t mobile usa logo
9 to 5 Mac reports that a spokesperson for T-Mobile USA has disclosed the carrier currently has over one million iPhone users on its network, despite the fact that Apple has not offered an unlocked iPhone in the United States until the past several weeks and that differences between T-Mobile's network and other GSM networks that mean that iPhones are unable to run at 3G speeds on T-Mobile.

In a meeting with T-Mobile spokespeople today ahead of the NYC Pepcom event, I received word that there are actively over a million Apple iPhones currently on T-Mobile's network. When asked for a breakdown, the spokesman said the majority were pre-iPhone 4 but that a significant amount of people had "taken the scissors" to their T-Mobile SIM cards. T-Mobile doesn't currently offer a Micro-SIM solution for Apple's iPhone 4 so people who want to use the iPhone 4 must modify their SIMs into MicroSIMs.

T-Mobile noted that it is planning to roll out micro-SIMs at some unspecified time in the future, but declined to discuss any possibility of the iPhone coming directly to the carrier's network.

AT&T announced back in March that it planned to acquire T-Mobile for $39 billion, although federal regulators are still assessing the impact of the potential merger before giving a final go-ahead on the plans.

Top Rated Comments

lehite Avatar
187 months ago
Hmmm. Maybe all these illegal jailbreakers should be prosecuted..
Jailbreaking is not illegal. At all.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tasset Avatar
187 months ago
The fact that 1 million people will live on the fringe with Edge data speeds, Tmobile coverage, and use older OS versions for fear of losing their unlocks, speaks volumes to the extent people will go to avoid AT&T.
The FCC/DOJ should consider this in assessing the damage a Tmobile acquisition will do to consumer choice and the strength being afforded to the Sister Bell's control over the market.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
reactions Avatar
187 months ago
Hmmm. Maybe all these illegal jailbreakers should be prosecuted..
And yet another troll..

I had run on the tmobile network and if you are single and want a good price per month tmobile is a great alternative to AT&T

I'm surprised there aren't more people

$5.99 unlimited Internet was nice while I had it ;)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goobot Avatar
187 months ago
The fact that 1 million people will live on the fringe with Edge data speeds, Tmobile coverage, and use older OS versions for fear of losing their unlocks, speaks volumes to the extent people will go to avoid AT&T.
The FCC/DOJ should consider this in assessing the damage a Tmobile acquisition will do to consumer choice and the strength being afforded to the Sister Bell's control over the market.
Just saying, most of the people that have an iphone on t-mobile are there because of the cheap data plans they can get. My friend was doing it for 2 years because it was cheap yet he always got no service. He finally switched to att and has perfect service. Im sure most wouldnt do it if t-mobile forced smart phone data plans on them.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nostaws Avatar
187 months ago
I am an iPhone user on T-Mobile. I don't have a data plan (I did in the past), I just have Wifi about everywhere I go.

When I did have EDGE data is was good enough to use google maps when in a pinch, check a blog, or get email. Not the fastest, but serviceable while out and about.

T-Mobile service is great where I live and I haven't had any problems.

I will admit, that it took me forever to upgrade to the latest OS because I don't like the hassle of jailbreaking. I let several updates pass.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justinfreid Avatar
187 months ago
Technically, this is Unlocking, and it IS against the law in the US.

Really? Please cite your source.
I don't think it is: http://jstnfrd.com/mAZqzu.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

ios 26 1 slide to stop

iOS 26.1 Brings Back 2007 Feature in New Way

Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important. Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped. The new ...
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
Apple Foldable Thumb

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Friday October 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far. Ove...
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock 1

Leaker Outlines Potential New Colors for iPhone 18 Pro

Friday October 31, 2025 8:28 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be available in new rich and warm color option, according to a known leaker. The Weibo user known as "Instant Digital" today suggested that next-year's iPhone 18 Pro models will be available in at least one of the following color options: Coffee, purple, and burgundy. The iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Pro were all available in ...
apple tv hd

Apple Launched Its Big New Vision for TV 10 Years Ago Today

Thursday October 30, 2025 8:58 am PDT by
Apple launched the Apple TV HD, the Siri Remote, tvOS, and their accompanying App Store a decade ago today, marking a major overhaul of the device. The new vision for the Apple TV was unveiled on September 9, 2015 during Apple's "Hey Siri" event in San Francisco, where CEO Tim Cook introduced the device with the statement, "The future of TV is apps." The announcement represented a major...
iOS 26

Apple This November: iOS 26.2 Beta, Rumored New Products, and More

Thursday October 30, 2025 12:42 pm PDT by
Tomorrow is Halloween, and then November is upon us. Below, we outline what to expect from Apple next month, as the slower holiday season approaches. Apple is expected to kick off November by releasing iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1. With beta testing now wrapped up, the updates will likely be released this Monday, November 3 or Tuesday,...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Apple CEO Tim Cook Says Revamped Siri on Track to Launch Next Year

Thursday October 30, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Apple CEO Tim Cook today said that a more personalized version of Siri remains on track to launch at some point next year, with the new set of features expected to debut on the iPhone as part of iOS 26.4 in March or April. "We're also excited for a more personalized Siri," said Cook, on Apple's earnings call for the third quarter of the 2025 calendar year. "We're making good progress on it,...