• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Sprint Nextel 'Powers Up' Wireless Coverage, Capacity to Its Networks in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties

Posted on: Thursday, 22 March 2007, 09:00 CDT

For Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) wireless customers in Miami-Dade and Broward counties who already take advantage of the company's powerful networks, recent local network enhancements should result in even better wireless service. Sprint added 19 wireless cell sites during within the last six months to its Nationwide Sprint PCS NetworkSM and Nextel National NetworkSM in communities including Miami, Miami Beach, Kendall Lakes, Coral Gables, Coral Springs, Plantation, Davie and Hollywood.

"Sprint continues to make significant investments to increase coverage and capacity in its wireless networks in South Florida and throughout the country," said Bob Halcrow, area vice president, Florida. "Customer satisfaction and network quality are two of Sprint's top priorities as we further strengthen our powerful networks where our customers live, work, play and travel."

Last year, Sprint invested more than $137 million in its wireless networks in South Florida. The following is a detailed list of the local areas benefiting from these enhancements:

Nationwide Sprint PCS Network

Kendall Lakes at SW 88th Street and 156th Avenue

Coral Gables, on the University of Miami campus

East side of Cutler Ridge, in the area of Old Cutler Road and Franjo Road

City of Miami, in the area of Flagler Street between SR 826 and SW 57th Avenue; also along Fountainbleau Boulevard between West Flagler Street and the Dolphin Expressway

Opa-Locka, east of the Opa-Locka Airport along NW 37th Avenue

Hollywood, in the area of Federal Highway and Sheridan Street

Dania Beach, along AIA between Federal Highway and North Ocean Drive, northwest of West Lake Park.

Davie, in the area of SW 48th Street and SW 30th Avenue; also in the area of I-595 and the Florida Turnpike; along University Avenue at SW 60th

Margate, in the area southwest of the Florida Turnpike and Atlantic Boulevard

Pembroke Pines, along Pines Boulevard and SW 184th Avenue

Plantation, in the area north of I-595 between University Boulevard and Pine Island Road; also in the area of Sunrise Boulevard and Nob Hill Road

Deerfield Beach, along Hillsboro Boulevard between I-95 and North Military Trail

Coconut Creek, in the neighborhood of the Coconut Creek Government Center

Coral Springs, along University Drive between Royal Palm Boulevard and West Atlantic; and near the intersection of Coral Ridge Drive and Southgate Boulevard

Nextel National Network

Miami Beach, along the McArthur Causeway and in North Bay Village

In 2006, Sprint added more than 3,400 cell sites across the country to strengthen performance in both of its wireless networks and this year expects to add more than 4,000 sites.

Sprint also exceeded a 2006 goal of adding 800 permanent generators at critical Florida cell sites. The network team, in fact, installed more than 1,000 generators across the state by the end of last year with plans to install 1,100 more in 2007.

Increased Network Investment in 2007

Sprint spent more than $7 billion in capital expenditures in 2006, most of which was invested to enhance its wireless and wireline networks nationwide. Across the country, thousands of markets -- large and small -- received the benefit of this major investment. This year, Sprint will invest more than $7 billion to further enhance its powerful networks and expand mobile broadband coverage.

The Sprint Mobile Broadband Network and EV-DO Rev. A

Sprint offers the largest wireless broadband network of any carrier through the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, which reaches more than 209 million people across the country and covers more than 10,000 cities and 1,000 airports. In many major cities, including South Florida, Sprint has upgraded the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network with higher-speed EV-DO (Evolution -- Data Optimized) Revision A technology. Sprint's industry-leading EV-DO Rev. With EV-DO Rev. A, users should experience significantly faster average data upload speeds of 350 to 500 kbps (compared with 50-70 kbps on current EV-DO networks). Average download speeds should increase to 600 kbps to 1.4 mbps (from 400-700 kbps). By year end, the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network is expected to be completely upgraded to the faster EV-DO Rev. A.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services, bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks serving 53.1 million customers at the end of 2006; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and an award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category