You've probably heard the buzz. T-Mobile's finally got 3G service. Finally, mobile broadband speed comes to many a people's favorite carrier. Well, this isn't a public relations piece so you're gonna get the good, bad and ugly.
If write a screenplay of a truthful dialogue between T-Mobile and its potential customers it'd go something like this:
Does T-Mobile have 3G?
Uhh…Yeah
Is it any good?
Umm…sure…sometimes…
What do you mean sometimes?
Because they just launched their 3G service it's extremely limited compared to the big 3 (Verizon, AT&T and Sprint). The initial goal was about 30 major cities. It's great if you're in a hot town like Los Angeles or Washington, D.C. but let's say you're in Jacksonville, FL. Things get interesting. Mostly the city is on the slower EDGE network but there's this dark blue streak that gives you hope…it's darker than the light blue indicating EDGE but lighter than the blue that means 3G. What the heck is that?
Depending on the device you're using, this might not matter all that much to you. If you're browsing on your T-Mobile G1 then everything might be fine as you check email. But what if you wanted to tether to your laptop or use a broadband card? Not happening.
Verdict: T-Mobile's 3G network is fine for early adopters and people who don't demand the highest speed available. Don't bet on them doing rapidly fast upgrades throughout the country. If you need speed, check out another carrier. Of course, I don't have to tell you to do 2 last things before making a final judgment. After all, you did come searching for this information.
