Sprint PCS announces EV-DO
As expected, Sprint PCS today announced plans for an EV-DO high-speed wireless data network. EV-DO has speeds of 300-500 kilobits per second and peak rates of up to 2.4 Megabits per second for downloads. Verizon Wireless is the other US carrier
working on EV-DO.
Sprint expects to deploy EV-DO with initial service available in select markets in the second half of 2004 and launch in the majority of top metropolitan markets in the United States in 2005. The specific cities have not been announced.
Sprint's upgrade to EV-DO will be relatively simple, requiring no "forklift upgrades" to the company’s nationwide wireless network. Sprint will upgrade cell sites by simply adding a new channel card and an additional RF carrier.
Despite an easy upgrade, Sprint is expecting to invest $1 billion in the project. Pricing was not announced, but an unlimited EV-DO data plan from Verizon Wireless costs $79.99 a month.
