T-Mobile touts its network size, strength headed into 2017

Going extra magenta in the new year.

T-Mobile is ending the year the way it started it: pumping up its own network and not-to-subtly throwing shade on the others. Under all the bluster, there are a few things to take away.

For all the 5G hype going on — from mobile networks and manufacturers alike — we're still a long way off from any kind of significant 5G roll-out. T-Mobile accepts this, but is committing itself to being ready for 5G so that it can roll it out faster and better than the competition.

Well, gigabit LTE sounds great.

As far as current network technology goes, T-Mobile is still the only network with the technology to reach 1Gbps on its current LTE, though it did do it on an "un-released handset." It's a promising test, but it remains to be seen just how well this gigabit LTE will hold up, especially once it's more than one test unit connecting to it.

One more note worth mentioning refers to T-Mobile now covering 313 million people (not to be confused with actually serving that many people), just barely being edged out by Verizon. You might not think a single million separating them is much, but once you translate that million into the rural areas they live in, that 1 million turns into a few good chunks on a map. Chunks not a lot of people live in, but important nonetheless.