T-Mobile may be planning an event in New York for the end of this month, where it’ll officially switch on its 4G LTE network, and potentially put the BlackBerry Z10 – its first, brand new LTE phone – up for sale. The network has been working hard to build a 4G LTE grid over the past year, which will work alongside its HSPA+ network (that it confusingly already calls 4G, even though it’s not), and is expected to provide coverage to 100 million people by mid-year, and 200 million by 2014.
The date being rumored is March 26, which conveniently fits in with two previous rumors, one concerning T-Mobile’s LTE plans and the other stating the BlackBerry Z10 would arrive on March 27. T-Mobile still has a pre-registration splash page up for the Z10, complete with a subtle 4G LTE logo at the bottom, but there has been no confirmation on when the phone will be launched. AT&T and Verizon will put the Z10 up for sale in the U.S. on March 22 and March 28 respectively.
But the Z10 isn’t the only 4G LTE phone in T-Mobile’s arsenal, as in preparation for the big switch on, it’s sending out a software update which will enable 4G LTE connectivity in its Samsung Galaxy Note 2 devices. Not everyone will see such an update though, as it’ll only show up if you live in an area where T-Mobile will offer 4G LTE. According to eWeek, the Nokia 810 will also be getting a similar update in the near future.
Due to T-Mobile getting started with its 4G LTE network last year, it’s already testing it in certain areas, so if you have a compatible phone – which includes an unlocked Apple iPhone, a device which may also make its debut with the carrier during the March event – keep watching your signal, as you could find yourself connected to 4G LTE even before the end of the month.
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