Sprint Taps Samsung for More LTE Small Cells

Samsung Corp. is joining Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) in providing Sprint Corp. (NYSE: S) with small cells to complement its multi-mode network, the companies announced Thursday evening.

Sprint's employing a Heterogeneous Network (HetNet) in which it targets busy indoor areas and public venues with small cells to complement its Long Term Evolution (LTE) rollout. The carrier said earlier this week that it will also deploy fellow partner Alcatel-Lucent's lightRadio to fill coverage gaps, especially indoors. (See Sprint's First to Deploy Alcatel-Lucent's lightRadio .)

Sprint's VP of Network Development and Engineering Iyad Tarazi explained the carrier's small cell strategy to LR Mobile at the spring CTIA show. Check out the following video around the 2:40 mark to hear Tarazi outline how Sprint will move from indoor to outdoor coverage as it works out interference issues.



Why this matters
Sprint is an important win for Samsung, which hasn't been a big name in small cells. Sprint is looking to multiple sources, technologies and networks to build out Network Vision and will be tasked with ensuring they all work seamlessly. The carrier has yet to announce a small-cell deal with its third Network Vision partner, Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC), but that may not be far behind.

For more

• Sprint's 4G LTE Testing Tease
• Sprint's 4G LTE Scramble
• Sprint Sacrifices Clearwire WiMax in iDEN Demise
• Sprint LTE: First, We Take Manhattan (Kansas)
• What I Learned at Sprint…

— Sarah Reedy, Senior Reporter, Light Reading Mobile