Phone Service Feature

T-Mobile Latest Carrier to Sign On to Offer Microsoft's Windows Phone 7

By Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor

A close look at the activity taking place with AT&T and T-Mobile may start to turn heads. Not only are these two carriers the only ones set to provide cellular service for New York subway users, the Wall Street Journal is now reporting that the two carriers will both offer the Windows Phone 7. 

According to reports, both AT&T and T-Mobile will sell the smartphone using Microsoft’s (News - Alert) revamped mobile operating system. T-Mobile will sell a device made by Taiwan’s HTC Corp., and may sell a more business-oriented Windows 7 device at a later time.

"T-Mobile (News - Alert) has indicated support for Windows Phone 7 and will announce details of our Window Phone 7 offering on Oct. 11," the company said in a statement.

The launch of the Windows Phone 7 is first with AT&T (News - Alert) and T-Mobile because both carriers run on a global wireless standard known as GSM. Verizon and Sprint Nextel are expected to eventually get in the game, but handsets compatible with their networks won’t be ready until next year. 

The addition of the T-Mobile contract provides Microsoft with an additional outlet for the distribution of its attempt at getting a piece of the smartphone market. The software giant is hoping its current outlets will help to boost its chances for mass adoption of the platform.

"The more carriers, the better," said Shiv Bakhshi, an analyst at research firm Mobile Perspectives in the Journal. "It doesn't look like Microsoft is subject to the whims of one player."

In all honesty, Microsoft cannot afford to go with only one carrier. Smartphones with the company’s operating system represent only 5.5 percent of the market, according to second quarter figures. This is less than half of its share from one year ago.

Even with the addition of the T-Mobile contract, AT&T remains the key player in this push to promote the Windows Phone (News - Alert) 7 and will initially launch the products before T-Mobile, whose timing for launch is still in the planning process.

Microsoft grabbed headlines earlier today as it filed a lawsuit against Motorola for alleged infringement of nine Microsoft patents by Motorola’s (News - Alert) Android-based smartphones.

“The patents at issue relate to a range of functionality embodied in Motorola’s Android smartphone devices that are essential to the smartphone user experience, including synchronizing e-mail, calendars and contacts, scheduling meetings, and notifying applications of changes in signal strength and battery power,” said Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft’s corporate vice president and deputy general counsel.

Is this Microsoft’s attempt to try put some pressure on competitors as it rolls out its Windows Phone 7?

Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Tammy Wolf