New York City, Seattle and Cincinnati latest T-Mobile LTE markets to swim in 700 MHz spectrum
T-Mobile US continues to throw 700 MHz spectrum at its LTE network, announcing the expansion of services in New York City, Seattle and Cincinnati. T-Mobile US said its LTE network now covered 303 million potential customers.
T-Mobile US claims its use of A-Block 700 MHz licenses provides twice the coverage from a single cell site than the 1.7/2.1 GHz and 1.9 GHz spectrum the carrier has been using to support LTE services, as well as improved in-building penetration. To access the increased coverage, customers need to have a device compatible with the 700 MHz Band Class 12 spectrum, which T-Mobile US notes includes 21 different models encompassing the latest Apple iPhone 6s models.
With the latest expansion T-Mobile US claims it has 700 MHz coverage in 246 metro areas. T-Mobile US CEO John Legere in October said the carrier had reached “four additional agreements in principle” to purchase additional 700 MHz licenses covering 20 million pops, which would bolster its 700 MHz spectrum portfolio to a total of 210 million pops. The new agreements were said to include spectrum covering Phoenix, San Diego, Las Vegas and New Orleans, among other markets.
T-Mobile US is expected to bolster its sub-1 GHz spectrum holdings through the Federal Communications Commission’s 600 MHz incentive auction set to begin on March 29. T-Mobile US has been open about its interest in the 600 MHz spectrum auction, having already raised around $4 billion to fund its participation, with expectations that it could raise an additional $2 billion to further those plans. Analysts have predicted the carrier could spend at least $6 billion on new spectrum.
“Let’s be clear, we are showing up, we are going to be very aggressive, we do have the balance sheet and we’re preparing for it, and we will scoop up as much as humanly possible,” Legere recently said. “It will be the biggest mistake any of them ever made, if they don’t show up.”
Bored? Why not follow me on Twitter
