Mobile Service Providers in Spectrum Race?

AT&T is putting together approximately $2.6 billion in spectrum deals, proposing at least 24 deals in the last four months, in a bid to narrow the spectrum gap between itself and Verizon Wireless. 

Verizon recently bought airwave rights from four major cable companies for $3.9 billion, adding even more spectrum at frequencies ideally suited for in-building signal penetration and signal range. 

Some argue there is no need for more spectrum, but most observers would agree more spectrum is necessary. 

That said, there are multiple techniques for increasing the amount of usable spectrum, including more efficient coding, use of small cells and cell dividing. 

Nobody disagrees that mobile demand is going to outstrip existing capacity. 

For more, read the perspective.