Sprint is committed to covering 11 million people with 5G by the end of 2019
Sprint has announced its fourth 5G device, a smartphone developed by global mobile technology company OnePlus. The device will be added to the carrier’s current 5G lineup, which includes the LG V50 ThinQ 5G, the HTC 5G Hub and the Galaxy S10 5G.
“We are proud to join with Sprint to bring an ultra-premium smartphone to their network,” said Kyle Kiang, OnePlus chief marketing officer. “As a community-driven company, we are thrilled to tell OnePlus enthusiasts on the Sprint network that the wait is finally over. This is a tremendous opportunity to expose Sprint customers to the award-winning OnePlus brand.”
While it wasn’t detailed which model of phone is coming to Sprint, OnePlus currently has one 5G device available, the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, which launched in late May when U.K. operator EE turned up limited 5G services.
Here’s a full list of the 7 Pro’s specifications, but notably it’s based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 mobile platform, which features the X50 modem. Since releasing its first-generation 5G modem, Qualcomm has announced the X55 modem.
“This new smartphone gives Sprint customers another exciting option for accessing their True Mobile 5G experience,” said Dow Draper, the carrier’s chief commercial officer.
Sprint has committed to covering 11 million people with 5G by the end of the year, a feat the company hopes to achieve by using mid-band spectrum rather than high-band spectrum because it casts a much wider net of coverage.
Sprint’s 5G network is currently accessible in parts of Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Kansas City, and there are plans to launch in Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix and Washington, DC in the coming months.
