@ LTE N.A. 2010: MetroPCS' LTE play a cost, efficiency move

DALLAS – Regional operator MetroPCS Communications Inc. (PCS) surprised many recently when it became the first domestic carrier, and one of the first in the world, to launch a commercial LTE network. The carrier, which has made its name on operating efficiencies and flat-rate pricing plans, noted at today’s LTE North America 2010 event that LTE was almost tailor made to meet the carrier’s financial needs.
MetroPCS’ CTO Malcolm Lorang used his keynote address to tout the operational efficiencies baked into the LTE standard and repeatedly thanked those in attendance that had a hand in providing for those efficiencies. Lorang explained that without those efficiencies MetroPCS would not have been able to take advantage of the technology and would still be stuck without a true next-generation evolution plan to meet its spectrum and cost requirements.
As part of the efficiencies, Lorang noted that MetroPCS was able to reuse many of its current cell sites and other facilities when rolling out LTE. The carrier was also somewhat future-proofed when it decided to go with an all-IP backhaul solution several years ago that Lorang said was originally done as a way to cut out costs in the long term.
MetroPCS has so far launched LTE services in Las Vegas, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, and has relied heavily on the standard’s ability to deliver service using channels as small as 1.4 megahertz.