Last November, T-Mobile invested nearly $3 billion in the FCC’s Auction 110. This secured them an additional 21 MHz of mid-band spectrum, which they are now using to cover areas with their Ultra Capacity 5G service. These areas will provide service to around 184 million people across the United States.
Technically speaking, this mid-band service is running off 3.45 GHz and it’s ideal for 5G. This is because it has a good balance of coverage and capacity. Users can identify the better connection on their smartphones when the “5G UC” icon pops up next to the signal on the smartphone.
In today’s announcement T-Mobile’s President of Technology, Neville Ray said, “While Verizon and AT&T remain locked in a 5G race for second place, we’ll use this additional spectrum to take our 5G network to the next level.”
While its competitors were arguing about the C-Band and possible risks with aircraft tools, T-Mobile was quick to deploy the 2.5 GHz mid-band spectrum it acquired in the merger with Sprint. Thanks to their hard work the carrier estimates that 310 million people are covered by T-Mobile’s 5G network. Now, 210 million of those people are covered by its Ultra Capacity 5G. Their next plans are to bring Ultra Capacity 5G to 260 million people this year and 300 million in 2023.
U.S. Cellular also boasted about its 3.45 GHz winnings today. A company announcement said, “Combining mid-band purchases of CBRS spectrum in Auction 105 and C-band in Auction 107 with the spectrum acquired in recently-completed Auction 110, U.S. Cellular will have mid-band spectrum in the great majority of its operating footprint, and over 80% of subscribers will be covered with mid-band spectrum depths of 100 MHz or more.”
In Auction 110 U.S. Cellular purchased 380 licenses covering 97% of its subscribers. They also spent over $579 million. In comparison, AT&T spent the most in the auction, spending over $9.1 billion. Dish Networks spent $7.3 billion; T-Mobile spent nearly $3 billion; and Three Forty-Five Spectrum LLC spent over $1.3 billion.
“We know that to offer an exceptional 5G experience, we need all three layers of the 5G spectrum cake – low, mid and high band. And now with our successful participation in Auctions 105, 107 and 110, U.S. cellular has achieved its mid-band position objectives,” said U.S. Cellular CEO Laurent Therivel, in a statement.