T-Mobile Puerto Rico has completed the nationwide rollout of its 600MHz ‘Extended Range’ LTE network, local news site Metro reports. All 78 municipalities are now covered by the upgraded infrastructure, following its launch in Vieques – the island municipality situated 13km east of Puerto Rico. Jorge Martel, vice president and general manager of T-Mobile Puerto Rico, commented: ‘With 600MHz turned on throughout Puerto Rico, we continue to lay the foundations for 5G and contribute to the Island positioning itself as a leader in technology and as a centre of technological innovation. We are excited to be in Vieques today for this announcement that will help the economic and social growth of Isla Nena.’
According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, T-Mobile paid USD7.99 billion for a total of 1,525 regional 600MHz licences across the US and Puerto Rico in 2017. This spectrum haul included 50MHz of low-band frequencies covering the whole of Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rican component of the 600MHz rollout commenced in September 2018.