http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/10/30/sprint-launches-spark-network-faster-speeds-in-five-cities/
"Sprint Corp. unveiled a new network technology Wednesday that promises speeds up to four times faster than the so-called LTE networks in use currently. Now the trick will be building it out.
Sprint said the new network, known as Sprint Spark, can offer wireless speeds of 50 to 60 megabits per second in some places, and said the technology could eventually offer speeds of 2 gigabits per second. Typical LTE speeds, the fastest network technology currently available, are around 8 to 15 megabits per second, according to speed tests.
Five cities will have “limited availability” of the new network speeds immediately, starting with New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tampa and Miami. The carrier will offer three LG and Samsung devices that work on the network on Nov. 8 and more throughout the year.
It will still be a while before more people get access. Sprint says it will roll out the technology to 100 cities over the next three years, and 100 million people should be covered by the end of 2014. It will have 25% coverage in a given city before officially launching there.
Sprint is taking advantage of a trove of wireless spectrum it has acquired through its acquisition of Clearwire earlier this year. But the high frequency, while great for carrying data-heavy traffic like video, doesn’t do a good job of penetrating buildings or traveling long distances. That means networks need to be built much more densely with more cell sites at greater expense.
While ultra fast, the speeds Sprint showed off currently have little real-world applicability. Streaming video is already possible on current LTE speeds. Other than high intensity gaming, it’s hard to imagine a current application that would be revolutionary on the technology.
Sprint is hoping others will come up some good ideas. Its innovation lab in Burlingame, Calif., is open to companies that want to plug into the network and test new ideas.
Sprint Spark will also offer high definition voice, which is much higher quality voice calls. The service will become more widely available in the early part of next year and will only work when two Sprint customers are calling each other."
"Sprint Corp. unveiled a new network technology Wednesday that promises speeds up to four times faster than the so-called LTE networks in use currently. Now the trick will be building it out.
Sprint said the new network, known as Sprint Spark, can offer wireless speeds of 50 to 60 megabits per second in some places, and said the technology could eventually offer speeds of 2 gigabits per second. Typical LTE speeds, the fastest network technology currently available, are around 8 to 15 megabits per second, according to speed tests.
Five cities will have “limited availability” of the new network speeds immediately, starting with New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tampa and Miami. The carrier will offer three LG and Samsung devices that work on the network on Nov. 8 and more throughout the year.
It will still be a while before more people get access. Sprint says it will roll out the technology to 100 cities over the next three years, and 100 million people should be covered by the end of 2014. It will have 25% coverage in a given city before officially launching there.
Sprint is taking advantage of a trove of wireless spectrum it has acquired through its acquisition of Clearwire earlier this year. But the high frequency, while great for carrying data-heavy traffic like video, doesn’t do a good job of penetrating buildings or traveling long distances. That means networks need to be built much more densely with more cell sites at greater expense.
While ultra fast, the speeds Sprint showed off currently have little real-world applicability. Streaming video is already possible on current LTE speeds. Other than high intensity gaming, it’s hard to imagine a current application that would be revolutionary on the technology.
Sprint is hoping others will come up some good ideas. Its innovation lab in Burlingame, Calif., is open to companies that want to plug into the network and test new ideas.
Sprint Spark will also offer high definition voice, which is much higher quality voice calls. The service will become more widely available in the early part of next year and will only work when two Sprint customers are calling each other."
LTE bars that dont load shyt or 3G reception that doesn't load shyt.
"
