14 DAY TRIAL // Sprint announced that it has upgraded the Sprint Power Vision Network with the faster EV-DO Revision A technology in 10 additional markets. With the recent launches in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Detroit, Denver, Baltimore, Providence and New Jersey, Sprint's upgraded mobile broadband network now covers more than 60 million people in 20 markets. The EV-DO Revision A coverage in the 10 new markets will initially include major airports, downtown business districts and major transportation corridors where wireless data demand is highest.
Sprint Power Vision users in all of the 20 upgraded major metropolitan markets should experience significantly faster average upload speeds of 300-400 kbps (compared with 50-70 kbps of current EV-DO networks). Average download speeds should also increase to 450-800 kbps from 400-700 kbps. With the upgraded mobile broadband network, customers in these markets will be able to utilize richer applications and services such as high-speed video telephony, music-on-demand, video messaging and large file uploads.
"Customers value mobility and they value speed, and Sprint's upgraded Power Vision Network is unmatched in delivering both," said Kathy Walker, chief network officer for Sprint. "We offer the largest coverage area and the fastest data speeds, so our customers have the power to send and receive information at DSL-like speeds without being tethered to their desks or stuck inside their homes or offices."
As Sprint's mobile broadband network continues to grow, so does its device portfolio with the addition of the EV-DO Revision A-capable USB modem. The Sprint Mobile Broadband USB Modem by Novatel Wireless Ovation U720 that plugs into the USB port of any compatible laptop can be purchased for $49.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement and $50 mail-in-rebate. Sprint also offers three Mobile Broadband cards compatible with laptops having a Type II PCMICIA slot: the Novatel S720, Sierra AC595 and Pantech PX-500. All of Sprint's EV-DO Revision A-capable devices will also work on the Sprint Power Vision Network where the EV-DO Revision A upgrade is not yet available.