T-Mobile expects 2x10MHz LTE in 90% of top 25 markets by year's end

Faster speeds and better bandwidth allocation coming to the nation's largest markets.

With its LTE network deployment in full swing, T-Mobile is hoping to step things up in the most crucial top markets by deploying more spectrum to the new network. According to a statement given to Light Reading, T-Mobile said that "Nationwide, we plan to deploy 10+10 MHz of LTE in 90 percent of the top 25 markets by the end of the year."

Although the network is currently live in 116 markets, T-Mobile is primarily using a2x5MHzdeployment, which offers less bandwidth and potential to handle a large number of customers on each tower. Testing of the new 2x10MHz network is currently ongoing in New York City, where network engineers have been dropping the HSPA+ network from 42 to 21mbps in order to use those resources for LTE.

When the network eventually rolls out to these large markets in full capacity, T-Mobile plans to run both the HSPA+42 and LTE networks concurrently. As for speeds, CEO John Legere has been showing off some pretty impressive speed test numbers in New York City we'll see how that holds up when the network gets more saturated.

Source: Light Reading

Via: T-Mobile expects 2x10MHz LTE in 90% of top 25 markets by year's end