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Tag: T-Mobile

  • T-Mobile Deactivates Sprint’s Legacy 5G Network

    T-Mobile Deactivates Sprint’s Legacy 5G Network

    T-Mobile has turned off Sprint’s 2.5 GHz 5G as it incorporates the spectrum into its own network.

    Since T-Mobile’s merger with Sprint, the magenta carrier has been repurposing Sprint’s spectrum to improve its own network. On the day the merger closed, T-Mobile used Sprint’s 2.5 GHz spectrum to roll out mid-band 5G in Philadelphia. Similarly, T-Mobile has been deploying Sprint’s spectrum to improve its network.

    Sprint’s spectrum is exactly why T-Mobile pursued the merger, as Sprint had a wealth of mid-band spectrum. Mid-band is widely considered the sweet spot for 5G, as it offers significant speed improvements over 4G, while still providing reasonable range and building penetration.

    T-Mobile’s move to shut down Sprint’s 2.5 GHz 5G network will likely accelerate Sprint customers transitioning to T-Mobile plans. According to Fierce Wireless, T-Mobile is offering impacted customers deals to help move them to compatible devices.

  • T-Mobile Extends T-Mobile Tuesdays to Sprint Customers

    T-Mobile Extends T-Mobile Tuesdays to Sprint Customers

    T-Mobile took another step toward welcoming Sprint customers to the magenta family by giving them access to T-Mobile Tuesdays deals.

    T-Mobile Tuesdays is the company’s loyalty rewards program that gives customers free stuff and discounts on popular services every Tuesday. According to the Un-carrier, over the past four years it has given away over $900 million in rewards.

    With T-Mobile’s merger with Sprint now complete, the company is officially opening T-Mobile Tuesdays to Sprint customers.

    “Four years ago, T-Mobile Tuesdays flipped the script on the traditional loyalty program. We believe customers shouldn’t have to spend more or collect points to be appreciated — especially right now. At T-Mobile, it’s about getting thanked, simply because you’re with us … and we’re with you,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. “And now, we welcome Sprint customers with our biggest thankings ever this summer. Why? Because thank you. That’s why.”

    Sprint customers are already enjoying access to double the number of LTE towers and better coverage nationwide. Today’s announcement is just an added benefit for the latest additions to the T-Mobile family. To take advantage of the rewards program, Sprint customers should download the iOS or Android app.

  • Dish Closing Boost Deal to Become Fourth Carrier

    Dish Closing Boost Deal to Become Fourth Carrier

    Dish Network is preparing to close the deal with T-Mobile to take Boost Mobile off of its hands, making it the fourth nationwide carrier.

    T-Mobile recently merged with Sprint after years of campaigning and fighting to gain regulatory approval. Even after the DOJ and FCC approved the deal, a coalition of states sued to stop it. One of the big concerns opponents had was whether consolidating to three carriers would hurt consumers.

    To address the concerns, it was agreed that T-Mobile would sell its Boost Mobile business to Dish Network. This paved the way for the merger, making T-Mobile the second largest US carrier, while helping Dish enter the market as a new fourth nationwide carrier.

    As part of the deal, Bloomberg is reporting that Dish will pay T-Mobile $1.4 billion for Boost. In return, Dish will also have access to T-Mobile’s network for seven years.

    Dish has been aggressively optimistic about its ability to compete in a market that has seen Sprint go from a major force to being bought out by its one-time rival. Only time will tell if Dish is able to make a go of it.

  • T-Mobile Explains Outage: ‘We Didn’t Meet Our Own Bar For Excellence’

    T-Mobile Explains Outage: ‘We Didn’t Meet Our Own Bar For Excellence’

    T-Mobile experienced a major outage Monday, impacting thousands of customers around the world as voice and text services were down.

    The issues began around 12:00 PM Monday, with users having trouble making and receiving calls and texts. President of Technology Neville Ray took to Twitter to reassure users the company’s engineers were working on the issue.

    Despite their efforts, however, the problems continued for roughly 12 hours. They were so widespread that users of other networks reported having issues as well, as we reported. FCC chairman Ajit Pai even got in on the action, tweeting that T-Mobile’s “network outage is unacceptable,” and vowing the FCC would demand answers.

    It appears T-Mobile is providing those answers, with Ray explaining what caused the issue, as well as what the company is doing to make sure it doesn’t happen in the future.

    “The trigger event is known to be a leased fiber circuit failure from a third party provider in the Southeast,” writes Ray. “This is something that happens on every mobile network, so we’ve worked with our vendors to build redundancy and resiliency to make sure that these types of circuit failures don’t affect customers. This redundancy failed us and resulted in an overload situation that was then compounded by other factors. This overload resulted in an IP traffic storm that spread from the Southeast to create significant capacity issues across the IMS (IP multimedia Subsystem) core network that supports VoLTE calls.

    “We have worked with our IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) and IP vendors to add permanent additional safeguards to prevent this from happening again and we’re continuing to work on determining the cause of the initial overload failure.”

    Ray personally apologized for the problem, while acknowledging T-Mobile and his team did not meet their own bar for excellence.

  • T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T Experiencing Outages

    T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T Experiencing Outages

    All three of the nation’s largest wireless carriers are experiencing technical difficulties Monday, with customers reporting outages across services.

    T-Mobile’s Neville Ray took to Twitter to acknowledge the issues, while at the same time recommending alternate, data-based services that are not impacted.

    Teams continue to work as quickly as possible to fix the voice & messaging problems some are seeing.

    Data services are now available & some calls are completing. Alternate services like WhatsApp, Signal, iMessage, Facetime etc. are available. Thanks for your patience.

    — Neville (@NevilleRay) June 15, 2020

    Neither Verizon nor AT&T have issued a similar statement. However, a look at Ookla’s Downdectector service shows a spike in complaints for both companies coinciding with T-Mobile’s issues. In the case of Verizon, 79% reported an issue with their mobile phone, 16% with mobile internet and 3% with landline internet service. In the case of AT&T, 79% reported an issue with the internet, 11% with their phone and 8% reported no network reception.

    The fact that all three carriers started experiencing major problems around the same time would seem to indicate an issue with a shared network backbone, although no further details were available at time of writing.

  • T-Mobile Hits 5G Milestone With 50-State Coverage

    T-Mobile Hits 5G Milestone With 50-State Coverage

    T-Mobile has added another feather to its 5G cap with coverage in all 50 states, thanks to a roaming deal in Alaska.

    T-Mobile has struck a deal with GCI to allow T-Mobile customers to roam on the company’s 5G network while in the Anchorage, Alaska area. In turn, GCI customers are able to roam on T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G network.

    “The massive nationwide 5G network we’re building and expanding by the day – paired with important partnerships like this – extend our 5G leadership over the competition and deliver meaningful 5G experiences to our customers,” said Neville Ray, president of technology at T-Mobile. “Now, our customers with 5G devices can keep 5G service when in Alaska. And to GCI customers, welcome to nationwide 5G!”

    “GCI and T-Mobile have a long history of ‘firsts’ together,” said GCI President and Chief Operating Officer Greg Chapados. “GCI and T-Mobile launched the nation’s first LTE roaming partnership in 2014 and were the first providers to partner together to deliver voice over LTE service. Today’s partnership marks another first and a tremendous milestone! GCI congratulates the T-Mobile team on being the first wireless provider to offer 5G service in all 50 states. The partnership is a win for both companies and for GCI customers who will be able to access 5G service on the nation’s largest 5G network.”

    The move is a nice bragging point for the magenta carrier, making it the only one to offer 5G service in all 50 states. The deal is an even better one for GCI, as its customers gain access to T-Mobile’s 5G network throughout the country.

  • T-Mobile Providing Free 5G to First Responders

    T-Mobile Providing Free 5G to First Responders

    T-Mobile has launched ‘Connecting Heroes,’ a program to deliver free iPhones and 5G to first responders.

    The company is making an effort to support first responders that often have to choose between buying phones and devices, vs life-saving equipment. To help ease their financial burdens, T-Mobile has committed to providing them a free iPhone SE, or half the cost of a flagship phone, as well as free service with 5G access for 10 years.

    “When we’re at our most vulnerable, first responders are there for us … and they are under more pressure today than ever before. Connecting Heroes is one way we’re saying ‘thank you’ in this critical time,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. “People who save lives shouldn’t have to choose between life-saving equipment and wireless service. And with Connecting Heroes, they won’t have to. We’re not limiting this program to a few months or a year … first responders can get free service including 5G access, for a full decade. THIS is the kind of impact the new T-Mobile can have in the world. THIS is the kind of difference we can make.”

    The company’s commitment is a substantial one. It’s estimated that if all first responder agencies take advantage of T-Mobile’s offer, it will save them some $7.7 billion.

    It’s nice to see T-Mobile continuing its Un-carrier culture following its merger with Sprint. With the added size, subscriber base, revenue and resources the merger provided, we can’t wait to see what the magenta carrier does next.

  • T-Mobile Delivers Gigabit 5G Speeds Using Mid-Band Spectrum

    T-Mobile Delivers Gigabit 5G Speeds Using Mid-Band Spectrum

    T-Mobile achieved a significant milestone in New York, passing the gigabit speed threshold with mid-band 5G.

    This is significant because, generally, high-band mmWave is viewed as the flavor of 5G that offers the best speeds. Unfortunately, mmWave has notoriously short range, requiring towers, repeaters or base stations every couple of hundred meters. This makes it logistically impossible to widely deploy it across the country.

    In contrast, low-band 5G has the best range and penetration, even better than 4G LTE in some cases, but offers only modest speed improvements over the older technology.

    Mid-band spectrum, in the 2.5GHz range, is generally considered the sweet spot for 5G, offering the best blend of range, penetration and speed. According to Ookla Speedtest’s Milan Milanovic, however, T-Mobile’s mid-band may be giving mmWave a run for its money.

    Well that was unexpected… Just two weeks after the 2.5GHz NYC launch, @TMobile upgrades the NR bandwidth from 40 to 60MHz!

    NR spectral efficiency further improves… 1.2Gbps. 😳

    — Milan Milanović (@milanmilanovic) May 19, 2020

    The mid-band spectrum was one of the primary reasons T-Mobile worked so hard to merge with Sprint. Sprint had been sitting on a wealth of the spectrum for years, but had never been able to deploy it to maximum benefit.

    It appears T-Mobile’s investment is paying off for the company and customers alike.

  • AT&T Will Drop Misleading ‘5G Evolution’ Branding—Under Protest

    AT&T Will Drop Misleading ‘5G Evolution’ Branding—Under Protest

    AT&T will stop using its “5G Evolution” branding after the National Advertising Review Board (NARB) found it misleading.

    The NARB and the National Advertising Division (NAD) are divisions of the BBB National Programs. T-Mobile had challenged AT&T’s marketing claims, bringing its complaint to the NAD.

    At the heart of the issue was AT&T’s use of the label “5G Evolution” to describe souped up 4G LTE. The company tried to further clarify/muddy the issue by calling it “The First Step in 5G.” In fact a blog post in 2018 by Andre Fuetsch, president of AT&T Labs and Chief Technology Officer, is filled with back-and-forth marketing speak to give the impression that “5G Evolution” is 5G, without actually crossing the line and saying something that would be a blatant lie.

    For example, Fuetsch writes: “We’re laying the 5G network foundation with 5G Evolution and LTE-LAA. In technology terms, that means we’re upgrading cell towers with LTE Advanced features like 256 QAM, 4×4 MIMO, and 3-way carrier aggregation. These technologies serve as the runway to 5G by boosting the existing LTE network and priming it for the future of connectivity. We can enable faster speeds now, and upgrade to 5G when it’s ready.”

    As can be seen by that paragraph, Fuetsch practically writes himself into the verbal equivalent of a pretzel in an effort to tout “5G Evolution” as 5G; all the while technically acknowledging it’s really 4G LTE; all while, at the same time, pointing out it’s the runway to 5G.

    Unfortunately, this kind of semantic gymnastics is nothing new for AT&T. In 2019, the company agreed to a $60 million settlement over misleading claims it made about its unlimited data plans. Similarly, in 2014, the company settled to the tune of $105 million for deceptive billing practices.

    In this latest instance, the NAD had recommended AT&T stop using the branding, a decision that the wireless carrier appealed to the NARB. In its decision the NARB has upheld the NAB’s previous decision:

    Agreeing with NAD’s findings and recommendations, the NARB panel determined that both claims will mislead reasonable consumers into believing that AT&T is offering a 5G network and recommended that the claims be discontinued. At NAD and on appeal, it was not disputed that the AT&T network is not a 5G network. The NARB Panel agreed with NAD’s analysis and concluded that the term “Evolution” is not likely to alert consumers to the fact that the service is not 5G. The Panel noted that the current prevalent technology in wireless is 4G LTE, and LTE stands for “evolution.” Thus, consumers may well interpret “Evolution” in the challenged claims as signifying that AT&T’s technology has already evolved into 5G.

    Further, the Panel agreed with NAD’s conclusion that the addition of “The First Step in 5G” does not cure the concern that consumers could reasonably take away the message that beginning 5G technology is delivered. The Panel noted that a reasonable consumer could conclude that the reference to “The First Step to 5G” was the advertiser’s way of promoting a 5G network, while promising an even more robust 5G network at a later time, especially since the slogan is being used in conjunction with “5G Evolution.”

    To no one’s surprise, AT&T disagreed with the findings, but has indicated it will comply with them.

  • Verizon Tries to Temper 5G Expectations

    Verizon Tries to Temper 5G Expectations

    Verizon is downplaying 5G, when compared to 4G, saying customers will only see “some improvements” initially.

    Verizon and T-Mobile have been locked in a battle over 5G, with the two carriers taking swipes at the other’s speed and coverage. T-Mobile has repeatedly emphasized the coverage of its nationwide 5G network, while Verizon has ran ads pointing out its 5G is faster and is “5G built right.”

    Now, however, Verizon is downplaying the initial performance of its 5G, with CEO Hans Vestberg saying at the J.P. Morgan investors conference that, “in the beginning, you’re going to see some improvements. Over time, dramatic improvements,”

    As we have covered repeatedly in previous articles, much of Verizon’s 5G issues stem from its focus on the high-band mmWave 5G. While offering speeds measured in gigabits, mmWave is notoriously short-range, requiring towers, repeaters and base stations every couple hundred meters. While this may be feasible in densely populated urban areas, mmWave is not practical for rural regions. As a result, while also unveiling mmWave in cities, T-Mobile has focused heavily on low-band 5G for its nationwide network. Low-band has far better range and building penetration, but provides only marginally better speeds than 4G.

    In Verizon’s case, however, the carrier is at a disadvantage when it comes to low-band spectrum, especially compared to T-Mobile. Verizon’s 4G LTE network is primarily based on 700 MHz spectrum, which is largely responsible for Verizon’s legendary coverage. T-Mobile similarly uses 700 MHz spectrum for its 4G network, but deployed 600 MHz spectrum for its nationwide 5G, spectrum that theoretically has even better range and building penetration than either carrier’s 700 MHz 4G.

    Verizon, however, does not have a wealth of 600 MHz low-band spectrum like T-Mobile. As a result, it has to rely on Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) technology to share its spectrum between 4G and 5G users for its low-band network. T-Mobile’s Neville Ray has warned about technical issues with DSS, and pointed out that the magenta carrier’s wealth of low-band spectrum means it is not dependent on DSS.

    When asked during the conference about Verizon’s DSS plans, Vestberg simply said: “Our technology team are progressing on that.” Needless to say, that response is not reassuring given the issues that have come up with DSS.

    Based on the investor conference, Verizon appears to finally be acknowledging, however indirectly, the challenges in providing a true, nationwide 5G network. In contrast, with T-Mobile’s abundance of low-band spectrum, and the absolute wealth of mid-range spectrum it acquired in the Sprint merger, T-Mobile continues to establish itself as THE carrier to beat in the 5G race.

  • Samsung Joining Tech Giants In Offering Debit Card

    Samsung Joining Tech Giants In Offering Debit Card

    Samsung is the latest tech giant to announce plans to offer its own branded debit card.

    The banking and financial markets are quickly shaping up to be the next frontier for tech giants. Moving into the space helps keep the companies’ customers invested in a specific ecosystem, one that goes beyond basic electronics. Apple unveiled its Apple Pay card, T-Mobile launched T-Mobile Money bank accounts and Google recently announced its intentions to launch its own debit card. Samsung is now joining the club, expanding its Samsung Pay to include a debit card.

    “In 2020, Samsung Pay will be expanding our service from being a rewarding way to shop and pay, to also being a rewarding way to manage money,” reads the press release. “Over the past year we have been busy developing a mobile-first money management platform. Our vision is to help consumers better manage their money so that they can achieve their dreams and goals. Now more than ever, mobile financial services and money management tools will play an even bigger role in our daily lives while also opening up new possibilities.

    “As a first step to this broader vision, this summer Samsung in partnership with SoFi will introduce a new Samsung Pay experience with an innovative debit card backed by a cash management account. We are excited to share more details in the coming weeks.”

    Samsung’s customers will no doubt enjoy the expansion of Samsung Pay, while the company will benefit by keeping people in its ecosystem.

    Samsung Joining Tech Giants In Offering Debit Card

  • T-Mobile Achieves Several Standalone 5G Milestones

    T-Mobile Achieves Several Standalone 5G Milestones

    T-Mobile has announced several important milestones in its standalone (SA) 5G rollout.

    5G networks are currently built on non-standalone (NSA) technology, meaning that the backbone is based on the 4G LTE core, giving compatible devices the ability to connect to with 5G and LTE simultaneously. While still faster than straight LTE, NSA 5G can’t match the potential of an SA 5G network, where all the components are based on the newer tech.

    According to T-Mobile, the company has successfully completed a number of significant steps involving SA 5G testing, including the first data session using multi-vendor modems, the first “voice call using Evolved Packet System (EPS) fallback to VoLTE,” and the first low-band voice calls (VoNR) and video calls (ViNR) over production networks. ViNR is particularly significant, as it allows native, high-quality video calls without an app.

    “Powerful and reliable wireless networks are more important than ever, and these milestones mark a huge step forward for the entire wireless ecosystem,” said Neville Ray, President of Technology at T-Mobile. “Standalone 5G, paired with the broad and deep network we’re building by combining the assets of T-Mobile and Sprint, will accelerate 5G adoption and services and transform wireless!”

    T-Mobile is wasting no time moving forward in their 5G rollout following their merger with Sprint. These latest announcements will pave the way for significant improvements for customers of the magenta network.

  • Carriers Extend Service Protection Due to Coronavirus

    Carriers Extend Service Protection Due to Coronavirus

    Comcast, T-Mobile and Verizon have announced they will extend their coronavirus service protection policies until at least June 30.

    As the coronavirus began taking a toll on small businesses and individuals, wireless carriers and internet providers voluntarily adopted the FCC’s “Keep Americans Connected Pledge.” The pledge was aimed at preventing late fees or disconnects for individuals and small businesses impacted by the pandemic. In their latest announcement, several carriers have agreed to extend the initial window for those protections to the end of June

    Comcast’s CEO, Dave Watson, said: “Our services have never been more important, and we’re doing everything we can to keep people connected to the internet.” Meanwhile, “Comcast announced today it will extend its commitments for Xfinity customers through June 30 to help ensure students can finish out the school year from home and remain connected to the internet during the COVID-19 crisis.”

    T-Mobile, likewise, said its extension would go to June 30 and that “customers who have already talked to us and made arrangements for their account can contact us directly after May 13 to get an extension through June 30. We will have more details available online later this week.”

    Similarly, Verizon said “we will neither terminate service nor charge late fees to our postpaid wireless, residential, and small business customers that notify us of their inability to pay their bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.”

    There had previously been reports of some individuals being disconnected in spite of the pledge. As a result, it is important for any users impacted by the pandemic to proactively communicate with their provider to take advantage of the measures being offered.

  • T-Mobile Rolling Out Sprint’s Spectrum to Improve Network

    T-Mobile Rolling Out Sprint’s Spectrum to Improve Network

    On the heels of its merger with Sprint, T-Mobile is wasting no time putting the former company’s spectrum to use improving its own network.

    With carriers around the world pushing to deploy 5G networks, T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint puts it in an enviable spot moving forward. 5G comes in three flavors: low-band, mid-band and high-band, or mmWave. mmWave offers gigabit speeds, but has extremely limited range and penetration, while low-band offers excellent range and penetration, but only marginally better speeds than 4G LTE.

    Mid-range spectrum is considered the sweet spot, offering a compromise between fast speeds and good coverage. Sprint had a wealth of mid-range spectrum, and T-Mobile is already putting it to good use. The company had previously announced the rollout of 2.5Ghz 5G in Philadelphia, using Sprint’s spectrum, and now it is going even further.

    According to the company’s website, T-Mobile is bringing low, mid and high-band 5G to New York City. It is also bringing its low-band 5G to Detroit, St. Louis and Columbus. At the same time, Sprint customers are now able to roam on T-Mobile’s network, doubling the amount of LTE sites Sprint customers can access.

    The announcements are welcome news to T-Mobile and Sprint subscribers and reaffirm that the New T-Mobile is the carrier to beat.

  • Wireless Carriers Reneging On Promise Not to Disconnect Users

    Wireless Carriers Reneging On Promise Not to Disconnect Users

    Individuals experiencing pandemic-related financial hardship are receiving threatening letters and being disconnected by their wireless providers.

    Last month the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unveiled the “Keep Americans Connected Pledge,” aimed at preventing individuals and small businesses from being disconnected from internet and wireless services during the pandemic. The pledge also called for providers to waive late fees. As countless individuals are working from home, as well as sheltering in place, the internet and wireless services are vital lifelines, providing a way for people to work, shop, study and keep in touch with loved ones. For unemployed individuals, internet access is a critical component to finding new work, or being able to take advantage of unemployment benefits.

    In spite of taking the pledge, however, NBC News is reporting that companies are disconnecting unemployed individuals. Verizon and T-Mobile have both stated that customers must be proactive in alerting them to their financial situation and inability to pay. Despite those statements, NBC cites multiple instances of individuals who attempted to do just that—and were reassured their service would remain intact—only to be disconnected anyway. In at least one instance, a Verizon customer was told it would cost $360 to reconnect service.

    The FCC acknowledged it has been receiving complaints of service shut-offs, with FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel calling the shut-offs “unacceptable.” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy took things a step further, banning internet and phone companies from disconnecting customers during the pandemic.

    It’s truly disappointing that companies are reneging on their promise, especially during a time when phone and internet access could literally be the difference between life and death.

  • T-Mobile Rolls Out 2.5Ghz 5G in Philadelphia

    T-Mobile Rolls Out 2.5Ghz 5G in Philadelphia

    T-Mobile has already begun rolling out 2.5GHz 5G in Philadelphia, using the spectrum it gained in the Sprint merger.

    2.5GHz spectrum sits squarely in the mid-range—between the slower but far-reaching low-band and the faster but short-range mmWave—and is considered the sweet spot for 5G. Mid-range spectrum offers substantially better speeds than 4G LTE, while at the same time providing good range and building penetration.

    Even more than the subscriber base, gaining access to Sprint’s wealth of mid-range spectrum was the real benefit of the merger between the third and fourth carriers. Sprint’s mid-range spectrum puts T-Mobile in the lead, in terms of how much spectrum it has available, and gives it the most comprehensive 5G portfolio.

    The company is wasting no time deploying the new spectrum, rolling it out in Philadelphia the very same day the deal closed, according to a tweet by Neville Ray, T-Mobile President of Technology.

    We’ll move FAST to bring the @TMobile and @Sprint networks together and build #5GforAll. How fast? New T-Mobile is already deploying midband 5G spectrum in Philly. And we’re just getting started.

    Neville (@NevilleRay) April 1, 2020

    This is good news for all of T-Mobile’s customers, both old and new, and not so good news for Verizon and AT&T.

  • T-Mobile and Sprint Complete Merger; John Legere Steps Down

    T-Mobile and Sprint Complete Merger; John Legere Steps Down

    It’s official: T-Mobile and Sprint have merged to create the New T-Mobile.

    After years of trying to merge, T-Mobile and Sprint have finally sealed the deal, completing their long-awaited merger on April 1. The two companies went through an arduous process of gaining approval from the FCC and DOJ, only to face a lawsuit from a coalition of states intent on stopping the merger. Ultimately, the companies were successful in court, with the judge ruling in favor of the merger.

    With the merger complete, the U.S. wireless landscape is entering new territory. Rather than two strong competitors, followed by a distant third and fourth, there are now three strong competitors. The New T-Mobile is particularly well-positioned to compete with Verizon and AT&T, thanks to the spectrum it now has as a result of the deal. The carrier already had ample low-band spectrum, which it is using to power its nationwide 5G network. It also has quite a bit of high-band, mmWave spectrum that is used to power the fastest type of 5G. The merger with Sprint now gives T-Mobile a plethora of mid-range spectrum, which offers the coveted middle ground between low-band’s range and penetration vs mmWave’s high speeds. As a result, it’s safe to say the 5G wars are T-Mobile’s to lose.

    Simultaneously, T-Mobile also announced the completion of its long-planned transition from John Legere to Mike Sievert as CEO.

    “During this extraordinary time, it has become abundantly clear how vital a strong and reliable network is to the world we live in. The New T-Mobile’s commitment to delivering a transformative broad and deep nationwide 5G network is more important and more needed than ever and what we are building is mission-critical for consumers,” said Mike Sievert, president and CEO of T-Mobile. “With this powerful network, the New T-Mobile will deliver real choice and value to wireless and home broadband customers and double down on all the things customers have always loved about the Un-carrier. T-Mobile has been changing wireless for good — and now we are going to do it on a whole new level!”

  • T-Mobile Launching T-Mobile Connect Budget Plan Early

    T-Mobile Launching T-Mobile Connect Budget Plan Early

    T-Mobile has announced it is launching its T-Mobile Connect plan March 25, rather than waiting till after the Sprint merger is complete.

    As more and more Americans are impacted financially by the coronavirus pandemic, T-Mobile hopes its Connect plan will help people experiencing financial hardships. The plan is the company’s cheapest smartphone plan it has ever unveiled, and offers unlimited talk and text plus 2GB high-speed smartphone data, for $15 plus tax. The plan will also have full access to T-Mobile’s 5G network. For $25 per month plus tax, customers can upgrade to 5GB of monthly data.

    “Right now, having a reliable, low-cost connection is absolutely crucial for Americans, and with many facing financial strain, time is of the essence. We knew we couldn’t wait for the merger to finalize to launch T-Mobile Connect, our lowest priced smartphone plan, so we’re rolling out ahead of schedule,” said John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile. “With T-Mobile Connect, we’re giving those hardest hit an even more affordable way to stay in touch. Half the price of our lowest-ever priced smartphone plan. So everyone can stay connected.”

    Kudos to T-Mobile for deploying this plan early. With countless Americans being laid off, or otherwise losing their jobs, this plan may be a life-saver to people trying to stay connected at an affordable price.

  • Coronavirus: FCC Grants Verizon Temporary Spectrum

    Coronavirus: FCC Grants Verizon Temporary Spectrum

    In an effort to help keep up with increased demand and strain on their network, the FCC has temporarily granted Verizon additional spectrum.

    As increasing numbers of companies send workers home, individuals are relying on their wireless connections more than ever, both for telecommuting and everyday life. To help wireless companies keep up with demand, the FCC has already granted additional spectrum to T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular.

    “Wireless services are a vital part of connectivity, and this has never been truer than during this crisis, when so many people are turning to telework, remote learning, and telehealth options,” said Chairman Pai. “I want to thank Northstar and SNR for their willingness to allow this use of the spectrum for which they hold licenses. I’m also grateful to Verizon for seeking out ways to meet increased consumer demand. And I want to give a special thanks to our partners at the Department of Defense and NTIA for their efforts in working with us to ensure that this emergency authority could be granted quickly.”

    This is likely not the last time the FCC will need to help carriers deal with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

  • Coronavirus: Wireless and Internet Providers Join ‘Keep Americans Connected Pledge’

    Coronavirus: Wireless and Internet Providers Join ‘Keep Americans Connected Pledge’

    Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, multiple wireless and internet providers have joined the FCC’s “Keep Americans Connected Pledge.”

    With an unprecedented number of individuals working from home or laid off, wireless and home internet options are the lifelines people and companies are relying on to maintain some semblance of normalcy. In view of that, according to a statement on the FCC’s website, “in multiple phone calls with broadband and telephone service providers and trade associations, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai emphasized the importance of keeping Americans connected as the country experiences serious disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. And in order to ensure that Americans do not lose their broadband or telephone connectivity as a result of these exceptional circumstances, he specifically asked them to take the Keep Americans Connected Pledge.”

    The pledge calls on providers to “not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.” The pledge also says providers will “waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic.” Any company taking the pledge also agrees to “open its Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.”

    Within 24 hours of Chairman Pai’s calls, dozens of companies have joined the pledge, including the four main wireless carriers, The Rural Broadband Association, Charter, Comcast, Windstream and a slew of regional companies.

  • RootMetrics 5G Report: Verizon Is Fastest, T-Mobile Has Best Coverage

    RootMetrics 5G Report: Verizon Is Fastest, T-Mobile Has Best Coverage

    RootMetrics released its latest report on the state of 5G and the results are exactly what one would expect.

    According to the report, Verizon had the fastest 5G network by a wide margin. Its fastest median speeds were 247 Mbps, while its fastest maximum speeds were 845.7 Mbps. In contrast, Sprint was the next fastest with 136.7 Mbps median and 249.9 Mbps maximum. AT&T clocked in at 47.1 Mbps and 175.2 Mbps, while T-Mobile brought up the rear with 34.0 Mbps and 147.8 Mbps.

    Looking at coverage, however, was a very different story. Verizon’s 5G availability in the cities tested was a mere 3.1%. AT&T’s availability was 9.5%, while Sprint’s was 45.7% and T-Mobile led the pack at 57.1%.

    Given that Verizon has focused on the high frequency mmWave variety of 5G, the results are not surprising. mmWave offers the fastest speeds possible, but at the cost of extremely limited range and building penetration. In contrast, while T-Mobile has some mmWave 5G, it has been focusing on low-band spectrum that delivers speeds comparable to strong LTE, but offers better range and penetration. Sprint’s 5G is in the mid-range bands, which many experts consider the sweet spot of speed and range. Once the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint is complete, T-Mobile will have access to that spectrum to compliment its low-band and mmWave offerings.

    While Verizon may be the undisputed speed king, it will need to do something to truly deliver on the promise of 5G, as most customers would probably take slower, more readily available over blazingly fast 3% of the time.