While 3G network projects have yet to be widely implemented, Sprint Nextel has announced plans to build its 4G mobile network.
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| Source: CFF |
The 4G mobile network, also known as the fourth generation mobile network, became the central topic in the speech by Gary Forsee, CEO of Sprint Nextel, at the Wireless Leadership Summit held yesterday (June 27).
Gary Forsee stated that Sprint Nextel is actively working on the construction of the 4G network. However, he did not disclose what technology would be used for the 4G network; instead, he emphasized the significant impact of this new generation mobile network on Sprint Nextel’s business model.
“4G will provide us with performance and cost advantages, expected to be ten times greater than the current 3G network. Once we achieve this, there will be many other great opportunities“, Gary Forsee remarked.
It is known that Sprint has spent billions of dollars building its 3G network based on Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) technology. Sprint only started offering 3G services a year ago, with the latter part of 2005 and the first half of 2006 dedicated to expanding the network.
With an average download speed of 400-700 Kbps, the 3G network can provide broadband access that allows customers to browse the web and download data from mobile phones anywhere. Currently, this service is primarily used for laptops, but there are already some mobile devices capable of downloading music, games, and watching TV shows.
However, the EV-DO technology is just the beginning for Sprint. The company plans to use the 2.5GHz frequency to provide new 4G wireless services. Sprint Nextel is also testing several technologies related to the 4G network, including WiMax, which supports maximum download speeds of up to 20 Mbps.
