# How is T-Mobile doing it?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 18, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190 "2015-01-18T18:19:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Cardboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/1 "2015-01-18T18:19:23Z")
T-Mobile is _only_ the fourth-largest carrier in the United States, yet they’re expanding their 4G coverage like madmen, with some reports saying 300 million Americans will have it by the middle of this year.
How are they doing it? How much is it costing them?
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### Author:  [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/2 "2015-01-18T18:26:50Z")
When I looked into providers, I was looking between virgin mobile and t-mobile. The problem with t-mobile is they have good coverage in densely populated areas, but once you leave those areas coverage drops to 1g or 2g. So I chose virgin which gave better coverage in the boonies.
I’m not sure if TMobile is expanding outside the large metro areas or not with this plan.
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### Author:  [@Cardboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/3 "2015-01-18T18:34:28Z")
I certainly hope they’re moving to rural areas. I have T-Mobile and live in a rural area, but have stuck with it knowing they’ll be covering my area eventually. I hope.
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### Author:  [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/4 "2015-01-18T19:17:38Z")
Interestingly T-Mobile is owned by Deutsche Telekom AG, based in Bonn, Germany and Virgin by Liberty Global, based in London.
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### Author:  [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2015, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/5 "2015-01-18T19:23:15Z")
Supposedly, every place that currently has the Edge network is getting upgraded to LTE.
I’m hoping, too.
ETA: The Edge to LTE conversion is supposed to be complete by March 2015.
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### Author:  [@zwede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwede)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2015, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/6 "2015-01-19T01:09:42Z")
T-Mobile got $4B from AT&T a couple years ago. That’s paying for at least part of the LTE build up.
> **[AT&T admits defeat on T-Mobile takeover, will pay $4 billion breakup fee](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2011/12/att-admits-defeat-on-t-mobile-takeover-will-pay-4-billion-breakup-fee/)**
>
> Opposition from the federal government has killed AT&T's bid to take over T- …
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### Author:  [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/7 "2015-01-19T01:16:22Z")
USA virgin mobile is owned by Sprint.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2015, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/8 "2015-01-19T01:24:09Z")
T-Mobile may be using ATT’s network in parts of the country, given that both use GSM technology. I think many of the smaller mobile operators buy bandwidth from the big companies.
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### Author:  [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/9 "2015-01-19T01:43:31Z")
What? Sucking _so_ badly? I’ve asked myself that question more than once.
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### Author:  [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2015, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/10 "2015-01-19T01:48:16Z")
Their CEO, John Legere, is considered a bit odd and a braggart.
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2015, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/11 "2015-01-19T02:57:03Z")
The real expense is in putting up the towers in the first place. Once those are in place, the equipment upgrades are – well, let’s not use the term “cheap” but considerably less expensive.
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2015, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/12 "2015-01-19T03:40:29Z")
if you’re looking for the best coverage, unfortunately Big Red (Verizon) is the way to go. I switched from them to Sprint and have been kicking myself in the ass ever since.
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### Author:  [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2015, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/13 "2015-01-19T12:11:25Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> T-Mobile may be using ATT’s network in parts of the country, given that both use GSM technology. I think many of the smaller mobile operators buy bandwidth from the big companies.
This true. When I visit my sister, who lives in an adjacent state, I’m on the ATT network. Kinda sucks, because the ATT service is for calls only, no data. I have to buy “roaming data” from T-Mobile if I want more than the pittance of roaming data I’m allotted.
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### Author:  [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/14 "2015-01-20T20:38:56Z")
T-Mobile’s parent company says T-Mobile is unsustainable:
[http://www.smnweekly.com/t-mobile-usa-will-go-down-the-tubes-without-a-buyout-deutsche-telekom-says/11033/](http://www.smnweekly.com/t-mobile-usa-will-go-down-the-tubes-without-a-buyout-deutsche-telekom-says/11033/)
> **[Why T-Mobile's maverick approach isn't sustainable](https://www.cultofmac.com/309387/t-mobile-business-isnt-sustainable-says-parent-company-ceo/)**
>
> From its outspoken CEO with his unabashed Apple love, to the company’s insistence on trying unorthodox strategies to hook customers, there’s plenty to
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/15 "2015-01-20T20:43:58Z")
> [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](#):
>
> [http://www.smnweekly.com/t-mobile-usa-will-go-down-the-tubes-without-a-buyout-deutsche-telekom-says/11033/](http://www.smnweekly.com/t-mobile-usa-will-go-down-the-tubes-without-a-buyout-deutsche-telekom-says/11033/)
What is SNM Weekly? I’ve never heard of the publication.
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2015, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/16 "2015-01-20T21:27:46Z")
Some kind of bizarre business news startup. None of its writers have been there more than eight months.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/17 "2015-01-20T21:32:30Z")
I’d like to see confirmation of the story about T-Mobile from some more reliable news source.
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2015, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-t-mobile-doing-it/710190/18 "2015-01-20T21:41:26Z")
[Here’s](http://recode.net/2015/01/19/deutsche-telekom-ceo-holds-out-hope-for-a-t-mobile-u-s-deal-exclusive/) the actual interview piece. He’s not saying _T-Mobile_ is unsustainable. He’s saying its current spending is.
> [@](#):
>
> Longer term, Hoettges admitted that T-Mobile’s current approach is not sustainable, especially given the need to invest between $4 billion and $5 billion each year just to keep up.
>
> “The question is always the economics in the long term … and earning appropriate money,” Hoettges said. “You have to earn your money back at one point in time.”