At least not until the end of November, when T-Mobile finishes ramping up its 3G network there. Until then, D.C. movers and shakers can purchase the G1 and use it, but they will experience less-than-optimal service, since downloads and some Internet applications will work far slower over the regular T-Mobile network than the new 3G.
T-Mobile says the 3G delay in D.C.is due to the Defense Department and other federal agencies being slow to vacate the necessary spectrum. According to the Washington Post’s Post I.T. blog, the agencies were surprised at how fast T-Mobile moved:
The federal agencies occupied the valuable spectrum T-Mobile bought for more than $4 billion two years ago to build out its 3G network. Since T-Mobile bought the spectrum, the Bellevue, Wash.-based company has had to force local governments and the federal government off the spectrum, market by market.“This is first time we had to move federal government systems from spectrum,” said Kathleen Ham, vice president of Federal regulatory affairs for T-Mobile. “They were not slow to move, but were surprised how fast we wanted to move.”So for now, D.C. users looking to use the latest and greatest smartphone are relegated to slow service. Or they can just buy an iPhone, since AT&T’s 3G network has covered D.C. for a while.
