T-Mobile buys 1150MHz of mmWave spectrum in Ohio, plans to use it for 5G

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T-Mobile recently urged the FCC to hold a millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum auction in 2018, but that doesn’t mean that T-Mo won’t be getting hold of mmWave spectrum other ways in the mean time.

T-Mobile has agreed to buy 1150MHz of millimeter wave spectrum. The spectrum is of the LMDS (28-31GHz) variety and is located in Ohio, including cities like Toledo, Cleveland, and Akron.

In its FCC application for the deal, T-Mobile says that it intends to use the spectrum for 5G. The agreement is now awaiting FCC approval.

T-Mo has previously said that it plans to use some of the 600MHz it bought in last year’s FCC auction to build its 5G network, but the carrier is showing interest in mmWave spectrum, too. Some analysts speculate that T-Mobile may trade the spectrum that its buying for some of Verizon’s 39GHz spectrum, but it remains to be seen if that’ll actually happen. One thing that does seem to be the case, though, is that T-Mobile is working hard to be able to augment its 600MHz 5G coverage with some high-band coverage.

T-Mobile plans to begin rolling out its 5G coverage in 2019 and intends to have nationwide 5G coverage by 2020. Until then, you can check out T-Mobile’s full FCC application related to this mmWave spectrum acquisition at the link below.

Source: FierceWireless

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