Sprint has selected Goodman Networks, Overland Contracting, Inc., a construction affiliate of Black & Veatch, Pyramid Network Services LLC and WesTower Communications Inc. to decommission its iDEN network. Sprint recently announced that it plans to cease service on the iDEN Nextel National Network as early as June 30, 2013. The company expects to shut down a total of 9,600 iDEN sites before the end of the third quarter 2012.
Under the terms of the deals, these suppliers will negotiate lease termination agreements, restore cell site compounds and remove Sprint network equipment for re-use or recycling.
Sprint is seeking to migrate iDEN customers to its new Sprint Direct Connect PTT service. iDen spectrum will be refarmed for LTE services.
http://www.sprint.com http://www.fcc.gov
- In May 2012, the FCC issued an the order revising a burdensome legacy regulation that constrained the use of 800 MHz Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) licences in LTE deployments. The change benefits Sprint, which is in the process of shutting down its iDEN network, freeing the spectrum for 4G.