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May 13, 2010

T-Mobile USA today has offered a vague availability date for the Garminfone GPS-enabled smartphone made by Garmin. Along with some pricing information, T-Mobile, which announced exclusive availability of the device in the U.S. in April, said the Android OS-powered device would be available sometime in June for about $199 after the usual rebates, and the qualifying data & voice plans.

The new device also includes access to T-Mobile USA’s 3G network, a 3.5-inch touchscreen, a 3-megapixel camera and of course, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

T-Mobile's pricing scenario places the Garmin device at the high-end of T-Mobile’s device line up, squared up against its highly-advertised HD2 and Touch Pro2 models made by HTC. What makes the Garminfone special is its embedded GPS navigation functionality as well as the applications available through the Android OS.

Qualifying rate plans begin at about $40 a month for voice service and must also include a mandatory $30 per month data package that is becoming standard nowadays across the whole wireless industry.

Additionally, an unlimited messaging package will add an additional $10 per month to the package.

The new Garmin device will be the second offered by the GPS device maker through a domestic wireless carrier with AT&T Mobility gaining exclusive access to the company’s Nuvifone last year.

That device also included Garmin’s GPS navigation service and ran a version of the Linux operating system. The Nuvifone originally sold for about $300 after rebates, but curiously, it's now absent from AT&T Mobility’s website.

Calls made to AT&T Mobility were not returned at press time.

T-Mobile had previously gained exclusive domestic rights in the U.S. to offer HTC’s HD2, as well as being the first domestic wireless carrier to also offer GPS devices powered by Android.

Last March, John Horn, national director of M2M at T-Mobile USA said that the wireless carrier is going after the M2M (machine-to-machine) segment. T-Mobile will achieve this with no less than 4 SIM form factors to better enable organizations that need M2M applications and to use only the one that best fits their own specific needs.

“Our strategy for many years has been to make us the easiest company to do business with in the U.S.,” Horn added.

While T-Mobile doesn't break out its M2M revenues, Horn was quick to point out that the company has experienced more than 105 percent growth each year since 2006.

In the M2M segment, T-Mobile offers 4 different SIM solutions for its customers: the generic SIM, one that is enhanced with greater life expectancy, an embedded SIM and the 3FF (Third Form Factor) SIM , which was introduced at CES-Los Vegas two months ago.

The 3FF SIM is smaller than others and designed for personal M2M devices like the child locator device sold by Lok-8u.

“Overall, different segments have different needs,” Horn said. While the 3FF SIM works well for a wristwatch-type device for children or adults who may get lost, an embedded SIM may work better for an off-shore oil rig that uses M2M technology to do preventive maintenance.

T-Mobile's strategy has paid off well enough that its parent company Deutsche Telecom is implementing T-Mobile's technology throughout its wireless operations to more closely align itself so that it is easy for multinational companies to use T-Mobile's international resources.

“Germany had a lead in telematics and we benefited from that. Now we're returning the favor,” Horn said.

So far, T-Mobile has successfully avoided the tie-ups with M2M specialists that its competitors have because it simply created its own solutions, Horn said.

Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility and Sprint Nextel have either all aligned themselves or acquired M2M companies in 2009 to further advance their own solutions.

AT&T announced a strategic partnership with Jasper Wireless and Verizon Wireless. For its part, Qualcomm formed nPhase, and Sprint has partenered with DataSmart.

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Source: T-Mobile USA.