Sprint Accelerates EV-DO Revision A Mobile Broadband Upgrade

Following successful performance tests in San Diego last week, Sprint has decided to speed up its deployment plan of EV-DO Revision A technology. The company now plans to begin its roll out of EV-DO Revision A service during Q4 2006, with coverage expected to reach more than 40 million people by year end.



Sprint said EV-DO Rev A users should expect faster average download speeds of 450 - 800 kbps; and average upload speeds of 300 - 400 kbps.



Overall, Sprint plans to reach more than 200 million people in the U.S. with mobile broadband data services (both EV-DO Revisions 0 and A) in 220 major metropolitan areas and 908 airports across the country with its Power Vision network by the end of 2006.



By Q3 2007, Sprint's Power Vision network will be completely upgraded to the faster EV-DO Revision A.



Additionally, Sprint has been demonstrating 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 of both content and live web cams simultaneously over the upgraded network.



In conjunction with the rollout of the upgraded mobile broadband network, Sprint will market a variety of EV-DO Revision A compatible devices, starting first with connection cards offered in PCMCIA Type II, USB, and ExpressCard form factors. These devices will also work on the current Sprint Power Vision network.http://powervision.sprint.com/mobilebroadband/