T-Mobile U.S. confirmed that it is now deploying LTE-U technology in its LTE network, following today’s FCC certification of equipment from strategic partners Ericsson and Nokia. The company anticipates introducing new network capabilities and devices for consumers this spring.
LTE- will enable T-Mobile customers to tap into the first 20 MHz of underutilized unlicensed spectrum on the 5GHz band and use it for additional LTE capacity. T-Mobile said it already has more capacity per subscriber than AT&T and Verizon, and the addition of LTE-U will only extend that lead and further improve the Un-carrier’s blazing-fast speeds. And, LTE-U will make it possible for T-Mobile to bring its forthcoming Gigabit LTE to more places across the country.
“We continue to push the boundaries of bringing new technologies in the unlicensed arena. Nokia is committed to working alongside T-Mobile to bring new solutions to market,” Ricky Corker, Nokia EVP and Head of North America said. “We stand ready to enhance T-Mobile’s leadership proposition and show what the future of mobile communications can be for Un-carrier customers.”