UPDATE 2-Sprint to sell part of network on court ruling

* Sprint to sell parts of iDEN network

* Sale aimed at complying with Illinois court order

* Sprint shares rise 4.1 pct, iPCS down 21.6 pct (Adds iPCS shares, analyst comment, byline)

By Ritsuko Ando

NEW YORK, June 12 (Reuters) - Sprint Nextel Corp (S.N) said on Friday it was looking to sell parts of its network assets to comply with an Illinois court ruling requiring it to sell or shut down its iDEN network.

The news sent shares of affiliate company iPCS Inc (IPCS.O) down more than 20 percent, as the move dashed hopes that it could be acquired by Sprint as a way to resolve their iDEN legal battle.

Sprint took on the iDEN network when it acquired Nextel Communications in 2005.

But an Illinois court ruled earlier this year that the Nextel deal violated Sprint's exclusivity agreement with iPCS, and ordered the company to cease owning or operating the iDEN network in parts of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska, where iPCS operates.

Sprint's shares rose 4.13 percent to $5.29 as investors saw the move as a step towards resolving its troubles with iPCS. Shares of iPCS, however, tumbled 21.6 percent to $14.93 as Sprint's move disappointed some investors who had bet on Sprint acquiring iPCS as one way to resolve the matter.