T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) today just confirmed the company's results from the recently concluded and successful 600 MHz FCC spectrum auction. T-Mobile won 45% of all low-band spectrum sold, covering 100% of the US and Puerto Rico and enabling the carrier to compete in every single corner of the country. T-Mobile walked away with 31 MHz nationwide on average, quadrupling the carrier’s low-band holdings, for a total of $7.99 billion, the company’s largest investment ever. T-Mobile is also sharing plans to put that spectrum to use later this year in parts of the country, defying industry expectations. 

“These auction results are a win for everyone, especially consumers, and generated BILLIONS for broadcasters and US taxpayers. Congratulations to the FCC!” said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile. “This spectrum sets us up to bring the Un-carrier – and REAL competition – to wireless customers everywhere, many of whom have never had real choices in wireless. If the Duopoly thought things were rough before – well, just wait!”

T-Mobile now owns premium low-band spectrum that can cover every American. The carrier claims while the Duopoly’s existing low-band spectrum is already crowded and congested, T-Mobile’s new low-band spectrum will be clear and wide-open for customers, meaning a better, faster experience. With this purchase, T-Mobile now has significantly more low-band spectrum per customer than any other major provider and nearly TRIPLE the low-band spectrum per customer than Verizon.

“T-Mobile now has the largest swath of unused low-band spectrum in the country. That is a BFD for our customers!” added Legere. “Because T-Mobile customers will be able to speed on a brand-new, wide-open wireless freeway, while carrier customers have to crawl along on their clogged, congested low-band freeways.”

This additional low-band spectrum means the company will be able to expand its LTE network to compete in every corner of the country, strengthen existing LTE coverage and increase capacity to meet customers’ growing demand for mobile data. Low-band spectrum substantially improves in-building coverage and also travels greater distances than mid-band and high-band spectrum.

T-Mobile is also announcing they’ll put some of this new spectrum to use for both T-Mobile and MetroPCS customers this year, as a result of work started back in 2016. Already Ericsson and Nokia have announced availability of 600 MHz equipment that T-Mobile will use in its network, and the Un-carrier has 600 MHz licenses covering over one million square miles where T-Mobile expects at least 10 MHz to be clear this year – meaning T-Mobile’s network team can start working to light it up for customers.

“T-Mobile’s network is already the fastest, most advanced in the country, and this will take it to a whole new level – and we’ll do it FAST,” claims Neville Ray, T-Mobile CTO. “Our team has a history of deploying network technologies at record-breaking pace – including the fastest recorded LTE deployment in US history. We’re ready to break records again on 600 MHz.”

In addition, Qualcomm is introducing chipsets supporting 600 MHz, and T-Mobile expects leading smartphone makers to begin delivering 600 MHz compatible phones as soon as this year.

Source: T-Mobile media announcement