Back in 2017, T-Mobile spent $7.99 billion to acquire 31MHz of 600MHz spectrum being auctioned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Ever since then, the carrier has been working hard to deploy the signals since these airwaves manage to better penetrate buildings and travel farther. T-Mobile has even launched a few TV spots as a way of promoting its 600MHz coverage. Additionally, T-Mobile has run 5G tests under this spectrum successfully.
Combining the 600MHz airwaves with the ultra-high mmWave spectrum owned by T-Mobile will give them the edge as the first carrier to offer nationwide 5G network calls. Unlike 600MHz, ultra-high mmWave spectrum is capable of delivering extremely fast download speeds and even handle large amounts of traffic. If T-Mobile is successful in merging with Sprint, it can receive the 2.5GHz mid-range holdings and it will definitely win the race for 5G. Sprint’s mid-range spectrum is hard to find. There may be a chance that more will be auctioned by FCC, but it’s not always a guarantee.
Just recently, T-Mobile released a new video where it showcased five of the unexpected places where its 600MHz spectrum can be experienced. Among the places included in the video are Cannon Beach, OR, Bonneville Salt Flats, UT, Jersey Shore, PA, Kabetogama, MN, and Roswell, NM.
Its merger with Sprint would be the easiest and fastest way for T-Mobile to obtain mid-range airwaves. If T-Mobile does not get to merge with Sprint, it may be forced to encourage the FCC to hold an auction.
As of this writing, the merger talk has officially been delayed until next year. T-Mobile has already been able to gain approval from the FCC and DoJ. But it still has to reach a settlement with the lawsuit filed by 15 state attorneys general and the attorney general of Washington, D.C. The trial is set to occur on December 9th.