T-Mobile 3G Phones Will Require Replacement After AT&T Merger

From DailyTech: AT&T is no stranger to gobbling up smaller wireless firms on its march to be the biggest wireless carrier in the United States. The company gobbled up Cingular and made all of those customers into AT&T users. The same is expected to happen with T-Mobile now that AT&T has announced its intentions to purchase the carrier.

The rub for customers on the T-Mobile network right now with a 3G mobile phone is that the devices will need to be replaced. If T-Mobile customer doesn’t replace their Mobile phones, they will not be able to continue to receive service. That points to AT&T moving all T-Mobile users to its current 3G frequencies and using the T-Mobile spectrum for something else.

AT&T has noted that after the deal closes, which isn't expected for about 12 months, it will later change how the towers owned by T-Mobile operate. The 3G spectrums will be repurposed for 4G service reports Yahoo News.

AT&T's Ralph de la Vega says that this upgrade will occur as port of the normal upgrade process. He stated, "There's nothing for them to worry about ... it will be done over time, in a way that's good for customers and good for AT&T."

De la Vega didn’t offer concrete upgrade plans for T-Mobile customers that aren’t at a renewal window. Presumably, they will be upgraded with a new 2-year contract agreement. He did note that the entire upgrade process would take several years.

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