T-Mobile steps up 4G marketing speak: It has the nation's largest 4G network

Much to the irritation of competing operators, T-Mobile USA is stepping up its message that its HSPA+ network is in fact "America's largest 4G network."

Beginning Tuesday night, the operator launched this message on national TV and in digital advertisements on major TV networks and cable stations. And interestingly enough, T-Mobile is finally talking data speeds.

"4G is about performance and today T-Mobile's HSPA+ network is delivering 4G speeds that match and often beat WiMAX and are readily comparable to what early LTE will deliver," said T-Mobile CTO Nevill Ray in a release. "Our 4G network is capable of theoretical speeds up to 21Mbps and we have seen average download speeds approaching 5 Mbps on our myTouch 4G phone in some cities with peak speeds of nearly 12 Mbps. Further, independent reviewers have seen average download speeds on our webConnect Rocket between 5 and 8 Mbps with peak speeds up to 8-10Mbps. The footprint of our 4G service is not something that competitors are going to match anytime soon."

Sprint (NYSE:S) 4G President Matt Carter has already fired back: "Halloween is over--it's time for T-Mobile to stop dressing up like their favorite super hero--Sprint 4G." Sprint, of course, has been selling mobile WiMAX service via Clearwire's (NASDAQ:CLWR) network.

In addition to this major marketing push, T-Mobile also launched six more HSPA+ markets and introduced two new products that work on the network. T-Mobile added these markets: Chicago; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Louisville, Ky.; and Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington, N.C. T-Mobile said HSPA+ is now available in 75 metropolitan markets.

T-Mobile has introduced the myTouch 4G device, which will retail for $200 after a $50 rebate and a two-year service agreement. In addition, T-Mobile launched the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 4G netbook, which is T-Mobile's first netbook with built-in HSPA+ capability.  The netbook will retail for $229.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a two-year agreement.

For more:
- see this release
- read this FierceWireless article

Related articles:
Rumor Mill: T-Mobile punching up HSPA+ to 42 Mbps in 2011
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AT&T chides T-Mobile for 'misleading' 4G marketing on HSPA+