T-Mobile is amping up its 5G blitz with a series of investments targeted at smaller companies and developers, including a new 24,000 square-foot “5G Hub” near its headquarters in Bellevue, Wash.
T-Mobile has spent millions touting its 5G capabilities to consumers, including a Super Bowl ad last month that took aim at competitors. Now it wants to attract company-builders.
On Wednesday the wireless carrier unveiled DevEdge, a developer platform that helps startups plug into T-Mobile’s 5G network.
“We feel the network is ready to bring on developers to start really driving a new wave of innovation and capability,” said Neville Ray, T-Mobile’s president of technology.
The 5G Hub, meanwhile, lets developers test 5G tech and work with T-Mobile engineers. The center is based in Bellevue’s new Spring District, home to large offices for Facebook parent Meta and the University of Washington’s Global Innovation Exchange.
T-Mobile also announced new investments out of its T-Mobile Ventures fund in SignalWire, a startup developing APIs for communication apps, and SpectroCloud, a Kubernetes enterprise management platform.
Despite billions spent on 5G-related marketing and infrastructure by T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T over the past few years, there are no must-have applications that require the high-speed connectivity — not yet, at least.
But T-Mobile executives remain bullish, particularly as nearly 50% of its entire network traffic is now on 5G.
“Sometimes the most disruptive things sneak up on you before you even realize it,” said John Saw, T-Mobile’s executive vice president of advanced and emerging technologies.
Saw pointed to how 4G and LTE helped enable businesses such as Uber and Snapchat.
“Neville and I have been involved in every “G” in wireless and 5G is the first developed from the ground up, to help enterprises and to transform businesses with low latency and high bandwidth,” Saw said.
T-Mobile is also using its 5G network to sell high-speed home internet service and enable the first 5G-connected cars.
The company is also partnering with Microsoft, Intel, and others on the 5G Open Innovation Lab, a Seattle-area startup program, and is providing the University of Washington’s CoMotion Labs with 5G access.
