Tag: T-Mobile

Who Has the Best Mobile Network?

T-Mobile does it for the second year in a row – they’ve beat out Verizon and AT&T in recent tests performed by the PCMag team. They’ve been running these “Fastest Mobile Network” tests for the past 12 years and with this year came some changes. They opted for electric vehicles for the more than 10,000 mile drive across the country. They used new software that tracks dropped calls and provides a better measure of reliability. Also, while previous years were in search of America’s fastest mobile network, they are now on the search for the best network. 

Using the Samsung Galaxy S22+ phone, the team stopped in 30 cities and six rural regions where they compared performance between AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Of these 30 cities, T-Mobile won in 18, Verizon won in eight and AT&T won in four. According to the team, “We use people, not square miles, to determine our scores. Rural areas comprise 16% of our score, similar to the 14-20% of the US population classified as rural.”

The reason for using the Samsung Galaxy over other 5G phones? PCMag said, “We’re using the Samsung Galaxy S22+ because it has shown the best network performance in our tests. With its Qualcomm X65 modem, the S22+ can hold onto weak signals longer than phones from previous years, and it supports all the new 5G bands carriers are implementing, including the frequencies AT&T is launching later this year.”

Due to the new software used this time around, the results aren’t directly comparable to those from previous years. For example, both T-Mobile and Verizon see dramatically increased nationwide speeds this year as they expand their mid-band 5G networks. However, as AT&T’s speeds decline, it has added very little capacity while data demands grew.

Looking closer at those speed results, T-Mobile also won here, specifically in upload and download speeds. The carrier was the fastest in 19 cities out of 30, compared to Verizon with nine and AT&T with two. PCMag also reported that T-Mobile is performing better in rural areas, but explained that it still has more rural dead zones in the Northeast than Verizon and AT&T do.

So how exactly is it that T-Mobile was capable of these wins? Their mid-band 5G network. This is what the carrier built from Sprint’s network after acquiring the company for $26 billion in 2020. They’ve also begun using carrier aggregation within the mid-band network to achieve faster speeds. 

For Verizon and AT&T, they are still working on closing the gap by utilizing mid-band spectrum they obtained in a recent FCC auction. Verizon has already gotten started with its 5G network, but AT&T has been waiting for the equipment required to build it out. AT&T hopes to have more 5G network service up and running by next year.

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How T-Mobile is “Boosting” 5G Mid-Band Speeds

T-Mobile announced another 5G milestone on Tuesday. They are now combining three channels of mid-band spectrum on their 5G network. In tests the company achieved network speeds of 3Gbps. While they weren’t specific, T-Mobile said this technology will become available to customers “later this year.”

When we look at what’s possible with 3Gbps (or 3,000Mbps), it’s comparable to the speeds of mmWave. This is the high-band 5G, which has a limited range, but allows you to download a movie in seconds. Mid-band 5G speeds normally max out around 200Mbps. However, T-Mobile is making some adjustments within the network to boost those speeds significantly.

Technically speaking, T-Mobile is using carrier aggregation to combine different sections of spectrum. Carrier aggregation, as you may be used to it, is how LTE Advanced and 5G modems combine frequency bands to achieve more bandwidth speed. So, it has nothing to do with combining multiple “carriers” as T-Mobile is using only their owned spectrum. 

This also is not something new for the company, or the 5G world. T-Mobile is already using this technology to combine two 2.5GHz 5G channels on some parts of its network. This most recent test increased speeds by adding a third channel.

Verizon had also used the technology to demonstrate speeds of 4.2Gbps on its 5G network back in 2020. The difference, from T-Mobile’s point of view, is that they are the first to use three-carrier aggregation on a live, standalone 5G network with a commercially available device: the Samsung Galaxy S22. That being said, those with a Galaxy S22 on T-Mobile’s network will be “among the first” to have access to this faster type of 5G.

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5G: What is Voice over New Radio?

When LTE first arrived, phone calls were still made using the older 3G network. It wasn’t until later on that Voice over LTE, or VoLTE, service was introduced. The same thing is happening today with 5G service. Voice calls still mainly utilize LTE services. That’s even in locations where 5G data coverage is widely available. 

As of today, T-Mobile announced they would be supporting Voice over 5G. This technology is referred to as Voice over New Radio, or VoNR.

“5G is already driving new levels of engagement, transforming how our customers use their smartphones and bringing unprecedented connectivity to areas that desperately need it,” said Neville Ray, President of Technology at T-Mobile. “And it’s just going to get better thanks to the incredible T-Mobile team and our partners who are tirelessly innovating and advancing the capabilities of 5G every day.”

Rollout will start in Portland, Oregon and Salt Lake City, Utah, where some commercial calls will be routed via T-Mobile’s standalone 5G network. The service will only be available in “limited areas” of these cities.

In order for to obtain VoNR, your phone must support the new technology. This is no different than how Voice over LTE functioned. Your phone must support it and you must have the feature enabled on the phone. Currently, only one phone supports it – the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G smartphone. 

It’s likely that other carriers will begin to follow suit when they see the benefits – not only the lower latency, but more of the LTE spectrum can be cleared out to make room for additional 5G service. Dish Network, for example, does not have an existing LTE network to fall back on so they are relying on a deal with AT&T while they work on their own VoNR services.

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T-Mobile and Cradlepoint Bring a 5G Fixed Wireless Solution to Business Customers

According to a recent press release, T-Mobile is now working with Cradlepoint (part of the Ericsson company) to provide a 5G solution to business customers. They’re focusing on a fixed wireless solution utilizing T-Mobile’s super fast 5G network and Cradlepoint’s reliable hardware and cloud management services. 

Cradlepoint’s all-in-one E320 5G cellular router offers a plug and play setup that allows businesses to get up and running within one day. The joint fixed wireless solution from T-Mobile for Business and Cradlepoint will be available soon with select T-Mobile Business Internet plans and services.

By working together, the two companies have created a solution with high speed Internet, flexible connection options, secure management features and firewall with intrusion detection, as well as NetCloud management for configuration, monitoring and analytics. It should be noted that all T-Mobile Business Internet plans are designed for business use only, not streaming movies or online gaming.

“5G offers incredible opportunities for businesses and governments to drive innovation, reinvent their operations, and transform how they serve their customers. Until now, they have been stuck with other internet provider offerings and technology that are low on satisfaction,” said Callie Field, President, T-Mobile Business Group. “T-Mobile is the only provider with a network large enough and fast enough to meet the needs of diverse organizations. The Un-carrier is the first and only provider that can offer enterprise-grade 5G fixed wireless from coast to coast, and together with another proven 5G technology leader in Cradlepoint, businesses can expect a powerhouse solution.”

“5G is the essential transformational technology of our time,” said Pankaj Malhotra, Chief Product Officer at Cradlepoint. “What sets Cradlepoint apart is our ability to unlock the power of 5G for business with edge-to-core cellular intelligence and enterprise-class solutions powered by our NetCloud Service. We are uniquely able to provide business customers with the 5G performance, security, and management they need.”

To learn more about T-Mobile Business Internet and get signed up, visit www.t-mobile.com/business-internet

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T-Mobile Expands 5G Home Internet Availability

It has been just over a year after its launch and T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet service has really taken off. The carrier announced that it now has 1 million customers on their $50 per month (with autopay) internet plan. They’ve also expanded the service’s availability from 30 million “eligible households” to 40 million. You can check if the service is available in your area here.

According to the press release details, T-Mobile added more broadband customers than any other provider in the country during the fourth quarter of 2021. The company expects to have 7 to 8 million fixed wireless customers by 2025.

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet provides access to T-Mobile’s 5G network through a router that converts the signal to Wi-Fi. Typical download speeds are 35-115 Mbps according to T-Mobile’s website. 

CEO Mike Sievert said the fast growth of the T-Mobile 5G Home Internet “underscores how hungry customers are for a real alternative to the Carriers and the Landline ISPs.” Per T-Mobile, growing its home internet solution to 1 million users over the last year has made it the “fastest growing broadband provider in America.”

T-Mobile also offers 5G Business Internet plans for small companies with up to 20 employees as well as an enterprise solution.

Verizon has also begun rolling out an updated version of its own $50 per month, 5G broadband option. In February, they announced that this service is available to over 30 million households.

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Does T-Mobile Still Have the Fastest 5G?

You may be familiar with Ookla, or their famous speedtest.net website that lets users easily test their Internet connection’s latency and download and upload speeds. They also run quarterly reports comparing the results between different Internet providers, both fixed and mobile. 

We’d like to highlight the mobile results only. This first quarter’s results were just released Monday and they compare median download speed, median latency, consistency score, and availability. 

Results reveal T-Mobile is still in the lead, and at the top of each category tested. The only change is that the gap between T-Mobile and Verizon has lessened. Here are just some results; median download speeds:

  1. T-Mobile: 191.12Mbps (up from 187.12Mbps)
  2. Verizon: 107.25Mbps (up from 78.52Mbps)
  3. AT&T: 68.43Mbps (down from 68.82Mbps)

With regards to testing by state and city, Minnesota took the top spot for fastest median mobile download speed during Q1 2022 at 92.31 Mbps. Overall, T-Mobile was the fastest mobile provider in 42 states. Results were too close to call in 6 states. 

St. Paul, Minnesota had the fastest median mobile download speed among the 100 most populous cities in the U.S. Speeds topped out at 136.72 Mbps. T-Mobile was the fastest operator in 78 of these cities. Verizon Wireless was the fastest provider in 10 cities, and US Cellular was fastest in one city (Madison, WI). The results were statistically too close to call in 11 cities.

Per T-Mobile news, their President of Technology has this to say about today’s win: 

“Our 5G network is delivering a powerful performance boost and it’s resonating, with over 40% of our customers now using a 5G device, accounting for more than HALF of our network traffic. And we’re just getting started – this leading network experience will continue to improve as we accelerate our 5G build this year and beyond.”

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How 5G Can Boost Storytelling

When you think of innovation in the film industry, surely Disney is one of the first companies to come to mind. For their next project, Disney Studios StudioLAB is partnering up with T-Mobile to advance their storytelling capabilities using the 5G network. This will be a five year partnership, which they announced back in March at the Uncarrier’s 5G Forward event. In addition to T-Mobile, StudioLAB Innovation Partners include Accenture, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Microsoft, LG Display and Salesforce.

T-Mobile will collaborate with StudioLAB on new ways to improve content production and test new forms of immersive experiences for consumers using its largest and fastest nationwide 5G network. 

“Disney has been at the heart of storytelling for generations, making magic that inspires us to dream big and see the world in new ways, and that’s why the T-Mobile team is excited they chose to work with us on 5G innovation,” said Neville Ray, President of Technology at T-Mobile. “Together, we will use our leading 5G network to spark new innovations aimed at transforming how entertainment can be produced and experienced.”

As powerhouses in each of their respective industries, T-Mobile and StudioLAB will explore manu emerging technologies. This includes, but is not limited to virtual presence, Mixed Reality and immersive experiences for consumers. In addition, the team plans to use Ultra Capacity 5G to test new, more efficient ways to capture, produce and distribute content, both from inside a studio as well as from remote locations. This could allow the production team to scout out remote set locations from anywhere in the world. Or it can help improve the way teams transfer their video content in real time from remote locations to the cloud. 

“We’re just getting started and the possibilities are endless for how 5G can infuse new magic into the entertainment business,” said Jamie Voris, Chief Technology Officer at Walt Disney Studios. “Partnering with T-Mobile opens up incredible opportunities to use 5G to radically change many aspects of the industry from content production to the creation of new consumer experiences.”

T-Mobile 5G has its hand in transforming many industries, only one of which is entertainment. But no matter the area, they are fueling innovation that keeps businesses and consumers better connected. Today, T-Mobile’s Extended Range 5G network covers more than 310 million people across more than 1.8 million square miles, with more than 210 million people nationwide covered by Ultra Capacity 5G.

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What is the Latest on the T-Mobile and Sprint Network Shutdowns?

Since the Sprint and T-Mobile merged in April 2020, T-Mobile has been hard at work to combine assets with Sprint to provide nationwide 5G service. As more coverage gets rolled out to major cities as well as small towns, older technology must be phased out. T-Mobile is providing time and assistance to all its customers before they shut down both theirs and Sprint’s 3G services, as well as Sprint’s LTE network later this year. 

Here’s the statement T-Mobile sent out to its customers:

Dear Customer,

This is a reminder that your customers may have one or more lines of service that will be impacted when we retire the Sprint LTE network on June 30, 2022. As part of our ongoing efforts to create a supercharged network, we’re retiring the Sprint LTE network to free up spectrum and resources that will help us strengthen our entire network and move all customers to more advanced technologies like 5G.

Please take action now to avoid any interruption to your customers wireless services on June 30, 2022 and make the move to take advantage of T-Mobile’s bigger, better 4G & 5G networks, including the largest and fastest nationwide 5G network. We have affordable device and equipment options for your customers to consider.

Some devices are not compatible with the T-Mobile network and must be upgraded or replaced before June 30, 2022 to be able to access the T-Mobile network to continue using service, including the ability to make 911 calls depending on your customers location.

If you have questions about what this network announcement means to your business or to review options today to upgrade your customers devices, please reach out to your T-Mobile Dedicated Care Expert if applicable, or T-Mobile for Business Care at 800-375-1126.

For additional information:

https://www.t-mobile.com/support/coverage/t-mobile-network-evolution

We understand the importance of being able to plan for these network changes and we are committed to keeping you informed with up-to-date information.

Thank you for being a T-Mobile for Business Partner.

Sincerely,

Your Partner Program Team

Thank you for being a T-Mobile Partner.

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Did T-Mobile Delay the Sprint 3G Network Shut Down?

Good news for Sprint customers that are still relying on 3G services comes from T-Mobile today. The 3G shutdown was actually scheduled for today, but it has since been pushed back to May 31, 2022. This comes after a delay they set back in January, when they said they would extend it for “partners.”

Only time can tell what the end result will be as according to SoftBank’s website, there’s a strong possibility of a third delay. Per the iPhone global services guide, the site says “there is a possibility that the date of May 31 will be rescheduled in the future”. 

Claims from another source say that even though the shutdown date has been moved to May 31, the shutdown will still begin on March 31. Lines using 3G CDMA service will be disabled and rerouted to customer care. 

T-Mobile is not stopping at CDMA however. The carrier also has plans to end its own 3G UMTS network by July 1st of this year. The original shutdown date was as far back as October 1st, 2021, so we will again wait and see what happens! 

Surprisingly, T-Mobile’s 2G GSM network is still operating, but is also planned to be shut down. No date has been determined at this time.

Other news surrounding Sprint say the LTE network is set to be shut down on June 30th of this year.

And what about Verizon and AT&T? Verizon recently announced it would shut down its 3G network on December 31, 2022. Since this was already delayed back in 2019, the carrier states it will not delay this shutdown again. AT&T’s 3G network was shut down just last month.

In regards to the shutdown, a spokesperson from T-Mobile reached out to 9to5Mac with the following statement:

“We are proceeding as planned with the orderly shutdown of our CDMA network beginning on March 31. As part of our shutdown process, we are migrating customers in some areas over the following 60 days to ensure they are supported and not left without connectivity, and the network will be completely turned off by no later than May 31. This is a normal network transition process. We look forward to sunsetting this outdated technology so every customer will have access to the best connectivity and best experience in wireless.“

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What Are the Results of the Opensignal Speed Tests on C-band?

Opensignal - 5G, 4G, 3G Internet & WiFi Speed Test - Apps on Google Play

Opensignal has released some findings from tests performed using mid-band services from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. This is their first major report since AT&T and Verizon launched their first C-band service back in January. 

Prior to C-Band coming out, T-Mobile was and still is using its 2.5GHz nationwide 5G network. This was from the spectrum they obtained via the Sprint merger. 

Now that the carriers are on more level playing fields, Opensignal determined it was time to put them all to the test. The Opensignal team has measured the impact of each carrier’s C-Band rollout on their nationwide performance within its new Quantifying the impact of C-band on 5G mobile experience in the U.S.

Results show that Verizon Wireless customers came out on top with the initial C-Band rollout. Thanks to the C-band coverage, the carrier’s average nationwide 5G download speed increased by 15Mbps. This spiked from 55.7Mbps shortly before the launch to 70.6Mbps following it. That’s a boost of more than 26% in download rates. Upload speeds on the other hand showed no clear change. Sadly, for AT&T customers, the results before and after the C-band launch were not much different on download or upload speeds. 

Opensignal noted that these differences with AT&T and Verizon weren’t exactly surprising. You simply need to compare the rate at which the carriers rolled out service and the number of users they were capable of reaching in this short amount of time. Verizon was able to reach more customers in their rollout than AT&T. 

Next, Opensignal measured the head-to-head performance of each carrier’s respective mid-band 5G offering. As you’ll see below, T-Mobile won with the highest download rate. They however lost on the upload rate to Verizon, which came in a close second on download speed. 

In their report, Opensignal stressed that, even when limiting its measurements to mid-band connections only, there’s more at work here than raw speed. The company says the other biggest factor is available spectrum ranges and their impact on network capacity. The more spectrum that’s available, the more users can connect before everyone’s download, and upload speeds begin to decline from congestion. It’s helpful to note that both AT&T entered the mid-band 5G game with 40MHz of available spectrum, while Verizon owns 60MHz. Comparatively, T-Mobile is believed to have deployed between 60MHz and 80MHz, with as much as 100MHz available for eventual deployment. 

The last item Opensignal looked at were the mid-band download rates of Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile in five major cities: Chicago, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Phoenix. AT&T was purposely left out since their mid-band was only available in Chicago. T-Mobile’s extensive network came out the winner here. It was only a close call when it came to results from Los Angeles.

In conclusion, Opensignal reminded readers that it is still very early days for competitive mid-band 5G in the U.S. However, it already detected average download rates on mid-band 5G that are “much faster — three to four times when connected to mid-band 5G on AT&T and Verizon compared to the average 5G download speeds our users experienced on the two carriers before they activated their C-band networks.” 

Thanks to the lead T-Mobile has over the other carriers, they’re likely to stay on top. Although, as Opensignal put it, “data shows that Verizon and soon AT&T now have the required mid-band spectrum to start the chase.”

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