U.S. carrier T-Mobile is now kicking off a major new program to upgrade its 2G/EDGE network with 4G LTE. The company plans to complete 50 percent of the work this year alone, and expects the program to be substantially complete by the middle of next year.

The upgrade will provide customers who currently experience 2G/EDGE coverage new access to 4G LTE, and many already covered by 4G LTE will have access to 4G LTE in even more places. In addition, T-Mobile plans to begin deploying 4G LTE this year in the new 700 MHz A-Block spectrum the company is in the process of acquiring.

According to T-Mobile, its 4G LTE network already reaches 210 million people in 273 metro areas nationwide.  Operator expects its LTE network to reach 230 million people across the U.S. by mid-year and to more than 250 million people by year end.