T-Mobile Now Has 2.5x More 5G Coverage Than the Previous Leader

T-Mobile is on a roll flipping the switch on its 2.5GHz-based 5G network in New York City a month after it lit up 5G in Philadelphia.

This is just the start of a much larger rollout that will take the mobile industry in the United States by surprise.

“We already have momentum,” says Neville Ray, T-Mobile President of Technology.

Speaking at the MoffettNathanson 7th Annual Media & Communications Summit, Ray confirmed that T-Mobile is going to roll out its 2.5Ghz 5G network at a furious pace, starting by upgrading hardware and adding antennas at existing sites.

Ray added that competitors believe it may take T-Mobile two to three years to roll out 5G, but the company expects to light up most major metro areas by the end of the year.

“We will deploy across thousands of sites this year, and I think that’s going to surprise our competition. They think this is going to take us kind of another two to three years to get some momentum and speed, and it won’t. We already have momentum.”

T-Mobile President of Technology Neville Ray

T-Mobile has been preparing for this rapid deployment for more than a year. Last year, the company began the process of obtaining the necessary permits and leases needed to roll out its 5G network. The wireless carrier hoped to get this out of the way before the company’s merger with Sprint was completed on April 1st.

Its preparation paid off as T-Mobile quickly added 5G across the city of Philadelphia. This deployment gives T-Mobile a huge footprint, nearly 2.5 times larger than market-leading Verizon, claims Ray.

The merger between the T-Mobile and Sprint finalized on April 1st with President and COO Mike Sievert taking over reigns as CEO of the new T-Mobile. The company is laser-focused on 5G, intending to lead the 5G market in the US. This is good news for Apple which is rumored to be adding 5G connectivity to its next-generation iPhone 12 series.