• The $23 billion deal added about 20 MHz of nationwide 600 MHz spectrum and 30 MHz of 3.45 GHz spectrum
  • AT&T had already activated the 3.45 GHz block at nearly 23,000 sites before the acquisition closed

The fact

AT&T has selected Ericsson to supply dual-band radios for the 600 MHz spectrum it acquired from EchoStar. The work is the next deployment step for the low-band part of AT&T’s $23 billion spectrum purchase, which closed on 28 July. The deal added about 20 MHz of nationwide 600 MHz spectrum and 30 MHz of 3.45 GHz spectrum across virtually every US market.

Ericsson said the radios will allow AT&T to introduce 8RX technology across its low bands for the first time. AT&T has not said when the 600 MHz deployment will begin or when the spectrum will become commercially available. Before the acquisition closed, the operator had already activated EchoStar’s 3.45 GHz spectrum under a short-term lease at nearly 23,000 cell sites in more than 5,300 cities across 48 states.

The assessment

AT&T’s 3.45 GHz spectrum was already in use under a temporary lease before the EchoStar acquisition closed. The 600 MHz block is at a different stage: AT&T first needs to deploy compatible radios before it can use those frequencies across the network. That makes the next step a site rollout rather than another spectrum transaction.

Ericsson has been selected as the radio supplier, but AT&T has not said how many sites will be upgraded or when activation will begin. Those details will determine how quickly the 600 MHz spectrum moves into network use. For BTW readers, the practical difference is timing. The acquired mid-band spectrum is already operating on AT&T’s network, while the 600 MHz spectrum still depends on equipment deployment and activation at network sites.

What to watch

Watch for AT&T to disclose when the 600 MHz rollout will begin, how many sites will receive the new Ericsson radios and when the band becomes commercially available. Site counts and activation dates will establish the pace of deployment. Once the radios are in service, performance data could provide the first indication of how the new configuration affects network coverage and uplink performance.