US 5G market gets an infusion of mid-band spectrum

It has been 10 months since the launch of the first 5G network in the US, yet coverage remains largely limited to the centres of a few dozen major cities. To date, operators have mainly deployed networks using mmWave spectrum, which offers good data capacity but relatively poor signal propagation and in-building penetration. Sprint has the largest mid-band holdings in the US – something which could give New T-Mobile a major advantage if the merger is finalised. Regulators have now announced plans to free up further mid-band spectrum, but the process needs to be accelerated if 5G networks in the US are to reach their true potential.