Sprint announces EVDO Rev A, largest EVDO network

http://www2.sprint.com/mr/news_dtl.do?id=11040

Sprint Extends Mobility Leadership with Aggressive Broadband Network Expansion

* Over half of U.S. population covered in first phase
* 190 million coverage targeted by year-end '06
* First-to-market Revision A migration plans for 2007 service
* Devices available 3Q have CTIA Show preview

Media Contact:
John Polivka, 972 405-5139
john.m.polivka@sprint.com

Overland Park, KAN. — 03/30/2006

Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced aggressive plans for the expansion and evolution of the Sprint Power Vision(SM) network which now covers over half of the U.S. population with mobile broadband data services. By year end 2006 the high-speed wireless network is expected to reach an estimated 190 million people nationwide and in Puerto Rico, making it the largest mobility network of its kind. Sprint will concurrently implement second-generation technology upgrades later this year known as EV-DO Revision A, to bring additional mobility benefits to users beginning in 1Q 2007. Sprint plans to reach about 220 million people in the U.S. with the advanced network by the end of 3Q '07.

Sprint today has the most wireless broadband coverage of any carrier. Sprint mobile broadband services, which run on the Sprint Power Vision network, cover over 150 million people and serve customers in 215 communities with at least 100,000 population, as well as 470 airports across the country. Users currently access various audio, video and data applications with handheld and connection-card devices at average download speeds equivalent to DSL (400-700 kbps and peak speeds up to 2 Mbps). With the evolution to EV-DO Revision A, users will experience downloads and uploads up to 10 times faster. "Sprint is a mobility services company and mobile broadband leader," remarked Kathy Walker, Chief Network Officer. "We plan to extend that lead through a complete overlay of our Sprint EV-DO network with Revision A technology by the end of 3Q 2007, to provide customers an enriched mobile multimedia experience."

Sprint will demonstrate EV-DO Revision A connection card technology at the CTIA Wireless Show in Las Vegas (booth 1439) with industry partners Nortel, Novatel Wireless and Sierra Wireless. Sprint will market EV-DO Revision A compatible connection cards in the third quarter of 2006, which work on the current Revision O network until next-generation service is broadly available in the first quarter 2007 to about 214 million people.

"Sprint has an aggressive plan for mobile broadband service leadership, by broadening their footprint and deploying advanced technology that drives mobility," commented Gene Signorini, Director, Wireless/Mobile Enterprise Solutions at Yankee Group. "This announcement keeps Sprint in the forefront in meeting the demand for mobility services. Given the importance of high speed data services as a revenue source, this is a bold and rewarding move."

With Revision A technology, peak download data rates increase to 3.1 Mbps (from 2.0) and peak upload data rates increase to 1.8 Mbps (from 144 kbps). Average download speeds improve to 450-800 kbps (from 400 -700) and average uplink speeds become 300 - 400 kpbs (versus 70 - 144 kpbs). The faster data rates can enable richer applications and services such as high-speed video telephony, music on demand, video messaging, large file uploads and high performance push-to-talk capability.

"This aggressive move by Sprint should further accelerate the company's momentum in wireless broadband services," said Bob Egan, Director, Emerging Technologies, TowerGroup. "Enterprises and consumers alike have an insatiable appetite for network access availability, speed and quality. This is an important move by a company who is very serious about raising the industry bar and meeting the important and dynamic requirements of its business and consumer constituencies," Egan said.

The power of Sprint networks make it best positioned to deliver unmatched mobility products and services for customer solutions. Wireless broadband customers can currently access the mobility network with the Sprint PCS Vision Smart Device (PPC 6700) and Sprint PCS Connection Cards Novatel Wireless 620, Sierra Wireless 580 and PC 5740. Panasonic Toughbook PC models (18, 29 and 73) also have embedded EV DO Sprint Power Vision capability for Sprint network access. Consumer data devices include Sprint Power Vision phones from Samsung (A900 and A920) and the MM 7500 by Sanyo.

 

http://rcrnews.com/news.cms?newsId=25989

Sprint Nextel to launch EV-DO Rev. A in Q1 2007
By Kelly Hill
Mar 30, 2006
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.—Even as Sprint Nextel Corp. continues to build out its CDMA2000 1x EV-DO network, the carrier has announced a plan to make its network even faster using EV-DO Revision A.

According to Sprint Nextel, the company will concurrently put in Rev. A technology upgrades later this year as it expands its EV-DO coverage area. Sprint Nextel said it plans to commercially launch Rev. A services in the first quarter of 2007, with plans to cover about 220 million people with Rev. A capabilities by the fourth quarter of 2007.

“We plan to extend … a complete overlay of our Sprint EV-DO network with Revision A technology by the end of [third quarter] 2007, to provide customers an enriched mobile multimedia experience,” said Kathy Walker, Sprint Nextel’s chief network officer. A recent mobile customer survey by The NPD Group found that Sprint Nextel had the largest percentage of customers with data plans, at about 25 percent.

Sprint Nextel hopes to jump ahead of Verizon Wireless in the race to Rev. A since Verizon beat Sprint Nextel to the punch with its launch of CDMA EV-DO. A Verizon spokesman said the carrier is working with technology and infrastructure vendors for Rev. A, but has not announced any timeline for its Rev. A launch plans.

According to the carrier, Sprint Nextel’s Power Vision EV-DO service is on track to be available to 190 million people across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico by the end of this year. The mobile broadband network currently covers more than 150 million potential customers and 470 airports around the country.

Sprint Nextel claims that the Rev. A upgrade will produce network speeds up to 10 times faster than current EV-DO network speeds, with most of the improvement coming on the uplink. According to the company, average download speeds will improve to 450-800 kilobits per second from the current 400-700 kbps, with peak rates up to 3.1 megabits per second. Average uplink speeds are expected to go from 70-144 kbps to 300-400 kbps, with bursts of up to 1.8 Mbps.

Sprint Nextel said it plans to demonstrate Rev. A connection cards at the CTIA Wireless Show in Las Vegas next week. The company, which has partnered with Nortel Networks Ltd., Novatel Wireless and Sierra Wireless on the technology, said it would start marketing Rev. A compatible cards in the third quarter of this year.