iPhone 5 to Launch on Sprint With Unlimited Data Plan

Sprint plans to continue to offer unlimited data plans on its network for the LTE iPhone when it is released later on this year, according to a statement made by the company's CEO Dan Hesse.

"If the next iteration of the iPhone arrives with LTE, Sprint will continue to offer a no-strings unlimited plan," said Hesse to CNET. "I'm not anticipating the unlimited plan would change by that point. That's our distinctive differentiator."

Sprint had already been offering LTE devices including the Galaxy Nexus and LG Viper with unlimited data plans, however it was unclear if the carrier would apply the same standards to the an LTE iPhone.

Hesse also stated that the unlimited plans for the current iPhone have been successful for the company and have helped it attract customers from other carriers. Nearly 50 percent of the iPhones purchased on Sprint were from new customers.

LTE networks offer faster data speeds. This could potentially require Sprint customers to use up much larger amounts of data, and it had been unclear whether the company would be able to continue offering the unlimited plans once the network is launched.

Sprint originally offered a WiMax 4G network that is now being replaced by its LTE that the carrier is moving rapidly in order to deploy.

Both Verizon and AT&T offer LTE to their customers with Big Red being the largest provider in the U.S. at this time.

AT&T's LTE network is less crowded, allowing for a faster experience when using 4G devices, according to some customers.

The next generation iPhone will most likely launch on all three of these carriers.

Apple has not confirmed that it will be LTE, but the third-generation iPad is compatible with the network, leading most iPhone fans to believe that it will also be a 4G Long Term Evolution device.