T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S3: Pay More, Get Less

If you’re thinking of buying the Samsung Galaxy S3 on T-Mobile because of the LTE radio, think again. According to CNET, a T-Mobile spokesperson has confirmed that even though the LTE radio will be in every Samsung Galaxy S3 handset coming to the US, the flagship Android 4.0 phone won’t work on T-Mobile’s upcoming LTE network.

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S3 robbed of LTE

The Samsung Galaxy S3 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, reports the T-Mobile spokesperson.

The network’s AWS spectrum is the villain, as it’ll carry T-Mobile’s LTE network. Verizon and AT&T use bands around the 700MHz spectrum for their LTE. If more support for T-Mobile’s unlaunched LTE network is needed, there’ll need to be more bands added to the LTE radio.

“The device is the same across carriers,” a Samsung spokesperson confirmed by 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.”

Despite having no LTE support unlike other US Samsung Galaxy S3 models, the T-Mobile’s 16GB Galaxy S3 costs $279.99 for a 2-year contract or $229.99 (value plan in which you pay interest), and $50 extra for the 32GB storage option. In contrast, AT&T is selling the Samsung Galaxy S3 for $30-80 less at $199.99 for the 16GB.