News | May 10, 2000

Sprint Launches First Broadband Wireless Market in Phoenix

A month and a half after AT&T launched its broadband wireless service in Fort Worth, TX (see Project Angel Lives) Westwood, KS-based Sprint has rolled out its first broadband wireless market in Phoenix, AZ. The new product, called Sprint Broadband Direct, provides two-way, high-speed access to the Internet using fixed wireless technology in the multichannel multipoint distribution system (MMDS) band and featuring the EarthLink Sprint Internet service.

According to Tim Sutton, president of Sprint's Broadband Wireless Group, the MMDS strategy is to develop, implement roll out two-way, high-speed Internet access rapidly for the masses. It also plans to eventually add voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services to set the stage for the rapid deployment of the Sprint ION, Integrated On Demand, product line.

How It Works
The service uses a 13.5 in. x 13.5 in. diamond-shaped stationary digital transceiver at the home or business receiving the service. The transceiver is pointed toward a radio transmission tower to send and receive a signal. According to Sprint, the tower can send and receive high-speed Internet data to customers that are up to 35 miles away, so service will reach suburban and inner city neighborhoods that have been excluded by other providers.

Service Features

  • Available to 85% of homes in the metropolitan Phoenix area
  • Downstream burst rates up to 5 Mb/s
  • Typical downstream rates up to 1-2 Mb/s
  • "Always-on" connection
  • Connectivity for one computer (more can be supported for an additional charge)
  • Customer service and network management 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  • Internet services provided by EarthLink Sprint
  • Six e-mail accounts
  • Six personal start pages
  • Six megabytes of Web storage for building personal Web pages
  • Five hours per month of remote dialup Internet access for use when away from Sprint Broadband Direct coverage area.

    Availability
    The service is available to anyone in the greater Phoenix metroplex within 35 miles of South Mountain or Shaw Butte that has line of sight to the tower. Sprint plans to deploy the service in 10-15 cities by the end of 2000. The next launch is scheduled for Tucson, AZ. In addition, Sprint's pending merger agreement with WorldCom, which the companies expect to close in the second half of 2000, would give the combined entity fixed wireless coverage in more than 100 cities, and it would have the potential to each about 60% of U.S. households by late 2001.

    Pricing
    Sprint is pricing the residential product at $39.95 and the business product at $89.95. It claims the services will offer a burst rate up to 5 Mbps, downstream up to 1-2 Mb/s, and upstream up to 256 kb/s.

    There will be a one-time equipment charge that varies by the type of service agreement the customer signs. Customers who sign a two-year agreement will receive equipment for $99; a one-year agreement will be $199 and month-to-month customers will pay $299. In addition to equipment, there is a $299 professional installation charge. For a limited time, however, Sprint is waiving the installation fee for customers in the Phoenix metropolitan area.

    Edited by Ellen Jensen