T-Mobile preparing to unleash 3G service nationwide in October?

Word on the street has it that the No. 4 US wireless carrier will be taking its nascent 3G network to the next level with a nationwide roll-out on October 1. We can’t vouch for the rumors validity one way or the other, so take this all with a grain of salt.

But, if rumors that T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) will be lighting off its 1700Mhz AWS-based 3G network in 27 additional markets are true, we’ll be seeing T-Mobile’s 3G network up and running in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco, just to name a few new markets.

New York City had been blessed earlier this year as T-Mobile’s proving grounds for its new 3G network, and with the faster data network inevitably destined to go nationwide, it’s only a matter of time before we see T-Mobile 3G going live in:

Atlanta, Austin, Birmingham, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis, New England, NJ and Long Island, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa and Washington, D.C.

Of course, the October 1st network-launch date isn’t set in stone – it’s actually not set in anything – so don’t go around expecting 3G speeds on T-Mobile come October. And, don’t expect to be surfing those AWS 3G airwaves if you don’t have a compatible T-Mobile 3G handset either.

[Via: Cellular News]