When it comes to expanding its 5G network, US Cellular announced it would be able to sooner than expected thanks in large part to receiving full access to the 5G C-Band spectrum that it was awarded in 2021. This enhanced 5G offering comes three months ahead of schedule after U.S. Cellular was able to upgrade over 440 cell sites in preparation for this spectrum access that will ultimately bring faster data speeds and more capacity.
This 5G network expansion will occur in the coming weeks after US Cellular already launched 5G midband network earlier this year that, when combined with a midband enabled device, can provide up to 10 times faster speeds than its 4G LTE network and low-band 5G.
By the end of the year, the company hopes to cover over one million households with its 5G midband network. To improve this rollout, they are looking to X2 coordination, which provides rapid coordination of radio resources, to extend existing 5G service to neighboring sites more easily.
“This early access to our C-Band spectrum allows us to accelerate our plans and bring a superior network experience to more mobile and Home Internet customers earlier than expected,” said Mike Irizarry, executive vice president and chief technology officer at US Cellular. “Additional spectrum access is important as we advance our mission to connect people to what matters most.”