T-Mobile US has filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for Special Temporary Authority (STA) to stage trials using the 39GHz spectrum it successfully bid for in Auction 103 earlier this year. According to paperwork unearthed by Fierce Wireless, T-Mobile wants the trials to run from 7 June to 7 December this year. Ericsson and Nokia will provide the infrastructure for the tests.
T-Mobile seeks to use 38.6GHz-39.4GHz spectrum in Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas, as well as in Irvine in California. In San Diego, meanwhile, the cellco aims to use 39.8GHz-40GHz frequencies. As previously reported by TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate, T-Mobile US (bidding as ‘T-Mobile License’) committed to pay USD931.609 million for 2,384 spectrum permits in the auction, which ended in March. The sale process comprised 5G-suitable spectrum in the upper 37GHz, 39GHz and 47GHz bands.
In other news, T-Mobile has also requested permission to extend the timeframe within which it is allowed to utilise 600MHz spectrum belonging to DISH Network beyond the existing 30 June agreement. The three-month arrangement was agreed in March this year, as part of the FCC’s ‘Keep Americans Connected’ pledge. In justifying the extension request, T-Mobile argued: ‘No other party, including DISH, will be disadvantaged by extension of the STA. As T-Mobile explained in its initial STA request, DISH is neither using the licensed spectrum nor planning to use it in the markets that are the subject of this extension request.’