After months of bashing and undermining the AT&T and Verizon approach to 5G using mmWave, T-Mobile US has announced its own launch using… mmWave.
T-Mobile US is in a strong position to capitalise on the up-coming 5G euphoria. Not only has it promised to base its proposition on its nationwide 600 MHz spectrum assets, but it is carrying considerable momentum from the last 18-24 months. The Uncarrier marketing strategy has been a welcome disruption in the US and the team is hoovering up subscriptions as a result. 5G presents another excellent opportunity to cause chaos.
Starting in six US cities (Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York) T-Mobile US will begin offering 5G services to the consumer in two days time (June 28).
“5G from T-Mobile is different because we have a very different plan to deliver broad, deep and transformational 5G – to everyone,” said CEO John Legere. “Unlike the other guys, we believe 5G should cover people near and far – especially those in rural America. And we believe 5G should not cost more.”
This is where T-Mobile US could make waves in the 5G pond; it seems Legere is promising access to 5G connectivity without the need for a premium tariff. It isn’t the clearest, but in suggesting “customers won’t pay a dollar more”, T-Mobile US seems to be promising anyone can access 5G connectivity, as long as you have the right phone.
As it stands, the Samsung Galaxy S105G will be the only device available at launch, but this might change over the coming months. We strongly suspect T-Mobile US is in conversations with other brands, and if it isn’t, it should be.
“With this device, customers can supplement their already kick-ass LTE experience with a 5G boost in a few cities now, but if our merger with Sprint is approved, the New T-Mobile will build a 5G network for all … the kind of 5G network America deserves.”
To start with, coverage will be incredibly limited, the firm will only be using the high-speed, short distance mmWave spectrum, but in months to come this will be expanded. T-Mobile US has promised a nationwide rollout in the second-half of the year, which will make use of the much hyped 600 MHz spectrum assets.
As you can see from the following coverage map where you can plug into 5G is incredibly limited, but that doesn’t seem to matter to executives in the telco world. The objective seems to be say you can offer 5G, but worry about coverage and experience later. Having spoken to a few people recently regarding 5G in Chicago, the experience is pretty woeful and much needed network upgrades are needed.
Alas, that does not seem to be a concern. Across the world 5G seems to be turning into somewhat of a gimmick instead of a connectivity solution. Early adopters can proudly proclaim they have 5G, but only if they are standing in the few spots it is available. This is where the T-Mobile US pricing plan comes into play.
This is a smart move from the T-Mobile US executives. They are offering consumers a glimpse into the future, but not charging them for it. It might certainly turn a few heads and steal a few subscriptions. If the objective is to gain customers and keep them, running 5G as a loss-leader for the first couple of months is an interesting approach. Once nationwide 5G coverage is achieved, the tariffs can be addressed, but for the moment this could be a very clever move to lure customers away from the likes of AT&T and Verizon.