T-Mobile certainly had a lot on its plate when the coronavirus pandemic started picking up speed in the US, but although one can safely assume the "Un-carrier" remained primarily focused on completing its vital Sprint merger in an increasingly unstable financial climate, customers must have been happy to see Magenta promptly react to the health crisis on several different levels.
This largely unprecedented move was made possible by the FCC's Keep Americans Connected Pledge, but its real-world success hinged almost entirely on T-Mobile's rapid integration of additional low-band technology into its already robust 600 MHz network. As highlighted in a thorough new OpenSignal report, the "Un-carrier" managed to execute this plan incredibly quickly, needing less than three days to start deploying the spectrum on loan from Dish and a few other companies.
What's perhaps even more impressive is how much of a difference these temporary network upgrades made for the real-life experience of millions of customers in the space of less than two weeks. Upon analyzing the top 100 US cellular market areas (CMAs), OpenSignal found that T-Mobile vastly improved its network capacity across no less than 89 of those markets by the end of March.
Believe it or not, the 4G download speeds T-Mobile users were averaging at the beginning of March on the wireless service provider's 600 MHz spectrum essentially doubled by the end of the month in OpenSignal's nationwide measurements. This emphasizes just how seriously Magenta took this network-boosting effort during the COVID-19 pandemic, but at the same time, it works as a nasty reminder of how much valuable wireless technology companies like Dish have been hoarding for years without any intention of using.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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