Sprint PCS Announces 1xEV-DO Rollout Plans

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.sprint.com/business/products/products/wirelessHighSpeedData_tabA.jsp' target='_blank'>http://www.sprint.com/business/prod...edData_tabA.jsp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"With Sprint Wireless High-Speed Data, you can enjoy a wireless data experience that helps you be more productive and have the security needed to ensure that your proprietary information is not compromised. To enhance the existing Sprint PCS Nationwide Network, Sprint will begin launching Wireless High-Speed Data services mid-2005. By year-end Sprint Wireless High-Speed Data service will be available to more than 130 million people. By early 2006, when the national build-out is complete, Sprint Wireless High-Speed Data will be available in approximately 60 metropolitan areas, encompassing more than 200 strategic urban and suburban markets—covering approximately 150 million customers."</i><br /><br />Sprint PCS has launched a section of its business website devoted to EV-DO. Unfortunately, the only listed device right now is a PC card -- but I'll be watching to see if they roll out a new Windows Mobile product (or update their existing PPC-6600 device).

[TMann]

I assume that EV-DO capability is something that is hardware related, just as not all GPRS phones are EDGE enabled. Am I correct on that?

TMann

[that_kid]

Yes that's correct, I was looking at the sprint EvDO map and it looks like New York and New Jersey won't make the first draft of the rollout. Hopefully they will get things rolling soon so I can use my EvDO harriers. I can't wait to take advantage of the EvDO bandwidth.

[threedaysdwn]

I assume that EV-DO capability is something that is hardware related, just as not all GPRS phones are EDGE enabled. Am I correct on that?

TMann

Correct.

The first Sprint device to support EV-DO was the PPC-6601/6600. It requires a firmware update (and possibly other tweaks like an account flag or special PRL) to make it work. So the big question is whether Sprint will let us use EV-DO on our phones... not whether our phones support it :)

[jimski]

Yes that's correct, I was looking at the sprint EvDO map and it looks like New York and New Jersey won't make the first draft of the rollout.

Not surprising. A few years ago while I was getting frustrated waiting for AT&amp;T to rollout GSM in the New York/New Jersey area, two different reps explained to me that this was part of the plan. They explained, "imagine a New Yorker traveling to another part of the country and discovering they had a crippled phone :evil: ". That would never work so AT&amp;T chose to rollout most of the other metro areas first.

[that_kid]

Yeah what's interesting is that Verizon is launching EvDO here in the Richmond market this month. It's actually been up for over a month but you could only access it witht the test prl. On one of my many trips to Jersey I found that Verizon had EvDO coverage all the way from I95 in Northern Va to just short of Delaware on I95. The thing that also suprised me about Sprint's initail coverage is that DC was "coming soon" as well. I'm thinking they are working on that whole corridor at the same time so they can get it up and running in one shot. I know they are working on it here in Richmond too, maybe I'll be able to get a test prl from one of my old co-workers :wink: .

[wbuch]

Could someone post the link to the coverage map? I tried looking around at the link that Janak posted but couldn't find and actual coverage map. Thanks.

[that_kid]

http://www.sprint.com/business/products/products/evdoEnterZip.jsp but it looks like Sprint has pulled the page.

[JohnJohn]

http://www.sprint.com/business/products/products/evdoEnterZip.jsp but it looks like Sprint has pulled the page.

Was Denver on it?

[that_kid]

I'm not sure, they had you input a zip code and the map would show that surrounding area. The only places I checked were NY/NJ/DC and Va

[signothefish]

No worries, mates. Howard Forums has the EV-DO coverage maps:
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=651190&amp;page=2

The tentative rollout schedule is here:
http://evdoforums.com/about263.html

[that_kid]

Ok it looks like the link is back up and the map has been updated. It now shows parts of NY/NJ to have EvDO as well as DC and here in Richmond. Hmmm, my 6600's don't show that and my former co-workers have confirmed that all the sites are not even updated here yet. Oh well I'll keep checking cause as soon as EV flashes up on my screen it'll be a happy camper.