T-Mobile
Motorola Gets Serious About Foldables with New RAZR Lineup
Motorola has launched two new foldable phones, creating a lineup of 2023 razr phones with flexible display technology. The higher-end razr+ has the largest outer display of a modern flip-style phone, and is the thinnest when closed. The design no longer features a "chin", bringing it closer to Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip series in appearance, and Motorola is matching Samsung on price at $1,000. The lower-end model will presumably be more affordable, breaking new ground in the US as a sub-$1,000 foldable at launch. Both new razr phones have the same 6.9-inch AMOLED inner display with FHD+ resolution, HDR10+, and at least 144 Hz refresh (165 Hz for the razr+).
- The 2023 razr+ is powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip paired with 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The large AMOLED outer display surrounds the outer cameras. It measures 3.6 inches and sports 1066 x 1056 resolution, HDR10+, and up to 144 Hz refresh. Motorola has created a new software experience for the large outer display that includes functionality for apps like Google Maps, Google News, Google Wallet, weather, and Spotify. It also has new customization options and even mini-games. The battery is 3,800 mAh. The main camera is 12 megapixel with f/1.5, dual-pixel PDAF, and OIS. Standard colors are Glacier Blue and Infinite Black, both of which employ a 7000-series aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus on both sides. A Viva Magenta (Pantone color of the year) edition swaps out glass for vegan leather on the bottom half. This color will be exclusive to T-Mobile in the US.
- The 2023 razr will be a more affordable option and perhaps the most affordable foldable phone on the market, although Motorola has not yet set a specific price. Its OLED outer display is a more modest 1.5 inches with just 194 x 368 resolution. Powering the phone is a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip paired with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. The main camera is 64 megapixel (f/1.7) with OIS and laser autofocus. Interestingly, the battery is larger at 4,200 mAh. The design consists of 7000-series aluminum, vegan leather, and Gorilla Glass Victus protecting the outer display. It will come in Sage Green, Summer Lilac, and Vanilla Cream.
2023's moto g stylus 5G is Smaller
Motorola has launched the 2023 edition of its moto g stylus 5G, a mid-range phone that offers a few extras for $400 (or less through some carriers). This year's model is more compact, with a 6.6 inch display instead of 6.8". It also updates the processor to the newer Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chip and adds stereo speakers. Other specs and features remain the same, (and a major upgrade over this year's 4G model). That includes the integrated stylus, 120 Hz display, 5,000 mAh battery, 50 megapixel main camera, combined wide/macro camera, NFC, memory card slot, headset jack, and fingerprint reader. The phone has excellent support for all major (sub-6) frequency bands used in the US. It comes with either 4 or 6 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of storage,. It appears to be very popular with carriers. Cricket will sell it starting this Friday, June 2nd. It will also be offered by AT&T, T-Mobile, Metro, Consumer Cellular, US Cellular, Boost, Google Fi, Xfinity, Optimum, and Spectrum.
Pixel 7a and Pixel Fold Popular with US Carriers, But Details Differ
The top three US carriers will all sell both the Google Pixel 7a and Pixel Fold. All three will sell the Pixel 7a starting this afternoon. T-Mobile will sell it for the same price as Google ($500), while AT&T will charge $520 and Verizon will charge $540. The 7a comes in both mmWave and non-mmWave versions. The addition of mmWave 5G accounts for the price difference with Verizon. Although T-Mobile's version does not support mmWave, it will support three-carrier aggregation on the company's unique 5G SA network. AT&T's version does not support mmWave either, but does support mid-band 5G: band 77-C today and band 77-A (3.45 GHz) "enabled in a future software update". T-Mobile and AT&T say they will offer the Pixel Fold "soon" or "this summer" (respectively). Verizon is being much more specific, saying Pixel Fold pre-orders start June 20th, with full availability on June 27th. Verizon will offer the phone with the option of either 256 or 512 GB of storage.
T-Mobile Continues Expanding 5G Coverage, Tests Faster Uploads
T-Mobile is the first US carrier to successfully test carrier aggregation on the uplink side of a 5G data connection on a live 5G SA network. This new technology enabled upload data speeds of 207 Mbps, a record for sub-6 GHz (non-mmWave) 5G. Faster speeds are common in the dowlink (download) direction, but uplink speeds are typically slower. Faster uplink speeds enable higher-quality video conferencing, for example. The company expects to roll the feature out for regular customers early next year. The test used a smartphone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon modem and Nokia equipment on the network side. The two carriers that were aggregated were in bands 2 (1,900 MHz) and 41 (2,500 MHz). T-Mobile also provided an update on its 5G network coverage and plans. The company claims that its 5G network now covers "326 million people across 2 million square miles – more than AT&T and Verizon combined." That includes slower low-band 5G. As for the faster mid-band 5G that T-Mobile brands "Ultra Capacity 5G", the company says that it currently covers 275 million people nationwide, and plans to reach 300 million people – "nearly everyone in the country" – by the end of this year.
Motorola Updates its Most Affordable Phones
Motorola has introduced two new models in its "moto g" series of affordable phones.
- The moto g 5G (2023) is very similar to last year's moto g 5G, offering 5G for a low price. Updates include 120 Hz display refresh (vs. 90), 15-watt fast charging (vs. 10), and stereo speakers. A Snapdragon 480+ ship replaces the MediaTek Dimensity 700 in last year's model. Other specs are essentially unchanged, including a 6.5-inch, HD+ display and a 48 megapixel camera. It has excellent support for all US networks. It will be available with AT&T, T-Mobile, Cricket, Metro by T-Mobile, Boost Infinite, Boost Mobile, Google Fi Wireless, US Cellular, and Consumer Cellular, with dates and pricing TBA. It will also be available unlocked starting May 25th for $250. Color options are Ink Blue and Harbor Gray.
- The moto g stylus (2023) takes a different approach, cutting some specs to reach a lower price compared to last year's model. The new model is more compact with a 6.5-inch HD+ display and no wide-angle camera. What the new model keeps is the large 50 megapixel main camera, 90 Hz display refresh, and, of course, built-in stylus. It's powered by a MediaTek Helio G85 4G chip. Cricket, Straight Talk, and Walmart Family Mobile will all offer the phone. It will also be available unlocked for $200 starting this Friday, May 5th. It has excellent support for all US 4G networks. It will come in Midnight Blue and Glam Pink.
T-Mobile Rolls Out New Plans with Two-Year Phone Upgrades
T-Mobile is making it easier and a better deal to switch service to them, and introducing new plans. The new Go5G and Go5G Plus plans include a new phone up front (up to $830) with trade-in (up to six years old), and a phone upgrade every two years. Baked into both plans is a price lock guarantee, and the Go5G Plus plan comes with a promise that new and existing customers will always get the same phone deals. T-Mobile is making it easier to switch to its network by paying off existing phones — even if locked (for a limited time) — or contract termination fees, and customers are still eligible for the free new phone. T-Mobile's "Go Back Guarantee" gives new customers 30 days to change their mind, in which case customers get $50/line to cover switch-back costs. The new Go5G and Go5G Plus plans are very similar to the company's existing Magenta and Magenta Max plans, respectively, which will continue to be available. The difference is that the Go5G plans are an additional $5/line/month, and include an extra 10 GB of hotspot data. Other plan features are identical, such as unlimited premium data on the higher-end plan and 100 GB premium data on the cheaper plan. T-Mobile is also introducing a cheaper version of its Essentials plan called Essentials Savings. This offer is for a limited time but also includes a price lock guarantee. Essentials Savings includes everything the standard Essentials plan includes, such as 50 GB of premium data, but is $10/month cheaper for one or two lines, or $5/month cheaper for four lines. Because it doesn't offer a third line free like the standard Essentials plan, the price is the same for three lines.
T-Mobile Snaps Up Mint Mobile
T-Mobile has signed a deal to buy Ka’ena Corporation and its subsidiaries and brands: Mint Mobile, Ultra Mobile, and Plum. The Mint and Ultra brands will continue under the T-Mobile umbrella, alongside Metro by T-Mobile and Connect by T-Mobile. Ryan Reynolds, the existing owner of Mint, "will continue on in his creative role on behalf of Mint." Mint already uses the T-Mobile network and will continue to do so. T-Mobile promises that Mint's $15/month pricing will remain unchanged. The deal is a mix of cash and stock valued at up to $1.35 billion, dependent on future performance. The transaction is expected to close later this year.
SpaceX to Start Testing Direct-to-Phone Starlink Service This Year
A SpaceX executive has confirmed that — this year — the company plans to "start getting into testing" its new service that will let regular cell phones connect directly to its next-generation Starlink satellites. SpaceX announced plans for the service last year and a partnership with T-Mobile to offer the service in the US. In the US, the service will use a small, unique frequency band called the G block of band 25 (1910–1915 MHz for uplink and 1990–1995 MHz for downlink). T-Mobile has exclusive nationwide rights to that band in the US. Existing T-Mobile phones are compatible with the band, and setting it aside exclusively for satellite use should avoid conflicts with land-based networks. The service for phones requires new second-generation Starlink satellites with larger antennas. SpaceX intends to launch most 2nd-gen. satellites on its new Starship rocket, but has already started launching a "mini" version of the new satellites on its existing Falcon 9 rockets. It's unclear if the "mini" version includes the larger antennas necessary for service to phones.
T-Mobile Makes Upgrades to its 5G Network
T-Mobile has announced two key steps in upgrading its 5G network to be faster and more advanced. First, the company has successfully tested four-carrier aggregation with 5G SA (stand-alone). In the test, this technology allowed a Samsung Galaxy S23 to hit peak speeds topping 3.3 Gbps. The test combined two channels (carriers) of 2500 MHz spectrum (band 41) and two channels of 1900 MHz spectrum (band 2/25), creating an one effective channel of 5G SA that was 225 MHz wide. "Customers with the Samsung Galaxy S23 will be among the first to experience four-carrier aggregation later this year with more devices to follow." The other announcement is the deployment of VoNR in six cities. VoNR is 5G-native voice calling; currently, most voice calls are still made over 4G LTE. The six cities that now have VoNR enabled are: New York City, Seattle, Portland, New Orleans, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake City. Consumers are unlikely to notice a change, although voice call setup time should be slightly faster. Behind the scenes, VoNR allows phones to stay connected to 5G continuously, which in turn enables 5G SA features like network slicing (for enterprise customers). VoNR is also necessary to enable the eventual phase-out of 4G LTE, although that is not expected any time soon.
T-Mobile Details 5G Expansion
T-Mobile's 5G network covers 323 million people and its faster "Ultra Capacity" 5G network now covers 260 million people, a goal the company has set for the end of this year. 300 million is the company's plan for the end of 2023. T-Mobile has also just launched 5G nationwide in band 2 (1900 MHz), adding more nationwide 5G capacity in a band with good coverage. The company also continues to roll out three-carrier aggregation (3CA), offering the fastest 5G speeds possible. This feature is available "in parts of the network now" for customers with a Samsung Galaxy S22. 3CA "will expand nationwide, and be accessible by additional devices, in the near future."
Motorola Brings High-End Edge 30 Fusion to US
Motorola's edge 30 fusion — a model that would normally only be sold in other parts of the world — will come to the US as an unlocked phone compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile. This special edition will come in Pantone's just-announced Color of the Year 2023, Pantone 18-1750 "Viva Magenta". The edge 30 fusion is a near-flagship-level phone, featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+ chipset, pOLED display with 144 Hz refresh, and 50 megapixel camera with OIS. Other specs include a 4,400 mAh battery, 12 GB of RAM, 256 GB storage, 13 megapixel wide-angle camera, 32 megapixel front camera with auto-focus, and Wi-Fi 6E. Although it supports enough frequency bands to function on the AT&T or T-Mobile networks, it does not support all of the bands necessary for full coverage and best data speeds. (For example, it lacks 4G in bands 30 and 71, and lacks 5G in band 2.) Motorola will sell the phone starting December 12, unlocked on its web site for $800, in a bundle that includes the Moto Buds 600 ANC Bluetooth earbuds in the complementary color PANTONE 19-2118 "Winetasting". The phone will also be available on its own, in Lazuli Blue, for $700.
T-Mobile Lights up 5G SA in Mid-Band
T-Mobile has launched 5G SA (stand-alone) technology in its mid-band spectrum (primarily band 41) nationwide. This step not only moves to a more modern network with lower latency, but will enable 5G CA (carrier aggregation) of 3 frequency bands of simultaneous 5G, allowing faster data speeds of up 3 Gbps. This new, faster 5G mode will "begin" to roll out this year. The Samsung Galaxy S22 will be the first phone able to use this mode, "and it will expand to additional devices in the near future." Initial 5G networks operated in NSA (non-stand-alone) mode, which required mobile devices to stay connected to a 4G network in one band. This limited the specific frequency band combinations devices could use, limiting 5G data speeds and — in some cases — 5G coverage. T-Mobile addressed the coverage issue with the nationwide launch of 5G SA in its low-band frequencies in 2020. Today's announcement extends 5G SA to mid-band frequencies, addressing the data speed issue.
OnePlus Nord N300 Coming to T-Mobile Next Week
OnePlus has formally announced the OnePlus Nord N300 5G, its newest affordable 5G phone for T-Mobile and Metro. Starting at $228, it includes 33-watt fast charging, 90 Hz display refresh, and a 48 megapixel main camera. The N300 is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 810 chipset made with a 6nm manufacturing process, paired with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage (expandable). A 33 watt fast charger is included, to quickly juice up the large 5,000 mAh battery. The display measures 6.56 inches, with HD+ resolution. The 48 megapixel main camera is assisted by a 2 megapixel depth camera for portrait shots. It will come in one color: Midnight Jade. The phone goes on sale November 3rd with both T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile.
Hands On with the TCL 30 5G
TCL continues to build out its lineup of affordable 5G phones with this new model that might come to T-Mobile later this year. While the TCL 30 XE 5G was truly entry-level, this model is a notable step up, with specs closer to the 30 V 5G that the company brought to Verizon earlier this year. Headline specs of this model include a 50 megapixel main camera, 6.7-inch full-HD display, huge 5,010 mAh battery, and NFC. The design is visibly quite different, though. What's it like in person? We checked it out. Read on for our first impressions.
T-Mobile Adds United to Free In-flight Wi-Fi Perk
Eligible T-Mobile customers receive free in-flight Wi-Fi — including streaming — on American, Delta, Alaska, and now United, for the whole duration of the flight. The perk applies to domestic and short-haul international flights. On United, it's now available on planes outfitted with Viasat or Thales connectivity. This includes United's 737s, MAX8s, MAX9s, select 757-300s, and select A319s. It will be coming soon to planes with other systems — such as Gogo or Panasonic — as well as United Express flights. United recently lowered its Wi-Fi rates to $10 per flight, or $8 for MileagePlus members.
T-Mobile Fills Rural Gaps in Mid-Band Spectrum in FCC Auction
The FCC has completed its Auction 108 for 2.5 GHz radio licenses and announced the winners. As expected, T-Mobile purchased the vast majority of the over 8,000 county-based licenses on offer. This 2.5 Ghz spectrum aligns with band 41, which T-Mobile already uses extensively for its mid-band 5G network. T-Mobile's existing licenses in this band were cobbled together from a variety of original owners, mostly covering more urban areas, leaving many rural areas unlicensed. This auction aimed to fix that, and succeeded, with 98% of the licenses sold. T-Mobile's new licenses will allow the company to fill some of the holes in its mid-band 5G coverage across the US. T-Mobile spent over $304 million for 7,156 licenses.
Nokia Brings New Affordable Phones to T-Mobile, Boost
HMD Global this week finally launched its Nokia G400 5G with T-Mobile. Way back in January, the company announced that the launch was planned for the second quarter of the year. HMD also just announced that Boost will offer its Nokia C200 and G100 4G phones "in the coming weeks". Those phones were also part of the January announcement, although carrier partners were not disclosed at the time. The G100 is arriving later than planned, but at a lower price of $140. The C200 is already available from TracFone. Further, HMD was named "the #5 Smartphone company in the U.S." according to IDC. "Nokia smartphones now account for 2.9% of the U.S. smartphone market". The company released new details of the G100 and G400 5G:
- The G100 improves on the C200 with a larger 6.5-inch display, larger 5,000 mAh battery, a more powerful Snapdragon 662 chip, a fingerprint reader, and an 8 megapixel wide-angle camera. Other specs are similar, including a 13 megapixel main camera, 8 megapixel front camera, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB storage (expandable), fast charging, and a headset jack. It will sell for $140.
- The G400 5G steps up to FHD+ display resolution with 120 Hz refresh, a 48 megapixel main camera, 16 megapixel front camera, NFC, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, and of course, 5G. T-Mobile is selling it for $234.
T-Mobile Switches on eSIM for Easy Switching
T-Mobile has updated its main T-Mobile app to enable customers of other carriers to switch to T-Mobile "in as little as a few minutes." The feature is able to activate the phone on a new T-Mobile line from right within the app, using eSIM technology. eSIM is found in recent Apple iPhones, Google Pixels, and many recent Samsung phones. Optionally, users can use this feature to activate a free three-month trial of T-Mobile's network as a second line, while keeping their existing service on the phone's primary SIM card. The feature is available for both consumer and business customers. The updated T-Mobile app is available now for both iOS and Android.
T-Mobile Adds Apple TV+ to its Top Plan
T-Mobile's premium Magenta Max plan will now include an Apple TV+ streaming subscription at no extra cost, starting this Wednesday. Magenta Max already includes basic Netflix and a free year of Paramount+. An Apple TV+ subscription normally costs $5/month. Customers on lower-tier Magenta plans can receive Apple TV+ free for six months; Apple's standard free trial of the service is just seven days.
T-Mobile Teams with SpaceX for Satellite Coverage Using Existing Phones
T-Mobile and SpaceX today announced a partnership to provide 100% coverage across the US and "vast" parts of oceans using SpaceX's next generation of Starlink satellites, which will be able to connect directly to existing cell phones. The service will use a dedicated "small slice" of the PCS band (the G block of band 25, which is 1910–1915 MHz for uplink and 1990–1995 MHz for downlink). The initial service will be limited to text messaging, MMS, and select third-party messaging apps. A beta version of the service is expected to be available late next year. Eventually, T-Mobile hopes to expand the service to general data as well as voice. The technology is enabled by new, much larger phased-array antennas that will be included on upcoming Starlink 2.0 satellites that could start launching by the end of this year. Current SpaceX lab tests show the service able to offer "2–4 Mbit per cell zone." T-Mobile plans to offer the service for free on its "most popular" plans, and for a small fee on lower plans. T-Mobile expressed interest in offering "reciprocal" roaming with other carriers, and SpaceX expressed interest in offering the service to other carriers around the world. AST SpaceMobile is working to launch its own new satellites that will provide a similar service. SpaceX is also launching AST's satellites.
Wiko Brand Returns to US with the Voix at T-Mobile
T-Mobile has launched the Wiko Voix, a new Android phone that runs just $126. The phone is also launching with Metro by T-Mobile for $120. The last Wiko-branded phones for a US carrier were the Ride series for Boost. Wiko is a brand of Tinno, which has a history of making affordable white-label phones for US carriers, including the AT&T Calypso series and Cricket Icon series. Although Tinno has not traditionally touted its own brand in this part of the world, the company has launched a new US web site. Key specs of the Wiko Voix include Android 12, 6.5-inch HD+ display, 3,400 mAh battery, 13 megapixel camera, rear fingerprint reader, 3 GB RAM, 32 GB storage, and a memory card slot.
Motorola's new Edge Offers a Lot for $500
Motorola has taken the wraps off its new Edge phone for 2022. This is the little sibling to the Edge+, the company's flagship phone. It keeps many of that phone's best features, including a 50 megapixel main camera, large FHD+ OLED display with 144 Hz refresh and HDR10+, 30W fast charging, two-way wireless charging, 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, and NFC. And yet it's half the price at $500. It also represents a big win for Motorola as the first time since 2017 that a Motorola phone this high-end will be offered by all three top-tier US carriers. To achieve the lower price point compared to the Edge+, the new Edge (2022) uses a MediaTek Dimensity 1050 chip, the wide-angle camera is 13 megapixel instead of 50, the selfie camera is 32 megapixel instead of 60, and it drops stylus support. Camera features include 960 fps super-slow-motion and 4K HDR video capture. Its 6.6-inch main display hides an optical fingerprint reader and is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The rest of the body is plastic, but with a back that looks like matte glass. Motorola boasts that this is one of its thinner and lighter phones, despite having a large 5,000 mAh battery. It supports Ready For, Motorola's unique software for hooking the phone up to large displays and other accessories for big-screen-optimized video streaming, gaming, and productivity apps. It ships with Android 12, but Motorola has improved its software commitment to three full OS upgrades and four years of bi-monthly security updates. It will come in one color: Mineral Gray. T-Mobile will launch it first, "in the coming weeks", offering it with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage for $498. Verizon's version will have 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage, and of course adds mmWave 5G. AT&T will offer its own unique variant with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. US Cellular, Spectrum Mobile, and Visible will also offer it. Motorola's unlocked version will have 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage; it will sell for $500 for a limited time, after which it will run $600. It will be available from Best Buy, Amazon, and Motorola.com.
Blu Gets Into US 5G with the Bold N2
Bold (a sub-brand of Blu) has announced its first phone with 5G optimized for a US network: the Bold N2. The N2 is an affordable unlocked phone with very good support for T-Mobile's 5G and 4G networks, including mid-band 5G (bands 41 and 77). The N2 has a 6.6-inch, full-HD, curved-edge AMOLED display. It has a 4,200 mAh battery and supports 30-watt fast charging. It's powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 810 chip paired with a generous 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage. On the back is a 64 megapixel main camera and 5 megapixel wide camera. The front sports a 16 megapixel camera with its own dedicated depth camera for portrait-mode selfies. It has an in-display fingerprint reader and runs Android 11. The teal-tinted body is "designed with deluxe textured leather and metal housing using premium, high-end materials". It will sell for $349 on Amazon, but Blu is offering a launch-day "flash launch deal of $100 off where early birds can snag it for $249 while supplies last."
Hands On with the T-Mobile REVVL 6 Pro 5G
T-Mobile's REVVL 6 Pro 5G is a large-screen 5G phone with decent specs and a decent feature set. And it's just $220. What do you get for that price? What's it like in person? How well does it work? We took it for a quick spin. Read all about our first impressions in this hands-on.
T-Mobile's New REVVL 6 Series Offers 5G Starting at $170
T-Mobile has announced it latest series of T-Mobile-branded affordable phones, the REVVL 6 5G and REVVL 6 Pro 5G. They will sell for $170 and $220, respectively.
- The REVVL 6 5G has a 6.52" HD+ display, 4,500 mAh battery, 13 megapixel main camera, 4 GB RAM, and 64 GB storage.
- The REVVL 6 Pro 5G has a 6.82" HD+ display, 5,000 mAh battery, wireless charging, 50 megapixel main camera, NFC, 6 GB RAM, and 128 GB storage.
Newcomer Schok Makes Splash with Feature-Rich Phone for $169
Schok — a relatively new, Texas-based mobile phone company focusing on entry- and mid-segment phones — has launched the Schok Freedom Turbo XL, a mid-range unlocked phone with an entry-level "introductory" price of just $169, "while supplies last". The phone features NFC, wireless charging, Corning Gorilla Glass on both sides, a 48 megapixel main camera, 16 megapixel wide camera, 24 megapixel front camera, and a 6.53-inch FHD+ display. It's powered by a Snapdragon 665 chip paired with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. It has a 4,000 mAh battery and supports 18-watt fast charging. Its unique design features "RGB Halo lighting surrounding the camera module", controlled via the Schok mood control app. The phone has "two premium stereo loudspeakers" and comes with SoundID software from Sonarworks, which lets users calibrate the audio output for an "ideal personalized sound profile". Other unique features for this class of phone include wired video output and an infrared blaster. The phone has 4G compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile networks. Schok is selling the phone directly on its web site. The first 1,000 orders will include a free accessories bundle worth $70. This includes a Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 18W fast charger, braided USB-C cable, braided earphones tuned by Sonarworks, protective transparent back cover, display protector, and a leatherette "phone wallet sleeve". Schok also recently launched the Schok Flip flip phone with T-Mobile and Metro. This is a rebranded version of the Schok Classic flip phone that the company already sold unlocked.
T-Mobile Adds More Overseas and Inflight Data to its Plans
Starting June 21st, T-Mobile's most popular plans will include more and/or faster data while overseas, as well as inflight on major US airlines. T-Mobile's most premium plan, Magenta Max, gets the biggest upgrades, with 5 GB of international high-speed data each month — up to 5G speeds where available — in 210+ countries and destinations. The same plan will also now include free inflight Wi-Fi, all flight long, on "select flights" with Delta, American, and Alaska, coming soon to United as well. This includes streaming TV "where available". These same benefits also apply to the Business Unlimited Ultimate plan. Customers on Magenta, Business Unlimited Advanced, and equivalent Sprint plans also see improvements, though not as great. For international roaming, those customers will now get 5 GB of 5G data each month in the 11 European countries with a T-Mobile network: Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. In other countries, the free data roaming speed (for things like basic navigation and email) is being doubled from 128 kbps to 256 kbps. For inflight Wi-Fi, Magenta customers will now get free service for the whole flight on up to four flights each year, and one free hour on all additional flights.
Dish Launches "Project Genesis" Standalone 5G Network in 120+ Cities
Dish has finally launched its own, from-scratch 5G Standalone (SA) network in "120+ Cities" spanning the US. The launch comes just hours before the FCC's deadline for the company to launch service covering 20% of the country. It's not immediately clear how much native coverage the network will provide in each city, but the company does provide customers with roaming service on other networks. Dish calls the network Project Genesis (sometimes written "Gene5is"), and the service "Smart 5G". Cities with service at launch include: Albuquerque, Boise, Charlotte, Cleveland, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Hartford, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Nashville, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Pueblo, Raleigh, Rochester, Salt Lake City, Spokane, Springfield, St. Louis, and Stockton. Dish currently appears to be offering only one phone option: the Samsung Galaxy S22 for $400 (50% off the usual price). This seems to be the phone of choice for 5G SA technology at the moment, as it's the same and only model that T-Mobile says is currently compatible with its new high-speed 5G SA service. Dish started offering commercial 5G SA service in launch city Las Vegas last month, after a beta period that started last September.
T-Mobile Achieves 3 Gbps Using Standalone 5G in Mid-Band
T-Mobile has successfully tested 5G triple carrier aggregation (NR CA) using 5G standalone (SA) and mid-band spectrum, achieving an impressive downlink data rate of 3 Gbps. Triple CA is not new, but non-standalone (NSA) 5G requires that one of those three carriers be slower 4G, limiting potential data speeds. SA mode allows all three carriers to be 5G, and two can even be in the same band. T-Mobile's band 41 mid-band spectrum is wide enough to allow that in some parts of the country. T-Mobile's test combined 100 MHz of band 41 (2.5 GHz) + another 90 Hz of band 41 + 20 Mhz of band 25 (1.9 GHz), for a total of 210 Hz of bandwidth. The test used a Samsung Galaxy S22, and customers with that phone can experience NR CA in some areas today. "This capability will expand across the Un-carrier's network and to additional devices in the near future."
T-Mobile Launches 5G Voice
T-Mobile has achieved commercial launch of VoNR (Voice over New Radio), the key technology that enables a phone to operate 100% on a 5G network, including voice calls, instead of relying on a 4G network. For now, the service is available only in limited areas of Portland, Oregon and Salt Lake City. But T-Mobile "plans to expand VoNR to many more areas this year." The initial launches of 5G were wholly dependent on a 4G network, making use of 5G only for specific data sessions. The launch of 5G SA (stand-alone) technology allowed phones to operate mostly on the 5G network when available, including when the phone is idle. T-Mobile launched this technology nationwide in 2020. But phones still need to switch to 4G for voice calls. VoNR addresses that last missing piece, enabling a "pure 5G" connection. For customers, the only difference for now will be faster set-up times at the start of voice calls. But the technology lays the foundation for "advanced capabilities like network slicing that rely on a continuous connection to a 5G core." Currently, the only T-Mobile phone with VoNR enabled is the Samsung Galaxy S21. But T-Mobile promises that more 5G phones will have the functionality enabled later this year, including the Samsung Galaxy S22.
TCL Creates New Stylus Phone for US
TCL is entering a new category in the US phone market: affordable phones with a built-in stylus. The new TCL Stylus 5G is roughly similar to company's TCL 30 V 5G for Verizon, but with a stylus and going on sale today with T-Mobile and Metro. Motorola has found some success in recent years with affordable stylus-oriented phones in the US market; this new model from TCL is designed exclusively for the US market. The TCL Stylus 5G has a huge 6.8-inch FHD+ display, 50 megapixel camera, NFC, and is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 700 chip. It comes with 4 GB RAM, 128 GB storage, and accepts memory cards up to 2 TB. The 4,000 mAh battery supports 18-watt fast charging. Users can take notes by removing the stylus, without first waking the phone. Two specific third-party apps are included that make use of the stylus: Nebo, for handwriting recognition and taking notes, and MyScript Calculator 2, an app for math equations. There are also specific features for e-signing documents, and a magnifier function. TCL claims its stylus has 38% better latency compared to the competition. The TCL Stylus 5G is available now from T-Mobile and Metro, for $258 or $269 (respectively).
Sony's New $1,600 Flagship Sports Seamless True Optical Zoom
Sony has revealed its latest flagship phone, the Xperia 1 IV. It's the world's first phone with a true optical zoom lens that can adjust seamlessly from 85 to 125mm. The phone also has standard (24mm) and wide (16mm) lenses. All three lenses have the same 12 megapixel, 1/1.7" Exmor RS sensor with "Eye AF" 60 fps continuous auto-focus and exposure, and the ability to shoot 4K HDR video at up to 120 fps. The standard and zoom lens also have OIS. There's also a dedicated shutter button. The front camera has been upgraded with a larger 12 megapixel sensor. Several features let you use the phone together with a professional Sony Alpha camera. Every other spec and feature is top-end. The Xperia 1 IV also has an OLED display with 4K resolution, HDR, and 120 Hz refresh. It's powered by Qualcomm's top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor paired with 12 GB of RAM. It has 512 GB storage and a memory card slot. It also has a 5,000 mAh battery and two-way wireless charging. The body features Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back, with a frosted finish on the back. It's also rated IP65/68 for water and dust. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack, stereo speakers, 360 Reality Audio, High-Resolution Audio, and is "ready for" Bluetooth LE Audio. The Xperia 1 IV has excellent support for Verizon and T-Mobile 5G and 4G networks in the US, including mmWave 5G, as well as Wi-Fi 6E. It will come with Android 12. Color options include black and purple (available exclusively from Sony's web site.) It will ship September 1st, 2022 and is priced at $1,600. Pre-orders start today and, for a limited time, include Sony's latest WF-1000XM4 true wireless noise cancelling earbuds (a $280 value.)
T-Mobile to Offer OnePlus Nord N20 5G
T-Mobile will launch the OnePlus Nord N20 5G next Thursday, April 28th. T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile will be the exclusive US carriers for this mid-range Android phone. PCMag confirmed that the phone will sport a 6.43-inch, FHD+ AMOLED display with an in-display fingerprint reader. T-Mobile will offer the N20 for $282. AMOLED displays are uncommon in this price range. The Verge reports that the phone will be powered by a Snapdragon 695 chip paired with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. Other specs includes a 4,500 mAh battery, 33-watt fast charging, and a 64 megapixel main camera.
T-Mobile Starts Shutting Down Sprint's 3G CDMA Network
As promised, T-Mobile will start shutting down Sprint's legacy 2G/3G CDMA EVDO network today. The network is expected to be fully offline not later than May 31st.
OnePlus 10 Pro Coming to T-Mobile April 14th
OnePlus has finally released US launch details for its new OnePlus 10 Pro flagship phone. The 10 Pro is priced at $900 from T-Mobile or unlocked. It will be available from T-Mobile starting April 14th in Volcanic Black. The unlocked version (also black) is available for pre-order now from OnePlus's web site, showing a delivery date of April 21. oneplus.com will also offer an "Emerald Forest" green color at a later date. All versions have 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. The OnePlus 10 Pro is powered by a top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. It has a 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with up to 120 Hz refresh, and triple rear cameras including a 50 megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 48 megapixel main camera. The large 5,000 mAh battery supports 65-watt fast charging for "a day's power in 15 minutes". It's also rated IP68 for dust, dirt, and water.
The FCC's Next Mid-Band Auction Kicks Off in July
The FCC has announced that Auction 108 for the 2.5 GHz band will begin on July 29th. This particular band is the same as T-Mobile's existing mid-band spectrum, band 41. This auction is for the licenses that remain unassigned, which are mostly in rural areas. This could potentially allow T-Mobile to improve the coverage of its mid-band 5G network. Over 8,000 licenses will be available, each covering one county.
T-Mobile's New Cheapest Plan is Just $10/Month
T-Mobile is expanding its range of "Connect" plans, the company's most affordable prepaid service offerings. While plans with unlimited talk and text still start at $15/month as before, a new $10/month option includes 1,000 minutes of voice, 1,000 text messages, and 1 GB of high-speed data per month. At the other end, a new $35/month plan includes 12 GB of high-speed data. The $15 and $25 plans remain unchanged, sticking to T-Mobile's commitment to add 1/2 GB of data each year. So the $15/month plan that launched in 2020 with 2 GB of data now includes 3 GB, and the $25 plan now includes 6 GB. All Connect plans include T-Mobile's Scam Shield protection and free Caller ID. The new plans will be available this Friday, March 25th.
Samsung Galaxy A53 Coming to US in Two Weeks
Samsung today fleshed out more of its 2022 lineup of affordable Galaxy A-series phones. The new Galaxy A73, A53, and A33 are nearly identical in design and features, differing only in a few display and camera specs. All three models have a full-HD+ Super AMOLED display with a thinner bezel. The A73 and A53 have 120 Hz display refresh, while the A33 is 90 Hz. The screen sizes are 6.7", 6.5", and 6.4", respectively. The A53 has a 64 megapixel main camera with OIS, 12 megapixel wide-angle camera, 5 megapixel macro camera, depth camera, and a 32 megapixel selfie camera. The A73 bumps the main camera up to 108 megapixel, while A33 steps down the resolution a bit with a 48 megapixel main camera, 8 megapixel wide camera, and 13 megapixel selfie camera. All three models have 5G, a large 5,000 mAh battery, 25-watt fast charging, expandable storage (up to 1 TB), and a fingerprint reader. The stereo speakers have been made louder and support Dolby Atmos. The body uses Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and provides IP67 water resistance. Samsung has brought some key camera features from its flagship phones to the A series for the first time, such as 12-frame night mode, auto frame rate for better low-light video, and enhanced portrait mode with better edge detection. The phones ship with Android 12 (Samsung One UI 4.1), and Samsung will offer an industry-leading four generations of major OS updates. Samsung calls the new design Ambient Edge; both the A33 and A53 (shown in photo) will be available in black, white, blue, and peach. Samsung also announced an A23 for markets outside the US that steps down the specs with 4G and an LCD display. Samsung isn't commenting on US launch details for the A73 and A33 just yet, but the Galaxy A53 will be available on March 31st at T-Mobile and Verizon, as well as AT&T and Samsung.com on April 1st. It will start at $450 and come with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB built-in storage. Pre-orders start today and are eligible to receive a pair of Galaxy Buds Live.
FCC To Start Next Mid-Band Auction in July
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel gave a speech at the MWC trade show in Barcelona today where she announced that the FCC will start Auction 108 for 2.5 GHz mid-band spectrum in July of this year. This is the same band 41 that T-Mobile currently uses. But much of that band remains unclaimed. 2.5 GHz frequencies are well-suited to 5G deployment and therefore in great demand. So the FCC will auction off the unclaimed bits this year. The band was originally divided into small, oddly-defined blocks that aren't ideal for 5G. So the FCC is repackaging the spectrum into larger ~50 MHz "channels" that will work better for fast 5G service.
TCL's 30 XE 5G Launches This Week for Under $200
The recently-announced TCL 30 XE 5G will launch with T-Mobile this Friday for $198, and with Metro the same day for $199.99. The 30 XE has 90 Hz display refresh, fingerprint reader, and fast charging.
