TmoNews has reported that T-Mobile has turned on more band 12 LTE locations. The significance of band 12 is that its frequency which is 700 MHz, is able to travel longer distances and penetrate buildings better. This allows T-Mobile to have more coverage in more places, and helps to alleviate the headache that many of us T-Mobile subscribers get while inside certain buildings with no signal.
To take advantage of band 12, a subscriber must own a phone which supports band 12. Most phones released in the past year offer support for the band. Of course, subscribers must also live or be visiting a location that supports band 12 in order to take advantage of its benefits as well. You can check T-Mobile's coverage map to see if you have band 12 in your area. T-Mobile refers to band 12 as "Extended Range LTE" in its coverage map.
The newest locations said to have received band 12 now include:
- San Francisco, CA, in the Mission District
- Alameda, CA
- Rehoboth Beach, DE
- Milton, DE
- Greenwood, DE
- Queen Anne, MD
- Tysons, VA
- Central Wisconsin, between the towns of Thorp and Owen
- Rockford, IL
As for me, I still don't have band 12 in my location, and I also don't yet have a compatible phone to attest to its benefits.
Have any of you noticed improvement in your service once band 12 was turned in at your location?