New Galaxy S4 phone for high-speed network

U.S. wireless provider Sprint says an enhanced version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone will take advantage of its new high-speed network offering. Dubbed Sprint Spark, the network will offer unprecedented speeds by combining all three Sprint bands -- 800MHz, 1.9GHz and 2.5GHz -- of 4G LTE wireless spectrum into a single data channel. Tri-band devices like the upcoming improved Galaxy S4 can support active hand-off mode between the three bands and provide data session continuity as the devices move between spectrum bands, Sprint said Tuesday. Sprint Spark will be deployed in about 100 of America's largest cities during the next three years, the carrier said, with initial availability in five markets now: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tampa and Miami. Samsung Galaxy S4 phones enabled with Sprint Spark will be available for $199.99 with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement, Sprint said. Sprint Spark is intended to support a new generations of online gaming, virtual reality, advanced cloud services and other applications requiring very high bandwidth, it said.