Sprint today announced it is ahead of it's plan for EVDO Rev A upgrades. Sprint claims it is the nation's largest wireless broadband network covering 153 million people. Under its accelerated schedule, Sprint plans to begin its roll out EVDO Revision A during 4Q 2006 with coverage expected to reach more than 40 million people by year end.

Average download speeds will be a bit better at 450 - 800 kbps; but upload speeds should increase markedly; from 64K-100Kbps to 300 - 400 kbps. These data rates enable voice over the previously Data Only network as well as video telephony, music on demand, video messaging and push-to-talk capability.

Sprint hopes to reach more than 200 million people in the U.S. with mobile broadband data services (both EV-DO Revisions 0 and A) in 220 major metropolitan areas and 908 airports across the country with its Power Vision network by the end of 2006.

By 3Q 2007, Sprint's Power Vision network will be completely upgraded to the faster EV-DO Revision A.

Last week Sprint successfully completed the first EV-DO Revision A connection in San Diego, CA. In conjunction with the rollout of the upgraded mobile broadband network, Sprint will market a variety of EV-DO Revision A compatible devices, starting first with connection cards offered in PCMCIA Type II, USB, and ExpressCard form factors like the Novatel Wireless 620s and Sierra Wireless 580 in the third quarter of 2006. These devices will also work on the current Sprint Power Vision network.

Verizon Wireless and Nortel plan a fall launch of EV-DO Revision A.

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