T-Mobile has reached its goal of covering 200 million people with its Ultra Capacity 5G by the end of 2021.
Ultra Capacity 5G is the term T-Mobile uses for its 5G running on the mid-band 2.5 GHz spectrum. Unlike the faster mmWave, which is in the 6 GHz range, T-Mobile’s Ultra Capacity can reach farther and penetrate obstacles better. Despite being slower than mmWave, T-Mobile has achieved speeds in excess of 1 Gbps with its mid-band spectrum.
The company had set a goal of reaching 200 million people by the end of 2021, a goal it has already achieved.
“We’re delivering game changing Ultra Capacity 5G to people across the country at an unprecedented pace, putting us in a network leadership position with a two-year head start on the competition. And that gap is only getting wider as we speed up,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. “Only T-Mobile is delivering a 5G network capable of truly transforming the smartphone experience – 5G’s first killer app – and that’s just the beginning. With Ultra Capacity 5G nationwide, we’re unleashing innovators across the country to build new 5G applications that will change the world.”
In the meantime, Verizon and AT&T have both paused their mid-band spectrum rollout over concerns of interference with aviation altimeters. Verizon and AT&T’s mid-band spectrum is in the 3.7 to 3.98 GHz range, relatively close to the 4.2 to 4.4 GHz range of altimeters. In contrast, T-Mobile’s 2.5 GHz spectrum is far enough away to not pose any concern.