Sprint officially announces 4G LTE network launch on July 15
The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here: Sprint has officially announced that its new 4G LTE network will be launching on July 15 in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio. This means that Sprint customers with devices like the HTC EVO 4G LTE will be able to take advantage of the fastest data speeds Sprint has ever offered.
Sprint CEO Dan Hesse took this opportunity to announce that Network Vision is well underway in all of these areas, and that both 3G and 4G performance is “exceeding our expectation.” Sprint also reiterated that it expects to have completed the majority of its LTE build out by the end of 2013, covering over 250 million people across the US.
Even though these are the first markets to officially be announced by Sprint, we’ve been keeping tabs on what the Now Network is doing behind the scenes, as well – so be sure to keep checking back for our continuing coverage (and take a look here and here).
Sprint’s full press release appears below.
Sprint to Unleash the Speed and Power of 4G LTE in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio on July 15
Sprint CEO Dan Hesse announces that new network will deliver faster data speeds with 4G LTE and an improved overall 3G experience; Sprint brings an overall quality experience and unequaled value to customers
ATLANTA (BUSINESS WIRE), June 27, 2012 – As summer begins to sizzle, Sprint (NYSE:S) CEO Dan Hesse today invited Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio customers to harness the speed and power of 4G LTE on July 15 and to further enjoy the top-rated customer satisfaction experience among all national carriers, according to the 2012 American Customer Satisfaction Index.
To better meet the growing voice and data demands of wireless customers, Sprint is building an all-new, nationwide 3G and 4G LTE network through the Network Vision program. This means that whether a Sprint customer is using a smartphone to share a picture or to check the Web, Sprint 4G LTE will make it faster. Coupling the speed of 4G LTE with the industry’s only truly unlimited data plan for smartphones makes Sprint the best choice in wireless.* Additionally, the new network provides significant enhancements to Sprint 3G service. Customers will experience better signal strength, fewer dropped/blocked calls, faster data speeds, expanded coverage and better overall performance as the improvements roll out across the country.
“The performance of both the 4G LTE and improved 3G networks are exceeding our expectations and we are pleased with the progress of the entire Network Vision program,” said Hesse.
With the launch on July 15, Sprint will have debuted 4G LTE to millions of people in five major metropolitan areas with more market launches in 2012 to be announced later this year. By the end of 2013, Sprint expects to have largely completed the build out of its all-new 4G LTE nationwide network – with an enhanced 3G network – covering 250 million people across the United States.
The Wireless Industry’s Most Customer-Friendly Data Plans
In today’s competitive wireless market, the value of unlimited has never been more apparent. Sprint’s Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited data, texting and calling to and from any mobile phone in America while on the Sprint network, starting at just $79.99 per month for smartphones.
Sprint continues the trend of delivering value to customers through its portfolio of 4G LTE-capable devices and unlimited data experience with Sprint Everything Data plans. Sprint has already launched five 4G LTE-capable devices for less than $200 – HTC EVO™ 4G LTE ($199.99); LG Viper™ 4G LTE ($99.99); Samsung Galaxy Nexus ($199.99); Samsung Galaxy S III ($199.99 for 16GB version) and Sierra Wireless™ 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot, the nation’s first to support 4G LTE, 4G WiMAX and 3G ($99.99) (all pricing excludes taxes).
Over the past several years, Sprint has been working hard to deliver the best customer experience. Recently, the American Customer Satisfaction Index ranked Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers and most improved in customer satisfaction, across all 47 industries, over the last four years. Building an all-new network is the linchpin to make Sprint the company customers want to do business with.
The launch of these metropolitan areas demonstrates the continued commitment by Sprint to invest in its network through Network Vision. For the most up-to-date details on Sprint’s 4G LTE portfolio and rollout, please visit www.sprint.com/4GLTE.
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 56 million customers at the end of the first quarter of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first 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, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers and most improved in customer satisfaction across all industries during the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
*Sprint is the only national carrier with no throttling, metering or overages, all while on the Sprint network. Sprint customers can enjoy an unlimited data experience with Sprint Everything Data plans. See sprint.com/unlimited for details.
