C Spire delivers wireless network broadband boost with maximum range LTE

C Spire, whose wireless unit is one of the nation's leading mobile service providers, announced today that it has expanded coverage for much of its 4G LTE network as it nears completion of the latest phase of its new cutting-edge, maximum range low-band spectrum technology initiative.

The telecom and technology services company, which operates the nation's largest privately held wireless communications unit and the 6th largest in the U.S., has added 700 MHz or 850 MHz low-band spectrum to more than 900 cell sites, which extends already robust, industry-leading coverage over longer distances and inside offices, commercial buildings and homes.

Much of the company's service area includes large swaths of undeveloped rural areas with lower population density – so the use of maximum range low-band spectrum helps C Spire deliver on its coverage promise. The massive, multi-million dollar project will be completed in July, boosting coverage over 36,000 square miles throughout the company's service area.

A typical cell site that uses low-band spectrum can cover a much broader geographic area than multiple sites using mid-band spectrum – increasing coverage up to four times.  Customers already have seen coverage improvements, but especially in rural areas and along major traffic corridors in central, northern and southwestern parts of the service area. 

"As a customer-inspired company, we're dedicated to making our network bigger, faster, stronger and more reliable every day," said Alan Jones, senior vice president of network engineering and development.  "Whether it's a metropolitan area like Jackson or a rural Delta town like Ruleville, our customers rely on us to keep them connected wherever they are and whatever they are doing."

With the growing popularity of smartphones and tablets on unlimited plans, C Spire also is starting to deploy new technology to 175 additional cell sites that is expected to boost capacity and provide up to 50 percent faster peak wireless data speeds using software that combines multiple channels to speed mobile data over the network more quickly than ever before.

The latest initiative comes on the heels of company efforts over the last two years to deploy more wireless spectrum and boost power on hundreds of its 4G LTE cell sites and expand coverage to new areas along with a myriad of other improvements to routers, switches, processors and cell site equipment to enhance overall network performance. 

New research by the Pew Center shows that a growing number of consumers rely solely on mobile broadband service via smartphones to access the Internet.  The same research found that more than half of smartphone owners in the U.S. have used their devices in the last year to get health information, conduct online banking, research places to live and government services, take online education courses and even apply for a job.

Business and government leaders cited C Spire's continuing technology investment and its central role in recent regional gains in boosting average mobile and fixed broadband speeds.  "The availability of high-speed Internet is critical to Mississippians and is especially critical to the state's economic development efforts," said Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves. "C Spire is deploying more of this important technology so our residents and businesses can compete, grow and prosper."

Tony Jeff, president and CEO of Innovate Mississippi, said mobile connections are now an essential part of the state's communications infrastructure and investments by companies like C Spire are critical in helping consumers and businesses better manage and direct their personal and professional lives.  "The greatest invention of the 20th century deserves the very best network," he added.

Jones said C Spire is committed to continuous improvement and its widely heralded best-in-class quality as it expands into new lines of  telecommunications and technology services, including fixed super high-speed broadband Internet access, HD TV and digital phone services for consumers and enterprise-grade data, dedicated Internet access and cloud services for businesses.

Source: C Spire media announcement