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The wireless future just arrived in the Triad. Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced the launch of Sprint 4G mobile broadband throughout the Piedmont Triad region. As a result, streaming video, fast file downloads and uploads and turbo-charged web browsing are no longer just home, office or coffee shop benefits. Sprint 4G customers can enjoy a blazing fast wireless mobile broadband experience across the city, whether they're working at a remote location, relaxing in the park, sitting at a favorite eatery or as a passenger on the freeway or public transportation.
Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point are among the first cities to enjoy 4G wireless connections from Sprint, the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology. Sprint 4G delivers download speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G.1 Sprint 4G is like a hotspot designed to reach across the Triad. View 4G coverage at www.sprint.com/4G.
By dramatically increasing download speeds for photos, videos and large files, Sprint 4G is enabling innovative applications now. With Sprint 4G, you can download a favorite sitcom or a large video in seconds, or watch video streaming on the go, not just at home. You can download songs and pictures in seconds, not minutes, and share live video of events in real time while on the go, not just from the home or office.
Businesses are discovering that Sprint 4G is an effective, flexible alternative for Internet connectivity that can both increase productivity and expand their capabilities. For example, retailers can implement cost-effective wireless voice and data solutions for their outlets; real estate agents can conduct virtual property tours; construction teams using 4G in the field can save valuable time by sharing schematics with engineers online; insurance companies can speed their claims management through real-time communication with on-site adjusters; educators can enhance distance learning with two-way interactive live video; health care professionals can improve their ability to remotely monitor patients; emergency first responders can rapidly assess and coordinate disaster action with real-time on-site video and audio; and photo-journalists can instantly transfer high-resolution images to the newsroom.
Sprint 4G extends the web experience to meet each person's moment-to-moment mobile needs by using 4G data cards and routers and, in the future, laptop solutions and mobile phones that deliver rich content, larger file transfers, streaming video and low-latency remote access.
'Sprint continues to lead the charge in rolling out wireless 4G in cities across America and the momentum continues to build,' said Todd Rowley, vice president of Sprint 4G. 'Our aggressive expansion of Sprint 4G will include many new devices and capabilities that create increased performance and productivity while enhancing personal lifestyles on the go.'
Sprint 4G powered by WiMAX is expanding across the country
Sprint made history by launching 4G in Baltimore in September 2008. In addition to Greensboro, Sprint is also launching 4G service today in Dallas-Ft.Worth; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago and Raleigh, N.C. Sprint 4G will launch later this month in the Texas cities of Austin and San Antonio. These follow 4G launches earlier this year in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Portland, as well as Abilene, Texas; Amarillo, Texas; Bellingham, Wash.; Boise, Idaho; Corpus Christi, Texas; Killeen-Temple, Texas; Lubbock, Texas; Midland-Odessa, Texas; Milledgeville, Ga.; Waco, Texas and Wichita Falls, Texas. Sprint also plans to deploy Sprint 4G service in these additional markets in 2009: Honolulu; Maui, Hawaii; Salem, Ore. and Seattle.
In 2010, Sprint expects to launch service in multiple markets, including Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Sprint customers in Greensboro can start enjoying 4G today with the 3G/4G USB Modem U300, the first device from any national wireless carrier to offer access to both 3G and 4G ' practically future-proofing wireless technology for its customers. Sprint customers can take advantage of America's most dependable 3G network2 when outside of 4G coverage. For a limited time, customers can benefit from a 4G promotion allowing them to get the dual-mode device for free after a $50 mail-in rebate for consumers and instant rebates for business clients (excludes taxes) with a two-year agreement. Sprint is currently offering new 4G/3G data plans for consumers at $69.99 monthly with unlimited 4G and 4G/3G data plans for businesses at $69.99 with unlimited 4G and unlimited 3G on the Sprint network3 (price plans exclude surcharges and taxes).
For those who live and work outside of a Sprint 4G service area, but find themselves in a 4G service area, Sprint offers a 3G-only plan at $59.99 per month with the U300. Customers can then purchase a 4G day-pass when they visit any Sprint 4G service areas. The $10 day-pass enables Sprint 4G on their device for 24 hours.
Customers in Sprint 4G service areas can purchase the U300 and sign up for 4G/3G plans at select Sprint retail stores, select Best Buy stores and local retailers. Customers who are not yet in a current Sprint 4G service area can purchase the dual-mode U300, 3G plans and 4G day passes via Sprint telesales at 1-800-Sprint-1 or online at www.sprint.com/4G.
Sprint has several new 4G devices planned for 2009 and 2010, including a single-mode 4G data card, embedded laptops and a 4G phone.
Sprint is harnessing the power of 4G as the largest shareholder of Clearwire with a 51 percent stake in this independent company that is building the WiMAX network. Sprint is the only national wireless carrier to offer 4G services on the Clearwire WiMAX network.
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 wireless networks serving more than 48 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2009 and the first and only 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The company's customer-focused strategy has led to improved first call resolution and customer care satisfaction scores. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.
1) 'Up to 10x faster' based on download speed comparison of3G's 600 kbps vs.4G's 6 Mbps. Typical published 3G avg. speeds (600 kbps-1.7 Mbps); 4G avg. speeds (3-6 Mbps). Actual speeds may vary. 4G currently available in select areas /devices; check Sprint.com/4G for Sprint 4G coverage/device info.
2) 'Dependable' based on independent, third-party drive tests for 3G data connection success, session reliability, and signal strength for the top 50 most populous US markets (including PR) from January 2008 to July 2009. Not all services available on 3G and coverage may default to separate network when 3G unavailable.
3) The Unlimited 3G/4G plan is for corporate liable accounts only. Sprint reserves the right, at our sole discretion to deny, terminate, modify, disconnect or suspend service if corporate-liable customer exceeds the off-network roaming threshold (300MB/mo.) or engages in the following prohibited uses: server devices or host computer applications, including, but not limited to, disproportionate Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections, peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing applications broadcast to multiple servers or recipients such that they could enable "bots" or similar routines, or for any other reason that, in our sole discretion harms our network.