LAS VEGAS – Days after announcing plans for initial market launches, Sprint Nextel added more color to its LTE plans with news on devices. The carrier said its LTE network would begin rolling out later this year in an initial 10 markets.
Sprint Nextel said its early LTE device line up will include Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus smartphone, LG’s Viper – both running a version of Google’s Android OS – and Sierra Wireless mobile hotspot compatible with the carrier’s CDMA-based 3G network as well as its WiMAX and LTE networks.
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is similar to the model launched by Verizon Wireless late last year that was the first to run Google’s Android 4.0 OS that is designed to tie its smartphone and tablet services under one umbrella.
Joining the Galaxy Nexus will be LG’s Viper that is currently set to run Android 2.3, be powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and a 5-megapixel camera along with a VGA front-facing camera.
The jack-of-all-trades mobile hotspot will be the first device to bring together Sprint’s various network technologies save for its iDEN network that is set to be turned off in the coming years.
Pricing and launch details for all three devices are expected to be announced in the coming months, though the carrier did say it expects to launch approximately 15 LTE-equipped devices by the end of the year. Sprint Nextel also reiterated its support for its unlimited data offering that remains unique among its nationwide competitors.
Sprint Nextel has said it remains committed to selling WiMAX-equipped devices through the end of this year as its network partner Clearwire has stopped all further WiMAX deployments in favor of TD-LTE technology.
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