Sprint was one of the first carriers to push “4G” when they announced their WiMAX network. One of their hottest selling phones was the HTC Evo 4G. Now that almost every other carrier has announced their dedication to LTE for 4G, Sprint has been making the switch to LTE as well. Today, Bob Azzi, Senior VP of Networks, announced that Sprint will no longer be launching any new WiMAX phones to the market. Previously, Sprint has said that it would release WiMAX devices through 2012.

He also said that LTE will launch on their 1900MHz spectrum, but that they will also repurpose its 800MHz spectrum as old Nextel iDEN users are transitioned to their CDMA Direct Connect service.

Earlier this year, they announced that they would be releasing LTE devices by mid-2012 and they would have 15 devices (phones, tablets, data cards) coming throughout the year.

Source: FierceWireless

The end of WiMAX, the first 4G technology in America launched by Sprint and Clearwire in 2008, looks to be two years away.

At the “Sprint Network Vision Strategy Update” in New York, Sprint executives announced the aggressive rollout of a 4G LTE network to the end of 2013, the fastest 4G standard available in the U.S. today offered by both AT&T and Verizon.

Sprint will “continue selling WiMAX devices throughout 2012,” said Steve Elfman, president of network operations and wholesale, leaving many to conclude that the WiMAX product roadmap would not go any further.

For an idea of how Sprint’s support for LTE will trump WiMAX, Sprint said that by the by end of 2012 it will cover 120 million people and 250 million by the end of 2013.

The announcement adds to a big week for Sprint. The company became the latest carrier to offer the iPhone, joining larger rivals AT&T and Verizon Wireless, when Apple unveiled its iPhone 4S on Tuesday. Elfman said he believes the network will be able to handle the increased traffic that comes with the iPhone.

Sprint plans to to launch 15 dual-mode 4G LTE/CDMA smartphone and tablets by mid 2012.

Another industry first comes out of Overland park Kansas; where Sprint has announced that it will offer wholesale 4G sales. What does this mean exactly? Well it just means that it will allow other ISP or cable companies to use their system to offer 4G services. they will be providing the HTC Detail 3G/4G handset (same features as the HTC Evo Shift 4G) and the Sierra Wireless 250U 3G/4G data card.

In their press release Sprint goes on to say:

“Customers looking for a large and established 4G ecosystem should consider Sprint, as we offer access to more than 120 ecosystem partners, including chipset vendors, device and equipment manufacturers, applications developers, machine-to-machine solutions providers and more,” said Matt Carter, president Sprint Wholesale Solutions and New Ventures. “With Sprint 4G, the possibilities for our customers are endless. 4G is another fine example of the complete solutions we offer to help our customers harness their full potential.”

As other businesses try to compete in the wireless 4G markets (think Comcast, Cox, Time Warner Cable) they are met with challenges of how to provide service. This is one way that Sprint can stay ahead of the game (and ahead of Verizon, and AT&T) to give themselves a nice boost in revenue.

To me this is just one way that Sprint can help Clearwire in their LTE-Advanced roll out. Remember that Sprint 4G service is really just Clearwire’s WiMax…With that said I can see that companies that want to get an edge up on competition and offer 4G wireless Internet everywhere possible – can now look at Sprint for a helping hand. This should help the revenue of both Sprint and Clearwire, and possible help Clearwire expand their LTE-Advanced fantasy sooner…

What are your thoughts on this PPCGeeks? Is Sprint making the right move here? Do you see it helping out the masses? Just what does this mean for Sprint in the long run? Tell me the answers and give my your insight to what you think might happen with Sprint offering wholesale 4G service.

Source: Sprint

Special thanks goes to darren.wlsn1 for giving us the tip on this article. thanks!

Well what a shocker we have here today! We all knew that Clearwire has been struggling to keep WiMax working properly; and we also knew that they were testing LTE technology at one point in Arizona. But what we did not expect to see was this! Clearwire says that this fall they are going to be releasing LTE-Advanced!

Dan Hesse did say we would have something “spectacular” coming this fall. This could be it. Clearwire is going to stop building out WiMax and start switching to LTE- Advanced. LTE-Advanced is the next step up from LTE, and could deliver download speeds of 120Mbps! Now don’t worry Evo, Epic, Evo 3D lovers – Clearwire will be keeping WiMax around – but will soon be switching it out it sounds like. They are going to start in areas that are already deployed with WiMax but has high demand of 4G. 

Dr. John Saw, Clearwire’s Cheif Technolog Officer, confesses:

“This is the future of mobile broadband. Our extensive trial has clearly shown that our ‘LTE Advanced-ready’ network design, which leverages our deep spectrum with wide channels, can achieve far greater speeds and capacity than any other network that exists today. Clearwire is the only carrier with the unencumbered spectrum portfolio required to achieve this level of speed and capacity in the United States. In addition, the 2.5GHz spectrum band in which we operate is widely allocated worldwide for 4G deployments, enabling a potentially robust, cost effective and global ecosystem that could serve billions of devices. And, since we currently support millions of customers in the 2.5 GHz band, we know that our LTE network won’t present harmful interference issues with GPS or other sensitive spectrum bands.”

This is no doubt why we have not seen any WiMax roll outs planned for Clearwire this year (2011). They did go on to say that they have to wait for additional funding to make their LTE-Advanced fantacy come true. Then they stated that they will be using multicarrier, or multichannel, wideband radios that will be carrier aggregation capable. This sounds like they are going to market to the masses of carriers – not just Sprint.

Now you might be saying “Jason – Sprint just signed a partnership deal with Lightsquared – how is this love triangle going to work?” Well all I have to say is it will be tricky but I bet we see that this love triangle will fester and bloom into a oozing pot of LTE goodness for all of us. Remember that Lightsquared is still face with issues regarding GPS – so this gives Sprint that one way out.

You tell me PPCGeeks, what do you think of this news? Does this spell “Love” for Sprint, or does it put a nail in their casket? Tell me below!

Source: Engadget

This is a move that I think we all saw coming eventually. Sprint has reduced it’s stake in clear wire from 50% to 49.8%. A move that makes Sprint less likely to be held accountable if Clearwire defaults. Most importantly though is that Sprint maintains 54% of the economic stake in Clearwire. See what was happening was investors were worried that if Clearwire was to default (go under) that Sprint would end up having to pay that money back.

With them removing themselves as a power player in voting they can now say – “Hey we had nothing to do with them going under”… By Sprint also doing this action Sprint is proactively providing protection and flexibility with respects to its debt agreement and eliminating ongoing investor concerns about any potential cross-default risk.

This action only affects Sprint’s voting interest as a shareholder of Clearwire and does not affect Sprint’s other governance rights, nor does it reduce Sprint’s economic interest in Clearwire, which remains the same.

So PPCGeeks, that should not come as a shock to you. Sprint has been in talks of making LTE based moves – could this be the first sign? Tell us your thoughts and opinions about this move. Do you think it has any merit as to what Sprint will do with WiMax or LTE? Tell us below….

Source: fiercewireless

Google has been sued successfully and lost for use of Linux on it’s server platform.  Although this may not be a huge loss to Google financially, this issue could extend to the Android platform. Bedrock Computer Technology has also sued AOL, Yahoo and Amazon to name a few.

Will companies like Bedrock Computer Technologies impede the growth of Linux?

What do you Geek-A-Holics think?
Get your Geek Freak on and let us know.

Source: Intomobile & BBC

Remember back when Google first launched the Nexus One and how their goal was to get it on every major US carrier? There was even a rumor that it was going to be released on Sprint, but that was pulled at the last minute, presumably because of the launch of the HTC Evo 4G. Well now the wait is over. For those of you that want a pure Google phone on Sprint, you can soon pre-order the Google Nexus S 4G. For more information, you can visit the Sprint landing page for the phone.

Its basically the same as the current Nexus S available on T-Mobile, except that it offers Sprint’s 4G via WiMAX.

Is this a phone you would want? It would be the first CDMA phone to run Gingerbread as well (Android 2.3). There’s been rumors that this phone will be available on At&t too, but no official announcement.

Thanks to those that sent this one in!

Rumors have recently been going around on what Sprint has planned for the CTIA convention this year and BGR has just been informed of what we like to call expected announcements. The three devices everyone is so excited about are the HTC Evo 3D, the HTC Evo View 4G and Sprint’s version of the Motorola XOOM.

Expected specifications of the HTC EVO 3D include a 4.3″ qHD 960 x 450-pixel Autostereoscopic 3D display, 4GB of RAM, 1GB ROM, 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm 8660 Snapdragon CPU, dual rear 5-megapixel cameras with a dedicated camera button, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera and a 1730mAh battery. It is said to be running Android Gingerbread 2.3 with HTC Sense UI and has output 1080p video via HDMI and output 720p 3D content as well. Supposedly it will come stock will also be a Blockbuster 3D on demand app as well as YouTube 3D. We will see when the announcement gets here.

Expected specifications of the HTC EVO View include features very similar to the HTC Flyer tablet including a 7-inch 1024 x 600-pixel capacitive touch screen, an aluminium unibody design, HTC Scribe with optional pen support, the latest HTC Sense UI optimized for tablet devices, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, Android 2.3 Gingerbread and a 4000mAh battery and DLNA and HDMI-out support. Remember, specifications aren’t official but you can almost count on them being so.

As we mentioned in a previous article, Sprint is planning to launch their own XOOM tablet. See our previous article for more information.

Sources suggest that Sprint will be announcing quite a few more devices including a Samsung Rant 3, a 3G touch screen messaging device that’s eco friendly and features a solar rechargeable battery door. A BlackBerry PlayBook (Wi-Fi & WiMAX version) are also expected to be announced.

What do you think geeks? Will you get any of these? Is this what Sprint needs to gain back their reputation to the fullest? Do you think this will help? Let us know your thoughts?

Source: BGR

Sprint’s latest WiMAX device, the Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot from Sierra Wireless has recently been announced and you’ll be seeing it available March 20, 2011. Pricing is marked at only $49.99 after a $50.00 mail-in rebate. This device will allow Sprint users to connect up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices to share a 3G/4G connection.

Sprint expresses to consumers that this is one great device. It’s not only smaller than their original but it also has major improvements in power up and down time as well as a larger LCD display. Sources suggest this device may be shown at the CTIA convention next week so we will hear about just how well it works then.

Take a look at the press release below:

Available March 20, Sprint’s 19th announced 4G-capable device is the next generation of the popular Overdrive mobile hotspot, with an increased number of shared users from five to eight, and a 45 percent larger LCD screen.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and VANCOUVER, Canada–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sprint (NYSE:S) and Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ:SWIR) (TSX:SW) today announced upcoming availability of Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless. As the second generation of the popular Overdrive device, Overdrive Pro allows users to connect up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices simultaneously – including laptops, tablets, eReaders, gaming devices, cameras and even smartphones from other carriers – through a single connection (via Wi-Fi) to a 4G network offering download speeds up to 10 times faster than today’s 3G service.

Overdrive Pro creates a connection between the Sprint 4G network and virtually all of the hundreds of millions of Wi-Fi-enabled electronics devices owned by or available to customers today. Beginning on March 20, customers will be able to purchase Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot exclusively from Sprint for $49.99 (excluding taxes) after a $50 mail-in-rebate with a two-year service agreement. Customers can purchase the device and sign up for 3G/4G plans at select Sprint retail stores, through business sales, Web (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1).

“There are endless possibilities for how our customers can take advantage of the easy wireless connection to Sprint 4G through this small device,” said Fared Adib, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. “Teams can travel and share access on-the-go, families can be connected in one household with tablets, game consoles and televisions, and shuttle buses can provide Internet access to their customers while en route to a destination. With Overdrive Pro, customers no longer have to look for mobile hotspots because they always have one with them.”

With Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, the benefits to consumers and businesses are endless:

• Stream a favorite TV show or movie from Hulu or Netflix® to your Netbook or tablet while simultaneously surfing the Web in another room
• Wirelessly connect an Xbox 360 and game real-time with someone located across the country
• Move pictures wirelessly from a camera to a digital picture frame and surf the Web on a laptop while streaming Pandora®
• Work remotely anywhere in a 4G coverage area (or virtually anywhere with 3G) and easily connect a laptop, smartphone, tablet or wireless phone through a single connection
• Teams that are travelling can share Internet access with each other at hotels, airports and conference centers
• Taxis, limos and shuttle buses can provide Internet access for customer use while en route to their destination
• Healthcare teams can rely on an easy, reliable, power-up-and-go solution to use in Emergency Response Team (ERT) Go Kits, or while treating patients bedside
• Engineering, construction and insurance teams can instantly upload data, pictures of sites, accidents and images remotely
• Reporters first on the scene of a breaking story can share access to upload stories and photos while at the scene, without missing a beat.

Overdrive Pro offers several enhancements over its predecessor, Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, focused on performance and usability, including a 35 percent improvement in power-up and power-down times. Overdrive Pro’s integrated LCD screen, which provides valuable information like signal strength, battery life, and number of devices connected, is 45 percent larger than the previous version for a wider viewing angle, while the device itself is smaller for easier portability. The LCD display has also been made even more informative, with detailed connection and device information available through additional screens that can be accessed by double-pressing the power button.

Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless requires activation on a Sprint 3G/4G Mobile Broadband Plan starting as low as $49.99 per month.2 Device can be used on both the Sprint 3G and 4G networks. This flexibility allows customers to enjoy 4G performance in any of the 71 Sprint 4G markets or to use Sprint’s reliable, nationwide 3G network.

“Overdrive Pro, combined with the power of Sprint’s 4G network, is a valuable tool for both consumers and business users looking for the best way to stay connected on the go,” said Dan Schieler, senior vice president and general manager, Mobile Computing for Sierra Wireless. “It’s remarkably easy to get up and running, and with support for eight Wi-Fi connections and a range of up to 150 feet, it’s equally useful to a remote work team sending reports and presentations back to the office as it is to a varsity team posting highlights from their winning game.”

Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless offers an easy way to keep all of your Wi-Fi-enabled devices connected, even when you’re on the move:

• Connects up to up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices
• Provides all the information you need to connect and monitor your connection through a simple user interface with integrated LCD screen
• Offers up to 150 foot range for Wi-Fi connections, providing flexibility in device placement and freedom of movement for users
• Supports 802.11n for wider compatibility with new Wi-Fi devices
• Shared microSD storage, GPS support and location-based services available to all connected devices
• Integrated security out-of-the-box requires no additional setup and provides peace of mind when working in public areas.
• External antenna ports, to be used with the separately sold docking station, coming soon

As the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology, Sprint made history by launching 4G in Baltimore in September 2008. Sprint currently offers 4G service in 71 markets in 28 states. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/4G.

Let us know what you think. Have you used Sprint’s WiMAX device before? Do you see room for improvement and consider getting this one? Let us know what you think.

Source: BGR via Sprint

It remains a very distinct possibility that Sprint will make the jump to LTE. Sprint issued an RFP exploring the migration to LTE, then announced a multi-billion dollar network overhaul that could easily pave the way for such transition. We’ve also heard it from more than one employee over the last six months that Sprint absolutely will be building an LTE Network despite executive protestations. No this should come to no surprise as we here at PPCGeeks reported the network overhaul and the fact that Clearwire has been doing LTE testing and has shown speeds of 90 mb/s burst. Of course this news was before the leaked news that Clearwire will be going wholesale, though Clearwire too has made hints they could shift to LTE – for survival reasons. Whatever the outcome, Sprint may say they’ll be making their intention clean sometime over the next 4 to 6 month time frame.

“Our 4G strategy is WiMAX, full stop!” – Dan Hesse, November 2010.

Over the next 4 to 6 months Spring Nextel (NYSE:S) will study and evaluate the rate which its customers migrate from the EV-DO to mobile WiMAX and calculate the best way to use its existing spectrum before it decides whether or not to deploy LTE. Sprint currently runs an EV-DO network in the 1900 MHz PCS band, and has a wholesale deal with Clearwire to use WiMAX in the 2.5 GHz band. Sprint also runs the iDEN network in the 800 MHz range, and we all know Sprint has said that it will begin to phase out the iDEN network in 2013.

It’s interesting that we went from Dan Hesse insistent that WiMAX was absolutely Sprint’s path in November, to a Sprint executive telling us they’re seriously considering the LTE shift just three months later.

Hmmmm could Verizon/AT&T LTE/voLTE be scarring big yellow into rethinking it’s plan? Tell us in the comments below Geeks, what is it that is making Sprint look into LTE, and what do you think it means for us SPrint users that have EVo, Epics and Evo Shifts? What is the future of Sprint? Let your comments be heard.

Source: DSLreports.com

Thanks to member BooDaddy here at PPCG for pointing out this news to our site.

According to sources at CNet, Clearwire said today that Sprint CEO Dan Hesse and two other top Sprint executives, Keith Cowan and Steven Elfman, have resigned from Clearwire’s board of directors and will soon be naming temporary members to the board.  There are four other Clearwire board members Sprint previously appointed who’s positions will remain unchanged.

The Sprint executives’ departure is raising speculations about Clearwires future. The public now wonders whether Sprint will end up buying Clearwire outright or will Clearwire and T-Mobile strike a deal. Whatever happens, this move could possibly open the gates allowing other investors to take advantage of Clearwire and the new 4G network.

Source: CNet

We all want to see 4G officially launched in NYC and have been patiently waiting for the announcement. While firm release dates have not been made public yet, we have found a video that shows how Sprint is preparing rooftops for 4G in NYC.

In the video below you will learn the basics of what a 4G cell site consists of. The video features Iyad Tarazi, vice president of Sprints Network and Development, with Michael Galluccio, Sales Manager of the Sprint New York metro area, on a rooftop in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen. Tarazi shows the positioning of compact 4G cell site and antenna system that will be delivering peak download speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G. Even more interesting, the 4G technology that resides in a cabinet is about half the size of 3G equipment. Who would’ve known that?

According to our sources at Intomobile, some areas of NYC currently have WiMax available but nothing has been made official from Sprint on when the roll out will be complete. If you aren’t in one of these areas that currently have 4G access, take a deep breath and relax; it will be in your area soon.

According to BusinessWire, Sprint has officially announced the launch of 4G in 51 markets: California – Merced, Modesto, Stockton, Visalia; Delaware – Wilmington; Florida – Daytona Beach, Jacksonville; Georgia – Atlanta, Milledgeville; Hawaii – Honolulu, Maui; Idaho – Boise; Illinois – Chicago; Maryland – Baltimore; Massachusetts – Boston; Michigan – Grand Rapids; Missouri – Kansas City, St. Louis; New York – Rochester, Syracuse; Nevada – Las Vegas; North Carolina – Charlotte, Greensboro (includes High Point and Winston-Salem), Raleigh (includes Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham); Oregon – Eugene, Portland, Salem; Pennsylvania – Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Reading, York; Rhode Island – Providence; Texas – Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Killeen/Temple, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, San Antonio, Waco, Wichita Falls; Utah – Salt Lake City; Virginia – Richmond; and Washington – Bellingham, Seattle, Tri-Cities, Yakima.

Source: Intomobile

I’m sure most of our readers would disagree with this idea, but Dan Hesse seems to think that a merger between Sprint and T-Mobile is still a good idea. He’s gone on record with Financial Times by saying the company is still considering a merger with T-Mobile “down the line”. You may remember last year that Sprint and T-Mobile were in talks of a merger, but T-Mobile’s parent company, Deutsche Telekom, feels that T-Mobile is doing fine on their own.

Combining the two companies would put them in a spot to jump into 2nd place, right between Verizon and At&t. We all know how badly merging two incompatible networks can go (i.e. Sprint and Nextel), so its surprising that Sprint is considering making this move again. This move is most likely focused on 4G and building a large enough network to compete with Verizon and At&t. Remember, Sprint is the only major US carrier going with WiMAX, while everyone else is going LTE. A merger might give them the best of both 4G worlds, but integrating their 3G (HSDPA and EVDO) and 2G (Edge and CDMA 1xRTT) would be a nightmare.

We have quite a few Sprint users on our site and a few T-Mobile ones. How would you guys feel if there was a merger in the future? If it happened, would you stick it out, or would you jump to another carrier?

Source: Phandroid (Thanks for the tip boredandtattooed)

Sprint likes to advertise that it is leading innovation by starting the nation’s first 4G network with WiMAX, but now it appears that they’re second guessing themselves. With the other three major U.S. carriers confirming they’re going with LTE as their 4G solution, Sprint is probably getting worried about their decision to go with WiMAX, which would leave them the only carrier with that technology as of now. On Wednesday, Sprint issues a Request For Proposal (RFP) from 4G equipment manufacturers, which included LTE.

Sprint’s CEO, Dan Hesse, has even said that Sprint could easily make the switch from WiMAX to LTE if it was necessary. Sprint’s VP of Device and Technology Development, Mathew Oommen, said that Sprint needs to “future proof” its network and that it must “leverage all the assets we have in such a way that offers us the lowest cost per bit” while not becoming “prescriptive to a particular technology.” Their Senior VP of Product Technology, Kevin Packingham, also said “there’s nothing that prevents us from moving to LTE. We’re doing a technology evaluation and making a decision on our core network and how we want to evolve that going forward.”

What do you think? Since Sprint has a partner with Clearwire for WiMAX, they could probably continue to expand WiMAX in niche markets, but use LTE as the upgrade path for their CDMA network. Roaming agreements for LTE also come into play. Since Sprint has the only WiMAX network, there’s nobody to roam with, especially if the other major carriers are going with LTE. As we all know, Sprint has some pretty good roaming agreements with Verizon Wireless and US Cellular for their CDMA network.

Also, what does this mean for the upcoming HTC Evo 4G? We know it will be compatible with their existing CDMA network and their WiMAX network, but what if Sprint decides to go with LTE? Depending on the upgrade path they choose, this device might be out-dated within a year or two because it won’t support LTE. We all know how the smartphone market works though, in a year or two, we all know that there will be a better device than the Evo 4G.

What are your thoughts? What do you think is the best move for Sprint? Will this effect your plans of buying the Evo 4G?

Source: Phonescoop

We all know the HTC Evo 4G is coming to Sprint this summer, but now the latest rumor is that it will hit stores around mid-June, more specifically June 13th.

The other rumor is that the WiMax (4G) will be a $10-$20 add-on, which would include the device’s 8-device HotSpot capability. There is some confusion with this. Some are saying that 4G will be included in the current data plans (kylelerner even confirmed this with a rep) and that the add-on will only be for the HotSpot service. Only time will tell!

Source: Engadget

Remember this post we had last week about the HTC Supersonic being announced at CTIA? Well, it has arrived and wow! This device is quite a sight to see! Officially named the HTC Evo 4G, this super smartphone runs Android 2.1 on a 480 x 800 4.3-inch TFT LCD screen that is as crisp as the lettuce at the local market. The magic behind the display is a Snapdragon QSD8650 1GHz processor, paired with 1GB of built-in memory and 512MB of RAM – specs that exceed most devices currently on the market.

If you are an avid photographer, then the Evo’s camera may have you leaving your cheap digital camera behind as a paper weight. The Evo boasts a 8 Megapixel auto-focus camera with dual-LED flash on the rear of the device. The most enticing quality of the camera is, however, that it can also record HD (720p) video and play it back through the HDMI-output (adapter sold seperately). The device also features a 1.3 MP front-facing camera – a first for any U.S. CDMA phone. The standard 802.11b/g WiFi connectivity is present as is an 8GB microSD card. Even the battery is maxed out, with a capacity that exceeds that of the HD2.

One of the best features in terms of competition is something that catapults the HTC Evo above the Apple iPhone, the Motorola Droid, and even the HTC HD2 – 4G network connectivity via it’s Wi-Max chip. With the speeds that Wi-Max will allow, this smart phone will be able to upload and download all types of goodies faster than you can open them. No more waiting for those epic Facebook pictures to upload or waiting half-a-day for Avatar to finish downloading.

As we all know, sharing is caring, and when you have access to 4G speeds, then sharing that capability makes you on par with a Care Bear. Luckily for your friends, the Evo has built-in mobile hotspot functionality that allows for eight Wi-Fi enabled devices to share the 4G experience.

Additionally, since this device is dual CDMA/Wi-Max (with calls going over the CDMA network and data being handled via EVDO/Wi-Max), the ability to make voice calls and have a live data stream running concurrently is possible. As of right now Sprint says this feature is still in the testing phase. If the testing is successful, then Sprint will be the only CDMA carrier to have this feature available in the U.S. Market and it will also kill those AT&T ad’s that laugh at Verizon and Sprint’s incapability to run dual data and voice streams.

Sprint has committed to no specific release date, but has said the Evo will be ready by this summer. Device and plan pricing also have not been given, but expect an additional charge for Wi-Max access. You can pre-register for the device here.

Overall, this is the flagship device that Sprint has so desperately needed. Not only does it boast top-level specifications, it helps promote the carrier’s fledgling 4G network in a way that nothing previously has been able to do. The Evo finally gives the average consumer a reason to sign up for Wi-Max. Before now, the only way to access their 4G network was with  a Wi-Max capable mobile router or a dongle to plug into a laptop. But now that there is an actual phone capable of accessing Wi-Max, the hassle of setting up another electronic device is gone. Just turn the phone on and it is super fast internet access, no extra work required.

Do you live in an area with a Wi-Max network, or are you on the list to get a Wi-Max network sometime this year? If so, will you be getting this device when it becomes avaiable?

Sprint Press Release

Together with their 4G partner Clearwire, Sprint has been hard at work since 2008 slowly rolling out the first 4G wireless network in the United States. But the question has always remained: what good is a 4G network if there are no 4G devices available to use with it? According to an article on Forbes, Sprint has now confirmed that their first WiMax 4G device will be available to consumers in the first half of 2010, and answering all of our questions. Well, almost all of them.

We still don’t know yet what the device will be, but there is a lot of speculation that it will be the HTC Supersonic, a device that was first mentioned a few months ago. According to a few tipsters, the Supersonic will have a 4.3″ display, an HD2 type (very thin) shell, a snapdragon processor and of course WiMax. The interesting twist for many is that the Supersonic is rumored, and shown in more than one leaked picture, to be running Android 2.1 with the usual HTC Sense overlay.

With Sprint still losing customers on an regular basis, their first WiMax device could not come at a better time. Their two year long investment into the future will clearly put them in front of Verizon and AT&T in the U.S. for 4G capabilities, and hopefully help their struggle against monthly churn. The good news for consumers is that once the first WiMax handest is released, there will certainly be more, not too far behind. Sprint CEO, Dan Hesse, told Forbes that they are working with “several equipment manufacturers that will embed 4G capability into dozens of devices.” Sprint and Clearwire are currently able to offer 4G services to 30 million people in 27 markets, but are planning a major push this year and anticipate bringing the total number to 120 million people, by adding Boston, New York, San francisco and Washington.

As an Android user I am definitely hoping that the device that Sprint is referring to this summer is the Supersonic, and I am exicted to see what other devices will follow. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Source: Engadget

According to AndroidGuys, a tipster has reported that Sprint may just be looking to Walmart for help in providing WiMax coverage throughout the U.S. According to the source, Walmart would be adding WiMax towers on top of all of their stores, thereby catapulting Sprint to near nationwide 4G coverage in one fell swoop. Because of the placement of the towers, Sprint could save a ton of money in zoning and the cost associated with erecting free-standing towers.

With LTE just a few months away from a global implementation, and specifically for Verizon and AT&T in the U.S., this would be a huge addition to Sprint’s current lead in the 4G race. Sprint knows they need the head start and are obviously hoping to get as many new contracts as possible prior to thier competition even getting off the ground, as evidenced by their latest round of commercials and marketing information. We also know that Sprint has plans to release WiMax enabled handsets in 2010 and the rumored partnership with Walmart would certainly help them provide their 4G service to a much larger demographic.

I don’t know if the source is right on or just plain off his rocker, but as a Sprint customer and a resident in Walmart country, I sure am hopeful. Let us know you think in the comments.

Source: InformationWeek via WMPowerUser

“Sprint 4G will launch later this month in the Texas cities of Austin and San Antonio.”

“In 2010, Sprint expects to launch service in multiple markets, including Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.”

Source: Sprint Newsroom ]]> https://www.ppcgeeks.com/2009/11/02/sprint-launches-4g-in-multiple-cities/feed/ 10