T-Mobile USA doesn’t want anything to do with the Apple iPhone if it means taking a huge financial hit like Sprint Wireless took when it grabbed the popular smartphone option.
T-Mobile COO Jim Alling told Morgan Stanley’s Technology, Media & Telecoms Conference this week that the company would love the chance to carry the Apple based device, but only if the price were right.
In his public address, Alling said in no uncertain terms:
“Make no mistake about it: We would love to carry the iPhone. However, we want the economies to be right for us.”
While Alling admits that not carrying the iPhone has led to “a point of churn for us,” he also says T-Mobile is unwilling to sign the type of $15.5 billion deal Sprint agreed to with Apple in order to carry the device.
Despite the popularity of the iPhone series, T-Mobile USA remains the only nationwide carrier to not carry the iPhone.
Customers who want to use Apple’s popular line of devices still have the option to purchase an unlocked device. Unfortunately, unlocked iPhone devices, especially the company’s newest models, can cost upwards of $600 to $800 on the open market.
T-Mobile has tried to lure in unlocked iPhone users by promising unlimited data usage on its 3G HSPA+ network. The company’s lack of a 4G LTE network has continued to remain a thorn in its side, but its plan pricing has offset some of those customer concerns over mobile data speeds.
In the meantime, customers at T-Mobile still have access to the more than capable Samsung Galaxy S III and various other Google Android smartphones.
