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Tag: T-Mobile

  • Dish Network Taps Nokia For 5G Network Software

    Dish Network Taps Nokia For 5G Network Software

    Dish Network has chosen Nokia for its 5G core network software as the satellite company rolls out its wireless network.

    Dish Network has been working to expand beyond its core satellite business to become a major wireless carrier. The company received a major boost due to the T-Mobile/Sprint merger. In order to assuage concerns from regulators, T-Mobile agreed to sell spectrum to Dish Network, and provide the company with several years of access to T-Mobile’s network. The goal was to create a fourth major carrier, essentially replacing the ailing Sprint post-merger.

    It appears Dish is moving full-steam-ahead in its efforts to roll out its network, and has tapped Nokia to provide the software for its standalone 5G network. The software will handle device management, subscriber data management, integration services, packet core, voice and core. Nokia’s software will also provide standalone 4G and 5G, as well as voice over WiFi access.

    “This is an important step in bringing to life DISH’s plans to deliver the first open, agile, virtualized 5G network in the U.S.,” said Marc Rouanne, DISH Chief Network Officer. “Nokia’s new release is cloud-native, standalone and ready for full automation, providing DISH the software capabilities required to deliver thousands of network slices with low latency and SLA on demand.”

    “The benefits of Nokia’s industry-leading, cloud-native standalone 5G Core products built on our proven Common Software Foundation — near-zero-touch automation capabilities, high-level operational efficiencies, scale and performance – continue to set us apart from the competition,” said Bhaskar Gorti, President of Nokia Software and Nokia Chief Digital Officer. “DISH has great ambition and we are both excited and laser-focused on helping them deliver on that.”

  • PCMag Releases Fastest Mobile Networks 2020 Test

    PCMag Releases Fastest Mobile Networks 2020 Test

    PCMag has released its 11th annual testing data of US wireless networks, and it doesn’t paint a pretty picture for the state of 5G.

    Each of the three major carriers are rushing to get on the 5G bandwagon, although each of them are taking different approaches. Verizon has been focused almost exclusively on high-band, mmWave spectrum. This is the fastest variety of 5G, with speeds measured in gigabits. Unfortunately, it has very limited range and building penetration, making it hard to find.

    T-Mobile and AT&T have both rolled out mmWave networks in urban areas, much like Verizon. Both of them, however, have also rolled out low-band nationwide 5G networks. This variety of 5G is only marginally faster than 4G LTE, but has excellent range and penetration.

    Mid-band spectrum promises to offer the best of both worlds, with decent range and penetration, combined with speeds in the 700 Mbps range. T-Mobile has a wealth of this spectrum, thanks to its merge with Sprint, but has yet to fully repurpose it.

    PCMag’s report falls largely inline with what one would expect, given the technologies in use. Of the three, PCMag’s Sascha Segan says “Verizon’s 5G is often mind-blowing, but very difficult to find.” This is exactly what one would expect from a 5G rollout focused exclusively on mmWave.

    T-Mobile, on the other hand, has the largest nationwide, low-band 5G network. At the same time, its speeds have not increased as fast as either AT&T or Verizon. This is believed to be the result of T-Mobile absorbing millions of Sprint customers post-merger, resulting in added congestion on the network. T-Mobile says it will be able to deal with the congestion once it finished integrating Sprint’s spectrum.

    On the other hand, Segan said, “AT&T 5G right now appears to be essentially worthless.” This is largely because of how AT&T has chosen to roll out its nationwide 5G. As Sagan explains:

    ”AT&T’s 5G slices off a narrow bit of the old 850MHz cellular band and assigns it to 5G, to give phones a valid 5G icon without increasing performance. And because of the way current 5G phones work, it often reduces performance. At locations with both 4G and 5G, our 5G phone was slower than our 4G phone in 21 out of 22 cities.”

    In many ways, this is reminiscent of how AT&T labeled souped up 4G LTE as “5G Evolution,” a claim the BBB’s National Advertising Review Board (NARB) and National Advertising Division (NAD) found misleading. Similarly, in the transition from 3G to 4G, AT&T drew criticism for labeling souped up 3G as 4G.

    While offering some nuggets of hope for the state of the US 5G market, PCMag’s report illustrates that it still has a long way to go before it reaches the level of maturity needed to compete with existing 4G networks.

     

    Image Credit: PCMag

  • T-Mobile Launches $10.7 Billion Project 10Million to Help Remote Learning

    T-Mobile Launches $10.7 Billion Project 10Million to Help Remote Learning

    T-Mobile has announced the launch of Project 10Million, a $10.7 billion initiative to help deliver internet connectivity to underserved children.

    Since the pandemic swept the globe, children across the country have been relying on remote schooling to keep up with their classes. Unfortunately, poor internet access is a major impediment to children being able to safely learn at home. Even before the pandemic, a ‘homework gap’ impacted some 9 million children, where poor internet access made it difficult or impossible to complete after-school assignments.

    Now that the ‘homework gap’ is turning into a full-fledged ‘schoolwork gap,’ T-Mobile is expanding Project 10Million. Schools districts can apply the value of the program to data plans, including a 100GB per month plan, or one that is fully unlimited. The Initiative includes free wireless hotspots and at-cost tablets and laptops.

    “Education is the great leveler, but without internet access, kids will be left behind. T-Mobile has a big goal – to deliver connectivity to every child who needs it across the U.S. Starting now with our historic Project 10Million commitment, we’re going to help open A LOT of doors to opportunity that might have previously been closed,” said T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert. “This issue is even more critical as the COVID-19 pandemic has completely shifted learning for many from the classroom to online. Big issues need big solutions, and that’s exactly why we’re not just launching but significantly enhancing Project 10Million and giving flexibility to educators so they can best address the unique needs of their students with plans that offer more data. As the supercharged Un-carrier, we now have the resources and network capacity to deliver reliable connectivity to students across the U.S. — and to tackle the critical homework gap and the schoolwork gap head-on!”

  • T-Mobile Adds Mid-Band 5G In Over 80 Cities; Verizon Calls ‘Foul’

    T-Mobile Adds Mid-Band 5G In Over 80 Cities; Verizon Calls ‘Foul’

    T-Mobile has rolled out high-speed, mid-band 5G in over 80 cities as it continues to utilize the spectrum it acquired with Sprint.

    Mid-band 5G is widely considered to be the sweet spot for 5G spectrum. It provides faster performance than T-Mobile’s low-band nationwide 5G network, reaching speeds up to 1 Gbps. At the same time, it offers better range and penetration than high-band 5G, which requires repeaters and base stations every couple of hundred meters.

    One of the driving factors in T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint was the wealth of mid-band, 2.5 GHz spectrum Sprint had. Since the acquisition was completed, T-Mobile has been integrating the spectrum as fast as possible, with today’s news being the biggest gain yet.

    “T-Mobile has the competition in the rear-view mirror on 5G, and they’re only getting farther behind. While the other guys are playing catch-up, we’ve had nationwide 5G since last year, and we’re now adding faster speeds across the country with mid-band 5G,” said Neville Ray, President of Technology at T-Mobile. “This is our 5G strategy in action. Mid-band is the 5G spectrum, and T-Mobile has more of it than anyone. We have nearly twice as much low and mid-band spectrum as AT&T and nearly triple that of Verizon. And that means T-Mobile is the only one capable of making the world’s best 5G network a reality.”

    At this pace, T-Mobile’s competitors will be playing catch-up for some time. This is likely why Verizon has recently appealed to the FCC to prevent T-Mobile from gaining access to additional 600 MHz spectrum. Never mind the fact that Verizon chose not to bid on any 600 MHz spectrum when it was up for auction, believing they didn’t need the additional spectrum.

    Suddenly Verizon is changing its tune:

    “As shown above, it is T-Mobile that has the most substantial total low- and mid-band spectrum holdings of any provider at the national level,” Verizon stated in its appeal.

    Verizon goes on to quote T-Mobile’s Neville Ray on the status of the company’s advantage:

    “T-Mobile’s President of Technology, Neville Ray, recently boasted that, even before these arrangements take effect, T-Mobile’s low- and mid-band spectrum holdings give it such a ‘material advantage’ in the marketplace that its ‘competition doesn’t have a path to match [it] for some time.’ Indeed, Mr. Ray claimed that T-Mobile has a ‘2x’ or ‘3x multiple’ in the ‘mid- and low-bands’ over AT&T and Verizon.”

    It appears Verizon may now be regretting its decision to not purchase more spectrum when it had the opportunity.

  • US Among Countries With Slowest 5G

    US Among Countries With Slowest 5G

    OpenSignal has analyzed the wold’s 12 leading 5G markets, and the US is nearly dead-last, in terms of 5G speed.

    The United Kingdom took the spot as the country with the slowest 5G, averaging a mere 32.6 Mbps download. The US was second-worst, clocking in at 33.4 Mbps average download. Meanwhile, the top three countries were Saudi Arabia, Canada and South Korea, with 144.5, 90.4 and 75.6 Mbps download respectively.

    In spite of taking the second-worst spot for speed, it wasn’t all bad news for the US. In terms of coverage, the US came in fifth place, behind Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Hong Kong and South Korea. The fact the US scored so high on coverage is even more impressive given the land mass of the US compared with the top four countries.

    In fact, the reason for the impressive coverage the US enjoys is tied to its slower speed.

    “The modest 5G Download Speeds in the U.S. are due to a combination of the limited amount of new mid-band 5G spectrum that is available and the popularity of low-band spectrum – T-Mobile’s 600MHz and AT&T’s 850MHz – which offer excellent availability and reach but lower average speeds than the 3.5GHz mid-band spectrum used as the main 5G band in every country outside of the U.S,” writes OpenSignal’s Ian Fogg.

    As we have pointed out many times on WPN, low-band spectrum travels much farther and has better building penetration, compared to mid or high-band spectrum. The trade-off is speed that is only marginally better than 4G.

    “The U.S. is much higher ranked on 5G Availability than on average download speed because the low-band spectrum is ideally suited to enable great 5G reach and allow users to spend more time connected than in countries with higher frequency 5G spectrum,” continues Fogg. “In the US the low-band 5G services of T-Mobile and AT&T have helped drive a high 5G Availability result. T-Mobile U.S.’s very recent launch of standalone access 5G — where a phone no longer needs to connect to 4G in order for 5G to work — should help 5G services in future.”

  • NAD Supports Some T-Mobile 5G Claims, Disputes Others

    NAD Supports Some T-Mobile 5G Claims, Disputes Others

    The National Advertising Division (NAD), a division of BBB National Programs, has sided with T-Mobile on some of its advertising claims, while disputing others.

    The NAD is a branch of the BBB that helps ensure accuracy in advertising by providing dispute resolution and self-regulation. The challenge to T-Mobile’s advertising claims about its 5G service was lodged by Verizon.

    The NAD found that T-Mobile’s claims that its 5G is faster than its 4G, or competitors’ 4G was accurate. Similarly, the NAD found that T-Mobile’s claims that its 5G service offered better coverage than other providers’ 5G was also accurate.

    In spite of those wins, the NAD did recommend that T-Mobile alter or discontinue other claims. For example, it recommended T-Mobile stop implying its 5G was superior to 4G in other ways, such as reliability. Similarly, the NAD “recommended that T-Mobile discontinue the challenged claim that its 5G service is generally available in locations that have traditionally been challenging for cellular service (or disclose, clearly and conspicuously, the typical performance of T-Mobile’s 5G).”

    The NAD also recommended T-Mobile stop using demonstrations that implied other carriers’ 5G coverage footprint was as small as a city bench. The NAD also recommended T-Mobile stop comparing coverage to Verizon’s in the “Rock Stadium in Miami shortly before the Super Bowl and the related implied claim that T-Mobile’s current 5G network consistently provides no signal loss, decrease in signal strength, or reversion to 4G LTE service”

    This is just the latest spat between the carriers, as each tries to check the others’ advertising. The NAD recently ruled against Verizon, and the BBB’s National Advertising Review Board (NARB) upheld an unfavorable NAD ruling against AT&T. T-Mobile has said it will appeal the recommendation. We will provide an update once the NARB rules.

  • T-Mobile Money Expands to Sprint Users

    T-Mobile Money Expands to Sprint Users

    Sprint customers now have full access to T-Mobile’s banking solution, T-Mobile Money, following their merger.

    T-Mobile completed the integration of Sprint’s stores and assets in early August, retiring the brand August 2. Since then, the company has been working to bring all the benefits of being a T-Mobile customer to former Sprint users.

    The latest benefit is full access to T-Mobile Money, the carrier’s banking service. T-Mobile Money is an online banking service that offers a number of options not usually available from brick-and-mortar banks.

    One of the biggest benefits of the service is 4.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on balances up to $3,000. Once a balance goes over $3,000, it yields 1.00% APY. In addition, T-Mobile Money accounts have Got Your Back overdraft protection, no fees and account holders can get paid up to two days early. Because there are no physical bank locations, users who want to deposit a physical check can do so at participating 7-Eleven, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart locations.

    “Today, more than ever, it’s absolutely critical that people keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets. T-Mobile MONEY customers get an industry-leading return on their money with zero fees, so they keep more and grow more, the way it should be,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. “This is just one more way we’re welcoming legacy Sprint customers into the T-Mobile family, and I’m not even close to finished yet.”

  • Verizon Bundles Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, Talks Nationwide 5G

    Verizon Bundles Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, Talks Nationwide 5G

    Verizon has significantly upgraded its Disney+ bundle, including both Hulu and ESPN+ for select plans.

    Verizon made headlines when it bundled a year of Disney’s new Disney+ streaming service for upper tier plans. The company is now expanding that to include the ad-supported Hulu plan, as well as ESPN+.

    “Our new Mix & Match plans make the choice clearer than ever: customers get the best network and the best value with Verizon,” said Frank Boulben, SVP Marketing and Products of Verizon Consumer Group. “We led the industry by giving customers Disney+ on us. Now we’re adding The Disney Bundle, which includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, for more entertainment choices that appeal to a variety of interests. We can’t wait to see what customers choose to suit their needs.”

    “The addition of The Disney Bundle to our agreement with Verizon reinforces our commitment to providing their subscribers with access to high-quality entertainment from Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+,” said Sean Breen, EVP, Platform Distribution, The Walt Disney Company. “We are always looking for the most advantageous ways for consumers to experience our content and we are pleased to work with Verizon so that they can provide their customers with these appealing new offers.”

    Verizon also took the opportunity to speak, albeit briefly, about their upcoming nationwide 5G network. According to the company, all of its new Mix & Match plans will support nationwide 5G, which it says is coming this year—although there were no dates given.

    Verizon is currently the only one of the three major carriers to not have a nationwide 5G network. T-Mobile is currently in the lead, in terms of coverage, with AT&T in second place. In contrast, Verizon opted early on to focus almost exclusively on the high-band mmWave variety of 5G. This flavor is exceptionally fast, but offers limited range and poor building penetration. As a result, it is only suitable for cities and densely populated areas where base stations can be installed every couple of hundred meters.

    At the root of the problem is Verizon’s lack of available low and mid-band spectrum. T-Mobile used its 600 MHz spectrum for its nationwide network, while AT&T used its 850 MHz spectrum. Verizon’s 700 MHz spectrum is tied up with its 4G LTE network. As a result, the company has been looking at Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) to share it’s low-band spectrum between LTE and 5G networks, using DSS to switch back and forth depending on what type of device is currently accessing the tower. Unfortunately, while a good idea on paper, DSS has faced its fair share of criticism and issues.

    With Verizon so far behind in the 5G race, one can’t help but wonder if its increased bundling is an effort to add value for its customers, and keep them from defecting, while it plays catchup.

  • Verizon Launches 5G Ultra Wideband in San Jose

    Verizon Launches 5G Ultra Wideband in San Jose

    Verizon has added another city to its 5G map, rolling out 5G Ultra Wideband in parts of San Jose.

    Verizon has been working to expand its 5G coverage, although its coverage still lags far behind AT&T and T-Mobile. This is largely as a result of the frequency Verizon is using.

    Unlike its competitors, who have rolled out low-band nationwide 5G networks, Verizon is currently focusing on the high-band flavor of 5G. While it offers the fastest speeds, it has exceptionally short range and building penetration. As a result, even in the cities Verizon offers 5G Ultra Wideband, it usually only offers it in parts of those cities.

    Nonetheless, San Jose is the latest city to be added to the list.

    “5G Ultra Wideband service will be concentrated in parts of Downtown San Jose, Little Saigon, Little Italy, West San Jose, North San Jose in the technology corridor, and South San Jose near landmarks such as Japanese Friendship Garden, Guadalupe River Park, Arena Green East, and outside of the CEFCU Stadium & Excite Ballpark,” says the company’s announcement.

  • T-Mobile Passes AT&T to Become Nation’s Second-Largest Carrier

    T-Mobile Passes AT&T to Become Nation’s Second-Largest Carrier

    Following its merger with Sprint and a strong second quarter, T-Mobile has passed AT&T to become the nation’s second-largest wireless carrier.

    T-Mobile closed its merger with Sprint on April 1 and has been chalking up one milestone after another. It’s worked hard to integrate Sprint’s spectrum into its own network, rolled out mid-band 5G in major cities and unveiled the world’s first nationwide standalone 5G network.

    With its second quarter report, T-Mobile has added some 1,245,000 total net additions, including 1,112,000 postpaid net additions. This represents the 22nd consecutive quarter where T-Mobile has led the industry in net custom additions.

    Even more impressive, T-Mobile has managed to overtake AT&T as the second-largest wireless carrier in the US.

    “Surpassing AT&T to become #2 was a huge milestone to kick off Q2, but that was only the beginning! In our first quarter as a combined company, T-Mobile led the industry in total branded customer adds – even in a challenging environment – and there is no doubt that we are THE leading growth company in wireless,” said Mike Sievert, T-Mobile CEO. “Now we’re setting our sights on #1 – in customer choice and customers’ hearts – and we’ll get there by doing ONLY what the Un-carrier can do: offering customers the most advanced 5G network AND the best value while continuing to make big moves that fix customer pain points and disrupt this industry. I’m excited about what’s to come in this new T-Mobile era – we’re just getting started!”

    This is a major milestone for a company that, just a few years ago, was the fourth largest carrier in the US.

  • T-Mobile Hits Major Milestone: First Nationwide Standalone 5G Network

    T-Mobile Hits Major Milestone: First Nationwide Standalone 5G Network

    After teasing a major network announcement Monday, T-Mobile has announced a world first: a standalone nationwide 5G network.

    The first 5G implementations have been built on non-standalone technology. That means the backbone of the network is based on 4G LTE tech. The benefit is that compatible devices can connect to LTE or 5G simultaneously. This provides faster performance than traditional 4G networks, especially when it comes to data speeds. A true standalone 5G network, where all components are based on 5G tech, offers opportunities that can’t be achieved with a non-standalone network.

    The potential of standalone 5G makes T-Mobile’s milestone all that much more significant.

    “In the near-term, SA allows T-Mobile to unleash its entire 600 MHz footprint for 5G. With non-standalone network architecture (NSA), 600 MHz 5G is combined with mid-band LTE to access the core network, but without SA the 5G signal only goes as far as mid-band LTE,” says the company blog. “With today’s launch, 600 MHz 5G can go beyond the mid-band signal, covering hundreds of square miles from a single tower and going deeper into buildings than before. Thanks to T-Mobile’s ongoing 5G build, and by flipping the switch on SA, the Un-carrier has immediately increased its 5G footprint by 30 percent — now covering 1.3 million square miles in more than 7,500 cities and towns across the country.”

    According to T-Mobile, it’s 5G network is now two times larger than AT&T’s and 10,000 times bigger than Verizon’s.

  • Verizon the First US Wireless Company to Offer International 5G

    Verizon the First US Wireless Company to Offer International 5G

    Verizon has become the first US wireless carrier to strike an international 5G roaming deal.

    All three US carriers are racing to deploy 5G networks, and are eager to tout their milestones and advantages. T-Mobile has the widest 5G coverage, while Verizon’s 5G network has the fastest speeds. Verizon can now add another feather to its cap, being the first US wireless company to offer 5G international roaming—albeit in a single country.

    The company has inked a deal to offer 5G roaming service in South Korea. Verizon conducted tests using a dual frequency device that can access the company’s mmWave service in the US and Korea’s 3.5 GHz mid-band spectrum when roaming. Speeds in Korea averaged 252 Mbps down and 119 Mbps up. Despite the rather humble beginnings, Verizon promises more countries will soon be included in its international roaming agreements.

    “We are in the early phases of global roaming partnerships with other countries and will continue to look for strategic partnerships with international providers who, like Verizon, are leading the 5G evolution. This roaming service with South Korea will serve as a model as we engage with 5G providers in other countries to provide our customers who travel globally with more options,” said Kyle Malady, Chief Technology Officer.

  • T-Mobile and Sprint Officially Unified Under T-Mobile Brand

    T-Mobile and Sprint Officially Unified Under T-Mobile Brand

    Four months after completing a merger years in the making, T-Mobile has officially shut down the Sprint brand.

    T-Mobile and Sprint pursued a merger for several years before finally coming to an agreement and receiving FCC and DOJ approval. Despite federal backing, a coalition of states filed a lawsuit to block the merger. After a judge ruled in T-Mobile’s favor, the merger moved forward with T-Mobile quickly integrating Sprint’s spectrum into its own network.

    Now the company has officially retired the Sprint brand, unifying the two under the T-Mobile brand.

    ”Our team has been working night and day to combine our storefronts – and this is SO much more than just rebranding thousands of Sprint locations with a fresh coat of magenta paint,” writes CEO Mike Sievert. “This is about giving customers even MORE access to our expanded retail footprint, (one of the largest in the United States) and making it even easier and more convenient for them to safely drop in, chat with a Mobile Expert, make upgrades, get the latest deals, and reap the benefits from all that new T-Mobile has to offer! It was no small feat and is a testament to incredible teamwork all around the country. Today truly marks the beginning of a new era for T-Mobile, and for our customers.”

    Sievert also took the opportunity to tout the company’s 5G plans, especially in comparison to the competition.

    ”It all starts with our people and of course our integration work – with major milestones like this one marking our way – and then it really comes to life with our 5G network that will surpass anything that anyone (yes, including Verizon) will deliver to the market for years! (Spoiler alert: we have another important network milestone coming up really soon… because Neville and his team are truly firing on all cylinders to bring 5G to even more people in more places, so stay tuned!). Trust me, we are going to bring new and better connectivity options to everything from major metros and urban cities to small towns and rural America!”

    It remains to be seen what the network milestone is that Sievert is referring to. Given the amount of spectrum T-Mobile acquired with the merger, it’s a safe bet it’s probably something big.

  • U.S. Cellular Turns to Nokia For mmWave 5G Equipment

    U.S. Cellular Turns to Nokia For mmWave 5G Equipment

    U.S. Cellular is working with Nokia to acquire the equipment needed for its 5G rollout.

    U.S. Cellular is the fourth largest wireless carrier in the US. Unlike T-Mobile, Verizon or AT&T, however, U.S. Cellular is a regional carrier. It currently operates in 23 states. Despite its regional status, the company is working to deploy mmWave 5G in its markets.

    mmWave is the fastest variety of 5G available, with speeds measured in gigabits. As such, it promises to be a revolutionary upgrade, upending what is normally possible with a cellular connection.

    U.S. Cellular is working with Nokia on its multi-year 5G deployment, with commercial availability beginning in 2021.

    “U.S. Cellular and Nokia are taking bold steps forward together in the realm of 5G modernization and connectivity,” said Mike Irizarry, CTO, U.S. Cellular. “With 5G mmWave technology from Nokia, we can provide our customers with the leading-edge capabilities of high performance, ultra-low latency 5G. By readying our network with these key foundational network elements, we can offer an even wider range of communications services that enhance our customers’ wireless experience.”

  • FCC Opens Auction for Mid-Band 5G Spectrum

    FCC Opens Auction for Mid-Band 5G Spectrum

    The FCC has started its auction for 3.5 GHz mid-band spectrum for 5G.

    Many experts consider mid-band spectrum to be the sweet spot for 5G, offering the best compromise between speed and building penetration. Many international carriers have focused primarily on mid-band spectrum as they have rolled out their own 5G networks.

    In the US, however, carriers’ efforts have largely focused on the low and high-band (mmWave) varieties. All three carriers have deployed some mmWave offerings in cities, but mmWave requires repeaters and base stations every couple hundred meters and has very poor penetration. These factors mean it will likely never be used as a nationwide option.

    As a result, T-Mobile and AT&T have both rolled out low-band networks to provide nationwide 5G coverage. Low-band, while offering excellent range and penetration, is only marginally faster than 4G. Verizon, on the other hand, does not have enough low-band spectrum to roll out a dedicated, nationwide 5G network and will have to rely on switching technology to allow 4G and 5G to be served from the same towers, using the same spectrum.

    T-Mobile currently is the only one of the three carriers that has a wealth of mid-band spectrum, thanks to its Sprint acquisition. T-Mobile’s spectrum is in the 2.5 GHz range, and should offer speeds in the 600 – 700Mbps range.

    The FCC is auctioning spectrum in the 3.55 to 3.65 GHz range, which should offer slightly higher speeds than T-Mobile’s mid-band, although slightly less range and penetration as well.

    “5G is critical to America’s global economic and technological leadership, and the start of the 3.5 GHz auction today is a key milestone in our work advancing this national priority,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.

    It’s a safe bet this will be one of the most important spectrum auctions in recent years, with Verizon and AT&T eager to flesh out their 5G networks. It remains to be seen if T-Mobile will purchase some of the spectrum, or if they are content with the mid-band they already have.

  • T-Mobile Soon Will Require VoLTE Phones

    T-Mobile Soon Will Require VoLTE Phones

    T-Mobile will soon require all phones on its network to support 4G Voice over LTE (VoLTE) in an effort to free up spectrum.

    Some US carriers still support older protocols, such as 3G, despite how ubiquitous 4G has become. Supporting those older protocols, however, ties up valuable spectrum that can be used to enhance 4G coverage, as well as help with 5G rollouts.

    In an effort to free up some of that spectrum, T-Mobile plans on requiring all new phones activated on its network to support VoLTE by August 4. A document Android Police obtained also indicates that older devices will no longer work on the magenta carrier by January 2021.

    While T-Mobile did not confirm the dates listed in the document, they did give the following statement to Android Police:

    ”We’re making great progress building a truly transformative nationwide 5G network. As part of that, we will be phasing out some older technologies over time to free up even more capacity for LTE and 5G. In preparation for that and to give customers the best experience, those activating new lines at T-Mobile will need a VoLTE capable device, which is all we’ve offered for years now and represents the overwhelming majority of devices on the network.”

    Verizon and AT&T are both taking similar measures to retire their older networks. In the race to 5G, spectrum is the most valuable commodity, and retiring older technologies will help the carriers and their customers move forward.

  • AT&T Joins T-Mobile In Offering Nationwide 5G

    AT&T Joins T-Mobile In Offering Nationwide 5G

    AT&T became the second of the nationwide carriers to offer nationwide 5G, joining T-Mobile.

    AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon have been rolling out 5G across the nation. T-Mobile was the first to roll out nationwide 5G, using their 600 MHz, low-band spectrum. Low-band 5G offers marginally faster speeds than 4G, but excellent range and building penetration. Verizon has been focusing on high-band mmWave 5G. This variety is the fastest, but is only suitable for cities and densely populated areas because of its short range and poor penetration.

    While T-Mobile and AT&T are also rolling out mmWave in cities, both companies have been focusing on low-band 5G deployments, covering far more of the population.

    “Just as our lives have shifted in the past few months, so has our expectation of wireless technology,” said Jeff McElfresh, CEO of AT&T Communications. “With AT&T 5G reaching nationwide, our network is beginning the journey to transform connectivity as we know it by setting a new bar of breathtaking experiences and improved efficiency. Businesses, developers and consumers are already tapping into 5G’s potential and we’re thrilled for customers across the U.S. to experience it for themselves. It’s an exciting time in technology.”

    AT&T’s announcement will only increase pressure on Verizon, the one company that doesn’t have enough low-band spectrum to roll out a standalone, nationwide 5G network. Instead, Verizon is planning to use dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) to share the same spectrum between 4G and 5G. In the meantime, a recent report by OpenSignal showed that Verizon’s 5G network is only available 0.4% of the time.

    AT&T’s announcement is good news for its customers, and will help ensure the carrier can meet demand as 5G gains widespread adoption.

  • T-Mobile Marks End of Sprint Brand With Competitive Pricing

    T-Mobile Marks End of Sprint Brand With Competitive Pricing

    T-Mobile has unveiled a competitive, four-line plan to help mark the retirement of the Sprint brand.

    Following its acquisition of the number four carrier, T-Mobile has wasted no time integrating Sprint. Its first steps were to use Sprint’s mid-band spectrum to roll out 5G in various markets, before shutting down Sprint’s standalone 5G network altogether.

    T-Mobile had previously announced it would be unifying the two brands and phasing Sprint out on August 2. As part of the process, the magenta carrier has announced a competitive plan that offers four lines for only $25 each.

    “Starting this Friday and available only for a limited time this summer, get four lines of unlimited data for just $25 each/month or get four 5G phones included for just $5 more each/month, and all with 5G access included. Yep, that’s just $25 a line plus tax with AutoPay for your family of four — or small business — to tap into the first and ONLY nationwide 5G network.”

    The company was quick to point out that Verizon’s most competitive comparable plan will cost roughly $1,000 more per year. The timing of the announcement is likely designed to keep Sprint customers from looking elsewhere.

    One of the concerns regulators had with T-Mobile and Sprint’s merger was the possibility of T-Mobile raising prices once the deal was completed. If this latest deal is any indication, however, it appears T-Mobile is making good on its promise to use its newfound scale to be more competitive than ever.

  • T-Mobile Takes On Robocalls, Unveils Scam Shield

    T-Mobile Takes On Robocalls, Unveils Scam Shield

    T-Mobile has unveiled Scam Shield as part of its latest Un-carrier Move, taking on robocalls and scams.

    YouMail, one of the leading robocall blockers, estimates there were some 3.3 billion robocalls made in the US in June 2020, averaging 10 calls per person. Recent legislation has made an effort to address the problem, with the FCC and the Supreme Court both weighing in on the matter.

    T-Mobile’s new Scam Shield aims to go even further, offering an array of tools to help protect users. These include Scam ID and Blocking where scam calls are flagged, and the user is given the option to block them permanently. Enhanced Caller ID will tell the user if the number is verified and from a person or business. T-Mobile is also giving customers a free second number they can use to keep their main number more private, as well as a free number change for individuals whose numbers are overrun. The company is also offering free monitoring and alerts from McAfee for 12 months.

    Significantly, this is the first major Un-carrier announcement since T-Mobile and Sprint’s merger, and this one is aimed at all of the company’s customers.

    “Now that Sprint is a part of T-Mobile, we can take on even bigger problems, so today, we’re taking on one of the biggest pain points in wireless — scams and unwanted robocalls,” said Mike Sievert, CEO at T-Mobile. “Scam Shield has never been more needed than it is right now. Scammers see COVID-19 as an opportunity to take advantage of Americans at their most vulnerable. When we saw that happening, we knew we had to take bold, swift action. With Scam Shield, T-Mobile customers get fewer scam calls, period … and it’s all because of our advanced network.”

    Not surprisingly, T-Mobile used the opportunity to call out its competitors, some of whom charge for similar features.

    “As an industry, we have to be better. Today, Verizon and AT&T are profiting off consumer fears. They’re charging to protect you from the very scams and robocalls their network brings you. It’s wrong, and it’s got to stop,” added Sievert. “We can be better, and at T-Mobile, we will continue righting the wrongs of this industry. Today, I’m challenging the Carriers to get off their assets, stop profiting from fear and do the right thing, because everyone needs and deserves protection now, more than ever.”

    Like many of the company’s previous Un-carrier moves, this one is sure to be a hit with customers and continue to put pressure on Verizon and AT&T.

  • T-Mobile Winning 5G Coverage War—By a Wide Margin

    T-Mobile Winning 5G Coverage War—By a Wide Margin

    Ookla has released a report on the status of 5G in the US, and it shows T-Mobile leading by a wide margin when it comes to coverage.

    According to the report, and similar to a report by Opensignal, Verizon had the fastest 5G speeds, coming in at roughly 10 times the speed of the next carrier. In terms of coverage, however, T-Mobile enjoys an equally impressive lead.

    Ookla looked at two different ways of calculating how many 5G sites each carrier had. The first looked at the Ookla 5G Map, as of July 8, and found there were 5,165 commercial 5G deployments. T-Mobile accounted for 5,008, AT&T 355 and Verizon a mere 39.

    In the second method, Ookla looked at cities where multiple devices running the company’s Speedtest app identified the presence of 5G. Using that method, T-Mobile led with 6,199 deployments, AT&T had 1,571 and Verizon a mere 196. As Ookla points out, some of those deployments may not be commercially available.

    T-Mobile recently shut down Sprint’s 5G to repurpose the spectrum for its own network. It appears buying Sprint and gaining the additional spectrum is already paying off, giving T-Mobile a commanding lead in the 5G race.

  • Opensignal Report Sheds Light On 5G Industry

    Opensignal Report Sheds Light On 5G Industry

    As the major US wireless carriers duke it out in the 5G market, Opensignal has issued a report on which carriers are winning and where.

    The three remaining carriers have very different strategies when it comes to 5G rollout. High-band mmWave 5G has the fastest speed but the worst range and building penetration. Low-band offers speeds that are only marginally faster than 4G, but has excellent range and penetration. Mid-band offers a good compromise of speed, range and penetration.

    Verizon has focused almost exclusively on the mmWave variety and, not surprisingly, has the fastest speed with a real-world average of 494.7 Mbps. In contrast, AT&T averaged 60.8 Mbps and T-Mobile averaged 49.2.

    When it comes to coverage, however, it’s a completely different story. Verizon’s customers only connect to its 5G network 0.4% of the time. AT&T’s customers use their 5G network 10.3% of the time. The real winner is T-Mobile, with its customers connecting to the company’s 5G network 22.5% of the time.

    As a result of its findings, Opensignal declares that “T-Mobile won the 5G Availability award by a large margin.” As the company continues to absorb and incorporate Sprint’s spectrum, that coverage will only continue to increase.

    Image Credit: Opensignal