US telecoms giant Sprint Corp will share its 4G LTE network with regional operators after coming to an agreement with NetAmerica Alliance, which represents rural carriers. In return Sprint’s customers will be able to roam on the 4G LTE networks being…
US telecoms giant Sprint Corp will share its 4G LTE network with regional operators after coming to an agreement with NetAmerica Alliance, which represents rural carriers.
In return Sprint’s customers will be able to roam on the 4G LTE networks being built by NetAmerica Alliance members across the country.
Masayoshi Son, Sprint’s chairman and head of its parent Softbank, said: “Every American, regardless of where they live or work, should have access to high-speed mobile broadband.”
Son said the agreement was “a clear demonstration of Sprint’s long-term commitment to bring real competition to the wireless industry”.
Son’s comments echo those he made on a recent visit to the US when he made a presentation laying out his vision for enhanced mobile broadband coverage.
The speech was an implicit argument in favour of a merger between number three player Sprint and T-Mobile US – America’s fourth largest national operator and the smallest.
Son previously argued that market leaders AT&T and Verizon Wireless had an effective duopoly, and that Sprint and T-Mobile had to be allowed to merge so that they could gain the scale to compete.
