T-Mobile and NBC-owned station NBC 5 today announced an agreement to accelerate the repacking of the station’s 600 MHz spectrum in North Texas and surrounding areas. KXAS-TV, which serves the Dallas/Fort Worth DMA, will move to its new frequency in late May 2018, more than a year earlier than the FCC deadline of June 21, 2019.The agreement allows NBC 5 to transition to its new frequency and maximize its coverage area earlier than anticipated. This agreement also enables T-Mobile to enhance LTE coverage and capacity in the area more quickly, with wireless signals that travel twice as far and work four times better in buildings than mid-band spectrum.
“T-Mobile is proud to collaborate with broadcasters like NBC 5,” said Neville Ray, Chief Technology Officer at T-Mobile. “We’re keeping our foot on the gas to add 600 MHz to our LTE network as quickly as possible, giving customers even more capacity and coverage while laying the foundation for 5G.”
The agreement is part of T-Mobile’s broader commitment to work with broadcasters occupying 600 MHz spectrum to assist them in moving to new frequencies and to accelerate the process of freeing up the spectrum for new and expanded wireless services across the country. Last year, T-Mobile announced similar partnerships to assist other stations in their moves to new airwaves.
“We are pleased to work with T-Mobile and transition to our new frequency assignment one year ahead of schedule,” added Tom Ehlmann, President and General Manager, NBC 5. “We will be informing viewers about the transition on-air, on our website, and through social media in the coming months.”
The agreement accelerates the Un-carrier’s rollout of 600 MHz Extended Range LTE, which travels twice as far and works four times better in buildings than mid-band, to cities in North Texas including Paris, Sulphur Springs, Tyler, Waco and Wichita Falls, as well as surrounding areas including Ardmore and Durant, Oklahoma. And these cities are already covered with T-Mobile’s LTE-Advanced network. T-Mobile’s nationwide LTE network covers 322 million people – nearly everyone in the US.
For more information on T-Mobile’s network, visit T-Mobile.com/coverage. For more information on NBC 5 / KXAS-TV, visit NBCDFW.com.
