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* Eyes market share increase * iPhone sales, subsidy elimination in 3-4 months * Says could explore Dish relationship, Leap deal By Sinead Carew LAS VEGAS, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Deutsche Telekom AG unit T-Mobile USA will start selling the Apple Inc iPhone in about three to four months and will enforce its planto get rid of cellphone subsidies in a similar timeframe,according to Chief Executive John Legere. Legere declined to disclose details about the company'sagreement with Apple, except to say that T-Mobile USA's timingfor selling the smartphone would be sooner rather than later,along with its subsidy elimination plan. "They're all, I would call them, in three to four months asopposed to six to nine months, Legere told Reuters in aninterview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. T-Mobile USA said late last year it would eliminate handsetsubsidies in 2013 to give customers more flexibility and lowerservice prices. It said at the same time that it will also sellthe iPhone, making it the last U.S. mobile provider to do so. The company hopes to attract customers from bigger rivalslike AT&T Inc and Verizon Wireless with thecombination of selling iPhones and removing subsidies, whichwould be a first for the U.S. wireless industry. The executive said he could possibly increase T-Mobile USA'smarket share by 5 percent or higher from bigger rivals who stilldepend on subsidizing phones to give their customers a devicediscount in exchange for tying them into a two-year contract. "If the old industry structure chooses to ignore what wedo," he said, "That's a potential." While the company is currently focused on gaining regulatory approval and closing its merger with MetroPCS Communications in the second quarter this year, Legere said that hemight not stop there. For example, the executive said he could explore arelationship with satellite provider Dish Network Corp or a combination with smaller rival Leap Wireless InternationalInc. T-Mobile USA is currently seeking approval to merge withsmaller wireless rival MetroPCS and analysts have long said thatMetroPCS and Leap networks would go well together. Leap is "one of those things that makes extreme sense for usto look at" Legere said. Meanwhile Dish, which recently gained approval to useairwaves it bought for a wireless service, has said that it islooking at options including a network sharing partnership withanother U.S. wireless carrier. {ID:nL1E9C805E] Analysts have said that they see Sprint Nextel Corp orT-Mobile USA as the most likely partners for Dish. Legere said that he has not had talks with Dish, but whenasked if he would consider a partnership with the satellitecompany he said: "The answer is obviously yes." "They'd be interesting for us to talk to and we'd befascinating for them," he added. While Dish announced today that it will battle Sprint to buyanother smaller wireless company, Clearwire Corp, someanalysts have said that it is unlikely to succeed in that bid socould still need a wireless network partner.