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T-Mobile outlines plans to use unlicensed 5GHz spectrum in trials “in the near future”

In a blog post published earlier today T-Mobile’s network chief, Neville Ray outlines the company’s plans to integrate new spectrum in to the company’s existing arsenal of airwaves. And while 2014 was the year of 700MHz low-band spectrum, seamless handover between VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling and wideband LTE, 2015 is something new. As we wrote about in a post just a few weeks ago, T-Mobile … [read full article]

Uncarrier 4.0 was 2014’s biggest T-Mobile move according to you

Towards the end of last year, we started hearing from our sources that T-Mobile was planning to launch an awesome Uncarrier move at CES. And sure enough, at en event in Las Vegas last January, John Legere and T-Mobile made waves. If it wasn’t the AT&T Macklemore concert that got your attention, T-Mobile offering to pay off your Early Termination Fee to switch probably did. It was a big move, and one which most of you seem … [read full article]

Band 12 LTE spotted in North East Maryland and Louisiana

T-Mobile’s 700MHz band 12 network is officially rolling out. And while the only locations to be announced by the carrier are Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Minneapolis and Washington there are still a number of other markets where customers have managed to get on to the lower frequency network. The pink areas on the map screenshots indicate where T-Mobile owns 700MHz spectrum.  Lafayette, Louisiana Between Lafayette and New Iberia, Louisiana, one reader spotted LTE in an area where he hadn’t … [read full article]

T-Mobile 700MHz spectrum deal with Triad complete, covers 2.43 million POPs

In September, T-Mobile had been on something of a roll. It submitted many applications to acquire more low-band spectrum from a number of companies and owners. One of the biggest transactions (or collection of transactions) was with Triad 700. A company which owned 700MHz spectrum in Alaska and Nevada among others. In total, the deal would bring band 12 coverage to 2.43 million people. Just a few days back, the transaction was approved by the FCC. … [read full article]

T-Mobile could launch unlicensed 5GHz LTE as soon as next year

T-Mobile could become one the first carriers to use 5GHz Unlicensed LTE, or to give it its proper name, License Assisted Access LTE or LAA-LTE. It could deploy the network as soon as next year according to a plan unveiled in a report by Kevin Smithen and Will Clayton, Macquarie Research analysts. Having met with T-Mobile’s network chief, Neville Ray, they believe the carrier will use LAA “extensively on the 500MHz of 5GHz spectrum, with handsets becoming … [read full article]

Uncarrier 8.0 takeaway: T-Mobile’s network announcements were far more important than rollovers

T-Mobile’s Data Stash may – in the words of John Legere – be “arguably the biggest thing we’ve ever done since Uncarrier 1“, but other announcements caught my attention more. I’m not belittling the new data rollover scheme. Simply re-emphasizing the truth: Without a killer network, a great offer isn’t worth anything. Sprint has found that out to its own detriment.  In a blog post, T-Mo’s network guru, Neville Ray covered all of the encouraging … [read full article]

Verizon and T-Mobile agree AWS and PCS spectrum swap

While anyone with any interest in networks and spectrum currently have their eyes fixed on the ongoing AWS-3 FCC auction, T-Mobile and Verizon have asked for the Commission’s blessing on their plans to swap more spectrum. The two carriers want to swap AWS and PCS spectrum in a transaction covering 92 counties, in 41 markets across the U.S. “As a result of the proposed intra-market and … [read full article]

RootMetrics: T-Mobile behind Verizon on maximum observed download speeds

T-Mobile loves to boast about how its network is the fastest LTE network around. This claim is based on averaging out actual user-observed download speeds. And there’s nothing wrong with it. In fact, average download speeds shows us a much more accurate view of what to expect from a carrier when we sign up to one of their plans. But how about maximum observed speeds? In partnership with RootMetrics, Fierce Wireless published a report which shows how … [read full article]