Two weeks after launching the world’s first 600 MHz LTE sites, T-Mobile has announced it will carry the LG V30 – the world’s first smartphone to support 600 MHz LTE. And the carrier unveiled the latest location to go live with its new super spectrum in Scarborough, Maine. T-Mobile also announced that, beyond lighting up these new airwaves on LTE, it is simultaneously laying a foundation for true nationwide 5G with breakthrough new equipment from Ericsson that supports both LTE and 5G.

The LG V30 will be the world’s first smartphone to support LTE on 600 MHz as well as other spectrum bands available from T-Mobile, and the carrier plans to launch LG’s latest flagship nationwide this fall.

In addition to expanding and strengthening its LTE network with 600 MHz spectrum, T-Mobile announced plans earlier this year for a nationwide 5G network on this super-premium low-band spectrum. By deploying Ericsson’s new radio equipment, the carrier is making 600 MHz LTE available today while building a seamless path to 5G on 600 MHz. When it’s time to launch 5G technology for consumers, T-Mobile claims it can upgrade this already-deployed 5G-ready equipment via software update, effectively turning on 5G on 600 MHz with the flip of a switch without having to touch towers twice.

T-Mobile plans to continue deploying LTE on 600 MHz, starting in rural America and markets across more than 1.2 million square miles where the spectrum is already clear today. The carrier is on track to accomplish in six months what would normally be a two-year process from auction to consumer availability.

T-Mobile is working closely with the FCC and broadcasters like PBS to clear the spectrum in record time, investing where necessary to preserve programming consumers care about while paving the way for new wireless coverage and competition for consumers. T-Mobile is also working closely with network infrastructure partners, chipset makers and device manufacturers. In addition to LG, Samsung also plans to launch phones that tap into this new spectrum.

T-Mobile is on track to launch 600 MHz LTE in parts of Wyoming, Northeast and Southwest Oregon, West Texas, Southwest Kansas, the Oklahoma panhandle, Western North Dakota, additional areas of Maine, Coastal North Carolina, Central Pennsylvania, Central Virginia and Eastern Washington.

Source: T-Mobile media announcement