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T-Mobile's pricier Samsung Galaxy S3 will not get LTE

A T-Mobile spokesperson confirms that the Samsung Galaxy S III (S3) won't ride T-Mo's future LTE network.

Jessica Dolcourt Senior Director, Commerce & Content Operations
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
Expertise Content strategy, team leadership, audience engagement, iPhone, Samsung, Android, iOS, tips and FAQs.
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If your decision to buy Samsung's Galaxy S III (S3) on T-Mobile comes down to the LTE radio within, prepare yourself for disappointment.

A T-Mobile spokesperson confirmed to CNET today that despite the same LTE radio in every GS3 model coming to the U.S., Samsung's new flagship Android 4.0 phone will not ride T-Mobile's forthcoming LTE network:

The Samsung Galaxy SIII won't run on T-Mobile's LTE network in the future, but we will continue to operate our HSPA+ 42 network when we launch LTE in 2013.

T-Mobile's AWS spectrum is the culprit here, since it will carry T-Mo's LTE network. AT&T and Verizon, on the other hand, use bands in the 700MHz spectrum for their LTE. Adding support for T-Mobile's unlaunched LTE network would mean adding more bands in the LTE radio.

"The device is the same across carriers," a Samsung spokesperson confirmed in an e-mail, "but [the phones] are optimized to work on each carrier's specific network."

However, a T-Mobile spokesperson updated his statement to contradict Samsung: "Galaxy S III contains a different chipset than our competitors. Ours is the MSM8260 which does not support LTE, only HSPA."

Samsung Galaxy S III
Speedtest.net on the GS3 on T-Mobile's HSPA+ 42 network. Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

While LTE promises greater speeds, potential buyers shouldn't underestimate T-Mobile's HSPA+ 42, which independent tester RootMetrics found is faster than Sprint's 4G WiMax.

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In my own tests on the Galaxy S3 in the San Francisco Bay Area, T-Mobile's data speeds peak at about 16.5Mbps. While AT&T's download and upload speeds were faster on an absolute basis (up to 33Mbps downlink,) I also stumbled into plenty of dead zones.

If you're deciding between the two GSM carriers, price could be another consideration. T-Mobile's 16GB Galaxy S3 costs $279.99 with a 2-year agreement or $229.99 (Value plan, you pay interest) and $50 more for the 32GB capacity. AT&T sells the Galaxy S3 for $30-to-$80 less at $199.99 for the 16GB version. AT&T doesn't sell the 32GB capacity. Of course, the monthly data plan also factors into your total price for the phone.

Watch this: Samsung's Galaxy S III has all the right moves

Updated Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at 1:25pm PT with new information from T-Mobile about the components.

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