T-Mobile US inked a nine-year contract with the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide an estimated 50,000 mobile lines to healthcare professionals and 5G-based fixed wireless access (FWA) to community-based outpatient clinics, to meet a growing demand for telehealth services.

In an announcement, T-Mobile noted the contract covers services for healthcare providers and support staff across all VA hospitals, along with government and business organisations which work with the department.

The deal extends an agreement struck in 2018 covering provision of 70,000 mobile lines.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

T-Mobile added 33 per cent of people relying on the VA for medical care employed teleheath facilities, with some treatements employing connected medical devices including remote monitoring equipment, among others.

The VA’s community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) provide care in rural areas where access is more difficult.

A T-Mobile representative told Mobile World Live it started deploying FWA to the CBOCs in 2022.