T-Mobile USA Expands 4G Speeds to More Than 25 Metropolitan Areas

It had to happen some time, right? T-Mobile tonight, somewhat late in the hour for an announcement, if you ask us, have just sent out the press release for the expansion of their HSPA+ network, which will now offer 4G speeds in an additional 25 metropolitan markets. Furthermore, the fourth largest wireless carrier in the United States expects to cover upwards of 75 million Americans by the end of June.

So, what's one of the best ways to access those "super-fast" speeds? Well, with a USB laptop stick, of course! That's why T-Mobile's also announcing the availability of the T-Mobile webConnect Rocket USB Laptop Stick, which is the first HSPA+ capable device from a national US wireless carrier. It's going to be sold in T-Mobile retail stores where HSPA+ is available, so if you're not in the area, don't expect to find one.

Here's the list of where you can access HSPA+: Los Angeles; Dallas; Atlanta; Houston; Seattle; Tampa and Orlando, Fla.; Pittsburgh; Charlotte, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem, N.C.; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla.; New Orleans; and Charleston, S.C. In addition, HSPA+ has been expanded to Bentonville, Ark.; Anderson, S.C.; and Fayetteville, N.C. T-Mobile's HSPA+ mobile broadband service is already live in New York; Philadelphia; Las Vegas; Memphis; Upstate New York; Connecticut; Providence, R.I.; and the Washington, D.C., suburbs.

So, if you're in one of the markets, go ahead and start rejoicing. You'll be able to download your favorite SlashGear articles even faster now, while you're on the go. And there's nothing wrong with that. Check below for the full press release, just in case you really want all the juicy details.

Press Release:

T-Mobile Expands Super-Fast Network and Availability of T-Mobile® webConnect Rocket™ USB Laptop Stick to Cover 25 Major Metropolitan Areas

BELLEVUE, Wash. — June 16, 2010 — Today, T-Mobile USA, Inc. announced the expansion of its super-fast mobile broadband network, now offering 4G speeds1 to more than 25 major metropolitan areas across the U.S., and expects to cover more than 75 million Americans with HSPA+ by the end of June. Complementing the network expansion is the availability of the T-Mobile® webConnect Rocket™ USB Laptop Stick, the first HSPA+ capable device from a national U.S. wireless carrier, in T-Mobile retail stores in these new areas.

Now HSPA+ and the T-Mobile® webConnect Rocket™ USB Laptop Stick are available in major metropolitan areas across the country including Los Angeles; Dallas; Atlanta; Houston; Seattle; Tampa and Orlando, Fla.; Pittsburgh; Charlotte, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem, N.C.; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla.; New Orleans; and Charleston, S.C. In addition, HSPA+ has been expanded to Bentonville, Ark.; Anderson, S.C.; and Fayetteville, N.C. T-Mobile's HSPA+ mobile broadband service is already live in New York; Philadelphia; Las Vegas; Memphis; Upstate New York; Connecticut; Providence, R.I.; and the Washington, D.C., suburbs.

"T-Mobile has rolled out HSPA+ service to more than 25 major metropolitan areas in four month's time, as we drive towards having the most pervasive mobile broadband network delivering 4G speeds in the country," said Neville Ray, senior vice president of Engineering and Operations for T-Mobile USA.

"T-Mobile is delivering unprecedented value to our customers with the availability of a super-fast mobile broadband experience combined with compelling and affordable devices and data plans."

T-Mobile's rapidly expanding HSPA+ mobile broadband footprint makes it easy for customers to enjoy 4G speeds on the HSPA+-enabled T-Mobile® webConnect Rocket™ USB Laptop Stick. In addition, T-Mobile currently has 15 3G devices that can benefit from enhanced speeds when they're on the HSPA+ network, including the newest smartphone available from T-Mobile today — the Nokia E73 Mode.

T-Mobile has made considerable progress in the number of areas with faster mobile broadband — and expects to continue this aggressive pace to deliver HSPA+ speeds in 100 major metropolitan areas with backhaul in place, covering 185 million people in the U.S. by the end of this year.

"With the rapid expansion of its HSPA+ network this year, T-Mobile is in a great position of being able to deliver high-speed data service to a broader number of customers today," said Peter Jarich, principal analyst, Wireless Infrastructure, Current Analysis. "Ultimately, consumers don't care what technology powers the network they're using — they care about the quality and experience of their mobile data service, the cost of those services, and the devices available to access them. HSPA+ has the potential to deliver higher data rates across a broader lineup of devices in the next one to two years than competing technologies."

For more information on where T-Mobile network service is available, please visit