Two great pieces of news for Sprint customers – the unlimited data plan is here to stay and the carrier will move to a new, faster 4G LTE network towards the middle of next year.

According to Sprint engineers, likely realistic download speeds for the new network will be 12-15 Mbps.

While the carrier’s existing 4G network is WiMAX based, the new 4G network will use LTE-Advanced technology. However, the WiMAX network will continue to be supported for many years to come, so no need to worry if you’ve recently bought a Sprint phone or are thinking about buying one now.

Sprint is promising at least 12 4G LTE devices will launch in the mid to latter part of next year. By the end of 2013 the carrier says its 4G LTE Advanced network will have a larger coverage area than the current CDMA network.

Should I wait for the new network before buying a phone?

For most, waiting probably doesn’t make much sense. Because of the timing of the new network, a 4G phone bought now on a two-year contract will be more than halfway through the contract by the time the new breed of phones arrive. That will make any early termination fee fairly minimal.

On the other hand, waiting means missing out on a year or more of the excellent Sprint devices available now like the Motorola PHOTON or the Sprint’s Samsung Galaxy S II the Touch.

If you really need 4G LTE and can’t wait until next year, checkout the LTE-capable selection of Verizon 4G phones.

Unlimited Plan Stays

Sprint have also confirmed that their unlimited plan is definitely staying and will remain a core part of its marketing strategy. The Now Network is now the only major carrier to offer an unlimited data plan.