T-Mobile to use AT&T's money to create rival LTE network

T-Mobile has announced today that it will invest the money it was just given by AT&T into building their own LTE network in 2013.

Last year, after a failed takeover attempt, AT&T had to pay a $3 billion break-up fee and give T-Mobile USA $1 billion worth of AWS spectrum, as well.

The carrier says it will use that new spectrum and the $3 billion to launch their own rival LTE network in 2013, as well as install new equipment at 37,000 cell towers.

Says T-Mobile: "Today, we operate America's Largest 4G Network delivering a fast and reliable 4G data experience with HSPA+. Launching LTE next year lets us take advantage of technology infrastructure advancements and benefit from a more mature LTE device ecosystem while continuing to meet the growing demand for data with a powerful 4G experience."

The carrier will actually be the first U.S. carrier to have integrated 4G radios in its cell towers, which should offer higher performance and less hiccups than Verizon and AT&T's networks currently have.

For now, the plan is set but T-Mobile is still awaiting the final transfer of spectrum from AT&T.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 23 Feb 2012 22:47

Mrguss

Great !

+4000

24.2.2012 01:38 #1

s_c47

Yes!

Someone told me once that theres a right and wrong, and that punishment would come to those
who dare to cross the line.
But it must not be true for jerk-offs like you.
Maybe it takes longer to catch a total a__hole.

24.2.2012 10:20 #2

KillerBug

Cool, but I hope they also use some of the money to extend their network. It works better than AT&T and Verizon combined in some places...and other places have no signal at all where both AT&T and Verizon have 3G.

http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/pcc.aspx

24.2.2012 10:27 #3

plutonash

I saw a map of the spectrum that ATT had to give. Its mostly on the west side and I think in the Florida area. I live in Ohio and have excellent service with AT&T and didn't see any spectrum being given to Tmobs in my area. The spectrum they gave didn't seem like an awful lot from the coverage map I viewed either.

But if T mobs is implementing 84 HSPA+ why even bother with LTE? it seems strong enough at that point.

"Cable thief is a victimless crime."

24.2.2012 14:17 #4

KillerBug

The areas they are getting are the areas where they needed spectrum the most. T-Mobile has the rights to cover all of Ohio...they don't do it simply because someone did the math and figured out that they would make more money spending the money building towers somewhere else.

I think their goal with going to LTE is for the future. LTE is hardly being used right now...it is capable of up to 1gbps, and most providers are keeping it under 5mbps. There is a real future there. As for HSPA+, T-Mobile is doing pretty good against LTE at 5mbps, but the 12mbps limit of HSPA+ could really hold them back in a few years when everyone else starts offering 20mbps+.

24.2.2012 18:04 #5

WierdName

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, the competition might make AT&T actually provide 4G at 4G speeds. But then again, they could just use the loss as an excuse to not...

Doesnt expecting the unexpected make the unexpected expected and therefore mean youre expecting the expected which was the unexpected until you expected it?
"Opinions are immunities to being told were wrong." - Relient K

24.2.2012 18:07 #6

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