A new rumor is suggesting that Sprint Wireless will roll out several new 4G LTE markets today.
According to leaked documents, the company’s new network will feature speeds between 6 to 8Mbps with a peak speed rate of 25Mbps.
When Sprint launched its 4G platforms in New York City and San Francisco in February, it didn’t make a big deal out of the launch, simply flipping the switch to go live. If today’s rumor is correct, it appears that Sprint will follow a similar quiet launch in new areas.
By not creating a big announcement for its new platform, Sprint can launch and then quietly test 4G LTE in new markets. User expectations are likely not as high if they didn’t realize the service was now available to them.
According to Phone Arena, Sprint Wireless’ new 4G LTE areas include Los Angeles and Contra Costa County, California; Palm Bay, Port St. Lucie, and West Palm Beach, Florida; Bloomington and Lafayette, Indiana; Rochelle, Illinois; Mankato-North and Mankato, Minnesota; Joplin, Missouri; Charlotte, Shelby, Albemarle, Salisbury, and Lincolnton, North Carolia; Memphis, Greenville, and Tullahoma, Tennessee; Denison and Kerrville, Texas; and Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News, Virginia.
News of Sprint’s 4G LTE launches arrived by way of a leaked internal memo to employees.
The 4G LTE market expansion race has really heated up over the last year. As more users have converged on the data aspect of mobile wireless, carriers have placed their hopes for the future on those data hungry consumers. In January 2013, Sprint Wireless launched its 4G LTE coverage in 28 new markets.
Sprint is fighting an uphill battle against AT&T Wireless and Verizon Wireless. While both of those company’s jumped from 3G and 3.5G to the new 4G technology, Sprint originally placed its focus on its WiMax network, a system that ultimately lost out to longer-term evolution technology.
