MetroPCS launches in northern Florida

MetroPCS has turned up its service in Jacksonville, Fla., transitioning the former PTA and Cleartalk PCS networks into its own footprint. MetroPCS bought 10 MHz of PCS spectrum from PTA, along with PTA and Cleartalk’s infrastructure and customers in January, allowing it to expand its growing Florida footprint.

Metro now sells its unlimited-local-calling service in Miami, Orlando, Sarasota and Tampa as well as Jacksonville, making Florida one of its most penetrated states, making it one of the few regions of the country where it has targeted multiple markets. The operator primarily deploys in major metro markets: Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco. At launch, Metro has 35 distribution points in Jacksonville and Duvall County and is selling service on its Website. But it plans to expand to 80 by the end of the year. Four will be company-owned MetroPCS stores, while the rest will be authorized distributors.

Most of Metro’s future growth won’t come from acquisitions. It has invested heavily in spectrum, picking up new PCS and AWS licenses from NextWave and the 2006 FCC auction, including a license in the country’s most competitive market, New York. In March, Metro commercially launched the first AWS network in Las Vegas.