Ericsson
Based in Overland Park, Kansas, Sprint Nextel is one of the largest wireless carriers in the United States, with more than 55 million subscribers who use the provider’s mobile voice, data and Internet services over its national network. Sprint’s service offering also includes a legacy wireline network, providing long-distance voice, Internet and data services to enterprise and wholesale carrier customers.
In 2008, Sprint made a bold move when it rolled-out the industry’s first Fourth Generation (4G)
wireless network based on the Mobile WiMAX standard (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access). In 2009, Sprint outsourced the management of its wireless networks to Ericsson, a global telecommunications firm with significant operations in the United States.
Near the end of 2010, Sprint unveiled its “Network Vision,” a large-scale national plan to upgrade its existing Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network infrastructure and to expand its footprint across the United States. The company’s goal was to enhance its network to make it more efficient and cost-effective in the short-term, but also to give the company the long-term flexibility to expand its offerings through upgrades to Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution (4G LTE) technology. The continuing explosion of mobile data usage by consumers and the growing use of mobile business applications prompted Sprint to begin steadily working toward achieving this aggressive and technically complex vision.
To make its Network Vision a reality, Sprint immediately began work with Ericsson and other vendors to implement the necessary hardware and software upgrades and to undertake the physical design, modification and construction of new towers across the country.
In 2012, Ericsson chose Pinpoint Towers (now a part of Optica Network Technologies) as its partner. The two companies quickly identified the best ways to implement the wide range of work that needed to be completed, with Optica drawing on Pinpoint’s deep experience in designing, engineering and constructing some of the most complex and robust microwave networks in the Midwest.
Optimal Performance
Optica’s strict adherence to safety protocols, its dedication to completing work on time and the team’s desire to provide quality work at every site has driven the project to a successful finish.
