Qualcomm to Sell 4G Spectrum to AT&T
PrintSince Qualcomm decided to scrap the ill-fated FLO TV service, they've been shopping around their 700MHz spectrum block. Now it's looking like AT&T is biting, and the price is handsome. According to GigOM, AT&T will pay $1.9 billion for 12MHz of the lower 700MHz band. That's blocks D and E for some larger markets. AT&T will then have 6MHz of Spectrum in the D block for the rest of the US.
This spectrum will be devoted to AT&T's upcoming LTE 4G data network. The carrier has already acquired some of the 700MHz block. In 2007 they paid $2.5 billion for a large chunk of 700MHz bands. This spectrum is highly desirable because the relatively low frequency is better for passing through walls and other obstacles than higher ones.
The FCC still needs to approve the deal, but the agency has been taking a harder line on spectrum sales as of late. It is not seen as advantageous to have all the best spectrum bought up by only a few players. We'll be keeping an eye on this one.
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devin3627
December 20, 2010 at 6:43pm
I have sprint and my text messages take 14 seconds to get to their provider it could be any. It takes 14 seconds for me to get a message. I run at 3g and sprint towers are not in my area, they are rented from another provider. i was wondering if anyone had 4g sprint and how long a text message sent to them self takes.
devin3627
December 20, 2010 at 6:43pm
I have sprint and my text messages take 14 seconds to get to their provider it could be any. It takes 14 seconds for me to get a message. I run at 3g and sprint towers are not in my area, they are rented from another provider. i was wondering if anyone had 4g sprint and how long a text message sent to them self takes.
themohawkadmin
December 21, 2010 at 10:09am
I don't have 4G sprint, but that doesn't matter for text messages as they are not routed over your data connection. I do have a phone that runs on Sprint's 3G network and I have to say that it can vary wildly. Some days it moves along fairly quickly (just a second or two), and some days it takes as much as 30 seconds to a minute. But all this could have to do with my phone, or the recieving party's phone/carrier.
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