NEW ORLEANS – Regional wireless operator C Spire has been one of the more aggressive smaller operators in rolling out LTE services, having last year launched services using its own spectrum and network assets.
The carrier’s LTE plans were at first expected to take advantage of C Spire’s 700 MHz spectrum licenses, but challenges in gaining access to equipment to support that band forced the carrier to alter the blueprint and instead rollout services using its 1.9 GHz spectrum holdings. The carrier noted that the 1.9 GHz band, known to equipment makers as Band Class 25, was already seeing an ecosystem form thanks to Sprint Nextel’s decision to rollout its LTE network using its G-Band, 1.9 GHz spectrum.
C Spire has since built on its relationship with Sprint Nextel having last week announced the first of its kind LTE roaming agreement between the two operators. Eric Graham, SVP of strategic relations with C Spire, spoke with RCR Wireless News at last week’s Competitive Carriers Association event in New Orleans to provide an update on the carrier’s LTE plans.
Graham also provided additional comments on the roaming agreement with Sprint Nextel and the importance of the deal for both C Spire and rural carriers.
Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse also used the CCA event to announce the carrier’s plans to work on providing specifications that would allow for roaming between the carrier’s current LTE service running in the 1.9 GHz band and those of carriers that are looking to rollout LTE services in the 700 MHz, 850 MHz and 1.9 GHz bands. A Sprint Nextel spokesman added that the 700 MHz support would include the lower A-, B- and C-Bands, also known as Band Class 12. The move would seem to be good news to a number of rural carriers that have been unable to garner device or equipment support for their lower 700 MHz spectrum as well as allow Sprint Nextel to tap into potential coverage provided by rural carriers that can begin rolling out LTE services in those bands.
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