By It looks like Sprint’s Network Vision (as well as Sprint Spark) movement is moving in the right direction, with the company able to announce that they’ve lit up 70 new markets with 4G LTE ahead of Christmas. The sizable list includes a lot of major cities, including Green Bay, WI; San Diego, CA; Little Rock, AK; Orlando; FL and more.
It’s no secret that Sprint has fallen behind a bit with their plans to get a vast majority of their network up and running with LTE by the end of this year, but this major push should tell you that the company is serious about getting much further than they did with WiMax. A new wide-band data standard isn’t the only thing they’re looking to bring us in the months and years to come, of course.
Sprint Spark is another major cog in this big machine, a series of network upgrades that will add a new building-friendly 800MHz spectrum into the mix. Sprint’s network setup gives them the ability to deliver LTE speeds on all three of their bands (800MHz, 1900MHz and 2100MHz) simultaneously, and the first phones with this tri-brand support are already beginning to roll in.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is one such device getting a re-release with the “Sprint Spark” upgrades. It’s also worth noting that the Nexus 5 might also get upgrades to enable Spark compatibility at some point down the line. Those devices join a family of hotspots and modems already available on the Now Network. We’d bet our bottom dollar that Sprint will look to bring Spark in most of their future major smartphones, and eventually in every 4G LTE device they launch.
Having the device alone isn’t enough to take advantage of Sprint’s new and improved network, though. Spark upgrades have to roll out city-by-city just like the initial LTE rollout, so it will be a while yet before you get to take advantage.
Folks in Chicago are already having a bit of fun with it, but it’s going to take more than just a couple of big cities to impress the lot of Sprint customers currently begging for improved network performance. Let’s hope 2014 brings the push Sprint needs to help turn public opinion about their struggling network around. Hit the source link for the full list of cities that got 4G LTE today.
[via Sprint]
CES is next month, and still NOt in las vegas. Better yet, announced in las vegas
That’s very true… Pretty stupid on there part. That would be a great opportunity to show it off.
I have been saying this since LTE has been rolling out. I would think Vegas would be lit like a christmas tree just to show off during CES.
Looks like it is in Vegas: http://www.sensorly.com/map/4G/US/USA/Sprint/lte_310sprint#q=Las+Vegas%2C+NV%2C+USA
It is in SPOTS of Vegas…..I live here and am a Taxi driver. I drive all around town, and I cannot stream TuneIn radio without it buffering every 5 minutes. When you do get LTE, drive a block up the road, and you are back to .25mbps 3G. Trust me. SPRINT is terrible here in Vegas.
VA missed again!
I was getting ready to say the same thing. You beat me to it. I’m contemplating my choices if Sprint doesn’t get their act together.
Go with T-Mobile. It works great for me.
Looks like Sprint is looking to buy them. I hope for your sake that they don’t.
I agree. Not sure what I will do then. I honestly think T-Mobile is the better carrier right now.
I hope Sprint can get their act together. We need as many healthy national carriers as possible. I also hope this merger talk goes away. That is not what the market needs at this time.
Sprint’s bands are 800 1900 and 2500/2600mhz not 2100mhz
Quentyn apparently couldn’t be bothered with silly things like knowledge or accuracy for this article. pfft.
Accuracy, not precision. Who’s to say he didn’t?
Little Rock, AK? really? Alaska? nice
So please stop comparing anything to the WiMax deployment. Even a cursory amount of knowledge about their wimax ordeal is enough for you to know that it’s not a comparable thing.
But we all seem to prefer ignorance these days.
It’s actually Little Rock, AR (as in Arkansas). Quentyn used the wrong state abbreviation.
I already left Sprint for better pastures but hopefully this gets them up to par with the other major players.
yeah, that was part of my point… I guess I didn’t make it clear. A number of inaccuracies in this article, it makes me sad.
I see. I’m with you!
Latest report is Sprint is interested in acquiring TMO. Sprint Spark, Sprint LTE, 3 different band’s, WIMAX…sorry had to bring it up, now purchasing GSM carrier… Talk about a unfocused carrier.
Sprint Spark is Sprint LTE just with an extra band
Sprint isn’t a shining bastion of focus, but I also think it’s fair for whatever reason, we get a deeper look into activities and plans at Sprint that we do at Verizon or ATT. You wouldn’t really know at those carriers if they were as unfocused internally because their workings hidden better.
“Sprint Spark, Sprint LTE, 3 bands” is all the same thing, so you’re the one a little unfocused there.
The decision to persue a GSM carrier does seem questionable. However, I do wish they had purchased MetroPCS back when it was selling.. they would pick that up now. And these days, it’s not so much about buying a network as it about buying subscribers and spectrum.
Sprint is showing undeniable forward motion right now, hopefully they can keep it together and accomplish something notable.
I’m sure like everyone else who took the scenic route getting to LTE (except for Verizon) they are now focused on LTE. WIMAX I’m sure is dead. I love T-Mobile and I cringe at the idea of a Sprint take over. T-Mobile if they stay the course long enough will take over as number 3 in the US.
while in short term its a bit wild, but obviously they do it for spectrum + customers. It’ll be a mess at first but if you combined them that would actually form a legit 3rd carrier once they get their network together.
Considering the earth shattering profits that verizon and at&t have it’s obviously the right move for them in the long term if it makes them truly competitive.
Sprint sure does love its first two markets in Missouri more: KC and STL. Both get WiMax first and now both get LTE. They should try investing in their 3rd largest market Springfield. Still only have 3G with .25 download speed. This is their home state for goodness sakes.
Hmm… So just because you place LTE in those areas doesn’t mean it’s refined. You still need to make sure that coverage is above average in overall quality. You also need to make sure your lowest LTE speeds don’t go as low as 1Mbps. I saw that and I was like ”
I’m sorry, Sprint may have coverage, but that coverage is pretty sloppy.
Well this one i don’t understand ladies and gentleman, I live in Erie, PA aka lake erie, well I’m from Ripley ny about 30 minutes out from dunkirk, Fredonia, Jamestown ny and today dunkirk Fredonia and Jamestown all got blessed with sprint 4G lte and erie which is twice the size has yet to get it how does that make sense????
Same with Columbus, OH and we’re the freakin capital city!
The largest cities take the longest to convert to 4G LTE. Check S4GRU.com to see if they have any active towers in your area. Sensorly is also a good reference point.
Lol. Sprint so raggedy. I’m gonna get a new phone with one up to hold me over then in switching when a nice phone comes out. Cincinnati or shall I say Ohio as a whole gets no love. This horrible network us just ridiculous. I can’t believe I’m still here.
Kind of funny everyone hates Sprint but you can’t find a bad word about Republic Wireless. Affiliate marketing at its best
Who is Sprint? They still don’t have coverage up here in NW CA, we’re good though, we have AT&T, Verizon, U.S. Cellular, Metro PCS and T-Mobile.
Well then clearly, they should rush in there!
Stop yer whinin :)