T-Mobile US (NYSE:TMUS) is looking to get more 700 MHz A Block spectrum covering parts of Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Texas, as more filings related to the carrier's 700 MHz spectrum purchases trickle out into public view.
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Click here for a larger version of this image from AllNet Labs, which shows T-Mobile's recent and pending 700 MHz spectrum purchases across the country. |
According to the latest filings, T-Mobile is seeking to gain control of spectrum from McBride Spectrum Partners LLC in the western Pennsylvania counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmorland.
Additionally, T-Mobile wants to scoop up 700 MHz airwaves from David Miller, an individual spectrum holder, in several counties in New Mexico and Texas near El Paso, Texas.
According to Brian Goemmer, an analyst with wireless spectrum research firm AllNet Labs, the McBride transaction covers 2.91 million POPs. The Miller transaction covers around 903,000 POPs.
In the past two months, according to T-Mobile CEO John Legere and CTO Neville Ray, T-Mobile has made spectrum deals with smaller A Block spectrum license holders that cover a little under 18 million POPs.
AllNet's spectrum database shows that the transactions that have come to light to date add up to around 13.45 million POPs. Those deals include T-Mobile's purchase of spectrum from the likes of CenturyLink subsidiary Actel (6.4 million POPs), McBride (2.91 million), Frontier Communications (1.51 million), I-700 A Block LLC (1.1 million), David Miller (903,000) and Thomas Kurian (623,000).
The purchases build on the A Block spectrum T-Mobile purchased from Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) for $2.4 billion covering 150 million POPs in a deal announced in January. T-Mobile is hoping to use the spectrum to enhance its LTE coverage footprint and provide strong in-building penetration. The overall value of 700 MHz A Block spectrum scored a boost last year when AT&T Mobility agreed to support the band with future devices, though it's unclear when the carrier will begin selling phones and other devices that support 700 MHz A Block licenses.
At a recent investor conference, Ray said T-Mobile has already deployed some of its 700 MHz spectrum "in some key cities" and that the carrier is "delighted with the performance of low-band" spectrum." Dave Mayo, T-Mobile's senior vice president of technology, recently told FierceWireless that T-Mobile is focusing its A Block deployment "on places where we don't have GSM coverage today."
For more:
- see this FCC filing
- see this separate FCC filing
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Correction, Sept. 29, 2014: This article incorrectly stated the number of covered POPs involved in T-Mobile's 700 MHz A Block purchase from Verizon. It was for 150 million covered POPs, not 158 million. This article also failed to note that AT&T has started selling a few devices that support A Block spectrum,or Band Class 12, including the Samsung Galaxy Note 4.