Skip to main content

Sprint’s 1Gbps LTE Advanced network is now up and running in more than 225 cities

It looks like Sprint is seriously stepping up its network speed. The company announced that its LTE Advanced network is now available around the country, including more than 225 cities. What that means is that in those cities, phones capable of connecting to LTE advanced networks will be able to get download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second.

Gigabit internet speeds are becoming increasingly common, but they are still super fast compared to other wireless network speeds. On a network with 1Gbps download speeds, you will be able to download an HD movie in a matter of seconds.

It’s important to note that it’s unlikely you will be able to hit full 1Gbps speeds, even when you’re connected to an LTE Advanced network and using a compatible phone. The more people that are connected to a particular cell tower, the lower your speeds will be — not to mention the fact that obstacles and distance can play a role, too. Still, the fact remains that you will likely achieve much faster speeds on these new networks than you otherwise would have and even a few hundred megabits per second is a super fast speed.

In February, Sprint announced that it was hoping to build out the first nationwide 5G network by early next year, and rolling out LTE Advanced is a huge part of making that happen. On top of rolling out LTE Advanced, Sprint is also bringing 5G capabilities to nine cities by the end of the year — including the likes of Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. Customers won’t be able to access these 5G capabilities until next year, but it’s still quite a step forward.

Sprint is also building one of the first phones with 5G built right into it. It’s not currently clear who the company is working with on the project but the phone is expected to launch alongside Sprint’s 5G network next year. Meanwhile, progress continues to be made in the Sprint and T-Mobile merger, and the two companies have said that merging will allow them to build their next-generation networks faster.

Of course, Sprint isn’t the only network building out 5G. Verizon recently launched 5G home internet service and while the devices used for that will ultimately be replaced to meet industry standards, the fact remains that 5G is starting to become a reality.

Editors' Recommendations

Christian de Looper
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
D-Link’s 5G router promises up to 40 times faster speeds than your broadband
d links new 5g home router link nr  dwr 2010

Ahead of CES 2019, D-Link announced a new home broadband router and modem that ditches the traditional connection to either a cable or DSL line in favor of 5G network access. The 5G-capable D-Link DWR-2010 5G NR Enhanced Gateway supports download speeds up to 3Gbps, which is up to 40 times faster than the average broadband speeds in U.S. homes. The average fixed-line broadband speed is around 70Mbps, the company claimed, citing a Forbes report.

In addition to faster speeds, D-Link's new 5G router will also work with the company's other Wi-Fi routers to create a mesh network. The D-Link DWR-2010 5G NR will also support voice over LTE, or VoLTE, capabilities. It comes with five Ethernet ports and support for four external antennas for LTE and 5G NR network access. Essentially, the D-Link 5G NR Enhanced Gateway is like a mobile hotspot for your house.

Read more
Google just redesigned one of its biggest apps, and it’s bad
Google Chat app on the Play Store.

Google Chat — Google's business-oriented messaging platform that is similar to Slack and Microsoft Teams — just got a big update for its Android and iOS apps. The update dramatically changes how you navigate the app and, uh, well, it sure is something.

Google Chat's mobile app used to be broken up into two pages: Chat (direct messages between you and other users) and Spaces (larger chat rooms for multiple people). As with most apps, you switched between these with a navigation bar at the bottom of your screen.

Read more
The Pixel Watch 2 just got a feature it should have launched with
The Google Pixel Watch 2 resting on a stone fireplace.

Google has heard everyone’s demands and has given in to a highly requested feature that should have already been a thing with the Google Pixel Watch 2: a fully charged notification. Yes, that’s right — you’ll now get a notification on your Android phone when your Pixel Watch 2 is fully charged. Hallelujah!

This new feature should be available starting today via the Pixel Watch app on version 2.1.0.576785526. Google did not formally announce this feature, so it seems to be rolled out quietly (and was first spotted by Android Authority).

Read more