Sprint Powers up Faster Mobile Broadband Network in 10 More Markets, Upgraded Coverage Reaches 60 Million People

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sprint (NYSE:S) today announced that it has upgraded the Sprint Power Vision Network^SM, the nation’s largest wireless broadband network covering well over 180 million people, with the faster EV-DO Revision A technology in 10 additional markets. With today’s launch in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Detroit, Denver, Baltimore, Providence and New Jersey, Sprint now covers more than 60 million people in 20 markets with the upgraded mobile broadband network – surpassing its previously announced year-end goal of 40 million people.

“We offer the largest coverage area and the fastest data speeds, so our customers have the power to send and receive information at DSL-like speeds without being tethered to their desks or stuck inside their homes or offices.”

Sprint Power Vision users in the 20 upgraded major metropolitan markets should experience significantly faster average upload speeds of 300-400 kbps (compared with 50-70 kbps of current EV-DO networks). Average download speeds should also increase to 450–800 kbps from 400-700 kbps. With the upgraded mobile broadband network, customers in these markets will ultimately be able to utilize richer applications and services such as high-speed video telephony, music-on-demand, video messaging and large file uploads.

“Customers value mobility and they value speed, and Sprint’s upgraded Power Vision Network is unmatched in delivering both,” said Kathy Walker, chief network officer for Sprint. “We offer the largest coverage area and the fastest data speeds, so our customers have the power to send and receive information at DSL-like speeds without being tethered to their desks or stuck inside their homes or offices.”

As Sprint’s mobile broadband network continues to grow, so does its device portfolio with the addition of the only EV-DO Revision A-capable USB modem. The Sprint Mobile Broadband USB Modem by Novatel Wireless Ovation U720 that plugs into the USB port of any compatible laptop is available in all Sprint sales channels including retail stores and at www.sprint.com and can be purchased for as low as $49.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement and $50 mail-in-rebate. Sprint also offers three Mobile Broadband cards compatible with laptops having a Type II PCMICIA slot: the Novatel S720, Sierra AC595 and Pantech PX-500. All of Sprint’s EV-DO Revision A-capable devices will also work on the Sprint Power Vision Network where the EV-DO Revision A upgrade is not yet available.

Local market coverage

Upgraded EV-DO Revision A coverage in the 10 new markets will initially include major airports, downtown business districts and major transportation corridors where wireless data demand is highest, and expand to cover Sprint’s entire market footprint. Following are coverage highlights for each of the newly launched markets.

Baltimore: Coverage includes Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport, downtown Baltimore and the Interstate 95 corridor from Washington, DC to Aberdeen.

Denver: Denver International Airport, downtown Denver and parts of Fort Collins, Colorado Springs and Greeley are covered.

Detroit: Coverage includes Detroit Metropolitan Airport, downtown Detroit and most of the metropolitan area from Monroe in the south, to Port Huron in the north and Ann Arbor to the west, as well as parts of Lansing, Battle Creek and Kalamazoo.

Los Angeles: Coverage includes Los Angeles International Airport, downtown Los Angeles and in and around Irvine, Santa Ana (including John Wayne Airport), Palm Springs (including Palm Springs International Airport), Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Ontario and Oceanside.

New Jersey: Coverage includes Newark International Airport, downtown Newark and Trenton. Most of the Philadelphia and New York City suburbs, Interstate 95 corridor, Atlantic City and the New Jersey shore are also covered.

New York: LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy Airports, midtown and lower Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and portions of Long Island (including Nassau County) are covered.

Philadelphia: Philadelphia International Airport and downtown Philadelphia are covered. Coverage also extends south along Interstate 95 to Newark, DE and is available in and around Norristown, Allentown, Bethlehem, Lancaster and Reading.

Providence: Coverage includes T.F. Green Airport, from downtown Providence to Woonsocket along Route 146, and the Interstate 95 corridor between Attleboro and Warwick.

San Francisco Bay Area: San Francisco International Airport, Oakland International Airport and San Jose International Airport as well as the downtown areas of those cities are covered. Coverage extends along US-101 from San Francisco to Gilroy, and along Interstate-880 from Oakland through San Jose. Additionally, portions of all nine Bay Area Counties, as well as portions of Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties have Rev A coverage.

Washington, D.C: Ronald Reagan National Airport, Dulles International Airport and downtown Washington, DC are covered. Coverage extends west on Route 7 to Leesburg, Va., south on most of the Interstate 95 corridor to Stafford, Va. and east on Route 50 to Annapolis. Most of the area along Interstate 270 to Frederick, Md., in and around Salisbury Md. and along the Delaware shore south of Lewes is also covered.

Previously, Sprint has announced that the faster mobile broadband network was available in San Diego, Seattle, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Hartford, Boston, Buffalo/Rochester, Sacramento and Salt Lake City. By 3Q 2007, Sprint’s Power Vision network is expected to be completely upgraded to the faster EV-DO Revision A. Overall, Sprint plans to reach approximately 200 million people in the U.S. with mobile broadband data services (including both EV-DO Revisions 0 and A) in 220 major metropolitan areas across the country with its Power Vision network by the end of 2006.

The upgrade of Sprint’s Power Vision network to EV-DO Revision A is part of Sprint’s $7 billion investment in its wireless and wire line networks in 2006 and is expected to further drive Sprint’s wireless data leadership as customers will be able to use the upgraded network to utilize applications such as all IP video telephony, high-performance push-to-talk (walkie-talkie service), multi-user video conferencing, real-time gaming and video streaming as they become available.

Customers signing a two-year Sprint subscriber agreement may be eligible to receive unlimited data usage for $59.99 per month (no separate voice plan required). Other individual service plans for all mobile broadband devices currently range from $39.99 per month for 40 MB to $79.99 per month for unlimited data usage with a one year subscriber agreement. Rates apply to all Power Vision users and do not change in areas that have been upgraded to EV-DO Revision A.

Additional information on Sprint’s Mobile Broadband network, including coverage maps showing current and future coverage, Mobile Broadband service plans, and the latest access devices, can be found at http://powervision.sprint.com/mobilebroadband/.

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 is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks serving more than 51 million customers at the end of third quarter 2006; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and an award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.