Sprint To Deploy EV-DO Wireless Data Network

Sprint announced Tuesday that it will deploy next-generation EV-DO wireless data services across its entire network.

The company joins Verizon Wireless in deploying the technology, which provides typical data speeds of 300 Kbps to 500 Kbps. It also said it will be only slightly behind Verizon Wireless' roll-out schedule, providing the service in several large markets in the U.S. in the second half of this year and in the majority of large metropolitan areas by the end of 2005.

By contrast, Verizon Wireless said it would have its EV-DO service rolled out in most major metropolitan areas of the U.S. by the summer of 2006. Sprint said it will announce pricing and where the service will initially be offered in the next few months.

The service will work either with enabled handsets or with laptops that use PC cards. Both devices will enable seamless transition to slower 1xRTT technology, which Sprint has already deployed widely, when the user isn't in an EV-DO area.

The company said it will spend about $1 billion to deploy the system and said it may well deploy even faster wireless data technology starting in 2006.