Sprint officially launched its 5G network in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Kansas City
US operator Sprint claimed to have the largest initial 5G footprint in the country, as it officially launched its 5G network in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Kansas City and made available its first 5G-compatible handsets. It also announced plans to turn on 5G in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix and Washington, DC in the coming weeks, covering around 2,180 square miles and 11.5 million people across all 9 market areas.
Unlike rival 5G networks from AT&T and Verizon which use mmWave spectrum, Sprint’s iteration runs on the 2.5GHz mid-band frequency. The company uses 64T64R 5G Massive MIMO radios from Ericsson. The radios support split-mode, enabling Sprint to simultaneously deliver LTE Advanced and 5G NR service. They are deployed on its existing 4G cell sites, providing a nearly identical footprint for both 2.5 GHz LTE and 5G NR coverage.
For USD 80 per month, Sprint’s Unlimited Premium tariff will give customers access to the 5G network. The service is initially available on two devices, the LG V50 ThinQ and the HTC 5G Hub. Samsung’s Galaxy S10 5G will be available in the coming months.
