T-Mobile has launched its third-generation UMTS/HSDPA network in New York City and plans to roll it out across major metropolitan areas through the year.

“The launch of our 3G network comes at a day when 3G phones and services are more affordable, capable and appealing to our consumer marketplace than ever before,” said Cole Brodman, chief development officer for T-Mobile USA. “We benefit not only from the economic scale of 3G, but plus from the extensive commercial experience of 3G in our European markets.” He said T-Mobile USA will deliver a “rich portfolio of new and meaningful services to enrich our customers’ lives.”

T-Mobile has yet to unveil any of the new services that will run on its network, however. Neither did it unveil any new phones that take advantage of 3G. T-Mobile offers four handsets — two Nokia models and two Samsung models — that run on the midspeed UMTS technology, but none of them have full

New Phone Months Away

In fact, PC World reports, users are forbidden from installing the Opera Mini browser on the phones. The phones automatically connect to the best available network, either the 3G network or the GSM/GPRS/EDGE network.

T-Mobile said a new phone capable of taking advantage of the speedy HSDPA technology will be released “in the coming months,” along with “new and compelling data-centric, all-in-one devices.”

One reason for the launch in New York ahead of fancy new phones or goods services may be voice-quality issues. Sasha Segan, writing in PC Magazine, said T-Mobile has struggled with dropped calls and other quality issues due to the slim slice of spectrum it has for its current networks.

Doubling Spectrum

For its 3G network, T-Mobile is on a new spectrum known as AWS, “effectively doubling T-Mobile USA’s spectrum position, and laying the foundation for…

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