MetroPCS expands LTE service to Dallas/Fort Worth

MetroPCS Communications Inc. continued its LTE roll out plans with the launch of services in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area. The launch follows up the carriers launch last week in Las Vegas of the first commercial LTE network in the United States.
MetroPCS said the network would cover the “majority” of the carrier’s existing CDMA network footprint in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and would use equipment from Ericsson Inc. The Las Vegas market is using network equipment from Samsung Telecommunications America.
Similar to the Las Vegas launch, MetroPCS is offering a single LTE-equipped device at launch in Dallas/Fort Worth with the Samsung Craft. The device includes a 3.3-inch active-matrix organic light-emitting diode touch screen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 3.2-megapixel camera and an embedded Wi-Fi radio. The device will retail for $300 after all rebates.
The LTE-enhanced service, like MetroPCS’ current stable of offerings, will not require a contract. Customers can select rate plans at a $55 or $60 per month price point, the main difference being the higher-priced plan includes access to the carrier’s MetroStudio content offering. Both plans include unlimited voice calling and text messaging using the carrier’s 1x network and access to the LTE network for data services.
The MetroStudio offering, which is powered by RealNetworks, provides access to multimedia content, downloadable ringtones and ringback tones, full-track downloads, and video content from NBC Universal, Black Entertainment Television and Univision.
MetroPCS also said it will provide a social networking and instant messaging aggregator application as well as an updated navigation service that will include voice-activated GPS and turn-by-turn directions.
MetroPCS said it plans to launch LTE services in additional markets later this year and into 2011.
Verizon Wireless has said it plans to offer LTE services in up to 30 markets covering 100 million potential customers by the end of the year. The carrier has been trialing services in Boston and Seattle since last year.