T-Mobile’s Rumored Project Dark: handsets and rapid network expansion? [UPDATED]
There’s a lot of buzz surrounding T-Mobile secret project, “Project Dark” or “Project Black” as others have referred to it. One of our connects hit us up to clarify what it exactly is (they called it Project Dark).
So, what is it exactly? Other sites have speculated that it’s not a new phone or promotion, but our connects briefing has given us a pretty clear understanding. First off, it is tied somewhat to handsets. Project Dark contains the launch of the T-Mobile BlackBerry 9700 as well as T-Mobile’s upcoming Android handsets like the Motorola CLIQ and Samsung Behold II. It also contains a very, very rapid expansion of T-Mobile’s 3G network, and we don’t mean UMTS. We’re talking 21Mbps HSPA, the same as what just launched in the Philadelphia market. We’ll keep digging but this is what we’ve got for you for now.
UPDATE: A few minutes after we first posted this story, a new T-Mobile connect came out of nowhere and sent us in quite a lot of new information. We have to caution that this information is not substantiated, but we feel that we owe it to our readers to share. Here it goes…
Project Dark is a pretty big thing for T-Mobile. Not only will employees be wearing new threads consisting of a black top and grey pants while they sell the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and two Nokia Nseries devices (the N900 and something else), but they’ll also be pushing something pretty amazing — a $50 all you can eat plan that includes voice, SMS, MMS and data. Apparently this plan will be called “Everything Unlimited” and is meant to represent T-Mobile’s new strategy which will essentially see it try and poach subs from various low-cost carriers. We’ve also been told that T-Mobile will be adopting a very Walmart slogan of “More for Less.” Okay, we’ve done our part, now what do you people think about this?
@Alberto Guzman
Alberto I was somewhat thinking the same myself. I open mindely think just launching a $50 AYCE plan wouldn’t work with the current cell phone industry business model. As American’s we’ve always been shafted just simply by corporations trying to keep things stagnant and uncompetative to milk every penny from consumers. Everything we are starting to get the overseas markets have had for a very long time. I think a new model would force carriers to look at there network quality and service as #1 priority over having “the cool phone.”
I do customer care for sprint and still with T-mobile because the cheap bastards wont even give us a emp discount. (I’d be so happy if the sprint acquisition went through) I already think that people should pay more for there phones to understand there capabilities and value but at the same time I see only fare if paying full retail I shouldn’t have a contract.
I’d say a major business model change is in the pipeline. I could only imagine the cost for upkeep on a network with 21mbps connections (Philly 3G launch) and still be profitable with the current model.
Not to be a fan boy but I’ve been with T-Mobile for 5 years (I think there a balanced carrier between price & quality) but honestly was thinking hard of possibly going to Sprint as there data planss have the anytime any mobile now and would be cheaper but I truly have been stalling for the 9700 since I caught wind in May.
…But then again I thought this as well. With Sprint for example starting to require all there smart phones to have wi-fi and most smart phones now having wi-fi as well. It wouldn’t matter what speed carrier networks are capable of because your not using there resources. Having Wi-fi which opens up wi-fi calling (Google voice, skype etc.) carriers are probably lowering there prices because there anticipating or trying to shift the use of resources from there own networks to other sources. So realisticly your paying your carrier for hardly doing anything at all. Thats the greedy American way and I’d hate to say that may be the angle T-Mo and others are looking at? Thoughts?
So sick of people pissing and moaning about the greedy American way. These companies have a responsibility to make as much as they can for their employees and stock holders benefit.
Oswald,
They really succeeded brainwashing you by news and TV. This is the greedy american way. You live to work and make money and take a lot of drugs. Other countries live for party, good food, wine and have great families and friendships. No other country has high costs like we do in this regard. And all they offer is shitty phones and even worse service. Start traveling the world and REALLY open your eyes … You can still learn a lot.
OOOoops, forgot, have so much responsibility, the most you get is 10 days of vacation. How would you have a real vacation with that. People here are so busy being responsible, they don’t even know what a real vacation is …
The Dark Lord
People are pissing and moaning because there is a real reason to. Yes businesses have a responsibility to make as much profit as they can for employees and stockholders, but it is so ridiculous that the average American cell phone user is being charged almost 6 times as much for their annual service than cell users from other countries. I can tell you that I have been all over the world and see companies surviving, if not thriving, off lower plans and more services dollar for dollar across the board. If you then factor in the data users in this country versus others, it gets so outrageous. You figure with my lowest iPhone plan I am paying 89.99 plus tax…which are insanely high…but compared to when I was in Kuwait it was half of that for true 7.2Mbps data service. If I am really paying that much more, why can’t these companies provide me with more. As a former T-Mobile employee, I like the idea that T-Mobile is finally going to set the bar and provide some amazing handsets, lowering the cost of service, and going to really set the standard for data speeds. It will be nice to see everyone start to follow that pattern, instead of ripping off consumers for the bottomline…money.
@Oswald – Please tell me you’re not naive enough to believe that the corporations have a “responsibility to make as much money as they can for their employees.” That is hogwash! If corporation could go back to paying people 0.50 per hour, they would!
There will be 3 plans 1 voice, 2 voice and text, 3 voice text and data…all unlimited.
u are soo weird…the hero isnt any better than a mytouch, except a higher mp camera (quality is still lame)…an if u want hero so much, just root ur phone (instructions on my site) or dl themes for freshface, openhome, etc. USE THE MARKET! lol
The United States is 9.4 million square kilometers. Kuwait is 18,000 square kilometers. Infrastructure would be a little more expensive in the U.S…….
the reason why they wouldn’t mind paying people .50 cents an hour is because that would max out there profits
You pay that much because you accept a discount on the phone. In “other” countries, you buy the phone outright. Hence, Deutsche Telecom, which owns T-Mobile. Repositioning the european business model to the states
As someone who also works at a different wireless carrier, I will FREAK OUT if I can get the N900 on Tmobile. It’s way cheaper. My next phone will be 4g capable or I’ll continue using my n73 that I’ve had since Dec. 07 on Tmobile as an unlocked device(still works great after a factory reset this week to clear out some random memory error messages). Having it unlocked means I can use any gsm carriers towers, which means I always have service even where Tmobile doesn’t (which is a large area where I live). Next device will either be the N900 or the N86 8 mp, as camera quality is a big thing for me.
Your totally wrong about the color or the uniform, and the plans, and the price…
project dark really doesnt have anything to do with handsets, even though they are coming with with a bunch of new ones. Project Dark is two new plans: “Even More” and “Even more plus”. They getting rid of all of theyre old plans and myfaves. There only gonna offer 3 different minute plans. No word on prices till next week.
P.S.
They are offering no annual contract plans that will be cheaper than than the contracted rate plans, and the customer has the option to do an installment plan broken up into 20 payments since they will be paying full price for the handset with no contract!
Just called Tmobile… they said that Project Black is coming sooooooon but couldn’t give me any more details… Just said “watch Tmobile.com for more details”….
MOVE!! Go to another country!!
LOL…it’s funny to see everyone guessing
Ugghh Project Dark is looking darker and darker and even more darker (in a bad way) I will honestly pay the $200 termination fee and go for the most expensive AT&T plan and get the iPhone. Because I can barely get service in my own home. I expected the htc dragon an iPhone or and iPhone killer or how about a slew of kick ass android devices and of course the n900. Honestly, I don’t care if I will create a dent in my wallet by paying a $200 termination fee. Because in these rough times the best thing you can have is family and friends and if I can barely get the service to talk with them. Well than I dont know what the hell is important anymore.
do you know anyone with an Iphone??? AT&T service is far worse then T-mobile msgs dont get sent out dropped calls bad call quality.I had a g1 went to verizon for 5 days bad call quality with them people I called are like I cant hear you even with all that crap they talk about no dead zones maybe not but bad call zones were all over.Not with t-mobile whereever I got a signal half bar even the call quality was great.Now I have the cliq and great call never fails (except on the outage) but that was one day.
I love Tmobile but this was all MUCH ADU ABOUT NOTHING…they could’ve just left the old rates or make the rate changes w/o all the hype. All the hype and secrecy gave ppl the impression smth very BIG was coming…it was all unnecessary. I think thats why a lot of LOYAL TMO CUSTOMERS/FANS are dissapionted. This is far from being the much talked abt GAME CHANGER. Now after all this poopoo…just make sure u give us the HTC DRAGON Android phone, i know the HTC HD2 is coming and also the Nokia N900. Still a loyal Tmo Cust/Fan
The AT&T CIO is telling you to blame data and not AT&T. Of course he is going to say that. AT&T by far the worst network here at home. As for if Verizon can handle the same level of traffic that AT&T has on their network – I know from a very close source that Verizon has been testing for that level of traffic for upcoming devices (ie droid) to make sure they don’t have the same problems. They don’t.
I WORK FOR T-MOBILE >> SINCE ITS SUNDAY I CAN TELL YOU THIS WITHOUT GETTING FIRED >> PROJECT BLACK IS RATE PLANS AND NEW DEVICES >> YES EVEN THE I-PHONE BABY >> SPECS ALREADY IN PLACE FOR 4G NETWORKS IN 2010 >> THERE IT IS THE BIG PLAN >> NOW STOP ALL THE RUMORS >>
tmoempl is right on the $, rate plans and that’s about it. NO IPHONE…AT&T has a lock. Quit while U R ahead yea right and get a KLU.
I wouldnt care if it was $10 a month for everything. T-moblie sucks bad . If there service still sucks why bother. U have a cheap plan u can’t use. That why I went with sprint tire of t-mobile shitty cell service.don’t get me wrong I like t-mobile but they need keep up with verizon-sprint-att. There so behind them companys it not funny. I live upstate ny sprint-verizon-att. Have 3G here not t-mobile what dose that tell you.and when I did have t-mobile I couldn’t use my cell in my house no service . Now I have sprint I can talk in my house.