ExteNet Systems, a DigitalBridge Group (NYSE: DBRG) portfolio company, announced it has entered an exclusive agreement with T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) to deploy digital wireless infrastructure in large sports, entertainment, hospitality, and transportation venues. As part of the agreement, ExteNet will rationalize and decommission T-Mobile’s overlapping network assets inherited from its merger with Sprint.
The agreement expands ExteNet’s existing relationship with T-Mobile as the primary wireless carrier in ExteNet’s contracted venues. The partnership aims to deliver what the companies believe are best-in-class wireless communications in commercial sites to enhance guest and user experiences. Under the terms of the agreement, ExteNet will deploy, own, and operate the digital wireless infrastructure for large venues. In every contracted venue, T-Mobile will be the first MNO to be activated on ExteNet’s neutral-host infrastructure.
The company claims that this arrangement represents an industry first in enabling the extension of 5G wireless capabilities and state-of-the-art technology to fans and guests. As a specialist in small cell deployments in commercial venues, ExteNet expects to deploy wireless facilities in these venues in significantly reduced deployment timeframes than what T-Mobile could perform on its own.
“We are thrilled to continue building our relationship with T-Mobile to bring high-quality and cost-effective infrastructure operations to our clients and venue partners,” says Rich Coyle, ExteNet Systems CEO. “This collaboration enables a turnkey, win-win road map for T-Mobile’s consumer and business clients alike as we bring a revolutionary Un-carrier approach to venue contracting.”
With the expanded partnership, ExteNet says it will rationalize T-Mobile’s small cell framework and upgrade existing infrastructure with a cost-effective solution to deliver T-Mobile’s 5G service in the contracted venues. The company expects these enhancements, to be done without any service interruptions, will provide a superior end-user experience and a competitive advantage for T-Mobile while showcasing ExteNet’s capabilities for enhancing wireless communications in venues.
ExteNet said the rollout of the expanded agreement with T-Mobile, which took effect on October 1, 2022, is already underway. Under that agreement, T-Mobile will be the first carrier to join the new wireless network that ExteNet is deploying in each MGM Resorts property nationwide. In September 2022, ExteNet announced a major partnership with MGM Resorts International to bring state-of-the-art distributed wireless networks to 25 U.S. MGM properties, comprising 54 million square feet, more than 43,000 guest rooms, and serving more than 70 million visitors annually.
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