Hypocrite much AT&T? Back in 2022, the carrier complained to the FCC that T-Mobile’s continued acquisition of additional 2.5GHz mid-band spectrum was a threat to “long-term competition for mobile broadband services.” The 2.5GHz spectrum is important to T-Mobile because Sprint’s holdings of the mid-band airwaves was the prize that T-Mobile wanted for shelling out $26 billion to acquire Sprint. T-Mobile’s decision to start its 5G build out with mid-band spectrum instead of using the fastest mmWave spectrum like Verizon and AT&T did was the underappreciated move that helped T-Mobile become arguably the 5G King in the U.S.
What Verizon and T-Mobile didn’t realize was that mmWave spectrum travels such short distances, that it would take forever to build-out its 5G network using mmWave. In addition, it would severely limit the number of AT&T and Verizon subscribers who could access their high-band 5G signals. Eventually, the pair decided that T-Mobile was right and spent big bucks on mid-band spectrum in the C-band that was auctioned off by the FCC.
“T-Mobile controls a grossly outsized portion of the midband spectrum needed to fuel the 5G revolution. T-Mobile holds this disproportionate midband spectrum position not because it outbid others at auction, but because it purchased Sprint, which for years had accumulated massive interests in legacy EBS and BRS spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band outside of any auction context and before the commission recognized the enormous competitive significance of that band.”-AT&T complaining to the FCC in 2022
AT&T is asking the FCC for a waiver that would temporarily allow the wireless provider to exceed the regulatory agency’s temporary cap on 3.45GHz spectrum which is part of the C-band. While it wanted the FCC to prevent T-Mobile from adding more 2.5GHz spectrum to its holdings, AT&T’s filing to the FCC seeking the waiver says, “Waiver of the cap is warranted and would serve the public interest.”
AT&T points out in its filing that T-Mobile assigned its 3.45GHz spectrum to Columbia Capital proving that it has no interest in deploying this frequency. Verizon, for its part, has decided not to “pursue the 3.45GHz band as part of its network strategy.” Echostar hasn’t shown any interest in 3.45GHz and “This leaves AT&T as the only nationwide service provider prioritizing deployment in the 3.45GHz band.”
There are more than two dozen licenses covering the 3.45GHz frequency in big cities that AT&T is interested in. These licenses are valued at $262 million according to Airwave Research.
Back in 2022, the FCC ruled in favor of T-Mobile and said, “We find that AT&T’s petition in this matter does not raise specific allegations sufficient to show that AT&T will suffer competitive harm.” Will the FCC rule the same way and issue AT&T a waiver to allow it to purchase the additional 3.45GHz spectrum? We shall see.
Read the latest from Alan Friedman
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings