Sprint confirmed plans to launch commercial LTE services in Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio in the first half of 2012. Six other small market launches are also slated for the first half of the year.
As part of its Network Vision program, Sprint is deploying multimode base stations across many of its cell sites throughout the country. The company said 3G customers will notice improvements in voice quality, signal density and data speeds as this occurs. The first completed deployment of a multimode base station was in Branchburg, N.J., in December 2011. As additional areas receive 3G enhancements and 4G LTE service, announcements will be made.
“Within the first half of 2012, Sprint customers should experience first-hand the wide-reaching improvements we have made in terms of boosting voice and data quality,�? said Bob Azzi, senior vice president – Network, Sprint. “With advanced smartphones and sophisticated wireless modems, our customers are using more and more mobile data, and one of our top priorities is to provide the best technology possible to improve our customers’ experience.�?
Speaking at Citigroup Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications Conference , Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said the company is holding off on any further investment in LightSquared until its spectrum interference issues are resolved. The company has extended an internal deadline with LightSquared to the end of the month, hoping the issues will be resolved.
Hesse also admitted that the carrier throttles data capacity to about 1% of its unlimited data plan users when their usage becomes excessive.
http://www.sprint.com
- Under its Network Vision plan, Sprint will repurpose some of its 800MHz spectrum for Sprint 3G service, thereby enhancing coverage, particularly the in-building experience for customers. Augmenting its 1.9GHz footprint with 800MHz, Sprint expects its CDMA coverage density will increase throughout the country. More density generally equates to fewer dropped calls and a more seamless network experience for customers.
- Sprint’s suppliers include Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson and Samsung.>/li>
