Sprint Nextel’s recent announcement that it planned to begin deploying LTE services across its network as part of its Network Vision initiative was not a surprise to most industry observers as the industry in general is moving in that direction. What did catch some off guard were the carrier’s plans to have a larger LTE footprint than its current CDMA network by the end of 2013.
At this week’s 4G World event in Chicago, Bob Azzi, Sprint Nextel’s SVP of Networks, provided RCR Wireless News some additional insight into those plans as well as touched on the carrier’s plans to update that network as equipment becomes available.
Sprint Nextel is currently on track to use the 10 megahertz of its 1.9 GHz G-Block spectrum attained as part of its 800 MHz re-banding efforts to support its initial LTE rollout. That would provide the carrier with a 5 megahertz by 5 megahertz deployment scheme, which is less than the 10 by 10 being used by rivals Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility.
Azzi noted that the carrier also planned to migrate its LTE services to LTE-Advanced capabilities once equipment became available, something he expects to happen in early 2013. The LTE-Advanced standard is designed to use wider spectrum channels to provide higher capacity and speed. One benefit expected from the LTE-Advanced standard will be the ability to use spectrum from across different bands in aggregate, which could allow Sprint Nextel to tap into its 800 MHz holdings as well as spectrum assets from network partner LightSquared or Clearwire.
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