Windows Phone 7 Will Appear on T-Mobile and AT&T

Microsoft's invite to its Oct. 11 Windows Phone 7 launch in New York City only mentions AT&T (the president and CEO of AT&T's Mobility and Consumer Markets, Ralph de la Vega, will be present at the morning's press conference alongside Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer). But a page on Microsoft's corporate Website (open to the public on Sunday and Monday, now locked behind a password) lists T-Mobile as another carrier for its upcoming smartphone platform: "T-Mobile reps will be present for device showing and their service offering discussion."

There seemed to be some back-and-forth about T-Mobile's presence on launch day, but the carrier's now made it official. I'm sure AT&T would have liked the spotlight all to itself, but part of Microsoft's strategy for Windows Phone 7 doubtlessly involves offering the devices through as many carriers as possible.

Microsoft confirmed previously that Windows Phone 7 will appear first on GSM-based cellular networks such as AT&T and T-Mobile, before being available on CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) carriers such as Verizon in the first half of 2011.

My question: When will these devices actually launch?

The scuttlebutt over the past few weeks has suggested an early November rollout for AT&T devices running Windows Phone 7. I'm guessing that T-Mobile devices will debut during that time frame, perhaps shading toward closer to the middle of the month. It seems like T-Mobile doesn't even know, though; a new article in The Wall Street Journal, paraphrasing "people familiar with the launch plans," said the company is still working out an exact time.

The other rumor drifting around centers on Windows 7-powered consumer tablets; specifically, that some of those fabled devices will make an appearance on Oct. 11. Microsoft has its now-annual Open House event scheduled for that day in New York City, where it will definitely show off the Xbox Kinect and Windows Phone 7 devices. I can imagine a Windows tablet making an appearance there, although I also suspect that's something Microsoft would consider introducing in an event all its own.

Ballmer has reportedly promised Redmond's very own iPad competitor will make an appearance by the end-year holidays. "You'll see new slates with Windows on them. You'll see them this Christmas," he told an audience Oct. 5 at the London School of Economics, according to Reuters. "Certainly we have done work around the tablet as both a productivity device and a consumption device."

While that echoes some of Ballmer's earlier comments about Windows tablets, I can't help but think rushing a tablet into the marketplace is a risky idea--especially when the marketplace in question will be flooded with Android-powered tablets that have the benefit of months' worth of publicity behind them. But we shall see, no?

Source: http://feeds.ziffdavisenterprise.com/~r/RSS/MicrosoftWatch/~3/nKRnvaozcUs/windows_phone_7_will_appear_on_t-mobile_and_att.html

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