Sprint Prepares its Network for 2013 Presidential Inauguration

Preparations include boosting wireless coverage and capacity for the National Mall, and providing devices and data services to public safety officials

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), January 10, 2013 – With an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 people expected to attend the 2013 Presidential Inauguration, Sprint (NYSE:S, news, filings) is well prepared to help ensure customers and public safety officials in Washington, D.C. can seamlessly use their smartphones, tablets and hotspot devices to talk, text, email, and post memorable moments to their favorite social media channels.

Sprint has been aggressively preparing for the inauguration since April 2012 – boosting wireless voice capacity by 25 percent and increasing data capacity by 37 percent for numerous cell sites around the National Mall and downtown Washington, D.C.

Other Sprint preparations include:

• Deploying three Cell Sites on Wheels (COWs) at key locations near and around the National Mall – including the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History – to further enhance the wireless experience of inauguration attendees.
• Installing in-building repeaters at the Capital Hilton hotel, the Washington Marriott Wardman Park hotel, and The Mayflower Renaissance Washington DC Hotel to boost wireless coverage throughout these locations for hotel guests and the venues’ numerous inauguration events.

Between the last inauguration in 2009 and the end of 2011, Sprint has invested approximately $300 million to further improve the wireless voice and data experience for customers in the Washington, D.C. market. In 2012, Sprint began investing significantly in the deployment of Network Vision – Sprint’s program to deploy an all-new 3G and 4G LTE network. That investment will ramp up even more in Washington, D.C. in 2013, as Network Vision is scheduled to launch in the area in the coming months. Some cell sites in the Washington, D.C. metro area have already been upgraded with Sprint’s new 3G and 4G LTE capabilities, and Sprint will continue to fill in the market’s overall Network Vision footprint during the coming months.

“Sprint has a great history of providing reliable and resilient wireless communications for large-scale events, including the 2009 Presidential Inauguration, which dramatically broke past attendance records,” said Joe Meyer, vice president-Network Service Management, Sprint. “And with the increased use of smartphones, tablets and social media sites since that time, Sprint has taken even greater measures to ensure Inauguration Day is an enjoyable wireless experience for all Sprint customers who have traveled from near and far to attend the commemorative events, and who depend on Sprint’s network for a truly unlimited data experience.”

Sprint ERT supports public safety officials on Inauguration Day

The Sprint Emergency Response Team (ERT) is also coordinating closely with various government and enterprise organizations that are supporting the inaugural events by providing connectivity tools and access to critical communications networks, including:

• Deploying a Satellite Cell Site on Light Truck (SatCOLT) to provide augmented and dedicated wireless network coverage, as well as interoperability among private radio networks completely independent of the local power, telephone, and terrestrial IP infrastructure.
• Fully charged Sprint Direct Connect and Nextel Direct Connect® devices and services to first responders, public safety and emergency management officials for redundant, interoperable communications between the various agencies.
• Remote, high-bandwidth Satellite IP Data services to law enforcement for access to critical situational awareness tools and systems.
• GPS tracking systems for ambulances and para-transit vehicles.
• Sprint ERT Go-Kits™ which provide first responders immediate access to mobile communications tools for emergencies, including fully charged cell phones and Sprint Mobile Broadband devices.
• Activation of the government-run Wireless Priority Service (WPS) for approved agencies. This service is available upon request to first responders and emergency management personnel for a nominal fee.

Created in 2002, the Sprint Emergency Response Team is a group of seasoned personnel fully dedicated to providing wireless telecommunications and IP equipment, infrastructure and operations in support of communications continuity to military, government, tribal, and enterprise organizations during natural disasters, National Special Security Events, field training exercises, emergencies and agency/corporate specific events.

Since its creation, Sprint ERT has conducted more than 5,200 deployments, and provided emergency wireless support for more than 1,250 events. Anyone seeking information about services from the Sprint Emergency Response Team should call 1-888-639-0020 or email ERTRequests@sprint.com.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served nearly 56 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries, during the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in both its 2011 and 2012 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.