Sprint (NASDAQ:S) has issued a request for proposal for its next-generation of mobile network technology and LTE may be one option. Light Reading Mobile reports that at the LTE World Summit in Amsterdam this week Kevin Packingham, senior vice president of product and technology development at Sprint, said that the company is evaluating various technologies and is deciding how to evolve its core network. Specifically, Packingham was referring to Sprint's CDMA network, which currently operates in the company's 800 MHz and 1900 MHz spectrum.
Although the company has not made any decision regarding its evolution path, this is the first time it has confirmed that LTE may be an option. Sprint is currently operating as a wholesale provider using Clearwire's (NASDAQ:CLWR) mobile WiMAX network to provide mobile broadband service to its subscribers. In addition, last summer when Sprint announced its $5 billion outsourcing deal with Ericsson, the carrier said that it was not considering moving to LTE and was instead planning to use Clearwire's WiMAX network for all high-speed mobile data.
Packingham's statement comes just a week after research firm Telecom Pragmatics issued a press release indicating that Sprint and Verizon Wireless were both considering a CDMA Rev. B deployment. However, Sprint spokeswoman Kelly Schlageter told FierceWireless that Sprint is not prepping Rev. B.
For more:
- read this Light Reading Mobile article
- and read this other Light Reading Mobile article
Related Articles:
Are Verizon and Sprint rolling out CDMA Rev. B?
Questions, concerns surround Sprint-Ericsson tie-up