Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Verizon will add access to over 4,400 Array towers (formerly US Cellular) through a new multi-year colocation agreement.
- The deal reflects Verizon’s rent-instead-of-own strategy, following its exit from tower ownership last year, which has become the industry norm for all major US carriers.
- Network improvements are likely to be real but fairly incremental, with limited short-term impact for most users.
Earlier this year, T-Mobile formally acquired US Cellular’s customer base, retail footprint, and some of its spectrum in the process. That said, the company behind US Mobile continues as Array. Going forward, Array’s core business is to license its massive collection of former US Cellular towers to other companies, with T-Mobile signing a deal in May to use over 2,000 of them to boost its own coverage. Now it seems Verizon is making a deal of its own, committing to the use of over 4,400 new towers in the deal.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority?