It might seem like a boring, technical move: MetroPCS has extended their contract with equipment provider Alcatel-Lucent for another three and a half years. However, below the surface, this move means more — a lot more. For instance, the new deal will allow Metro to expand beyond its current borders into major metropolitan areas like New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Las Vegas. The carrier currently operates its flat-rate, unlimited talk and text plans in Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Tampa, Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento. Under the Alcatel-Lucent agreement, Metro will see upgrades in Detroit, Dallas, and Los Angeles. This is another solid move by Metro, who are doing whatever they can to compete with Boost Unlimited, a new competitor. They’ve already announced their intentions to bid in the 700 MHz spectrum auction. Boost, being a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sprint Nextel, will not be bidding, as their parent company has opted not to do so. There is word on when the expansion will take place. But when it does, Metro will surely add to their 3.7 million subscribers. [CNN Money]]]>
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