Sprint's Pivotal Moment: LTE Network Launches July 15
Sprint, the third largest US wireless carrier, is preparing for a crucial moment with the launch of its LTE network on July 15. This move is seen as vital for the company's future, as it aims to catch up with market leaders Verizon and AT&T. Sprint plans to invest $10 billion in network expansion to achieve this.
Sprint's LTE network will initially launch in five cities. This comes after the company has struggled to keep pace with its competitors in LTE deployment. Verizon and AT&T have significantly more LTE coverage, having started their rollouts earlier. Sprint's delayed implementation of LTE standards led to it initially losing market share.
However, Sprint's merger with T-Mobile in 2020 has helped it regain some ground. The combined company has expanded its customer base and invested in spectrum and fiber infrastructure. Despite this, Sprint has posted five consecutive years of losses and has lost around 192,000 contract customers while shutting down its Nextel network. To combat this, Sprint is selling LTE-enabled smartphones, although its matching network has been lacking until now.
Sprint's LTE network launch on July 15 is a significant step forward for the company. It has also committed to selling $15.5 billion worth of iPhones to Apple over the next four years, indicating a focus on high-end devices. With a $10 billion investment in network expansion, Sprint is demonstrating its commitment to improving its services and competitive position in the US mobile telecommunications industry.
