Sprint confirms Boost, Virgin getting 4G WiMAX in 2012
updated 08:45 am EDT, Wed April 25, 2012
Sprint to speed up prepaid carriers with old 4G
Sprint confirmed during a call for its latest results that it was bringing 4G to Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile. CEO Dan Hesse expected both of the prepaid carriers to use the older WiMAX network before the end of 2012. More details would come as the launch got nearer, he said.
While Hesse wouldn't say what devices were coming with the lineup, the earlier leak had pointed to the HTC Evo 3D being one of the first. It may be renamed as part of the switch.
The decision will see the WiMAX network stay alive for some time to come and should also close some of the gap with the main network, which is accelerating its 4G by using much faster LTE. Although WiMAX's relevance as 4G has sometimes been debated, it should in practice see some of the first 4G prepaid carriers in the US, if not the world.
