LIVE FROM MWC19 LOS ANGELES: T-Mobile US announced a smartphone capable of supporting an upcoming 5G network launch in the 600MHz band, with the US operator set to exclusively offer OnePlus’ 7T Pro 5G McLaren device.

T-Mobile plans to provide 600MHz network coverage to 200 million people by the year-end and had been waiting on compatible devices in the spectrum band. Another 600MHz device will be announced before network launch.

Earlier this year the operator switched on limited 5G service in the 28GHz and 39GHz bands (also known as mmWave).

Speaking in a CTO session, T-Mobile EVP and CTO Neville Ray reiterated the operator’s plan to offer low-, mid- and high-band 5G services if its merger with Sprint is approved.

“The spectrum combination of T-Mobile and Sprint is what’s super exciting. We’ve launched mmWave services, we will launch nationwide 600MHz 5G by the end of year, but what glues that together is mid-band 5G and that comes from Sprint’s 2.5GHz. It’s the way for the US market to catapult itself into a broad and deep 5G experience. A country as large as the US needs assets coast to coast, in rural America and in high density areas.”

If the Sprint deal is approved, Ray expects the US to be the first and only country for the next few years to support all three levels of 5G spectrum bands.