Deutsche Telekom Looking For U.S. T-Mobile Partner > It's the network

said by ISurfTooMuch:

This is true, but in the Southeast, at least, AT&T has plenty of native coverage, even off the beaten path, and T-Mobile has to roam on the AT&T network in these areas. The problem that T-Mobile faces is that, in those roaming areas, it can't sign up customers of its own. Roamers can visit and use their T-Mobile phones, but residents can't. In addition, every time a customer roams, it costs T-Mobile money that it must pay to the roamer network.

I know that it costs a lot more money to build a network on 1900, but T-Mobile didn't have to go that route. They've recently missed chances to buy Unicel, Centennial, Alltel, and (on a more regional level) Corr Wireless. These would have all been good acquisitions because they all had 850 spectrum, and they all had extensive rural coverage, things that T--Mobile badly needs.