The Anatomy of a Spectrum Deal: AT&T and T-Mobile July 12, 2016 08:30

With this blog post, I want to uncover the details behind a specific set of spectrum transactions that AT&T and T-Mobile filed in October 2015.  These transactions were finalized on April 2, 2016.  The purpose of these spectrum transactions was to allow each carrier to increase the size of their LTE channels either in the PCS frequency band or the AWS frequency band.  This is typically accomplished by either swapping the operating frequency blocks within a market or by acquiring additional spectrum in a market by providing needed spectrum to the other carrier in a different market.  

This analysis is extracted from Allnet Insights Web Tool's Transaction Summary which is used to update the current spectrum operator and future spectrum operator in Allnet's Spectrum Database and Spectrum Ownership Analysis Tool.

First we will look at the spectrum transaction where T-Mobile is assigning spectrum to AT&T.

Complete Call Signs:

This is a list of the call signs including frequency blocks, and channel blocks that T-Mobile is assigning completely to AT&T.  It should be noted that although a market is indicated, you cannot assume that the call sign included all of the counties in that market area.  

Spectrum Dis-aggregated from Complete Call Signs by Frequency:

This list represents call signs where T-Mobile is only assigning a portion of the call sign's spectrum to AT&T.  In this case, T-Mobile is assigning only the upper 5 MHz of the AWS A channel block to AT&T. They will retain ownership of the lower 5 MHz.

Spectrum Dis-aggregated by County:

This list represents call signs where T-Mobile is only assigning a portion of the call sign's spectrum to AT&T.  In this case, T-Mobile is assigning only the listed counties from the call sign to AT&T.

Spectrum Dis-aggregated by County and by Frequency:

This list represents call signs where T-Mobile is only assigning a portion of the call sign's spectrum to AT&T.  In this case, T-Mobile is assigning only a portion of the spectrum in the identified counties to AT&T.

Now, we will look at the spectrum transaction where AT&T is assigning spectrum to T-Mobile:

Complete Call Signs:

This is a list of the call signs including frequency blocks, and channel blocks that AT&T is assigning completely to T-Mobile.  It should be noted that although a market is indicated, you cannot assume that the call sign included all of the counties in that market area.  

Spectrum Dis-aggregated by County:

This list represents call signs where AT&T is only assigning a portion of the call sign's spectrum to T-Mobile.  In this case, AT&T is assigning only the listed counties from the call sign to T-Mobile.

Spectrum Dis-aggregated by County and by Frequency:

 This list represents call signs where AT&T is only assigning a portion of the call sign's spectrum to T-Mobile.  In this case, AT&T is assigning only a portion of the spectrum in the identified counties to T-Mobile.