Some of Sprint’s customers today are among the first in the world to experience the power and performance of true mobile 5G with the largest initial 5G coverage footprint in the U.S. The next generation of wireless service is now here, delivering blazing-fast download speeds in areas of Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Kansas City. In the coming weeks, Sprint also expects to launch service in areas of Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix and Washington, D.C., covering approximately 2,180 square miles and 11.5 million people total across all 9 market areas.
“Sprint 5G is here and we’re proud to give customers true mobility and the largest initial 5G footprint in the country,” said Sprint CEO Michel Combes. “This is a momentous day and just the start of what we can achieve with T-Mobile, together building a better, faster, nationwide mobile 5G network that benefits all U.S. businesses and consumers.”
Sprint 5G will power new experiences for wireless customers, from gaming and entertainment services, to IoT and business applications. Today service is available in the following locations:
- Atlanta: Sprint 5G covers approximately 150 square miles and 565,000 people from downtown to Dunwoody!
- Dallas-Fort Worth: Sprint 5G covers approximately 575 square miles and 1.6 million people across the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area serving Irving and downtown Fort Worth, including Sundance Square, Las Colinas, and the North Dallas area from Preston Hollow to Addison.
- Houston: Sprint 5G covers approximately 165 square miles and 800,000 people across the cultural center of Houston from downtown to Memorial City Mall/City Centre Plaza.
- Kansas City: Sprint is the first wireless operator to launch 5G in its hometown, with service covering approximately 225 square miles and 625,000 people from downtown Kansas City, MO, to Overland Park, KS where the company is headquartered.
At the foundation of Sprint 5G is Massive MIMO, a breakthrough technology that dramatically improves network capacity. Sprint is using 64T64R (64 transmitters 64 receivers) 5G Massive MIMO radios from Ericsson in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Kansas City. These radios support split-mode, enabling Sprint to simultaneously deliver LTE Advanced and 5G NR service. Sprint’s 5G Massive MIMO radios run on its 2.5 GHz mid-band spectrum, and they are deployed on Sprint’s existing 4G cell sites, providing a nearly identical footprint for both 2.5 GHz LTE and 5G NR coverage.
Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks, Ericsson, said: “Ericsson is working together with Sprint to unleash the power of 5G on Sprint’s network. Our 5G Massive MIMO radios will provide Sprint users with a true next-generation experience, enabling advanced applications for businesses and consumers.”