Sprint - United States

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Sprint
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United States Flag of United States View country details


Sprint (United States) uses 3 LTE bands, 2 CDMA bands, and 1 5G NR band. Find out if your unlocked phone or mobile device will work with Sprint (United States). See the tables below for details.

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Carrier website: http://www.sprint.com

Sprint Corporation was a major player in the U.S. wireless telecommunications industry. Here are some key points about the Sprint United States mobile network:

  1. History and Merger:

    • Sprint was founded in 1937 and was once the fourth largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, behind Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
    • On April 1, 2020, T-Mobile US and Sprint Corporation completed their merger, effectively ending Sprint as a separate entity.

  2. Network Technology:

    • Sprint used CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) technology for its wireless network, which was different from T-Mobile's GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) technology.
    • This difference meant that Sprint phones were not compatible with T-Mobile's network, although there were some exceptions and extended roaming capabilities.

  3. Spectrum and 5G:

    • Sprint owned valuable midband wireless spectrum, which is crucial for 5G services. This spectrum allows for faster speeds than existing 4G LTE networks.
    • The merger with T-Mobile aimed to integrate these resources to create a unified 5G network, promising improved coverage and data speeds for customers.

  4. Customer Impact:

    • After the merger, Sprint customers were transitioned to T-Mobile's network. Initially, they used their original carrier's network, but eventually, the two networks were expected to merge, providing greater coverage and faster speeds.
    • Customers were assured that their rate plans would not change for at least three years following the merger, although future changes were uncertain.

  5. Brand Discontinuation:

    • The Sprint brand was officially phased out on August 2, 2020, with all branding, retail, and customer service transitioning to T-Mobile.

  6. Legacy Services:

    • Sprint had a significant presence in the long-distance market, offering services like "pin drop" commercials and specific carrier access codes. However, these services were discontinued in 2017 as the long-distance market declined.

Sprint's legacy in the U.S. wireless market is marked by its significant contributions to the development of digital wireless networks and its eventual integration into T-Mobile to form a unified 5G network.

This carrier only accepts approved devices on its network.
Even if a device supports some or all of the required frequencies for this carrier, it will not be able to connect unless the device is approved for this network. Check with the network operator to confirm whether a device is approved or not.

Frequency Bands

LTE

Name Interface Description
B25 (1900 MHz +) LTE

Sprint United States uses LTE band B25 (1900 MHz +) for its LTE network. This band is deployed in different chunks in various regions, ranging from 5x5 blocks to 15x15 blocks. It is a superset of band 2, including band 2 frequencies plus additional spectrum.
B26 (850 MHz +) LTE

Sprint United States uses LTE band B26 (850 MHz +) for its network. This band was deployed as part of Sprint's tri-band LTE network, known as Sprint Spark, which also includes bands B25 (1900 MHz +) and B41 (TD 2500 MHz). The deployment of these bands began in 2013.
B41 (TD 2500 MHz) LTE

Sprint United States uses LTE Band 41 (TD 2500 MHz) for its 4G LTE network. This band is deployed and supports the TDD LTE technology, which allows for higher downlink allocation compared to FDD LTE. Band 41 is utilized to enhance network capacity and support the deployment of 5G technology, offering faster data speeds and lower latency.

Supported LTE Protocols

Name Generation
LTE 4G

CDMA

Name Interface Description
BC1 (1900 MHz PCS) CDMA

Sprint United States uses CDMA BC1 (1900 MHz PCS) for its CDMA network. This band was deployed as part of Sprint's nationwide CDMA network, which was launched in 1999.
BC10 (Secondary 800 MHz) CDMA

Sprint United States used the CDMA BC10 (Secondary 800 MHz) frequency band for CDMA (and LTE) service. This band was previously used for iDEN service and was known as the ESMR band. The CDMA BC10 band covers frequencies near 800 MHz. It was used for CDMA protocols such as cdmaOne, CDMA2000 1xRTT, CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rel. 0, and CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev A. Sprint's CDMA network using this band was completely shut down on May 31, 2022.

Supported CDMA Protocols

Name Generation
cdmaOne 2G
CDMA2000 1xRTT 3G
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rel. 0 3G
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev A 3G

5G NR

Name Interface Description
N41 (2500 MHz) 5G NR

Sprint United States used frequency band 5G NR N41 (2500 MHz) for its 5G network. This band was utilized for both LTE and 5G services, with Sprint leveraging its extensive mid-band coverage to deploy meaningful 5G coverage in 2019. The deployment of N41 allowed Sprint to provide high-speed 5G services to a significant portion of its user base, contributing to its ability to maintain a substantial customer base despite limited frequency bands.

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