Sprint launches 4G in Denver with speeds up to 60 megabits per second

Sprint’s 4G wireless service finally launched Tuesday in Denver with speeds up to 50 to 60 megabits per second — faster than what most consumers have at home.

Called Sprint Spark or enhanced LTE, Sprint’s 4G comes after a major overhaul of its network.

“We didn’t just do an overlay by adding a band of LTE,” said Ron Marquardt, Sprint’s vice president of technology. “We invested in the future and replaced all our cell sites with new equipment.”

That upgrade allows Sprint customers with compatible devices to stream Netflix videos while driving around Denver. Speeds top out at 60 mbps and could slow depending on proximity to cell towers and the number of users. Typical “throughput” speeds, or what most users will get, is 12 to 15 mbps.

By comparison, Verizon offers XLTE, with throughput speeds of 5 to 12 mbps. AT&T’s 4G LTE service, which launched in November 2012, is also between 5 and 12 mbps.

Sprint, which initially launched 4G service using Wi-Max technology in 2008, switched to LTE a few years later.

LTE, short for long-term evolution, became the more popular 4G technology.

But Sprint made good use of Wi-Max’s 2.5 GHz spectrum. Sprint used it to offer faster data transfer and combine two other spectrum technologies to allow better coverage indoors.

“Moving to LTE was the right decision in the long run,” Marquardt said, adding that Sprint still offers Wi-Max but will end support next year. “The 50 to 60 mbps is the floor of 2.5 GHz.”

Data customers don’t need to pay extra. But they do need a tri-band phone, which includes most phones launched in the past year.