now happening at c spire

C Spire Expanding Coverage With Latest Boost in Wireless 4G LTE+ Network Performance

2016-01-04

More low-band spectrum availability will help deliver better mobile experience for customers across footprint

Ridgeland, Miss. - (January 5, 2016) – C Spire, whose wireless unit is one of the nation’s leading mobile service providers, announced today that it has begun deploying more low-band spectrum throughout much of its 4G LTE+ network to help boost speeds and provide better overall coverage for consumers.

The telecom and technology services company, which operates the nation’s largest privately held wireless communications unit, is adding 700 MHz and 850 MHz low-band spectrum to more than 500 existing cell sites over the next nine months, which will help improve coverage over longer distances and inside offices, commercial buildings and homes.

Much of the company’s service area includes large swaths of undeveloped rural areas with lower population density – so the use of low-band spectrum will help C Spire deliver on its speed and coverage promise, said Chief Technology Officer Stephen Bye. A typical cell site that uses low-band spectrum can cover a much broader geographic area than multiple sites using mid-band spectrum, he said.

Customers will see coverage improvements throughout the company’s Mississippi footprint, but especially in rural areas and along major traffic corridors in central, northern and southwestern parts of the state, the Delta and the Gulf Coast.

The latest initiative comes on the heels of company efforts over the last year to double the wireless spectrum on 604 of its 681 4G LTE+ cell sites in Mississippi, boost power on 397 cell sites and expand 4G+ LTE coverage to 115 new cell sites along with a myriad of other improvements to routers, switches, processors and cell site equipment to enhance overall network performance. Those changes improved average mobile broadband speeds for consumers by 71 percent.

“We offer the only national 4G LTE+ network inspired by the customers we serve,” Bye said. “And just like our deep, local roots, our network is getting bigger, faster and stronger every day. At C Spire, we’re never content with a good network. Our customers deserve a great network and we’re never going to rest on our laurels.”

Bye said new research by the Pew Center shows that a growing number of consumers rely solely on mobile broadband service via smartphones to access the Internet. The same research found that more than half of smartphone owners in the U.S. have used their devices in the last year to get health information, conduct online banking, research places to live and government services, take online education courses and even apply for a job.

“Mobile connections are an essential part of our communications infrastructure and are only going to grow in importance as devices get more sophisticated and help consumers better manage and direct every aspect of their personal and professional lives,” he said. “The greatest invention of the 20th century deserves the very best network we can provide to reach its full potential.”

Bye said C Spire is committed to continuous improvement as it offers new products and expands into new lines of telecommunications and technology services, including fixed super high-speed broadband Internet for consumers and enterprise-grade data, dedicated Internet access and cloud services for businesses.

About C Spire
C Spire is a diversified telecommunications and technology services company that provides world-class customer service and a superior comprehensive suite of customer-inspired wireless communications, high-speed Internet access and a range of other telecommunications products and services to consumers and businesses with a personal focus. This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cspire or Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspire.