T-Mobile confirmed plans for their 4G LTE network, as well as what they plan to do with the new 3G network. T-Mobile has decided to exclude HSPA+ from the network and instead focus on LTE because of efficiency.

Chief Technology Officer, Joachim Horn, says that LTE is more oriented toward the future. If he needs to invest in more hardware he would like to get an early start. Many think that the new 3G network that T-Mobile has recently built may be a waste of money, but that is not the case.  T-Mobile is taking a gamble on this decision that will be based largely on wheather other competitors decide to go with the LTE system and the timing that all of this takes place.

Senior Analyst for Heavy Reading, Patrick Donegan, said “If another operator in one of T-Mobile’s markets launches 28.8 Mbit/s, and meanwhile LTE is still a long way away from mass market maturity, it’s going to be difficult for T-Mobile to stick to its guns and hold the line at 14.4 Mbit/s.”

With all the uncertainty of when this service will be ready to launch, Horn still seems very confident in the decision to go with the LTE network. Horn believes that the first network tests will be seen in the middle to the end of 2010. He believes that the commitment to this network will put mobile phone manufacturers in a position where they place this technology at a much higher priority.

[Via Electronista]