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How does our data compare? T-Mobile’s Magenta Herring – Posted by Joan Marsh, AT&T Thu, Aug 13, 2015

 

For this issue of “How does our data compare?” we will look at the following statement from Joan Marsh’s blog.  Joan is AT&T's Vice President of Federal Regulatory. 

"For AT&T, the restrictions will predominantly impact our ability to compete for spectrum in urban areas.  Indeed, our preliminary analysis suggests that we will be restricted in all Top 50 markets except six (Cleveland, Phoenix, Virginia Beach, Charlotte, Raleigh and Greenville to be exact).  The restrictions will therefore directly impact our ability to serve customers in the most data hungry markets like NY, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Baltimore-DC, Philadelphia, Boston and Dallas."

T-Mobile’s Magenta Herring – Posted by Joan Marsh (AT&T)

Using Allnet Insights’ Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool we are able to evaluate AT&T’s low band spectrum ownership for all US Partial Economic Area (PEA) market.  For this evaluation, we want to see the markets where AT&T’s low band spectrum ownership is less than 45MHz.  This would be a PEA market where AT&T would not expect restrictions in the Broadband Incentive Auction (600MHz).

For the Top 50 markets we have the same markets that Joan Marsh indicated in her blog.   Also included in the screenshot is amount of low band spectrum that AT&T controls as well as its competitor’s spectrum holdings in the same markets.  It is interesting to note that Verizon would be restricted in each of these 6 markets, and T-Mobile only has low band spectrum in 1 of these markets.  In addition, we detail how the low band spectrum is divided between cellular spectrum and 700 MHz spectrum.

As we have demonstrated, our data provides similar results to AT&T’s analysis, but it also allows the other national wireless carriers (and over 600 smaller carriers) to be evaluated in the same manner. 

Allnet Insights’ Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool provides county-level spectrum depth and LTE channel configurations, as well as Partial Economic Area (PEA), Economic Area (EA), and Cellular Market Area (CMA) market level spectrum depth evaluations.

 


Channel 51 Interference Mitigation - Boston (MA) Tue, Apr 21, 2015

Yesterday, the FCC accepted a Channel 51 transition in Providence, RI.  The movement of this TV station from Channel 51  to Channel 50, will eliminate the adjacent channel interference risk to T-Mobile's 700MHz A-Block spectrum in Boston, MA.  It eliminates interference concerns across 22 counties with a total population of 8,228,649    Below is a listing of the currently filed Channel 51 transitions.  Each of the Daily Digest dates is linked to the filed information.


Final Daily Digest

Initial Daily Digest

Market

Call Sign

Current Channel

Proposed Channel

12/13/2013

Oklahoma City, OK

KSBI(TV)

51

23

9/4/2014

Rome, GA

WPXA(TV)

51

31

9/4/2014

Kansas City, MO

KPXE-TV

51

30

12/23/2014

9/18/2014

Dayton, OH

WKEF(TV)

51

18

12/16/2014

10/17/2014

Denver, CO

KCEC(TV)

51

26

12/8/2014

Longview, TX

KCEB

51

26

2/11/2015

1/7/2015

Lansing, MI

WLAJ-TV

51

25

 

4/10/2015

Bend, OR

KOHD

51

18

4/21/2015

Providence, RI

WJAR(TV)

51

50

 

Below are the markets, states, and counties affected by the Providence (RI) Channel 51 interference:


                        
AllNet's Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool has incorporated the Channel 51 interference issue into our Spectrum Grid module.  From this module, you can see the 700MHz A-Block owner and an indication of whether Channel 51 is licensed in that particular county.  Green highlights over the Channel 51 call sign indicate that a transition plan has been approved, yellow highlights indicate that a transition plan has been filed, and red highlights indicate the markets where interference issues will persist.



Channel 51 - Bend OR and Market Updates Tue, Apr 14, 2015

Yesterday, the FCC approved a Channel 51 transition in Bend, OR.  The movement of this TV station from Channel 51  to Channel 18, will eliminate the adjacent channel interference risk to T-Mobile's 700MHz A-Block spectrum in rural Oregon.  It eliminates interference concerns across 7 counties with a total population of 709,258    Below is a listing of the currently filed Channel 51 transitions.  Each of the Daily Digest dates is linked to the filed information.


Final Daily           Digest Initial Daily          Digest           Market Call Sign Current 
Channel
Proposed 
Channel
12/13/2013 Oklahoma City, OK KSBI(TV)     51     23
9/4/2014 Rome, GA WPXA(TV)     51     31
9/4/2014 Kansas City, MO KPXE-TV     51     30
12/23/2014 9/18/2014 Dayton, OH WKEF(TV)     51     18
12/16/2014 10/17/2014 Denver, CO KCEC(TV)     51     26
12/8/2014 Longview, TX KCEB     51     26
2/11/2015           1/7/2015            Lansing, MI                          WLAJ-TV                  51                 25
                           4/10/2015          Bend, OR                              KOHD                        51                 18
                        
AllNet's Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool has incorporated the Channel 51 interference issue into our Spectrum Grid module.  From this module, you can see the 700MHz A-Block owner and an indication of whether Channel 51 is licensed in that particular county.  Green highlights over the Channel 51 call sign indicate that a transition plan has been approved, yellow highlights indicate that a transition plan has been filed, and red highlights indicate the markets where interference issues will persist.



T-Mobile's Promoting Innovation in the 3.5 GHz Band Presentation to the FCC Thu, Mar 19, 2015

Promoting Innovation in the 3.5 GHz Band

Click the above link to access T-Mobile's filed presentation with the FCC.  When the presentation is opened in Adobe, right click to rotate the presentation clockwise for easier reading.

Channel 51 - Lansing MI Thu, Feb 12, 2015

Yesterday, the FCC approved a Channel 51 transition in Lansing, MI.  The movement of this TV station from Channel 51  to Channel 25, will eliminate the adjacent channel interference risk to T-Mobile's 700MHz A-Block spectrum in Detroit.  Below is a listing of the currently filed Channel 51 transitions.  Each of the Daily Digest dates is linked to the filed information.

Final Daily           Digest Initial Daily          Digest           Market Call Sign Current 
Channel
Proposed 
Channel
12/13/2013 Oklahoma City, OK KSBI(TV)     51     23
9/4/2014 Rome, GA WPXA(TV)     51     31
9/4/2014 Kansas City, MO KPXE-TV     51     30
12/23/2014 9/18/2014 Dayton, OH WKEF(TV)     51     18
12/16/2014 10/17/2014 Denver, CO KCEC(TV)     51     26
12/8/2014 Longview, TX KCEB     51     26
2/11/2015           1/7/2015            Lansing, MI                          WLAJ-TV                  51                 25                         
AllNet's Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool has incorporated the Channel 51 interference issue into our Spectrum Grid module.  From this module, you can see the 700MHz A-Block owner and an indication of whether Channel 51 is licensed in that particular county.  Green highlights over the Channel 51 call sign indicate that a transition plan has been approved, yellow highlights indicate that a transition plan has been filed, and red highlights indicate the markets where interference issues will persist.



Increased Spectrum Depth - Top 100 Markets Tue, Feb 10, 2015

For the next four days we will be posting a map each day for one of the national spectrum holders that indicates the amount of spectrum they are adding to their spectrum holdings in the Top 100 Cellular Market Areas.  The primary source of the additions on these maps are the AWS-3 spectrum licenses although other proposed (FCC filed) transactions are included.  For T-Mobile below, the additional spectrum depth in Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland relates to a 700MHz A-block acquisition from Vulcan while the Pittsburgh market reflects both a 700MHz A-block acquisition (from McBride) and a AWS-3 H block acquisition via the auction.





US - Carrier Aggregation Plans Fri, Feb 06, 2015

In the charts below, we present the current carrier aggregation plans for AT&T, Verizon, USCellular, Dish, T-Mobile, and Sprint.  Green indicates that particular frequency block is used one time in the aggregation scheme.  Yellow indicates that particular frequency block is used twice in the aggregation scheme.  For both the green and yellow highlights, only one carrier can be utilized in each frequency block.  The blue highlights indicate that multiple carriers can be utilized in each frequency block (non contiguous).

AT&T


Verizon

















T-Mobile



Sprint


Dish


 US Cellular





AWS-3 Auction Results - Spectrum Grid Mon, Feb 02, 2015

AllNet's Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool has been updated to include all of the AWS-3 auction results in all of its Analysis Modules.  Below in the Spectrum Grid Module, you can see which carrier acquired the spectrum rights for each  of the uplink channels in the Top 5 CMA markets.


The screenshot of the downlink channels also provides a view into where Dish's AWS-4 spectrum fits with their new AWS-3 spectrum.



Clearing Channel 51 - Dayton, OH Tue, Dec 23, 2014

Yesterday, the FCC approved a Channel 51 transition in Dayton, OH.  The movement of this TV station from Channel 51  to Channel 18, will eliminate the adjacent channel interference risk to T-Mobile's 700MHz A-Block spectrum in Denver.  Below is a listing of the currently filed Channel 51 transitions.  The Dayton, OH transition is linked to the FCC filings.  The previous filings are linked in previous postings.  Previous postings can be accessed the the Channel 51 label.


Final Daily           Digest Initial Daily          Digest           Market Call Sign Current
Channel
Proposed
Channel
12/13/2013 Oklahoma City, OK KSBI(TV)     51     23
9/4/2014 Rome, GA WPXA(TV)     51     31
9/4/2014 Kansas City, MO KPXE-TV     51     30
12/23/2014 9/18/2014 Dayton, OH WKEF(TV)     51     18
12/16/2014 10/17/2014 Denver, CO KCEC(TV)     51     26
12/8/2014 Longview, TX KCEB     51     26

Our Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool has incorporated the Channel 51 interference issue into our Spectrum Grid module.  From this module, you can see the 700MHz A-Block owner and an indication of whether Channel 51 is licensed in that particular county.  Green highlights over the Channel 51 callsign indicate that a transition plan has been approved, yellow highlights indicate that a transition plan has been filed, and red highlights indicate the markets where interference issues will persist.


700MHz A-Block - Clearing Channel 51 Wed, Dec 17, 2014

Yesterday, the FCC approved a Channel 51 transition in Denver, CO.  The movement of this TV station from Channel 51  to Channel 26, will eliminate the adjacent channel interference risk to T-Mobile's 700MHz A-Block spectrum in Denver.  Below is a listing of the currently filed Channel 51 transitions.  Each of the Daily Digest dates is linked to the filed information.

Final Daily           Digest Initial Daily          Digest           Market Call Sign Current Channel Proposed Channel
12/13/2013 Oklahoma City, OK KSBI(TV)     51     23
9/4/2014 Rome, GA WPXA(TV)     51     31
9/4/2014 Kansas City, MO KPXE-TV     51     30
9/18/2014 Dayton, OH WKEF(TV)     51     18
12/16/2014 10/17/2014 Denver, CO KCEC(TV)     51     26
12/8/2014 Longview, TX KCEB     51     26

Our Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool has incorporated the Channel 51 interference issue into our Spectrum Grid module.  From this module, you can see the 700MHz A-Block owner and an indication of whether Channel 51 is licensed in that particular county.  Green highlights over the Channel 51 callsign indicate that a transition plan has been approved, yellow highlights indicate that a transition plan has been filed, and red highlights indicate the markets where interference issues will persist.



Enhanced Market Level Reports Tue, Nov 04, 2014

The November 2014 Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool includes several enhancements to the Market Level Reports.  Market Level Reports are available for Cellular Market Areas (CMA) and Economic Areas (EA).  Initially these market level reports only included spectrum depth values for each carrier by spectrum band.  With this update, you can see each selected carrier's total spectrum holdings, their spectrum holdings in each of the primary band classes (Low Band, Mid Band, and High Band), and their spectrum holdings in each spectrum band.

The band classes are defined as follows:

  • Low Band
    • 700MHz
    • Cellular/SMR
  • Mid Band
    • L Band/S Band (AWS-4)
    • AWS-1
    • PCS
    • AWS -3 (when the auction is complete)
  • High Band
    • WCS
    • EBS/BRS
The user can select 8 carriers to be displayed in these reports from the 580 carriers available in the Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool.  For the examples below, we have included most of the national wireless carriers as well as a few regional carriers.

The spectrum depth values for each of these reports are determined from the county-level spectrum ownership information in the Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool using a population-weighted average.  This means that each of the county-level spectrum depth values is multiplied by a ratio of the county's population divided by the market population.  This provides for a higher weighting for spectrum depth in higher population counties.

CMA Market Report - Total Spectrum Depth and Spectrum Depth by Band Class


CMA Market Report - Spectrum Depth by Frequency Band


AWS - 3 Auction Tools Wed, Oct 15, 2014

In support of the upcoming auctions we have included the available AWS3 channels in our Spectrum Grid worksheet and we have added both a CMA and EA Market Report.  
In the Spectrum Grid you can see the primary spectrum owner for any spectrum band, including the adjacent AWS1 band, at a county level.  The CMA Market Report displays the spectrum holdings for 8 selected carriers utilizing the Cellular Market Area (CMA) geographic boundaries. The EA Market Report displays the spectrum holdings for 8 selected carriers utilizing the Economica Area (EA) geographic boundaries. For both of these reports, AllNet's county-level data is population weighted averaged to either the CMA or EA markets.

Spectrum Grid (AWS3 Portion)
CMA Market Report 
EA Market Report 

600MHz Auction - Channel Sharing Agreement Tue, Sep 23, 2014

Here is the first channel sharing agreement where spectrum will be sold back to the FCC as part of the 600MHz Broadcast Incentive Auction.

Los Angeles KCET/KLCS

It is interesting to note that neither of the stations involved is operating a for profit business.  KCET indicates that 2 million Southern Californians watch weekly.  Their broadcast footprint covers over 17 million people in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Kern, and San Diego counties.  KLCS is a non-commercial educational channel directly supporting the 700,000 students within the Los Angeles Unified School District.  Both broadcasters are on the major cable, Dish, and DirecTV line ups.

For over the air broadcasts, one of these broadcasters will need to become the secondary video channel.  Since KLCS has a closed subscriber base, LA Schools, I think they are the ideal candidate for the secondary video channel.

With the transition to Digital TV in 2009, broadcasters utilized the new digital technology to place multiple video streams within the reallocated 6MHz channel.  With an aerial antenna, your TV would see the primary video broadcast as 5.001 with the secondary broadcast as 5.002. Few secondary broadcast channels make it onto the cable TV, Dish, or DirecTV line ups.

Link to Filing


T-Mobile 700MHz A Block Research Report Mon, Aug 18, 2014

AllNet Labs is now producing research reports on topics that have a broad interest with customers through out wireless industry.  These reports will typical contain maps to provide a geographical view on an issues as well as tabular analysis data.  Our first report focuses on the 700MHz A Block spectrum owners.  Later this week we will release a report on the Band 17 and 29 spectrum (700MHz B,C,D, and E Blocks) which AT&T has in their deployment plans.

T-Mobile 700MHz A Block - Research Report

This research report evaluates T-Mobile's ownership of the 700MHz A-Block.  T-Mobile is the primary owner of the licenses for this band for a majority of the US population.  This report provides a map detailing the geographies where T-Mobile is licensed as well as the geographies licensed to other carriers.  This report also details the spectrum depth (MHz) and MHz-POPS (relative spectrum valuation) for each of the 700MHz A-Block licensees.  Last, the Top 50 markets are evaluated to determine which licensee controls each of these critical markets.

The report includes:
Licensee Geographic Map

Licensee Holdings Summary Table


Top 50 Markets by Licensee



Will Rural America get a 3rd National Wireless Provider? Wed, Jul 16, 2014

The news yesterday that T-Mobile and Sprint are forming a Joint Venture to buy 600MHz Broadcast Incentive Auction spectrum shows a shift in the way that both Sprint and T-Mobile look at the places that aren't  in non-Top 100 markets, along Interstates, or along US Highway routes.  

Will the T-Mobile/Sprint JV use this low band spectrum to fill out the areas that they rely on partners (primarly AT&T and Sprint) to provide their coverage? 

Virtually all of T-Mobile's recently acquired 700MHz A band spectrum is in large cities (see my post from 11/2013) and Sprint has been reluctant to add towers in rural areas to utilized the 7MHz of low band SMR spectrum that they are using elsewhere for their Spark service.

Sprint's Current Coverage

T-Mobile Coverage (Light Pink indicates Partner Coverage)


T-Mobile has signaled with the FCC that they are concerned about reasonable roaming rates and Sprint is clearly in the same position with Verizon, needing Verizon's coverage to offer true nationwide coverage.  On the other side of the coin, T-Mobile indicates that they already cover 96% of the US population, leaving about 12.5 million POPs to be covered with this new low band spectrum.

For both T-Mobile and Sprint a build out in these uncovered areas would reduce their risk of of significant rate increases or roaming service elimination with Verizon and AT&T, but these towers would be much less efficient than towers elsewhere in their collective networks.  Obviously they would share the deployment costs and operating cost, but with these towers would have serve a low number of POPS (population)/Tower which is a standard industry metric on capital efficiency for deployed towers.

How would this affect Sprint's recent regional partners?
Sprint Regional Partners
Building out this spectrum would put Sprint in direct competition with these recent formed partners.  These regional partners may also participate in the auction acquiring more spectrum.  Each of these partners only needs low band spectrum for wide area coverage, and there are ample amounts of mid-band (PCS/AWS) spectrum in these areas for these regional partners to uses as capacity grows.



Sprint and T-Mobile, A Deeper Look Tue, Jun 17, 2014

The first place to start on the rumored Sprint / T-Mobile merger/acquisition is to look at the merged entity's total spectrum holdings. AllNet Lab's Spectrum Analysis Tool with June 2014 FCC data was used for this analysis.  The Spectrum Analysis Tool is available at www.allnetlabs.com along with National Carrier Spectrum Holding and LTE Channel reports.  In the map below, you can see the counties where the the spectrum held will exceed the spectrum screen (Orange) or will greatly exceed the spectrum screen (Red).  In addition, you can see that in some counties the merged entity will have up to 374MHz of spectrum.
To see how this spectrum depth relates to the population that the licenses cover, we created a histogram evaluating the population covered by different spectrum depths.  The red line below indicates the sum of population in areas with similar spectrum depth.  For example, there are 10 million people in areas where Sprint/T-Mobile has 200MHz of spectrum and 79 million people in areas where Sprint/T-Mobile have 280MHz of spectrum.

The green line indicates the sum of the population as you increase the range from left to right.  For example, there are 1 million people in areas where Sprint/T-Mobile have 20MHz or less spectrum.  Considering a 195MHz spectrum screen, you can see that only 47 million people live in areas where Sprint/T-Mobile will be below the spectrum screen, thus Sprint/T-Mobile exceeds the spectrum screen over 85% of the US population.


Our last analysis summarizes the MHz-POPs for Sprint/T-Mobile by spectrum band.  WCS spectrum is listed but it is being transferred to AT&T.  Sprint's EBS/BRS spectrum still accounts for 55% of the combined entities MHz-POPs although the combined AWS and PCS spectrum represents 36%.  Using the MHz-POPs values, we can develop a National Average of Sprint/T-Mobile's spectrum holdings.  Looking again at the AWS and PCS spectrum holdings, Sprint/T-Mobile would average 38MHz of AWS spectrum and 65MHz of PCS spectrum across the country.


AllNet Lab's Spectrum Analysis Tool is an Excel based product which allows users to visualize and analyze the current spectrum ownership for all of the mobile carrier and satellite frequency bands at a county level for all 50 states and US territories.  The Spectrum Analysis Tool includes 15 color-coded spectrum holders and over 600 additional identified carriers.

National Carrier LTE Channels - Top 100 CMA Markets Mon, Mar 03, 2014

AllNet Labs is now offering a monthly spectrum report summarizing the LTE Channels for the National Carriers (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile).  To develop this report, AllNet Labs takes the spectrum outputs at a county level from its Spectrum Analysis Tool and applies a county population weighting before averaging all of the counties within a Cellular Market Area (CMA).  Data is available for all 733 CMA markets, but the standard report is formatted for the 100 most populated CMA markets.  This report is delivered as an Excel spreadsheet, with both summary and detailed views.  In the summary view (Figure 1), only the size and quantity of LTE channels for each carrier are displayed. This report evaluates each carrier’s complete spectrum holdings to determine the size and quantity of available LTE channels.  The report also assumes that the largest channel would be utilized rather than multiple smaller channels (e.g. a 20MHz channel is assumed rather than 2 – 10MHz channels).
Figure 1
By selecting the [+] in the upper margin to the right of AT&T’s 10x10 column we can reveal t AT&T’s LTE channel distribution by band.  This expanded view is seen below as Figure 2. 

Figure 2
AllNet Labs has added a proposed transaction data set to the Spectrum Analysis Tool.  With this data set, we are able to simplify hundreds of license transfers at the FCC into the net effect for wireless operators.  All of the transactions are captured from the FCC Daily Digest and each license is updated at the callsign, county, and frequency levels.  Using this proposed transaction data; a matrix of each carrier’s future LTE Channels is created (Figure 3). 

Figure 3
By selecting the [+] signs in the upper margin, a carrier’s spectrum holdings by band can be detailed.   (Figure 4).

Figure 4
The last matrix in this report summarizes the differences between the proposed LTE Channels and the current LTE Channels.  This highlights areas that are affected by proposed transactions.  The example shown uses data from the December 2013 Spectrum Analysis Tool.    The proposed transactions for December 2013 were transactions announced prior to 12/1 which included AT&T’s purchase of Leap as well as many other minor transactions.  The effect of that transaction as well as other more minor transactions is easily seen in Figure 5, with AT&T increasing their LTE channel size from 5x5 to 10x10 in Chicago.

Figure 5
To see the changes at the spectrum band level of detail, select the [+] in the upper margin as described before.  As seen in Figure 6, AT&T’s increase in 10x10 channels in Chicago was the result of an increase in the PCS spectrum band.

Figure 6
AllNet Lab's Spectrum Analysis Tool is an Excel based product which allows users to visualize and analyze the current spectrum ownership for all of the mobile carrier and satellite frequency bands at a county level for all 50 states and US territories.  The Spectrum Analysis Tool includes 15 color-coded spectrum holders and over 600 additional identified carriers.  More information can be found at www.allnetlabs.com.


National Carrier Spectrum Holdings - Top 100 CMA Markets Sat, Feb 22, 2014

AllNet Labs is now offering a monthly spectrum report summarizing the spectrum holdings for the National Carriers (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile).  To develop this report, AllNet Labs takes the spectrum outputs at a county level from its Spectrum Analysis Tooland applies a county population weighting before averaging all of the counties within a Cellular Market Area (CMA).  Data is available for all 733 CMA markets, but the standard report is formatted for the 100 most populated CMA markets.  This report is delivered as an Excel spreadsheet, with both summary and detailed views.  In the summary view (Figure 1), only the total spectrum holdings for each carrier are displayed.
Figure 1
By selecting the [+] in the upper margin to the right of AT&T spectrum holdings we can reveal  AT&T’s spectrum distribution by band.  This expanded view is seen below as Figure 2.
Figure 2
AllNet Labs has added a proposed transaction data set to the Spectrum Analysis Tool.  With this data set, we are able to simplify hundreds of license transfers at the FCC into the net effect for wireless operators.  All of the transactions are captured from the FCC Daily Digest and each license is updated at the callsign, county, and frequency levels.  Using this proposed transaction data, a matrix of the national carrier’s proposed spectrum holdings is created (Figure 3).  
Figure 3
 By selecting the [+] signs in the upper margin, a carrier’s spectrum holdings by band can be detailed.   (Figure 4).
Figure 4
The last matrix in this report summarizes the differences between the proposed spectrum holdings and the current spectrum holdings.  This highlights areas that are affected by proposed transactions.  The example shown uses data from the December 2013 Spectrum Analysis Tool.    The proposed transactions for December 2013 were transactions announced prior to 12/1 which included AT&T’s purchase of Leap as well as many other minor transactions.  The effect of that transaction as well as other more minor transactions is easily seen in Figure 5, with AT&T increasing their spectrum holdings in 6 of the 15 CMA markets listed.
Figure 5
 To see the changes at the spectrum band level of detail, select the [+] in the upper margin as described before.  As seen in Figure 6, AT&T’s increase in spectrum was the result of increases in AWS and PCS spectrum, which matches the known spectrum that Leap will bring to AT&T.
Figure 6
 AllNet Lab's Spectrum Analysis Tool is an Excel based product which allows users to visualize and analyze the current spectrum ownership for all of the mobile carrier and satellite frequency bands at a county level for all 50 states and US territories.  The Spectrum Analysis Tool includes 15 color-coded spectrum holders and over 600 additional identified carriers.  More information can be found at www.allnetlabs.com.


700 MHz A Block Owners (Map) and Top 20/50 Analysis Mon, Nov 25, 2013

With the recent industry press indicating that T-Mobile was positioning its self to purchase Verizon's 700 MHz A Block, I decided to dive into the Spectrum Analysis Tool to see what kind of geographic area Verizon's licenses would provide T-Mobile with low band spectrum.  
Clearly it would not be a spectrum purchase to provide coverage in rural areas since it doesn't address the rural areas in the western United States with the exception of western Colorado.  Looking at it on a Cellular Market (CMA) basis, this spectrum would provide T-Mobile with low band spectrum in all 15 of the Top 20 markets but only 25 of the Top 50 markets.  This includes both the Verizon spectrum and T-Mobile's 700MHz spectrum acquired from MetroPCS.

To acquire the remaining 700 MHz A block spectrum in the Top 20 markets, T-Mobile will need to be talking to:

Leap - Chicago
US Cellular - St. Louis
McBride Spectrum - Pittsburg
Cox - San Diego
Vulcan - Seattle


LTE Band Class Updates Tue, Nov 19, 2013

As I was completing my research for an upcoming blog on LTE Carrier Aggregation, I found that my previous LTE Band Class reference sheet was missing some of the more recent Band Class updates, so I decided to share my new reference document with a few comments.

FDD Band Classes:



The first notable band class addition in Band 30.  This band class creates a definition for FDD operation in the WCS (2.3GHz) band which was previously defined only for TDD operation.
From the Spectrum Grid view of the Spectrum Ownership and Analysis Tool, you can see that Band 30 does not include the 5MHz channels that AT&T purchased to essentially become guard bands for the Satellite Audio guys.  This will provide AT&T with a 10x10 LTE channel on a market by market basis, as they resolve the remaining ownership issues in the WCS band.

The next two band classes are not new, but I previously skipped over these band classes because I didn't fully understand their frequency breaks.

Band 26
Previously I thought this was a specific band for Sprint  IDEN operation that is adjacent to the cellular band.  This is the band where Sprint is placing their 2nd LTE channel (5 MHz) and a CDMA channel (1.23 MHz). Looking at the frequencies in detail, the band class covers the IDEN spectrum and the adjacent cellular spectrum.

This is similar to Sprint's Band 25 which includes all of the PCS band plus their G block spectrum (but not the H block).


So you would think that all of the North American carriers could standardize to Band 25 for PCS operation and Band 26 for Cellular. Using the latest iPhone 5s LTE band support,
you can see the Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T iPhone's support Band 2 and 25 for PCS, but only the cellular band (Band 5).  Sprint iPhone 5s includes,
both Band 2 and 25 for PCS and Band 5 and 26 for cellular.

Band 10:
This is referenced as the AWS extended band and you can note from above that it is not currently applied to smartphones like the iPhone 5s.  This band class seems to be a preparation for the future use of the AWS-2 and AWS-3 spectrum and the government shared use band that are both adjacent to the existing AWS spectrum band.  Here is how the downlink looks in the Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool:
Note that Band 10 does not cover the entire band contemplated for AWS-3, nor does it include Dish's Band 23.  For the uplink:

This again depicts that Band 10 is not currently set to include the entire shared government opportunity.

TDD Band Classes:
Here is the reference sheet the TDD band classes.

On this reference sheet I hadn't looked closely at band classes 35, 36, and 37.  I had always focused on the 2.3GHz and 2.5GHz as the only bands that were designated for TDD support in North America.  These three band classes create 140MHz block of spectrum that could be for TDD deployment.  Here is how these bands appear in the Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool:
I'm not sure what the history is on these band classes, but they would support TDD operation in both the PCS uplink and downlink bands as well as in the 20 MHz between the bands.  Since the PCS frequencies are highly deployed, I would consider it very unlikely to see TDD systems in this band in the near future, and I doubt that the PCS band is authorized for TDD operation.  It will be interesting to see whether any of the wireless carriers begin to look this direction.  With Sprint stepping out of the H block auction, they seem to be signalling that TDD operation is more important to them and the Band 37 block (including Sprint's G block) could be the reason why Dish is pushing forward in the H block auction.  Please comment if you are aware why the 3GPP has included these 3 TDD band classes.

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