Sprint 4G LTE Available in More Than 100 Additional Cities in the Coming Months

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Continuing its aggressive momentum in delivering a top-tier network experience for customers, Sprint (NYSE:S) announced today that the 4G LTE network build is under way in more than 100 additional cities within its existing nationwide 3G footprint. Some of the major metropolitan areas in which Sprint 4G LTE is expected to be available in the coming months are Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Indianapolis; Los Angeles; Memphis, Tenn.; Miami; Nashville, Tenn.; New Orleans; New York; Philadelphia; and Washington, D.C.

“The mobile industry is going through an incredible change – smartphones, connected devices, and the seemingly unlimited supply of new applications and services are changing consumer behavior in dramatic ways”

“We are committed to delivering a cutting-edge network as quickly as possible, one that provides a greater level of reliability and speed to our 3G and 4G customers,” said Bob Azzi, senior vice president-Network, Sprint. “We know our customers depend on their mobile devices as their primary source of communication, business connectivity and entertainment. We want to deliver a network that delivers mobile access, productivity and entertainment at a highly competitive price point.”

The 4G LTE Network build is under way in the following areas:

Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastian, Puerto Rico
Albermarle, N.C.
Anderson, Ind.
Asheville, N.C.
Athens, Tenn.
Athens, Texas
Austin, Texas
Barnstable Town (Hyannis/Midcape), Mass.
Baton Rouge, La.
Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, Md.
Boston
Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, Mass.
Charlotte, N.C.
Chattanooga, Tenn.
Chicago
Clarksville, Tenn.
Cleveland, Tenn.
Coamo, Puerto Rico
College Station, Texas
Columbia, Tenn.
Columbus, Ind.
Cookeville, Tenn.
Crossville, Tenn.
Daytona Beach-Deltona-Ormond Beach, Fla.
Elkhart-Goshen, Ind.
Fayetteville, N.C.
Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Gainesville, Fla.
Gary, Ind.
Goldsboro, N.C.
Greenville, N.C.
Greeneville, Tenn.
Guayama, Puerto Rico
Hammond, La.
Harriman, Tenn.
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, N.C.
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, La.
Hutchinson, Kan.
Indianapolis-Carmel, Ind.
Jacksonville, Fla.
Johnson City, Tenn.
Jonesboro, Ark.
Kankakee-Bradley-Bourbonnais, Ill.
Kerrville, Texas
Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, Texas
Kingsport-Bristol, Tenn.
Kinston, N.C.
Knoxville, Tenn.
Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.
Lancaster, S.C.
Lawrence, Kan.
Lincolnton, N.C.
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif.
Lumberton, N.C.
McPherson, Kan.
Memphis, Tenn.
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Fla.
Morgan City, La.
Morristown, Tenn.
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
Muncie, Ind.
Nashville, Tenn.
New Orleans
New York-White Plains-Wayne, N.Y.
Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, Va.
Ocala, Fla.
Ocean Pines, Md.
Palatka, Fla.
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Fla.
Peabody/Lawrence-Methuen/Gloucester, Mass.
Philadelphia
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Roanoke Rapids, N.C.
Rochelle, Ill.
Rockford, Ill.
Rocky Mount, N.C.
Salina, Kan.
Salisbury, Md.
Salisbury, N.C.
San German-Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sebastian-Vero Beach, Fla.
Sevierville, Tenn.
Shelby, N.C.
Southern Pines-Pinehurst, N.C.
Springfield, Mass.
Statesville-Mooresville, N.C.
St. Thomas, USVI
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.
Topeka, Kan.
Tullahoma, Tenn.
Tupelo, Miss.
Warrensburg, Mo.
Washington, D.C.-Arlington-Alexandria, Va.
Waukegan-Lake County, Ill.
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, Fla.
Wichita, Kan.
Wichita Falls, Texas
Wilson, N.C.
Worcester-Fitchburg-Leominster, Mass.
Yauco, Puerto Rico

During the pre-launch phase, customers with capable 4G LTE devices may begin to see 4G LTE coverage in these areas and are welcome to use the network even before it officially launches. Sprint plans to announce commercial availability of 4G LTE in these cities in the coming months, at which point we expect coverage, performance and reliability to get even better. Eventually, the markets will fill in until coverage largely matches the existing nationwide 3G footprint. By the end of 2013, Sprint expects to have completed the nationwide build out of the all new 3G and 4G network.

Currently, Sprint offers the new 4G LTE service in 19 metropolitan areas: Atlanta; Athens, Ga.; Baltimore; Calhoun, Ga.; Carrollton, Ga.; Newnan, Ga.; Rome, Ga.; Dallas; Fort Worth, Texas; Gainesville, Ga.; Granbury-Hood County, Texas; Houston; Huntsville, Texas; Kansas City, Mo./Kansas City, Kan.; Manhattan/Junction City, Kan.; San Antonio, Texas; Sedalia, Mo.; Waco, Texas; and St. Joseph, Mo.

According to management consulting firm Chetan Sharma Consulting, mobile data is expected to comprise 95 percent of the global mobile traffic by 2015. Sprint’s network strategy, known as Network Vision, is designed to meet these growing demands. With Network Vision, customers can expect to benefit from an updated 3G network and new 4G LTE network, enabling expanded coverage, improved network reliability, better voice quality, and faster data speeds as the improvements are rolled out across the country.

“The mobile industry is going through an incredible change – smartphones, connected devices, and the seemingly unlimited supply of new applications and services are changing consumer behavior in dramatic ways,” said Chetan Sharma, founder and president at Chetan Sharma Consulting.

As part of its overall network strategy, Sprint is also doing a complete overhaul of its 3G infrastructure so that customers can enjoy better wireless signal strength, in-building coverage, and fewer dropped/blocked calls. These enhancements are now available to customers in several markets across the country, with significant deployment in Baltimore, Boston and Washington, D.C., and will continue to improve in the weeks and months ahead.

Sprint was the first national wireless carrier to introduce 4G on the WiMAX network in 2008 and began rolling out 4G LTE to customers on July 15 in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and surrounding cities.

Unlimited + Sprint 4G LTE = Game-changing wireless offer for customers

In today’s competitive wireless market, the value of unlimited has never been more apparent and Sprint is clearly the best choice in wireless. Customers with capable devices can combine Sprint’s all-new 3G and 4G LTE networks and enjoy unlimited data while on the Sprint network. Data usage continues to increase and consumers value Truly Unlimited data because it’s simple and straightforward – no metering, no throttling, and no need to share data, which increases the likelihood of a surprise monthly bill because of overage charges.

Coupled with unbeatable plans and fast devices, Sprint has been working hard to deliver the best customer experience in the past few years. The 2012 American Customer Satisfaction Index ranked Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries measured, over the last four years. And Sprint has been ranked Highest in Satisfaction with the Purchase Experience among Full-service Wireless Providers three times in a row by J.D. Power and Associates.

Sprint’s Network Vision project expects to be largely complete with the all-new network by the end of 2013. 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 second 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 in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 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.