MetroPCS will use Gemalto's over-the-air platform and specialized SIM cards for the its forthcoming LTE network. This is Gemalto's second such deal in the United States; the company announced a similar contract with Verizon Wireless in May.
Gemalto's over-the-air platform will allow MetroPCS to manage devices and subscribers as its gets its LTE network up and running, the companies said. The vendor's technology works to identify subscribers and the services they are using as well as manage secure access to the network.
The deal is the latest piece of MetroPCS' LTE puzzle to fall into place; the carrier hopes to have LTE deployed in many of its markets by the second half of the year. MetroPCS previously announced Ericsson as its primary network infrastructure vendor, and is working with Samsung to develop a CDMA/LTE handset.
MetroPCS plans to stick to its prepaid roots when it deploys LTE. The company has indicated it will sell buckets of access to its LTE network on a month-to-month basis, and that it will not subsidize devices. Last week, MetroPCS CFO Braxton Carter said the carrier will focus more on LTE handsets than on data cards.
