Sprint’s faster LTE network is now live in 20 new markets — bringing the carrier’s total to 402 markets as it tries to catch up to AT&T and Verizon on 4G LTE. Sprint said it expects its LTE network to reach 250 million people by mid 2014. By contrast, Verizon’s LTE network covers more than 300 million people, and AT&T’s covers about 280 million people.
Sprint’s 20 new markets from east to west are: Sarasota / Bradenton, FL; Myrtle Beach, SC; Ocean City and Trenton/ Ewing, NJ; Willimantic and Bridgeport / Stamford / Norwalk, CT; Lancaster and Scranton / Wilkes-Barre, PA; Zanesville, OH; Hot Springs, AR; Shawnee, OK; Peoria, IL; Kenosha, WI; Mason City, IA; Omaha, NE; Provo / Orem, UT; Nogales, AZ; plus Bakersfield, Visalia / Porterville, and El Centro, CA.
Sprint’s 4G LTE network is also available to customers of Sprint’s prepaid Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA brands, provided that customers have LTE capable devices and plans that include LTE access.
In some Sprint LTE markets (list below), the carrier is offering enhanced LTE services called HD Voice and Sprint Spark. Sprint says its Spark service can currently deliver wireless data speeds of up to 60Mbps on capable devices, with the potential for speeds three times as fast by late next year. Sprint promises that Spark enables stutter-free mobile video chat and no-lag mobile gaming.
Sprint just recently expanded Spark, so the service is available in the following 18 cities: Austin, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Worth, Houston, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Provo and Salt Lake City in Utah, San Antonio, Tampa, and Trenton, New Jersey.
Update: Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has revealed that the carrier’s HD Voice service will go nationwide in July.
