Sprint teams up with rural carriers to improve its LTE coverage

Sprint is hoping to close some of the gaps in its 4G LTE network, by making deals with rural carriers. 15 such mobile operators have just been tapped by Sprint for the program. Including the original dozen regional carriers that signed with Sprint back in June, there are now a total of 27 such operators involved in the plan. They cover 565,000 square miles and 38 million potential customers.

Sprint's network has gaps in rural areas that these deals are trying to address. In addition to its focus on urban markets, Sprint lost parts of its pipeline when it starting building out its 4G LTE network. The deals are not one-sided. The small rural carriers gain low cost access to Sprint's 4G LTE network, and its customers get the ability to purchase a wide range of handsets from Sprint.


The 27 carriers that have made a deal with Sprint since June, and the areas they cover include: Bluegrass Cellular, serving Kentucky; Blue Wireless, serving New York and Pennsylvania; Pine Belt Wireless, serving Alabama; Pioneer Cellular, serving Oklahoma and Kansas;  Public Service Wireless, serving Alabama and Georgia; Syringa Wireless, serving Idaho; Rural Independent Network Alliance (RINA) members and their partners: STRATA Networks, serving Utah, Wyoming and Colorado; Silver Star Wireless, serving Wyoming and Idaho; All West Wireless Inc., serving Wyoming and Utah; NNTC, serving Colorado; Snake River Personal Communications Service, serving Oregon; CTC Telecom Inc., serving Idaho; South Central Communications Inc., serving Utah; Custer Telephone Wireless, serving Idaho and Breakaway Wireless, serving Utah.

source: Sprint