T-Mobile USA Focused on 'Selling Against the iPhone' Starting September 21

TmoNews reports (via Engadget) that it has received a pair of photos from T-Mobile USA's internal news system announcing that the carrier will be rolling out new training programs focused on "selling against the iPhone". The new training modules are being deployed on September 21, the rumored launch day for the next-generation iPhone in the United States.

Perhaps it’s coincidental that the information for employees to utilize against the iPhone will drop on September 21st, a date being tossed around as a possible release date for the next-generation iPhone. Perhaps it’s just coincidence but we can’t envision a scenario in which T-Mobile would prepare their employees to sell against a product they are about to receive.

tmobile selling against iphone
T-Mobile is the only one of the four major U.S. carriers to not officially offer the iPhone, hampered by its use of 3G spectrum bands that are not supported by iPhone models released to date. That has not stopped customers from bringing their GSM iPhones to the carrier for use on its 2G network, and T-Mobile has been working to increase support for the over one million iPhones in use on its network even as it seeks to downplay the impact of its official absence to potential customers.

Following its failed merger with AT&T, T-Mobile USA announced earlier this year that its work on refarming spectrum would make the carrier's 4G HSPA+ network compatible with a broader range of devices, including the iPhone, by the end of 2012. Today's report from TmoNews reveals that T-Mobile is also rolling out new Monthly4G SIM kits that are compatible with the iPhone 4S and 4 later this month, perhaps signaling an increased effort to attract iPhone customers as its iPhone-compatible HSPA+ network reaches critical mass.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...

Top Rated Comments

iSamurai Avatar
176 months ago
...the most innovative phone on the market.
oh wow! a stretched iphone with an extra row of icons! so innovative! :D
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Blackberryroid Avatar
176 months ago
T-Mobile is making a horrible choice. Going against the most innovative phone on the market.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FSMBP Avatar
176 months ago
So they're just following what AT&T and Verizon does? :p
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MyMacintosh Avatar
176 months ago
There goes my hope for iPhone coming to T-Mobile
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rdlink Avatar
176 months ago
Is this story on here meant to indicate that T-Mobile isn't getting the iPhone or validation of the release date? Or that somehow - they are "evil" for training their sales staff for how to remain competitive against the iPhone?

Not much news here.

Why are you trying to imply editorial commentary where there isn't any currently? This was a reporting of pertinent Apple related news as it relates to a major US telephone carrier. The implications of this information are that TMO doesn't look to be getting the iPhone anytime soon, and they potentially have inside information as to the launch date, since their purported push on selling against the iPhone corresponds with the rumored date of release of the new model. The story in no way implies that TMO is evil for doing this.

And as someone who waited for years to get an iPhone on TMO before throwing in the towel and moving to VZ, I find this one of the more interesting rumor stories published on this site in days, if not weeks.

I also find it kind of sad. TMO continues to stand on the outside, looking in...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
samcraig Avatar
176 months ago
Who says Apple isn't unwilling to let them have the iPhone? But if it a TMO decision then they're missing out.

Depends. Look at the hole Sprint got themselves into for making their deal with Apple...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)