GPRS APN: epc.tmobile.com
WAP Gateway Address: http://216.155.165.50:8080
MMS Server URL: http://mms.msg.eng.t-mobile.com/mms/wapenc
End-users of T-Mobile USA have been asking us for feedback on modems that can work on T-Mobile’s 1700Mhz (AWS) US 3G network for sending and receiving SMS and MMS messages. (Other tri-band 3G modems typically only support 850Mhz/1900Mhz/2100Mhz.)
Unfortunately, the only GSM/3G modem that is currently offered by T-Mobile is the WebConnect USB stick (Huawei UMG181).
Like most mobile operators, T-Mobile assumes that you will be using the USB stick modem for internet access, not for sending and receiving SMS and MMS messages. As such, T-Mobile is blocking this device from accessing the “wap.voicestream.com” APN which is used for both WAP and MMS connectivity, and only allowing it to connect to the full internet access APNs with an appropriate data plan (with an inappropriate price).
Even if you take a SIM card from an existing mobile phone device with MMS support and put it into the USB stick, T-Mobile blocks the device from connecting to “wap.voicestream.com”, which is a requirement for sending or receiving MMS message.
As a result, it is not currently possible to use this modem to send or receive MMS messages on the T-Mobile USA network.
This modem appears to do a decent job of sending and receiving SMS messages. However, there is no real speed benefit compared to a decent EDGE modem like the Option ICON 322. And the EDGE modems have the benefit of also being able to support sending and receiving MMS messages.
For discussions of alternative GSM modems, see http://www.nowsms.com/tag/gsm-modem.
Of course, a true 3G modem is desirable for sending and receiving MMS messages, because MMS messages are more bandwidth intensive. We are investigating the Option ICON 452 as a possible alternative for T-Mobile USA users, as for 3G it supports 850Mhz/1700Mhz/1900Mhz/2100Mhz. Based upon experience with other Option ICON modems, we expect that to be an excellent modem, as long as T-Mobile does not block it from the MMS Access Point!
(Side note … in some other parts of the world, the GSM 900Mhz spectrum is starting to be re-allocated for use as 3G. The Option ICON 451 substitutes 900Mhz for 1700Mhz and looks like a good solution for parts of the world that are starting to see 900Mhz 3G coverage.)
