What is the Latest on Verizon’s C-band Deployment

Last week, we reported that Verizon Wireless would be adding more C-band coverage to 30 additional markets this year. This is happening about a year ahead of schedule. 

With a budget of more than $45 billion, Verizon obtained C-band at a FCC auction and received an average of 161 MHz nationwide, including 60 MHz in the top 46 markets, which is where it’s already deployed covering 100 million people. Additional markets covered by the so-called “A block” licenses in the 3.7-3.8 GHz range, weren’t expected to be ready until the December 2023 time frame.

Verizon can utilize those A block licenses now to deploy its 5G Ultra Wideband service “on at least 60 MHz of spectrum and up to 100 MHz of spectrum in some areas.” Those include large metro areas of Atlanta, Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Denver.

The second part of the C-band rollout, which is an additional 180 MHz of spectrum between 3.8 GHz-3.98 GHz, remains on track to be cleared in December 2023, according to a Verizon spokesperson.

In addition to the amount paid for the licenses, Verizon owed clearing costs to ready the band plus incentive payments. This enticed satellite operators to speed up the process and they made the spectrum available earlier.

Roger Entner, principal and founder of Recon Analytics, says he expected things to play out as they are. Following the auction, the FCC encouraged satellite players and license winners to negotiate for faster clearing times.

Due to the quicker schedule, Entner says Verizon is paying additional money to those like SES, however the carrier declined to disclose details on the contracts.

Verizon will also likely be quick to gain access to any A-block spectrum that is not covered by current agreements.

“You can bet they are heavily negotiating with the other satellite providers to also clear that out and so that they can accelerate this even further,” Entner said, adding those payments would be less as there’s a time value component – say for six months early versus a year.

With so much competition from T-Mobile lately, it’s clear why Verizon has been moving so quickly to deploy C-band service. They started by increasing coverage from zero to 90 million when it launched on January 19. Then, it increased by 5 million one week later, and now they are up to more than 100 million.

“This early spectrum clearance is just the latest development that allows us to bring 5G Ultra Wideband to our customers faster,” said Kyle Malady, EVP and president of Global Network and Technology, in the announcement. “We’ve been able to accelerate deployment because we’re driving more efficiency and coverage from the C-band spectrum, leveraging opportunities like the one we are announcing today, and leveraging our already in place infrastructure. In my career with Verizon, I have never experienced a network deployment move so quickly.”

A-block Licenses

While AT&T focused on less expensive B and C block licenses, Verizon set its sights on A block licenses during Auction 107. This is part of the key to 5G C-band access. 

“Their game plan is coming nicely to fruition,” Entner said of Verizon’s focus on those licenses. “They’re getting the markets faster.”

According to Entner, Verizon is getting a full 100 MHz of C-band earlier than expected in certain locations. To users in some cities smaller than the top 46 Partial Economic Areas (PEAs), this could mean faster bandwidth speeds even sooner than those in the largest markets would receive. The reason for this is that, of the earliest available A block C-band, Verizon has 60 MHz in those 46 markets while AT&T has 40 MHz. They are essentially sharing the 100 MHz A-block until 2023, which is when AT&T is expected to shift to the B/C block license channels. After that, Verizon will obtain its full amount of A block spectrum.

Even so, Verizon can always negotiate to have full access in any of the markets smaller than the top 46, Entner noted. That was made evident when Verizon recently announced the full 100 MHz for some markets.

C-band

As it’s been said multiple times before, Verizon needs to step up their competition and pushing up its C-band deployment to cover more people with mid-band 5G is going to be the key to this. 

“Verizon really needs this,” Entner said of the faster C-band deployment timeline.

The carrier gained new subscribers last year, but not net accounts. Essentially, their growth was solely from existing customers adding new lines, Entner explained. 

“That is not sustainable, it’s like wringing water out of an already dry sponge,” Entner said.

Most might say this is because of the premium price Verizon has been known to charge for their service. This has become more challenging for the carrier as third-party speed results continue to show T-Mobile as the 5G network leader for speeds and coverage.

“And when the claim and reality become divergent, you have a problem,” Entner said.

Consumer perception and lack of account growth is “why they [Verizon] really need C-band and C-band fast, so that they can close the gap with T-Mobile,” he continued. “So that T-Mobile can’t say ‘I have a faster network and I’m cheaper’ to consumers.”

Speeding up the deployment of C-band could help Verizon to catch up with T-Mobile. Although they have big plans to reach 300 million people with mid-band spectrum by the end of 2023. Verizon only expects to cover 250 million by the end of 2024.

For comparison, AT&T is set to cover 200 million people by the end of 2023 with mid-band 5G, including 3.45 GHz spectrum.

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How to Get More 5G with the Cradlepoint W1850

Cradlepoint and Verizon announced last week that they certified the W1850 5G Wideband Adapter to provide more connectivity options to Business Internet customers. Not only does this device support 5G, but it supports Verizon’s Ultra Wideband (UWB) network, which provides connectivity to the C-band spectrum. This is the spectrum at which 5G speeds can seriously exceed those of LTE and 5G on the low-band spectrum. 

As stated in a recent article from Verizon, this is a significant milestone for Verizon’s 5G Fixed Wireless Access strategy. 

“Enterprise and business market customers can now harness the power of 5G UWB, and with this device, get the speed and flexibility they need, especially those with a distributed or hybrid workforce.”

Verizon understands what businesses need and they are working with Cradlepoint to meet customer demands. Part of this process will be to make 5G UWB available to 175 million users by the end of this year. That can only be achieved with a reliable mid-band capable modem like the Cradlepoint W1850 adapter. 

“Businesses are looking for partners that can provide fit-for-purpose solutions that unlock the full potential of 5G,” says Massimo Peselli, senior vice president of Global Enterprise, Verizon Business. “The collaboration we’ve announced today with Cradlepoint unlocks the potential of cellular for businesses and delivers Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband to businesses of all sizes, enabling them to take advantage of C-Band spectrum. Our strategic relationship has allowed us to deliver enterprise class solutions that, among other things, enable IT organizations to manage the entire Wireless WAN lifecycle.”

Cradlepoint has always been a trusted partner in helping customers to reach their business goals via managed wireless WAN solutions. They have over 15 years of experience working with carriers across the globe and can fit the needs for various fixed and mobile applications, accommodating one to multiple users. Together with Verizon Wireless, they have a collaborative relationship that provides customers the tried and tested solutions they are looking for. 

“Cradlepoint 5G Wireless WAN solutions have been specifically designed to support the Verizon 5G mid-band networks and have gone through extensive testing and certification from Verizon,” says Justin Blair, Vice President Carrier Business Development at Cradlepoint. “Cradlepoint has in-depth experience supporting enterprise adoption of 5G services—whether you need low, mid or high band—we will have you covered regardless of your use case.”

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One Talk Call-Through

Every business owner is looking for ways to increase profits, save money and to improve efficiency.  The good news is that there are plenty of ideas out there that can help. 

This month Verizon announced (in an email) a feature called “Call Through for Mobile App” In case you missed it, read the details below on what it is and how to turn it on in your One Talk Mobile App.

With Verizon Call Through, calls go over your cellular network voice channel via the One Talk Mobile Application* instead of over the public internet.  For example, you are driving in an area with 1 or 2 bars of service. Opening a video or web page may be problematic, but you know you could still reliably take or make calls on your personal cell phone. This is what Call-Through will bring to you when you switch this setting on. 

The benefits to the customer are:

  • Saves you money:  Using unlimited voice, not data plans, for calls.
  • Is easy to set up: Takes two simple steps.
  • Increases business efficiency: Voice calls save battery usage.

*Here is a link to one of our previous blogs that explains the benefits of the Verizon One Talk Mobile App and the best part is that it is FREE if you have a desk phone in your office or if you are an existing One Talk mobile client customer you can download additional apps for FREE.

Spring into Action!

Call-Through is a new feature that has been added to the One Talk app which will provide a better experience for your calls. Call-Through was introduced by Verizon earlier this year and we have learned many things about how it functions as well as some things to keep in mind while using it. 

During the installation of the One Talk app or when opening the menu bar on the top left corner (3 horizontal bars) you will be presented with the choice of “Call-Through” or “App Calling”. 

App calling is the way that the One Talk app has traditionally worked for years. Calls will go through your cell phone’s internet connection (via wi-fi, or cellular 4G/5G internet when traveling) and calls will appear as coming in through the Application, instead of you seeing a regular cell phone call on your personal number. 

App calling is still the best way to initially set up your application, as it will allow you to immediately recognize this as a business call because of the app symbol when it rings, and most importantly allow you to transfer the call out if needed. 

However, the quality of your experience with the app will be directly tied to your internet connection at the time. If you are driving and traveling in an area with poor internet coverage, you may experience a dropped call. This is where Call-Through would benefit you.  

Call-Through will use your cell phone’s carrier signal, and NOT the internet,  which could improve your call quality.  

In addition to this, call-through will:

  • Still mask your personal information and cell phone number
  • Never use your personal voicemail or greeting
  • Continues to follow your prepared call flow moving further down your phone tree if you do not answer
  • Resolves an Android specific issue that will ignore a One Talk call when you are on your personal phone line
  • Resolves an Android specific issue that puts a One Talk call on HOLD when a personal call comes in

Please keep the following in mind when using Call-Through

  • With Call-Through enabled, the user logged into that line with the setting enabled will be the only person to receive the call. 
  • If the One Talk number logged in is presented as your main published business number, some forwarding rules may not work in conjunction with this setting enabled. Call the team at the 5GStore and we can help ensure things are working properly!
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What is the Controversy Over 5G Home Internet

How well 5G Home Broadband solutions perform could affect telecom stocks over the next few years. This is because not all parties are convinced that 5G wireless is going to succeed, or at least be capable of competing with cable broadband services. While T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless have begun marketing and selling their 5G Home Internet plans, AT&T has no plans on pushing this service option. 

Currently, there’s been a controversy amongst cellular providers and cable TV companies over telecom stocks. It’s even possible that 5G services could compete with local phone companies in areas that are still served by copper line-based DSL services. 

“Verizon and T-Mobile think the service can be a growth driver and will have attractive economics,” UBS analyst John Hodulik told Investor’s Business Daily. “FWA (fixed wireless access) is likely to do better where there are limited options for broadband and among subscribers used to lower speeds, so that means legacy DSL subscribers and slower speed cable.”

He added, “The big question is whether FWA has staying power over the next 5 to 10 years given necessary speed increases.”

Is 5G Wireless Worth the Cost?

AT&T has opted not to get into the fixed wireless game at this time. Their reason is simply that it lacks potential. In comparison, due to data usage surges over time, FWA can become less economic than fiber-optic landline alternatives.

“I think it stems from a genuinely different view of the engineering and capacity constraints,” MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett told IBD. “The divergence in views about fixed wireless access between AT&T and Verizon or T-Mobile speaks to a genuine controversy in the telecom industry.”

He also stated that telecom companies are scrambling to make money from huge investments in 5G radio spectrum.

“The renewed appetite for FWA may be a sign of a dawning realization that the gee-whizzy use cases of 5G may never materialize,” Moffett said. “That could be forcing operators to revisit every possible source of incremental revenue in a bid to earn at least some return on their huge investments in 5G spectrum.”

The Broadband Competition

If you’re fortunate enough, there are cable TV options with high speed Internet options. For those who are not, and don’t want to try relying on satellite, there’s cellular and FWA. 

Comcast, one of the largest cable TV companies, says it’s not concerned with broadband competition from fixed 5G wireless services.

“Time will tell, but it’s an inferior product,” Comcast Chief Executive Brian Roberts said at a recent Morgan Stanley conference. “And today, we can say we don’t feel much impact from (it). It’s lower speeds. And in the long run, I don’t know how viable the technology holds up.”

To put it into perspective, Eighty-seven percent of U.S. households subscribe to an internet service at home, according to Leichtman Research Group. Cable TV firms comprise 70% of the broadband market, per LRG.

At the end of 2021 Verizon had about 223,000 fixed wireless broadband customers, though most were connected via 4G wireless networks. On the other hand, T-Mobile had 646,000 fixed broadband subscribers, all connected to 5G.

Per Wall Street analysts, T-Mobile is expecting to serve a range of 7 million to 8 million fixed 5G wireless subscribers by 2025. Verizon has estimated 3 million to 4 million subscribers over the same period.

AT&T and Fixed 5G Wireless

Another area of fixed 5G has been debated over and that is whether it could be more successful in suburban/urban markets or in rural areas.

“FWA is definitely a threat to cable companies,” Peter Rysavy, head of Rysavy Research, said in an email. “Particularly with (high frequency) mmWave, 5G can compete directly with cable. Mid-band spectrum is also effective but is best suited for lower density population areas. In these deployments, even T-Mobile limits the number of fixed wireless subscribers it can support in any geographical area.”

At UBS, Hodulik says that even if positioned as a low-end service, fixed 5G broadband still has a potential market of 20 million to 30 million homes.

As much as AT&T may not want to get into FWA, they have a sizable wireline local service area in 22 states. That means it will face competition from fixed 5G broadband, just like cable TV firms.

“AT&T has a huge wireline asset base that is only 25% upgraded to fiber,” Oppenheimer analyst Tim Horan told IBD. “So they are very exposed to competition from fixed wireless.”

At an analyst day on March 11, AT&T said it plans to upgrade 50% of its local markets, about 30 million customer locations, to high-speed fiber-optic broadband service by year-end 2025.

AT&T’s CEO, John Stankey, commented on the controversy over FWA saying that they see FWA as playing a limited role for mobile small business and enterprise applications, as well as in rural areas.

“We’re not opposed to fixed wireless, and I’m sure there’s going to be segments of the market where it’s going to be acceptable and folks are going to find it to be adequate right now,” Stankey said.

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When Will Verizon Have More 5G C-Band Coverage?

Last year, Verizon acquired additional C-band spectrum, which they are finally getting a chance to utilize thanks to agreements with satellite providers. This is starting earlier than the expected date of December 2023. 

Known as their 5G Ultra Wideband network, it will offer performance between 60-100 MHz. Download speeds can get up to one gigabit per second. The capacity is also increased, which allows the network to support data-heavy actions from multiple devices at one time. 

In the statement from Verizon, 5G Ultra Wideband is compared to home Internet services in that it allows for “downloading huge documents and seamlessly streaming movies in HD audio and video, to playing console quality games and conducting video chats, video conferencing and FaceTime calls with clear sound and video.”

Expansions will begin in larger cities such as Atlanta, Denver, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. Back in January, Verizon announced it covers 100 million people with the nation’s most reliable 5G Ultra Wideband service. As of a couple weeks ago, the company announced it will cover 175 million people by the end of 2022. The company is an entire year ahead of schedule. 

Kyle Malady, EVP and President of Global Network and Technology, commented, “This early spectrum clearance is just the latest development that allows us to bring 5G Ultra Wideband to our customers faster. We’ve been able to accelerate deployment because we’re driving more efficiency and coverage from the C-band spectrum, leveraging opportunities like the one we are announcing today, and leveraging our [current] infrastructure.” 

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How Can I Get 5G Service in My Car?

If you’ve been looking for information on how to connect your car to 5G service, look no further! T-Mobile has announced that they will be offering a postpaid plan with unlimited voice, 5G and Wi-Fi hotspot data for select 2022 BMW vehicles.

T-Mobile calls their new connected car plan, Magenta Drive for BMW. It will cost you $20 per month with autopay, plus taxes and fees. Note that SMS messaging isn’t supported. It’s available now and supported on the 2022 and newer BMW iX and x4 models. 

If you’re currently a T-Mobile subscriber, simply add it onto your existing wireless plan. However, if you do not subscribe to T-Mobile, customers would need to set up a new line. Users can sign up through the My BMW app.

T-Mobile also states that customers using more than 50 GB of data per month will see lower speeds during congestion and video streams on smartphones and tablets are typically restricted to SD quality.

“In 2019 we lit up the first nationwide 5G network, and today we mark another milestone that builds on our 5G leadership,” said Callie Field, president of T-Mobile Business Group, in a statement. “In another 5G first, we’ve delivered America’s first 5G connected cars, and we’re honored to do it together with BMW, who entrust their vehicles’ connectivity to T-Mobile.”

More technically speaking, the BMW vehicles support 5G connectivity for both T-Mobile’s lower band n71 (600 MHz) “Extended Range 5G” and mid-band n41 (2.5 GHz) “Ultra Capacity” 5G. Per a T-Mobile spokesperson, the vehicles include an embedded SIM and a 5G antenna, along with personal eSIM capabilities. The in-car personal eSIM support is required so customers can add their BMW to an existing mobile phone plan, leverage the 5G antenna and provide in-car Wi-Fi hotspots. Note that WiFi connections are limited to 10 at a time and will have unlimited 5G hotspot data. 

Other features include the ability to leave your phone at home by using in-car calling on the user’s personal cell phone number. Also, the plan supports voice calls on the carrier’s nationwide network.

This new data plan is the result of a long-term agreement between T-Mobile and BMW. Their simple goal is to deliver unlimited voice calling and unlimited 5G data to the automaker’s vehicles.

AT&T and Verizon have also announced 5G connected car deals with major automakers. AT&T signed a 5G auto deal with GM in August 2021 while Verizon signed one with Audi this past February. Those carriers will start with select year 2024 models.

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What International Locations Have AT&T 5G Service?

As the travel season begins to pick up steam, and with more of us working remote, AT&T is adding 5G roaming service in more than 35 International destinations. This is all included with their “International Day Pass” at no cost, however the International feature is required on your 5G device. You can find even more information on their International website, we’ve outlined the destinations below. 

  • Aland Islands
  • Austria
  • Brazil
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • China
  • Croatia
  • Denmark
  • Dominican Republic
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Indonesia
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Kuwait
  • Liechtenstein
  • Mexico (Limited)
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Philippines
  • Qatar
  • San Marino
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Singapore
  • Slovenia
  • South Korea
  • Svalbard
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Thailand
  • UAE
  • Vatican City

“We were excited to be the first carrier to enable 5G roaming for U.S. customers in Japan back in 2020,” said Jenifer Robertson, executive vice president and general manager – AT&T Mobility. “With international travel ramping up, having reliable connectivity while abroad is more critical than ever. We want our customers to enjoy rich, unforgettable experiences while traveling – that’s why we’re thrilled to bring 5G access to 35+ destinations around the globe with more coming soon.”

AT&T outlined a few more ways that they can help you travel seamlessly:

Traveling Outside of the U.S.?  With International Day Pass, use your phone like you normally would when you’re at home. This is an add-on for those with the Unlimited Plan. It includes unlimited high-speed data, talk and text in over 210 destinations for $10/day. AT&T promises you’ll never pay for more than 10 days per line per bill. Additional lines used in the same 24-hour period can get 50% off. And only pay for the days you use! Be aware that AT&T may slow data speeds in the U.S. or Mexico if the network is busy. If you talk, send a text or use data in any of the included countries, you’ll be charged $10 per 24 hours and $5 for each additional line on the same account used the same day unless you remove International Day Pass.

Crossing the Borders in Mexico or Canada? You can use your eligible plan to get unlimited data, talk and text in and between the U.S., Mexico and Canada included at no extra charge. Also be aware that roaming usage may only be at 2G speeds!

Flying to your Next Destination? AT&T 5G+ using mmWave is delivering ultra-fast speeds at major domestic airports  across the country, with more than 20 planned by the end of the year. This 5G+ connection can help you make a smooth and clear video call, send that large file for work and let you download your content in a flash while boarding. Coverage can be found at gate and concession spaces, where travelers and airport employees have the greatest need. 

Setting Sail for Adventures at Sea? Stay connected while cruising on over 175 ships. Choose the plan that meets your needs for talk, text and data. A one-time charge gets you 30 days of use. No extra charges when you use your phone on land in Mexico, Canada and select Caribbean islands. You’ll need a compatible device with domestic postpaid wireless service for this. Standard domestic messaging rates apply to text, picture, and video messages received. Restrictions apply, so check out more details here.  

Don’t Forget About Device Protection: We all know how important travel insurance can be, but what about your devices? Now through April 15, AT&T is offering open enrollment for AT&T Protect Advantage, which is their device protection program. This can be applied to devices even if they are older than 30 days. It covers loss, theft and damage, plus gives you access to technical support while you are on the go. Learn more about AT&T Protect Advantage here.

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What is the Status of 5G in the U.S.

While carriers in the U.S. continue to challenge and compete with one another, both China and Korea are still miles ahead of the U.S. when it comes to the 5G race. It looks like it will be a repeat of what happened with 4G LTE as our country was behind back then as well. 

The importance of 5G

It’s been found that 5G could contribute an estimated $565 billion in value to the global economy by 2034, according to research results from GSMA. This has however been shadowed by how slowly the technology has been to roll out. 

Sadly, the truth is that shifting to 5G service may not change our everyday lives. Instead, we expect that due to the limited availability, the service will apply more to businesses and government. The importance of 5G lies in the ability to provide faster connectivity and lower latency, which will impact many industries and alter how businesses do work. 

How Does 5G Work?

Not all 5G is created alike. Some connections may only be a fraction faster than LTE service. In comparison, a fully operational 5G network should be at least 10x faster than an LTE network. Theoretically, many experts have even estimated it to be 100x faster. These kinds of bandwidth speeds is what can make IoT (Internet of Things) and IIoT (Industrial IoT) more of a reality as it can enable self-driving cars and robots in factory settings.

“Network Slicing” is something that will likely be used to showcase 5G in the immediate future. This is a practice that allows multiple networks to operate on one dedicated platform. This represents a radical change from current approaches and would enable industries like automotive, government, logistics, media and healthcare to benefit from customized data processing.

Take how quickly Uber works to connect you with drivers, map the driving route and then process your payment — all in just a few clicks. Before LTE networks, an application like Uber or Lyft would have been nearly impossible because of the speeds and latency.

4G LTE technology opened up countless possibilities and introduced new types of connectivity that seem commonplace now. Just like digitization transformed our current market, 5G will prompt new business practices that can be difficult to imagine now.

Why is 5G Taking So Long to Deploy?

Like we mentioned earlier, not all 5G is alike. Neither are all cellular spectrums. There have been safety concerns and auctions over what carrier gets to use what spectrum. The U.S. found itself in a bit of a spectrum crisis amid the push for 5G.

Due to the FCC’s constraints on cellular, 5G can only operate on certain frequencies of the radio frequency spectrum in the U.S. The FCC controls and allocates the spectrum for nonfederal use by public and private organizations. The “mid-band” spectrum, which is best for 5G service, was allocated in the U.S. for federal use. It wasn’t until recently that more of this spectrum has been made available for carriers. 

In 2019, the U.S. pursued mmWave for its 5G deployments. This turned out to be a costly mistake, which has since been acknowledged by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “If we just relied on millimeter wave spectrum, we’d actually grow the digital divide with 5G,” said Rosenworcel in 2020. 

It’s true that mmWave supports a large capacity, but the problem is that the signals do not travel long distances and do not easily penetrate obstacles. This requires expensive investments in ground infrastructure to achieve full functionality. In contrast, other countries run their 5G deployments with the mid-band spectrum. This is known as the sweet spot for 5G because of its combination of capacity and ability to send signals over relatively long distances.

How Can We Move Things Along?

The FCC recognizes the importance of the mid-band spectrum and what it can do to help the U.S. achieve what our competitors overseas have done. They have started to make more of the spectrum available by auctioning off frequency bands in record-breaking auctions through 2020 and 2021. In 2020, the Department of Defense (DoD) also announced an initiative that aimed to share the spectrum on a widespread basis with commercial interests.

Keep in mind that each spectrum has limited use. As it is auctioned off for more uses, we are confronted with new challenges in sharing the spectrum between highly sensitive DoD assets and commercial interests. There are still several things we don’t know or understand about using the spectrum efficiently and how to make spectrum-sharing a viable solution for all parties involved.

You may recall that in late 2021, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) raised urgent concerns about potential interference occurring between 5G C-Band and sensitive aircraft communication systems. As a result, Verizon and AT&T agreed to delay some of their 5G rollouts. 

These somewhat avoidable delays just goes to show how much more organizations need tools to monitor and understand radio frequency spectrums. Still, limited resources are currently available. 

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Black Box and Inseego Partner to Deliver Complete 5G Solutions

Black Box, a leading global solutions integrator, has announced a newly formed, strategic partnership with device-to-cloud industry innovator, Inseego. Their joint efforts will be to provide the most complete, advanced 5G and OnGo private LTE wireless network available. With this partnership in place, Black Box will drive innovation in connectivity, which will give superior wireless networking options to every market.

OnGo technology is described as an even-licensed, low-band wireless spectrum that gives clients access to private wireless connectivity at a fraction of the cost associated with LTE. Black Box says that private networks using this technology helps to maintain the simplicity of Wi-Fi. At the same time, it provides superior outcomes in secure and cost-effective wireless coverage for high-volume wireless traffic and IoT applications.

“We’re tremendously excited to work closely with Inseego. They have set themselves apart from their competitors through delivery—plain and simple,” said Bill Holman, vice president and general manager of 5G technologies for Black Box. “They are able to promise and deliver superior processing power and memory, delivering and exceeding the speed and throughput others only talk about. With premium products, they ensure true reliability and are a giant among their peers.”

“5G network technology is quickly jumping to the forefront as enterprises build out their next-generation private network strategies,” Steve Brown, senior vice president of enterprise sales at Inseego, added. Black Box will be a key strategic partner for Inseego due to their deep expertise in this space and trusted relationships with Fortune 1000 enterprise companies.”

ABOUT THE COMPANIES

Since 1976, Black Box has been helping their customers accelerate their businesses by bringing people, ideas, and technology together. Their team designs, builds, and manages a full range of wireless technologies to support connected enterprise, delivering superior digital workplace connectivity across multiple industries. 

Inseego has been an industry leader in smart device-to-cloud solutions for 25 years. Their solutions extend the 5G network edge, enabling broader 5G coverage, multi-gigabit data speeds, low latency and strong security to deliver highly reliable internet access via mobile broadband, fixed-wireless access solutions, and software platforms.

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How is T-Mobile Doing in the 5G Race?

T-Mobile intends to cover 300 million PoPs (points of presence) with its Ultra Capacity 2.5 GHz spectrum by the end of 2023. Its rival, Verizon, recently moved up its Ultra Wideband (C-band) coverage goal to reach 175 million people by the end of 2022, with plans to reach 250 million by the end of 2024.

T-Mobile President of Technology Neville Ray boasted during a Morgan Stanley investor event Wednesday saying that he thinks his company is “the envy of our competition…no doubt.”

He added, “they are fervently trying to catch T-Mobile, which is way out in front in this 5G space.” When asked about future deployment plans, he declined to provide updates, saying that will occur during the next earnings round.

Per Ray, T-Mobile ended last year with 210 million people covered by its mid-band 2.5 GHz layer. That’s below its Extended Range 600 MHz low-band footprint, which is at 310 million PoPs. This kind of geographic coverage is about five times that of what Verizon has on its low-band spectrum using dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) services, he said.

Part of the attractiveness of obtaining Sprint was for their 2.5 GHz spectrum. It’s been their number one priority and that’s helped them to reach almost 50% of its network traffic being on 5G now. Over 40% of T-Mobile’s postpaid smartphone devices are now 5G capable, according to Ray.

T-Mobile plans on quickly expanding its mid-band 5G footprint into rural and smaller town areas “in a very material way,” he said, noting that 40% of the U.S. is comprised of small markets and rural areas.

“We’re coming into town with, not a two-lane freeway. This is a 10-lane highway we’re laying down with massive 5G capacity,” Ray said. “It’s already happening. Where it’s happening, folks’ heads just spin … when they compare what they were paying and getting delivered to in those environments with what we now bring.”

T-Mobile is on track for covering 260 million by the end of this year and 300 million by the end of 2023. “Our competition has no announced plans to get even close to that,” he said.

260 million PoPs over 210 may not sound like a big increase, but that represents three times the geographic expansion. “So we did 3x this last year. We have to do 3x again to get to that 260. So a lot of sites coming in,” he said.

One advantage for T-Mobile is “the other guys are trying to start their engines on getting these deployment things moving. AT&T has not really even started,” he said, adding that AT&T is waiting for new 3.45 GHz gear. The FCC’s most recent auction was on the 3.45 GHz spectrum and winners were just announced in January.

Apple announced its newest iPhone yesterday, the SE model, but that doesn’t come with support for 3.45 GHz either, he noted. “It’s hard being in their position,” Ray said. “For AT&T, I think all their work is ahead.”

For reference, AT&T has said it should have 200 million PoPs covered that are using mid-band spectrum by the end of 2023. The carrier will likely provide updates at its investor event this Friday.

Ray said he thinks there’s a conscious decision on the part of his competitors to not bring 5G mid-band capability and capacity into more parts of the U.S. They’re going to have to reverse that at some point in time, however, he added.

“There’s a lot of catch-up the other guys have to do yet,” Ray said.

Ray was also asked about the upcoming 2.5 GHz auction. He noted that there are two types of 2.5 GHz spectrum – the Broadband Radio Service (BRS) and Educational Broadband Service (EBS). The EBS licenses are a primarily rural footprint, often referred to as “white spaces” on the map. This is what will come up for auction first. 

T-Mobile already leases and owns a significant amount of EBS 2.5 GHz spectrum. T-Mobile, however, refuses to share the details of its leases with educational institutions, causing rivals like AT&T to threaten not to participate in the 2.5 GHz auction unless they know the lease terms.

Ray didn’t address any of that conflict directly. “We’ll be disciplined,” he said of T-Mobile’s approach to the auction. “We’ll look where there’s value, where the value exists for us,” he said, noting opportunities for fixed wireless. “We’ll see. I think there’s a lot to learn over the next three to four months once the rules get finalized.”

T-Mobile is in a position to decommission cell sites, due to its merger with Sprint, which is where it gains great cost advantages, or “synergies” as they say in corporate jargon. “We’re ahead on that plan too,” Ray said.

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