T-Mobile: We need more low-band spectrum despite Verizon deal

T-Mobile US is buying lower 700 MHz A Bock spectrum from Verizon Wireless for $2.36 billion, but argues that it still needs more low-band spectrum to compete more effectively with Verizon and AT&T Mobility.

Kathleen Ham, T-Mobile's vice president of federal regulatory affairs, wrote that the deal "will provide us with a good base of low-band spectrum, but it does not eliminate our need to continue to add to our portfolio." The block of spectrum T-Mobile is buying form Verizon is small, essentially a 5x5 MHz block. Ham added: "Even though interference and other problems previously associated with the A-Block are rapidly diminishing, thanks in part to an interoperability deal brokered by the FCC with AT&T and Dish, not all of the spectrum will be immediately usable." T-Mobile has said the transactions, combined with its existing A Block holdings in the Boston metro area, will result in T-Mobile having low-band spectrum in nine of the top 10 and 21 of the top 30 markets across the United States. Combined with its existing Boston A Block holdings, T-Mobile has said it will have low-band spectrum covering approximately 158 million POPs, including Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. T-Mobile said the spectrum covers 70 percent of its existing customer base.