This week on HetNet Happenings, host Sean Kinney, the managing editor for RCR Wireless News, takes a look at the recent Tower and Small Cell Summit event, co-located in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the CTIA Super Mobility show.
T-Mobile US SVP of Technology Dave Mayo discussed the carrier’s approach to small cells, spectrum holdings and macro build out during a moderated session at the event.
Mayo said small cells, up until the last year, hadn’t been a part of T-Mobile US’ growth strategy, which recently saw the longtime No. 4 carrier overtake rival Sprint for the No. 3 spot in domestic carrier subscriptions.
Mayo said the telecom industry as a whole hasn’t matured the small cells deployment process to make large-scale roll outs feasible.
“It’s a journey and we’re still, in my view, you know, let me back up a second and say, in the last three years we’ve really focused on deploying an LTE network,” Mayo said. “We have not focused on small cells. Some other people have done that. It’s only been, frankly, the last six to 12 months we’ve thought about it.
Kinney also hears from Jake MacLeod, analyst for Gray Beards Consulting LLC, who discusses the roadmap for 5G.
MacLeod makes the salient point that there’s a distinct difference between creating an as-yet unstandardized 5G mobile network and branding something as 5G for marketing purposes.
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