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Good news for current and prospective HTC EVO 4G (and soon the Samsung Epic 4G), 4G coverage has rolled out to several more cities, bringing Sprint’s tally up to 36 markets across the US. New areas receiving high-speed coverage are St. Louis, Missouri; Richmond, Virginia; and Salt Lake City, Utah. Sprint has been doing a pretty good job of getting their new network up and running across the country, though I’m sure there are quite a few cities that feel they deserved access before some of the others on the list. A few cities still on the docket to receive 4G before the end of 2010: Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Sprint Turns on 4G Service in Richmond, Salt Lake City and St. Louis
Next generation wireless service to enable rich multimedia experience, robust Internet browsing and live video-chat capabilitiesOVERLAND PARK, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today Sprint (NYSE:S) launched 4G wireless service in Richmond, Va., Salt Lake City and St. Louis. This new technology enables Sprint customers to enjoy a rich mobile experience with faster Internet download speeds, the ability to conduct live video-chats, and easy access to multimedia content.
Customers in Richmond, Salt Lake City and St. Louis can now use the 4G capabilities of Overdrive™ 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, Sprint 3G/4G USB Device 250U from Sierra Wireless and Sprint 3G/4G USB Device U301 to connect to the Web for blazing fast data speeds or the recently released HTC EVO™ 4G, America’s first 3G/4G wireless phone. With today’s launches, Sprint 4G is now available in 36 markets across the country.
Unlike “concepts” and “lab tests” from other wireless companies, Sprint is the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology. Additionally, Sprint offers simplicity and savings vs. competitors, making it easy for customers to get the most out of their phones with Everything Data plans, which include unlimited Web, texting and calling while on the Sprint network for one low price. With Sprint, there’s no need to tally up prices for each feature or guess how much data you’ll use in a month. With the Sprint Free Guarantee, customers can try 4G for 30 days. If they are not satisfied, they can cancel service and have the opportunity to be fully reimbursed.1
“Sprint continues its leadership in the 4G space by delivering to customers fast wireless speeds, a 3G/4G smartphone and unlimited data plans – everything wireless customers want and need in today’s world,” said Matt Carter, president of 4G, Sprint. “With Sprint 4G, the mobile Internet potential is virtually limitless.”
As Sprint customers begin their summer travel, they will find that 4G is available in many markets across the country: Georgia – Atlanta, Milledgeville; Hawaii – Honolulu, Maui; Idaho – Boise; Illinois – Chicago; Maryland – Baltimore; Missouri – Kansas City, St. Louis; Nevada – Las Vegas; North Carolina – Charlotte, Greensboro (along with High Point and Winston-Salem), Raleigh (along with Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham); Oregon – Portland, Salem; Pennsylvania – Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Reading, York; Texas – Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Killeen/Temple, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, San Antonio, Waco, Wichita Falls; Utah – Salt Lake City; Virginia – Richmond; Washington – Bellingham, Seattle. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/4G.
In 2010, Sprint expects to launch 4G service in multiple markets, including Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Sprint is harnessing the power of 4G as the majority shareholder of Clearwire, the independent company that is building the WiMAX network.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 48 million customers at the end of the first quarter of 2010 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, and is the first and only wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, Common Cents Mobile and Assurance Wireless and instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. With its customer-focused strategy, you can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
I have had 2 bars with 4G in Brooklyn very near where I live on a couple of occasions. I literally stopped dead in the street and tested it out. Then it slowly went away.
It’s a sweet tech, but I think they should also improve their network overall. I’m two hours away from a 4G market and I don’t even have tier 1 3G coverage. It would be nice to utilize this sexy piece of hardware without having to connect to WiFi. Because HELLO I’M PAYING A TEN DOLLAR PREMIUM DATA TAX and I have to connect to my WiFi that I’m paying another bill for. Sprint, keep the little guys in mind too. I understand your business plan, its a good one, um just asking for some data connectivity.
@David I had the same problem at the airports in Charlotte and Atlanta.
Live in st. louis, don’t see any 4g coverage on my evo
what happened to Nashville being one of the areas that was mentioned before on here to get it this summer? Now it’s not even on the list for 2010?!
Funny how people just want to instantly have a 4G network in every city overnight. Geeeeez, I mean look at the progress they have made since the beginning. Its not a fast thing when you want it done right. I guess you think when verizon or at&t pull out their LTE, its gonna be an overnight switch and the next day everyone will have 4G?? LOL
@ swazedahustla: I think it’s more that people are questioning WHY Sprint would implement 4G in smaller cities like St. Louis or Salt Lake City when there are so many more subscribers in major metropolitan cities like San Francisco and New York.
@ izzy: I’m in Nashville and get 4G in many parts of Middle Tennessee right now.
@Brian – didn’t you know there was no 4G service in your area when you bought the phone? You also knew there was an extra $10 fee for service you didn’t have, but you accepted that. IMHO you have nothing to complain about. I don’t care to pay for service that isn’t available just to have the latest phone. When there is 4G service in Southern California, I will get a 4G phone.
@mlh ahh..i go to school in middle tenn but im at home for the summer here in east tn and have not been back with the EVO to try out there in middle yet. That’s pretty freaking exciting that you already getting it! Thanks for chiming in with that beautiful piece of info!!!
4 cities in PA!
driving throu Greensboros, NC and pick up some 4G signal toda
@mih, @izzy – I was wondering about Nashville as well. Glad to know it’s showing up here.
work across the river from St.louis. I’ve been getting a good signal strength for about a week now. works great.
Sprint was very clear with the $10 charge for premium data that it is for UNLIMITED data, even on 3G, not just 4G. And, oh yeah, if you are in a 4G service area, then you get that too.
And to answer people’s questions about why they choose smaller cities, you do that to minimize problems. It’s easier to test in less populated areas as those will not be taxed as much, and it allows the carrier to straighten out the kinks before hitting the big areas like NYC, which will be used much more.
Unless there were some regulatory burdens, it makes no sense not to roll out in major metro areas like LA and SF early on. Also, the Evo will not sell as much as it otherwise would because by the time they get these markets online there will be newer and better out there.
There is spotty 4g coverage in Minneapolis
I was in North Olmsted, Ohio, a suburb 20 miles out of downtown Cleveland, Ohio and went 4G with “good” reception on an Evo 4G. I got a solid 8 Mb/s download and variable upload speed but around .3 Mb/s. I get 1 Mb/s download with wifi and cable modem at home. It was great. Web surfing was very fast.
Yeah, there is spotty coverage right now in Minneapolis but when you’re in the zone, WOW! I believe they guy at the sprint store said that it’s in test right now and should be fully up sometime in October! Now to buy a few extra batteries for the EVO :(
I get the argument on both sides especially with Sprint. Why push a 4G phone (with a crap battery) in areas that are not serviced? Those same small markets should have gotten the phones but as the guy above said I refuse to buy an EVO when 4g is spotty here in Cleveland.
However my data card is capable of both networks and I noticed with my netbook a significant change in browsing and downloading while downtown Cleveland where 4G is quite spotty. If this is a test? Then woah Im about to start saving up for the EVO cancel my data plan (Sprint all inclusive plan is pretty sweet at 70$) and trash the card! It was unbelievable seeing a whole album download in about 30secs maybe a min (Prince: Parade Soundtrack).
Chattanooga TN. Does not have 4G coverage and yes I am paying the 10.00 per mo to use my Eve. Imagine ten dollars par phone being paid and all sprint can say IT’S COMING SOMETIME, they are making a bunch of money. WHILE WE WAIT.
they didn’t want to roll out 4G in their largest markets b/c they didn’t want to subject 20m people to any issues there might have initially been… thats what middle tennessseee is for. yes, I intentionally spelled Tennessee wrong