US carrier T-Mobile is in the airwaves today after announcing that they plan on adding HSPA+ bands internationally this year. One of the downsides of traveling overseas is that often times you won’t have the same reception and speed as you do in the states. The company is planning on helping change that this year so customers with an International HSPA+ device can get faster than 2G speeds which are okay for making phone calls and that’s about it.
Since AT&T has access to many of T-Mobile’s towers, this means that if you have an unlocked International phone, you can slip a T-Mobile SIM card in it and go. No word on exactly when more of the HSPA+ service will be rolled out overseas.
Also, according to a Bloomberg report, Deutsche Telekom, the company behind T-Mobile USA, is looking to merge with MetroPCS. From TmoNews:
Deutsche Telekom is currently considering a stock-swap transaction that would give T-Mobile’s parent company control over a joint entity, which would be publicly listed, said two officials on condition of anonymity. Deutsche Telekom continues to look at other options for T-Mobile USA, including an outright sale and IPO. After the failed AT&T deal, Deutsche Telekom continues to look for ways to bolster their USA branch and increase the business’ ability to gain size and new customers.
MetroPCS is the fifth largest mobile telecommunications network in the US with 9.5 million subscribers as of January 2012. As far as what this merger would mean for consumers, it doesn’t mean too much aside from the fact that it will help T-Mobile, again, gain more and new customers. If the deal is to happen, this would make the carrier more valuable which would definitely increase their numbers as well as give them a better stock price for an IPO.