about 90 minutes of music through Pandora each day when I commute, regularly checking social networks like Twitter, browsing the Web with Google’s Chrome beta, making a few phone calls throughout the day, regularly checking Reddit and Google Reader, reading up on the news using News360 and other apps, making notes in Evernote and more. Streaming video using Netflix and talking excessively can hurt battery life of course, but users can expect to charge the device once a day or even less frequently with typical moderate usage.

The Outside

T-Mobile’s One S features build quality that is second to none. The phone sports a unibody aluminum case with a unique anodized finish that includes a gradient on the back. The finish is dark gray toward the bottom of the phone and it fades to light gray at the top, and the rubber-finish plastic pieces at the top and bottom continue the fade, creating an interesting overall look.

The face of HTC’s One S is comprised mainly of Corning Gorilla Glass that covers a 4.3-inch, 540 x 960-pixel (qHD), Super AMOLED display with a rating of 256 pixels per inch. It’s gorgeous. The screen is on par with some of Samsung’s recent Super AMOLED displays, and the colors are deep and vivid. Its oleophobic coating also does an even better job of repelling oils than Apple’s iPhone 4S, with is a huge feat that does not go unnoticed.

A T-Mobile logo is the only branding on the face of the phone, and it is located between the top of the display and the ear speaker. A front-facing VGA camera is positioned to the right of the speaker, and the three on-screen Ice Cream Sandwich navigation buttons are replaced by capacitive buttons beneath the display. I found the quality of audio from the ear speaker to be somewhat lacking during voice calls. The volume is adequate but sound is a bit tinny and a faint hissing sound accompanied the audio on several test calls.

The bottom of the phone houses only a small opening for the main microphone and the top is home to a standard 3.5-millimeter audio jack, a secondary microphone for noise cancellation and a power button. A volume rocker sits on the right edge of the phone while microUSB port is included on the left side. A speaker sits near the bottom on the back of the One S and branding occupies the middle area. At the top sits a large camera lens surrounding by a blue aluminum enclosure, and a multi-stage LED flash is located off to the right of the lens.

Overall, the phone measures 130.9 x 65 x 7.8 millimeters and weighs 119.5 grams.

The Upside

I am absolutely blown away by the One S in terms of design and build. This smartphone sets the bar for flagship devices in 2012, and I doubt many phones will even approach the One S this year.

At 7.95 millimeters, this smartphone is one of the thinnest handsets that has ever been produced. At the same time, the phone is extremely solid and it has a terrific feel in the hand. The anodized coating has a smooth feel as opposed to the ceramic feel of the micro-arc oxidized version, but it does not feel cheap at all like many plastics do.

The phone also includes fantastic detailing on the sides. Instead of being flat or smooth and rounded, the case features edges that come to a point that curves down both sides. Beyond adding to the unique look of the phone, it creates the illusion that the whole handset is concave when in fact the face is perfectly flat and the back is slightly convex. It’s a small detail, but one that doesn’t go unappreciated.

Moving past the hardware, the real story here is Sense 4.

I have historically been a fan of HTC Sense, but to call Sense 4 a huge improvement is an understatement. HTC saw a good amount of backlash following the launch of Sense 3 as users began to complain quite loudly that HTC’s UI and services layer was becoming far too cumbersome and complex. The vendor took that criticism to heart and Sense 4 is a reimagining of HTC’s software that lets Android 4.0 shine but enhances the experience in a number of key areas.

The overall look of HTC’s UI elements is softer in this iteration of Sense. It uses more light elements and fewer dark colors, and several animations have been refined as well. Starting with the weather widget that greets users on the center home screen, HTC’s widgets are still my favorite among all of the various vendor interfaces and they match the look of the UI perfectly.

Even more appealing than the look itself is the added personalization and functionality Sense 4 affords. A few quick examples:

Sense’s weather feature includes a setting that is so simple and so useful it pains me that it doesn’t exist on every smartphone. With the check of a box — and it is checked by default — the One S will display a large graphic on the lock screen with the current temperature and the current day’s forecast the first time a user wakes the phone up each day. The next time the users wakes up his or her phone, the regular lock screen will be present.

Another example is HTC’s smart use of the accelerometer and other sensors. Using simple settings available in the Sound menu, the One S can immediately decrease the ringer volume when a phone is picked up while ringing to alert the user of an incoming call. There is also a “Pocket mode” feature that instructs the phone to automatically increase the ringer volume when a phone is tucked away in a pocket or purse, and another feature that will automatically enable the device’s speakerphone mode when it is flipped over and placed face-down. Speakerphone is then automatically disabled when the phone is lifted back up.

Smart little details like these combine to create an overall experience that is a cut above the competition where customization is concerned.

The camera hardware and software are also areas where the One S really shines. HTC’s One-series smartphones feature camera technology that has never been included in a smartphone before, and it allows users to take mobile photography to the next level.

The One S features an 8-megapixel camera with an f/2.0 wide-angle lens. It can capture 1080p HD video at 60 fps and snap 8-megapixel stills as it does. It can shoot multiple images per second in burst mode and then allow the user to flip through them and pick the best photo to save. Images are actually captured in RAW format, converted to JPG and saved, and then the camera returns to a ready state — all within the span of 0.7 seconds.

The quality of the images the One S captures is among the best I’ve seen on a smartphone. Colors can sometimes appear a bit washed out in certain lighting, but the clarity of the shots is very impressive for a smartphone. The camera UI includes a number of great new features as well, ranging from HDR and a special low-light mode to integrated Instagram-like retro filters.

Finally, Beats Audio is a feature I really do enjoy on the One S and HTC’s other recent smartphones.

In Sense 4, Beats Audio tuning is available not just for the device’s integrated music player, but for all audio. Whether the user plays music through Google Play Music, Pandora, Slacker, iHeartRadio, the in-built music player or any other apps, Beats signal processing has a dramatic impact on sound quality; more so than equalizer functions on any other smartphone, in my opinion.

The Beats Audio equalization makes sound much fuller. Bass is deeper, mids are more clear and highs are cleaner. The feature is tuned for optimal performance with Beats headphones — which, by the way, will be on sale in T-Mobile stores across the country along with HTC’s MediaLink accessory — but it has a dramatic impact on audio quality regardless of what brand headset or speakers are being used.

The Downside

As much praise as I gave the design and materials found on the One S, I far prefer the micro-arc oxidized aluminum finish on the international version of the phone.

Micro-arc oxidation refers to a process where aluminum is treated by blasting it with plasma at extremely high temperatures. The result is a silky finish similar to ceramic that is soft to the touch but incredibly solid thanks to the aluminum that lies beneath. HTC has confirmed that there are chipping issues with this finish however, and I have experienced them myself with the demo unit I have. As such, T-Mobile may have dodged a bullet by opting for the anodized version of this phone.

Beyond the phone’s feel and finish, which are largely matters of opinion, the performance issues I mentioned previously are the only significant drawback with this handset in my eyes.

While I found overall performance to be very impressive, the phone has a tendency to hiccup in certain instances. For example, any time I exit an app and go to the phone’s home screen, the live wallpaper I use (Phase Beam) stutters and the animation jumps backward a bit. It’s quite bizarre and while it may not seem like a major issue, it’s very annoying to see dozens of times each day, every single time I leave an app.

There are other hiccups as well, mostly when the device is running a number of processes simultaneously and available memory gets low. Sometimes a scroll skips, sometimes an app lags when it’s opened, and so on. These issues don’t harm the user experience irreparably, but smartphones running Windows Phone or iOS do not have these problems and neither do a number of recent flagship Android devices. I’m not sure if Sense is the culprit, but I sincerely hope that a future software update irons out these kinks.

The Bottom Line

I won’t beat around the bush: when the HTC One S launches on April 25th for $199.99, it will be one of the best smartphones T-Mobile has ever launched. In fact, it might be the best.

HTC had a lot to prove with its One-series smartphones, and in terms of hardware and software, it delivered. There are some issues that need to be ironed out, as there are with all smartphones, but the company did a tremendous job marrying Google’s latest Android operating system with its own unique features and UI elements. T-Mobile’s network offers very solid performance in my area, and the fast speeds I experienced will be even faster when the One S launches next week with HSPA+ 42 provisioned.

HTC’s One S features an outstanding design that is both unique and elegant, solid construction, an amazing camera, a terrific user interface and outstanding all-around performance. Samsung’s Galaxy S III could pose a serious threat to HTC in the near-term, but I’m confident that the One S will hold its own against Samsung’s new flagship in terms of hardware and software. I’m also confident that the overwhelming majority of T-Mobile subscribers who choose to take a look at this sleek smartphone will be very impressed.

T-Mobile on Wednesday announced availability details for the HTC One S smartphone. The handset will be the carrier’s first device powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and the first to run Sense 4 as well. HTC unveiled the One S a few months back at the annual Mobile World Congress trade show. The sleek device features a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, 16GB of internal storage plus 25GB of free cloud-based Dropbox storage for two years, an 8-megapixel rear camera and HSPA+ 42Mbps connectivity. It’s all packed within a unibody aluminum case that measures only 7.95 millimeters thick, making it T-Mobile’s slimmest smartphone to date. The HTC One S will be available on April 25th for $199.99 with a new two-year agreement. Read on for T-Mobile’s press release, and be sure to check out our full review of T-Mobile’s HTC One S.

BELLEVUE, Wash. — April 18, 2012 — Today, T-Mobile USA, Inc. and HTC Corp. announced the highly anticipated HTC One™ S will be available at T-Mobile® stores nationwide on April 25. As HTC’s premier launch partner in the U.S., T-Mobile will be the first to offer the ultra-sleek HTC One S, which is the company’s first device to ship with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and HTC Sense™ 4.

The latest smartphone from T-Mobile to take advantage of 4G (HSPA+ 42) technology on America’s Largest 4G Network,™ the HTC One S provides T-Mobile customers with an amazing camera and authentic sound technology, plus a diverse selection of apps and services that give customers amazing 4G experiences.

With the HTC One S, customers will find a fantastic music experience that works seamlessly on T-Mobile’s 4G network. Customers can listen to their music libraries — up to 20,000 songs — straight from the cloud and purchase new music on the go with Google Play. Virtually all audio experiences sound better on the HTC One S thanks to its built-in Beats Audio™ technology, which provides a richer and more authentic sound experience whether consumers are watching movies, listening to music or playing games.

Featuring an 8-megapixel back-side illuminated camera and HTC ImageSense,™ which provides a variety of enhancements to the camera’s lens, sensor and software, the HTC One S is always ready to capture pictures in the blink of an eye. Consumers have immediate access to their cameras from their home screens and a super-fast auto focus with continuous shooting to take continuous photos at 4 frames per second simply by holding the shutter button. In addition, the smartphone enables high-quality video recording with a full high-definition (HD) 1080p camcorder and the ability to concurrently capture HD video and still images at the same time. With access to 25 GB of free cloud storage from DropBox, HTC One S customers also can bring their photos, documents and videos virtually anywhere they go and upload new content to the cloud via T-Mobile’s network or Wi-Fi. HTC One S also gives customers a new way to share their content through use of HTC’s wireless Media Link HD accessory.* The small accessory allows easy sharing of any content on the phone with any TV that supports HDMI.

Also included with the HTC One S are applications that deliver added value, utility and fun.
T-Mobile TV makes it possible to enjoy free or premium live and on-demand programs, from the hottest TV shows to kids’ programs. With the Amazon Mobile application, T-Mobile customers can search and buy millions of products directly from their device and receive special offers on select merchandise. Also highlighted is a T-Mobile-exclusive version of the popular “Where’s My Water?” game from Disney Mobile, with ten levels that can’t be played anywhere else.

The ultra-sleek and modern HTC One S will be available in gradient blue and is T-Mobile’s thinnest smartphone (7.95mm). In addition to featuring a beautiful 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED screen, the HTC One S is equipped with a 1.5GHz, dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor by Qualcomm® and access to T-Mobile’s fastest 4G (HSPA+ 42) speeds, making the HTC One S a powerful device ideal for customers seeking a fantastic mobile experience.

Availability
The HTC One S will be available on April 25 at T-Mobile retail stores, select dealers, national retailers and online at http://www.t-mobile.com for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card with qualifying two-year agreement. For more information, visit http://www.t-mobile.com/one or http://www.htc.com/us/products/htcones-tmobile.

The Federal Communications Commission on Monday determined that T-Mobile must pay a fine of $819,000 for “willfully and repeatedly” failing to comply with rules regarding hearing-aid compatible handsets. According to the FCC, the carrier violated the rules during 2009 and 2010. The Hearing Aid Compatibility Order requires each carrier to have at least 10 handsets, or 50% of all devices, that support acoustic coupling and 7 phones, or 33% of all devices, with inductive coupling. T-Mobile may reduce or negate the proposed fine by proving to the FCC that it did not violate the rule, or that it didn’t violate it as severely as the FCC alleges.

[Via PhoneScoop]

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The four major carriers in the United States — Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile — all advertise some form of 4G technology, whether it is LTE, WiMAX or HSPA+, and each company claims to have either the most reliable, biggest, fastest or best network. PCWorld put the carriers claims to test in its “2012 Mobile Speed Test” and found that AT&T’s 4G LTE service featured the fastest download speeds while Verizon’s 4G LTE network provided the fastest upload speeds. T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 21 network was the fastest 3G service and the carrier’s HSPA+ 42 service held its own with both AT&T’s and Verizon’s 4G networks, making T-Mobile a good choice for many wireless users who are looking for affordable plans. Sprint’s 3G service and WiMAX technology lagged behind the competition according to the report. The “real-world speed tests” were conducted in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle and Washington DC. PCWorld’s press release follows below.

AT&T Fastest 4G Service, T-Mobile Fastest in 3G, PCWorld Mobile Speed Tests Reveal
Sprint lags badly behind in both 3G and 4G speeds, 13-city testing shows.

San Francisco, April 17, 2012—Mobile internet service is a major monthly expense for most American consumers, and a very big business for U.S. wireless companies. The marketing machines of those companies are now in high gear, touting their services as the industry transitions from 3G service to the much faster 4G. Problem is, everybody’s service is “4G”, “most reliable”, “biggest”, “fastest” and “best,” if you believe all the names and claims flying about on TV, radio, print media and the Web.

That’s why PCWorld has once again hit the road to measure the real-world performance of the four major wireless services on America’s streets and in its coffee shops. During February and March of this year, PCWorld measured the speeds of the major U.S. carriers’ 3G and 4G wireless services from 130 locations in 13 major U.S. cities.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE STUDY

AT&T had the fastest download speeds of any 4G service, along with an HSPA+ service that’s very competitive with 3G services–a compelling service combination for AT&T dual-mode phones.

T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 21 service proved faster overall than comparable 3G services in our study, and the carrier’s high-end HSPA+ 42 service held its own with the 4G services of its larger competitors. Those services, and the array of flexible and affordable plans it offers, make T-Mobile a good choice for many wireless users.

Verizon has 4G service in many more locations than other providers, but in most localities the download speed of its 4G service doesn’t match AT&T’s (though its upload speeds are faster, more often than not). And Verizon’s 3G speeds have not improved much, especially when compared to the competition.

Sprint is a consistent laggard in the wireless speed races. The company appears to have virtually stopped developing its network while looking for a way to transition from its outdated WiMAX 4G technology to LTE.

“The big surprise in this year’s study is T-Mobile’s performance,” says PCWorld Senior Editor Mark Sullivan, who designed and managed the study. “By offering data speeds that are very competitive with AT&T and Verizon along with its affordable data plans, T-Mobile is proving why its proposed acquisition by AT&T last year would have been bad news for US consumers.”

“The other (rather sobering) surprise in this year’s data is Sprint’s poor performance, both in 3G and 4G service. The carrier’s speeds suggest that both the Sprint CDMA and WiMAX networks have seen very little investment and upgrade over the past year—in a mobile data market where the rule is ‘grow faster or parish.’”

While a majority of wireless consumers still use slower 3G devices today, most will transition to faster 4G devices over the next five years as carriers push them to upgrade to newer 4G devices when their contracts expire, Sullivan says. Meanwhile wireless companies will continue to increase their networks’ data transfer speeds to compete for new customers and retain old ones.

FASTEST 3G AND 4G SERVICES BY CITY:

Atlanta — 3G: T-Mobile; 4G: AT&T
Boston — 3G: T-Mobile; 4G: AT&T
Chicago — 3G: AT&T; 4G: AT&T
Dallas — 3G: AT&T; 4G: AT&T
Denver — 3G: T-Mobile; 4G: Verizon
Los Angeles — 3G: T-Mobile; 4G: AT&T
Las Vegas — 3G: T-Mobile; 4G: AT&T
New Orleans — 3G: T-Mobile; 4G: Verizon
New York — 3G: T-Mobile; 4G: AT&T
San Jose — 3G: T-Mobile; 4G: Verizon
San Francisco — 3G: T-Mobile; 4G: AT&T
Seattle — 3G: T-Mobile; 4G: Verizon
Washington DC — 3G: T-Mobile; 4G: AT&T

“Our annual speed study is an important part of what we do at PCWorld,” explains VP, Editorial Director, Steve Fox. “Many consumers look to us for an unbiased, independent, empirical assessment of the wireless technology and services being offered in the U.S. today.”

“It’s exciting to see the data speed wars heating up as the wireless providers move from 3G to 4G technology in their networks and devices,” Fox says. “We only hope that the competition eventually translates into better performance and better value for consumers.”

Our testing cities:Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle and Washington DC