While Verizon is in no immediate danger of following AT&T's suit to be overtaken by T-Mobile in terms of wireless subscribers, the nation's number one carrier can certainly not afford to rest on its laurels as far as network infrastructure is concerned.
As proven by the "New T-Mobile", arguably the best initial 5G deployment strategy involved a so-called "layer cake" combining low, mid, and high-band spectrum to aim for the perfect balance of speed and coverage. The problem is Verizon's low and mid-band spectrum holdings pale in comparison to the technology owned by Magenta after the completion of its Sprint takeover.
For what it's worth, America's largest wireless service provider is finally seeing the error of its ways, pulling out all the stops to close the 5G availability gap... eventually. That includes working hard on a potentially game-changing technology called dynamic spectrum sharing, as well as allocating huge sums of money for two major spectrum auctions, and according to a new Light Reading report, acquiring much-needed spectrum left and right from smaller companies.
The latter move, while not entirely unusual or especially critical for Verizon's long-term nationwide ambitions, highlights the carrier's willingness to do everything and anything possible to keep up with T-Mo's remarkable 5G expansion pace.
Although Big Red remains very much focused on spreading the 5G Ultra Wideband love to "parts" of dozens of additional cities by the end of the year, these "secondary market" transactions rounded up by AllNet Insights & Analytics are exclusively aimed at beefing up the operator's Sub 6GHz portfolio.
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We're talking both low and mid-band spectrum, purchased from a number of companies including Spotlight Media, Orion Wireless, and even AT&T, which Verizon will undoubtedly use to try to expand the cringeworthy coverage of its current 5G network alongside the wealth of CBRS and C-band technology the wireless giant is expected to snap up in two FCC auctions, one of which is already halfway done.
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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