14 DAY TRIAL // Today mobile phone carrier T-Mobile USA announced officially that the webConnect Rocket, the first devices it launches on the market with HSPA+ capabilities, would become available for purchase on Sunday, March 14. According to the wireless operator, its HSPA+ network is expected to offer peak data transfer speeds of around 21Mbps, and the service will only be available in Philadelphia for the beginning, through major cities on both coasts will also enjoy it in the following months.
In addition, the wireless carrier revealed that the new webConnect Rocket device was set to become available for a price tag of $99 upon the signing of a two-year contract agreement, and that its customers could choose from a range of data plans that had been put in place for them. T-Mobile customers can choose either Even More or Even More Plus plans on the new network.
The new Even More webConnect data plans are (two year contract): - $59.99/mo. for 5GB per month ($0.20/MB overage) - $29.99/mo. for 200MB per month ($0.20/MB overage) The new Even More Plus webConnect data plans are (no annual contract): - $49.99/mo. for 5GB per month ($0.20/MB overage) - $19.99/mo. for 200MB per month ($0.20/MB overage)
According to androidandme, both plans include unlimited nationwide T-Mobile HotSpot access, which does not count in the monthly data usage. At the same time, the news site notes that, while T-Mobile said previously that it planned national deployment of HSPA+ by mid 2010, the coverage will be available only at the end of the ongoing year.
For the time being, T-Mobile customers in the US can enjoy HSPA 7.2 connectivity on the carrier's airwaves, as the company deployed these speeds across its entire footprint. However, the operator is also working on enhancing its network to the new speeds, though there are no phones in its lineup available with support for the technology at the moment. Even so, androidandme says that the first Android-based handset with HSPA+ on board should land before the end of the ongoing year.