[Epic 4G General] lynyrd65:
That would be legit

edit: Food for thought

From sprint website

Current vs. New cell site

Today, Sprint uses separate equipment to deploy services on 800 MHz spectrum, 1.9 GHz spectrum and, through its relationship with Clearwire, 2.5 GHz spectrum. Under the terms of the new contracts, Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson and Samsung will install new network equipment and software that brings together multiple spectrum bands, or airwaves, on a single, multi-mode base station.

Comparison between today's base stations and Network Vision base stations

With Network Vision, Sprint will make substantial changes to the cell sites that power its wireless network. The top image shows Sprint’s existing base stations, which require single, refrigerator-sized cabinets for each technology. Large black coaxial cables must run from each cabinet to the top of the cell tower, which has an inherent loss of signal. The Network Vision multi-mode base station will require less space. Other advantages will include the ability for Sprint to use spectrum bands on multiple technologies, replacing coaxial cables with fiber that is not affected by signal loss and improved remote radio heads that replace existing less efficient radios.

Multi-mode technology

The implementation of multi-mode technology throughout the Sprint network will:

• Enhance service

• Create network flexibility

• Reduce operating costs

• Improve environmental sustainability

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Other Rumors alluded to by sprint

Berge Ayvazian, Senior Consultant, Heavy Reading

“This is a very bold move. Sprint was first with an all-digital wireless network; the first to upgrade to EVDO; and more recently, the first to broadly offer 4G services. Sprint is once again first to deploy a common converged mobile network that will strengthen its 3G services; enhance its 4G technology options; and continue delivering the industry’s leading push-to-talk offering.”

Steve Elfman, Sprint president of Network Operations and Wholesale

“We’re seeing an increasing need from our push-to-talk customers for high-speed data capabilities. Marrying the industry’s only sub-second PTT call set-up with broadband data directly supports our customers’ needs and creates an unmatched offering in the market. Additionally, we fully expect a competitively priced lineup of rugged handsets and smartphones on the CDMA network.”

They both seem to be a alluding to the rumored leapfrog project with the switch from iden ptt to cdma ptt. The second comment seems to suggest a move of that iden spectrum into wimax/lte use. You can guess what 4g "options" are.

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Document from spint pdf

Network Vision: Sprint’s Plan for Push-to-Talk

"Consider these facts:

• Sprint is committed to ensuring our customers’ near and long term needs are met and the

Network Vision plan allows Sprint to combine the iDEN PTT “gold standard” of sub-second

call setup time with the enhanced Sprint 3G network.

• The plan is to begin with a competitively priced device portfolio that includes featurerich,

rugged devices and the latest Sprint smartphones. It is our expectation the first

PTT on CDMA devices will be available in

3Q11.

• Importantly, there are NO immediate plans to force migrate iDEN customers to the

CDMA network."

This probably means a transition to new vision (leap frog LTE/1xAdvanced with PTT) in Q3.

Additional reading I won't cite for now, points to the addition of more 800mhz cdma support throughout the deployment of vision.