T-Mobile USA Announces Major 4G Coverage Expansion in 14 Markets, Solavei MVNO Targets iPhone Users

T-Mobile USA today announced that it has made significant enhancements to its 4G network in 14 areas, signaling continued efforts to support the iPhone on its fastest 4G networks. T-Mobile has announced that it will officially begin offering the iPhone sometime next year.

Today, we’re announcing technology advancements in 14 new metro areas to close out 2012, underscoring our rapid enhancements to the already powerful 4G experience we offer. This has been a busy year for T-Mobile’s network — we announced a $4 billion plan to advance the network, secured vendors and quickly got to work installing new equipment across the country. Only 10 months after announcing our plans, we’ve already enhanced coverage for more than 100 million people!

Alongside T-Mobile's announcement, mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Solavei, which operates using T-Mobile USA's network, has officially launched a major push to attract iPhone customers.

Launched on September 21, 2012, Solavei has already attracted more than 100,000 members nationwide to take advantage of the only mobile phone service offering a $49 per month unlimited voice, text and data plan, along with the unique opportunity to earn recurring monthly income by sharing with friends and family.

“The network enhancements give our current and future members the ability to use their unlocked iPhones and other AT&T/4G smartphones at the highest possible speeds in even more cities,” said Ryan Wuerch, founder and CEO of Solavei. “The time is right for the more than 4 million AT&T iPhone customers who initially signed contracts in 2010 to cut their phone bills in half and gain the opportunity to earn income by sharing Solavei with their friends and family.”

Solavei notes that T-Mobile's network enhancements now allow it to support the iPhone in 37 new markets.

The network enhancements allow Solavei members to use iPhones and other AT&T/4G smartphones to access its $49 per month unlimited voice, text and data in areas including New York City, Newark, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Tampa, Baltimore, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Washington DC, Atlanta, Seattle, Minneapolis, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, Central and Southern Arizona, San Francisco Bay Area, Central Valley California and South Florida.

T-Mobile is the last of the four major U.S. carriers to officially offer the iPhone, and while T-Mobile itself will not begin offering the iPhone until next year, Solavei's announcement suggests that T-Mobile's 1900 MHz 4G buildout is far enough along to support a major rollout of iPhone service.