Sprint Confirms that iPhone Will Have Unlimited Data

Slammer said:
I wouldn't worry too much about the network. Sprint has enough bandwidth to handle the data.

I don't have solid facts, but from what I've heard, I think Sprint's upcoming 4G announcement is going to surprise many opponents from normal consumers to other carriers on its initiative.

For better or for worse, Sprint has bandwidth that other handsets can utilize but the iPhone 4S may not.

The obvious example is Sprint's BRS/EBS 2500-2600 MHz spectrum in which Clear has deployed WiMAX. As the 4S is not WiMAX capable, the 4S cannot cause any congestion on the WiMAX network.

Additionally, Sprint has SMR 800-900 MHz and PCS "G" block 1900 MHz spectrum and has plans to deploy CDMA1x and/or LTE in this spectrum in the next year. Most of Sprint's handsets introduced this year can utilize this spectrum, as they support CDMA band classes 10 and 14, but the verdict is still out on whether the 4S follows suit.

For discussion of band classes, see my other post in the Apple announcement comments:

http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/discuss.php?fm=m& ... »

So, any potential network congestion could be confined to the EV-DO Rev A network deployed in Sprint's traditional PCS A-F block 1900 MHz spectrum. Handsets that have WiMAX, LTE, and/or CDMA band class 10 or 14 capability could be segregated from any iPhone data onslaught, hence relatively unaffected.

AJ