Announcements

Sprint Stands Ready to Help the FCC Expand Availability of Broadband

2010-03-15T14:50:13Z

On Tuesday, March 16th, the Federal Communication Commission will release a National Broadband Plan to provide affordable high-speed Internet services to all Americans.

Today, Vonya B. McCann, Sprint’s senior vice president for government affairs, released the following video statement commending the FCC for its months of work in creating this plan:

Transcript of her video remarks:

“In yesterday’s dialup world, it would have taken several minutes to download this video. Today, with broadband, it probably took you a few seconds.

Broadband is here, but it is not everywhere. In America we face a challenge: not all of us have access to high speed broadband at affordable prices. As the first and only national carrier to offer wireless 4G, Sprint is doing our part to change that, but we believe our industry can do more.

This week, the FCC, under the leadership of Chairman Julius Genachowski, will issue the country’s first National Broadband Plan. The plan is designed to give the country a roadmap to regain our position as the world’s leader in broadband technology and innovation.

At Sprint, we stand ready to help the FCC and Congress achieve this critical goal. Broadband is the engine of our future, growing our economy, our workforce, and our society, and its success rests on us all working together – connected.”

- Vonya B. McCann, senior vice president for government affairs, Sprint

Background on Sprint’s views about Broadband in America:

As the FCC developed the plan, it asked the public to submit comments on how the plan can best benefit all citizens. Here are some the key recommendations that Sprint presented on January 27, 2010: (http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7020357015):

• Preserving competitive access and rates among all broadband providers.

“Broadband competition cannot survive – much less thrive – unless the Commission releases the local exchange carriers’ chokehold on competitive broadband deployment that results from their monopoly on special access connections.” (Page 2)

• Ensuring that adequate spectrum is available to effectively deploy mobile broadband for commercial use in urban and rural areas.
“To enable the most efficient and intensive use of spectrum, Sprint recommends the FCC continue its move away from eligibility restrictions, service limitations and other calls for narrow spectrum set-asides. Instead, the Commission should encourage the deployment of fully flexible commercial wireless networks that use common internet protocol language to offer a wide array of performance, capacity and security options for every type of business imaginable.” (Page 13)

• Reform the cost structure for transferring voice traffic between wireless and wireline carriers.
“A vibrant broadband marketplace can only succeed if the Commission improves the enforcement of its existing rules and policies, and strengthens rules where necessary to ensure fair competition and prevent disruption to services.” (Page 22)

The following online resources are available to learn more about the FCC’s National Broadband Plan:

• http://www.youtube.com/citizentube - Immediately following the release of the national broadband plan on Tuesday, March 16, YouTube will feature an interview with FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski about the plan’s details using questions and comments submitted by the public.

• http://www.broadband.gov - The official homepage of the FCC National Broadband Plan.

• http://reboot.fcc.gov/live - Videos and live broadcasts of the FCC discussing plans for national broadband and how it will benefit various populations and business industries.

Stethoscopes and Smartphones: Healthcare partners with Sprint for wireless innovation

2010-03-08T14:22:56Z

-Dan Hesse, Sprint CEO
“Sprint is a leading-edge technology company and we believe that there is a historic opportunity for wireless to transform healthcare by boosting efficiency, raising quality and reducing costs.”

Doctors and nurses making the rounds these days increasingly are finding a smartphone to be as indispensable as a stethoscope.

Dan Hesse, CEO of Sprint, last week described how Sprint is at the forefront of a wireless revolution in health care. Hesse was the first CEO of a major wireless company invited to deliver a keynote address at the annual conference of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, or HIMSS.

Hesse said that almost two thirds of physicians use a smartphone today. More than 80% will be using a smartphone in two years.

Sprint has additional information to share with health-care businesses seeking to advance with wireless innovations, consumers interested in the subject or bloggers or other journalists who might write about this topic.

Sprint - Mobility in Healthcare Today

Sprint - Mobility in Healthcare Tomorrow

Collaboration between wireless and health-care industry

Major shifts in the healthcare industry are driving the need for transformation; wireless is an enabler of this transformation.

Wireless currently enables a myriad of services and devices that are improving the delivery of healthcare. Examples include remote patient monitoring, home healthcare and e-prescribing.

Sprint is at the forefront of offering innovative wireless solutions for healthcare that are directly aimed at reducing costs, improving productivity and increasing the quality of care.

4G technology is the future of healthcare. Healthcare providers increasingly will need to rely more on next-generation wireless networks as a better, more cost-effective way to meet the burden of heavy data exchanges associated with healthcare applications.

The combination of speed and value associated with Sprint 4G can make high-bandwidth applications used for video, remote monitoring and diagnosis a great value proposition, leading to a fundamental transformation of the healthcare industry.

Dan Hesse’s speech transcript

Key trends

Hesse described some of the dramatic shifts demanding fundamental change:

“The baby boomers are moving into their 60s, and needing more medical care.
The Administration has proposed sweeping reforms in health care.
New government regulations are forcing a shift toward electronic patient records and centralized information.
Rising costs mean the United States spends more than any other industrialized country in the world on healthcare.
Chronic conditions such as obesity and diabetes, which account for 85% of healthcare dollars, are on the rise.”

Hesse on how wireless can improve health care:

“You know all those jokes about doctors and bad handwriting? Well it's not so funny when out of the four billion prescriptions written every year, 4% contain errors... some of them the result of that bad handwriting.

Dr. Stuart Weisman, a gastroenterologist in California once said, "The first time I saw a Palm, I realized it was exactly the same size as a prescription pad. I immediately started thinking about how the Internet connected to the Palm could change healthcare."

Inputting patient information directly into a smartphone eliminates the bad handwriting problem. In addition to saving lives, e-prescribing could save as much as $27 billion annually for the US healthcare system.”

Other examples Hesse offered:

“In just a few years, we've gone from looking up home remedies on the Internet to having a smartphone app called FluRadar which provides up-to-date flu information concerning H1N1, and tracks outbreaks geographically. There is a skin cancer application that contains a guide to identifying the shapes and sizes of a benign and malignant melanoma. “

“Have you ever accidentally coughed into your mobile phone? Now you might want to do it on purpose. There is an app that analyzes your cough and tells you whether it is wet or dry and productive or nonproductive. “

“At Washington University in St. Louis, for example, two engineers have invented an ultrasound probe that works on a half-watt of power from a cell phone. That means ultrasound exams could be conducted nearly anywhere, while the image is piped to a doctor far from the scene. The invention could not only cut the cost of ultrasound machines, but also put them in the pockets of EMT's, battlefield medics, school nurses and obstetricians working far from a hospital.”

Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse: Wireless Is Transforming Healthcare

Sprint Healthcare Solutions fact sheet

What others are saying:

Channel Web – Feature on Dan Hesse’s Keynote address at HIMSS:
HIMSS: Sprint CEO Says Wireless Will Take Health Care 'Out Of The '70s'

Sprint offers healthcare wireless time machine

GigaOm: Smartphones Are the New Stethoscope

Businessweek: Sprint CEO pitches WiMAX to healthcare industry

Computerworld: Sprint CEO details wireless wonders for health care IT pros

America's Most Wired Cities and Sprint 4G

2010-03-05T16:56:33Z

Forbes Magazine has published a listing of the “most wired cities in the U.S.” and Sprint 4G is credited with helping Raleigh go from #15 to #1 on the list. And perhaps hidden but not to be overlooked is that the top 3 most wired cities on the list – Raleigh, NC, Atlanta and Seattle are all markets where Sprint has launched 4G. “Most wired” is a misnomer – 'connected' is probably a better term. The story is really about most advanced overall communications infrastructure rather than just “wired.”

What does this mean? Sprint 4G is having a positive impact on wireless productivity in these markets!

Key Takeaways:

The top three ranked “most wired” markets – Raleigh, NC, Atlanta and Seattle - are all Sprint 4G markets.

The Charlotte Business Journal credits Sprint 4G: “ Raleigh’s No. 1 ranking was aided by Overland Park, Kan.-base Sprint Nextel Corp’s recent launch of its 4-G next-generation mobile broadband network in the city.”

Cities are taking notice of Sprint 4G and its positive impact on business and consumer mobility and productivity

HTC Hero from Sprint Wins 2010 Best Smartphone Award

2010-03-05T16:20:57Z

In January, About.com asked readers to nominate their favorite smartphones. From Feb. 1-24, readers were allowed to vote for their favorite through an online poll. The results are in and the winner of the 2010 Reader’s Choice Awards for Smartphones is HTC Hero from Sprint.

HTC Hero took home an overwhelming 81 percent of the vote, and beat out several well-known finalists, including BlackBerry Bold 9700, iPhone 3GS and Motorola Droid.

Even About.com’s device reviewers noted, “While the HTC Hero may not be as well known as its rivals, its victory is not exactly an upset. This phone can match many of the bigger-name devices feature for feature. When I reviewed it last year, I called it the "best Android phone yet." And even after testing the Motorola Droid and the Nexus One, I'd still call the Hero my favorite Android-based device.”

This isn’t the first award HTC Hero has received. It was recognized as Best Mobile Handset or Device at the 15th Annual Global Mobile Awards at the 2010 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Additionally, Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg called Sprint’s HTC Hero “the best Android phone I’ve tested, and a worthy competitor to the iPhone, the BlackBerry and the Pre.”

Wondering how HTC Hero stood out?

HTC Hero is a full-featured smartphone with Wi-Fi, a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen with pinch-to-zoom capabilities and a fingerprint resistant coating, integrated GPS Navigation and trackball navigation.

HTC Hero was the first U.S. device to feature HTC Sense, an intuitive experience that was built with a guiding philosophy to put people at the center and allow the device to completely be customized to the wants and needs of the user. The devices’ seven-panel wide home screen can be populated with customizable widgets that bring information to the surface.

It is the first Sprint device to offer HTC Footprints™, an application experience that enables users to chronicle their special moments by capturing a digital postcard on their phone. Once captured, Footprints provides the ability to take notes and an audio clip of that favorite restaurant or special place, while its specific GPS coordinates; Footprints also auto-names each postcard with its general location or area.

HTC Hero also lets users easily create and switch between Scenes to reflect different moments or roles in their lives, such as work, social, travel and play.

HTC Hero features an integrated 5.0 MP camera and camcorder. It also offers easy access to personal and business email, instant messaging and text messaging through POP, IMAP and Exchange Active Sync accounts.

Video: Bob L Johnson, Chief Service Officer on BusinessNOW

2010-03-03T16:14:16Z

Bob L Johnson, Chief Service Officer for Sprint, was the guest on the TV business news magazine BusinessNOW. The show focuses on today's leading trends in business in an entertaining format that takes viewers on location and "behind closed doors."

In this interview Bob describes the things his team has done to turn things around and the considerable support Sprint’s CEO, Dan Hesse, has provided. This interview offers an excellent case study of a large scale customer service improvement strategy and its execution.

View the video - http://www.businessnow.com/website/article.asp?id=620

Sprint Supports Earthquake Relief Efforts in the Republic of Chile With Mobile Giving

2010-03-01T16:13:16Z

In the wake of Saturday's 8.8 magnitude earthquake in the Republic of Chile, Sprint has announced that customers on Sprint, Nextel, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA will be able to support the earthquake relief efforts conducted by Convoy of Hope, Friends of the World Program, Habitat for Humanity, Operation USA, the Salvation Army and World Vision by making a donation via a text message on their mobile phone.

Sprint is waiving text-messaging fees for Sprint, Nextel, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA customers who send mobile donations to short codes associated with organizations participating in the relief and recovery efforts in support of this tragedy. Mobile-phone texts sent to or from the following short codes will not be charged standard text-messaging fees. The codes are:

    * Text "4CHILE" to 50555 to donate $10 on behalf of Convoy of Hope;
    * Text "CHILE" to 50555 to donate $10 on behalf of the Friends of the World Food Program;
    * Text "CHILE" to 25383 to donate $10 on behalf of Habitat for Humanity;
    * Text "REBUILD" to 50555 to donate $10 on behalf of Operation USA;
    * Text "CHILE" to 52000 to donate $10 on behalf of the Salvation Army; and
    * Text "CHILE" to 20222 to donate $10 on behalf of World Vision.

"Our hearts go out to those impacted by the earthquake today," said Ralph Reid, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility for Sprint. "We hope by supporting these mobile giving efforts, our customers will be able to easily donate to support charitable relief efforts across the areas in Chile most impacted by this tragic event."

Sprint Offers Live Exclusive Wireless Coverage of The 2010 NFL Scouting Combine Presented by Under Armour

2010-02-25T13:54:26Z

So the snow continues to pile up and the temperatures are stuck in single digits, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t ready for football.

Good. Because the 2010 NFL season really starts this week with the annual showcase of 300 college stars.

And as a Sprint wireless subscriber you don’t have to miss out on any of the action. The NFL Network’s live television coverage of the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine Presented by Under Armour will be available on Sprint phones.

“Most fans don’t have the ability to watch the Combine from start to finish and Sprint is making it possible for them to catch the action live when it works for their schedules,” said Steve Gaffney, Sprint’s vice president of corporate marketing. “Whether it’s live TV coverage from NFL Network or

results that are constantly updated, Sprint is allowing fans to get the latest information throughout the Combine.”

Starting at 2:30 p.m. ET today, Feb. 25, NFL Network will have exclusive coverage of the Combine workouts plus interviews, press conferences and all the NFL news from the Combine. It will be available to Sprint subscribers with NFL Mobile Live or Sprint TV.

In addition to the live stream of NFL Network, with Sprint fans will get:
• Daily Combine reports recapping all the top stories each day
• Top Performers Videos – watch videos of the top performances daily
• Full Combine Results from all events and drills
• Participant Profiles – get to know those are participating at Combine
• Blogs, News, Analysis of NFL Combine, upcoming Free Agency, and the NFL Draft from experts
• Behind the scenes at NFL Combine with NFL Network’s Rich Eisen

NFL Mobile Live

Unlimited access to NFL Mobile Live is available at no additional cost to Sprint subscribers with a data plan by texting “NFL” to 7777. NFL Mobile Live is available on select phones and normal text message and wireless data rates apply.

NFL Mobile Live is included at no additional charge in Sprint’s Everything plans starting at $69.99, including Simply Everything, which combines unlimited voice, messaging and extensive data services – such as NFL Mobile Live – for just $99.99 per month. With other Sprint plans, customers can get NFL Mobile Live by adding a Data Pack, starting at $15 per month. NFL Mobile Live is available on most Sprint handsets.

More information

Fans can learn how to access NFL Mobile Live, only from Sprint, at nfl.com/mobile or sprint.com/nfl.

Sprint to Bring 4G to More Markets in 2010

2010-02-24T21:20:41Z

Sprint announces plans to launch 4G in several major markets in 2010, bringing a new and improved wireless experience to anyone on the go. The launch plans include the newly announced markets of Denver, Kansas City and Minneapolis.

News Highlights:

Improved mobile Internet access is coming soon to millions more Americans, with plans announced today by Sprint to bring 4G to several additional markets across the country in 2010.
Sprint expects to launch 4G service this year in many markets, including Boston, Denver, Kansas City, Houston, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. These markets will join 27 cities where Sprint 4G is already available.
More Sprint 4G markets will be announced at a later date. Sprint 4G is expected to cover up to 120 million people by the end of 2010.

Quote:

Matt Carter, President Sprint 4G - "If you use a computer, a smart phone, a gaming device, a DVD player or any Wi-Fi enabled device, your online life will change for the better when you experience the Sprint 4G difference. And the value of 4G makes using Sprint 3G/4G to enhance all of your wireless devices a no-brainer.

While other national wireless carriers are just talking about 4G, the Sprint Now Network already offers the reality of 4G now in a large number of markets across the country, with many more to follow this year."

More About Sprint 4G:
Sprint 4G offers turbo-charged mobile broadband, delivering peak download speed up to 10 times faster than 3G.¹ The result is the Sprint 4G difference – a new and improved Internet experience that benefits every kind of online user, for the same price as 3G - from the only national wireless carrier offering 4G service.

Sprint 4G's super-fast connections make the Internet better for anyone, whether you're downloading videos, playing interactive games with friends across the country or showing a business presentation on a smartphone or laptop. The potential is virtually limitless, especially for those using a 3G/4G device such as the Overdrive™ 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot. By connecting up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices to Overdrive, users can enjoy a new 4G Internet experience beyond anything they've known with 3G, including the following:

In the home:
Through a single connection, you can bypass your cable provider and stream HD movies from content distribution providers (such as Netflix, Amazon and Blockbuster) right to your TV; connect your Xbox 360 and game real-time with someone located across the globe; move pictures wirelessly from your camera to a digital picture frame and surf the Web on your laptop while streaming Pandora.

In the dorm:
Connect virtually anywhere on a campus with 4G coverage at 4G speeds: Turn your iPod Touch with Skype into a voice phone and make a call, or stream a live movie from Hulu or Netflix to your laptop.

On-the-go:
Whether you're on a long trip or running a busy day of errands, use Overdrive to keep passengers entertained in the car.2 Stream your favorite TV show from Hulu to your Netbook; use a PSP gaming device to access multiple games and content; download music to your Zune HD; and turn your 3G iPhone into a 4G device. It's all very simple with Overdrive.

Mobile office:
Join a video conference, e-mail critical files to co-workers and clients, and access all of your corporate websites while away from the office. When you travel with co-workers you can share Sprint 4G while waiting for your flight or taxi. You can also stay in constant contact with your office via unified communications.

For business:
Transportation companies can access 4G speeds to improve customer experience, increase customer safety, support on-board marketing, monitor and manage fleet resources and enable wireless transactions. Home healthcare providers can implement higher-quality remote patient monitoring and faster patient data transfer. Public safety professionals can step up to another level in anytime-access to critical information, ability to document incidents, resource management and monitoring.

Sprint 4G Markets:
As the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology, Sprint made history by launching 4G in Baltimore in September 2008. Sprint currently offers 4G service in 27 markets, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland, Ore., San Antonio and Seattle.

Following is a comprehensive list of markets by state where Sprint 4G is currently offered:

Georgia – Atlanta, Milledgeville
Hawaii – Honolulu, Maui
Idaho – Boise
Illinois – Chicago
Maryland – Baltimore
Nevada – Las Vegas
North Carolina – Charlotte, Greensboro, (along with High Point and Winston-Salem), Raleigh (along with Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham)
Oregon – Portland, Salem
Pennsylvania – Philadelphia
Texas – Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Killeen/Temple, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, San Antonio, Waco, Wichita Falls
Washington – Bellingham, Seattle.

View 4G coverage for these markets at www.sprint.com/4G.

¹ "Up to 10x faster" based on download speed comparison of 3G's 600 kbps vs. 4G's 6 Mbps. Typical published 3G avg. speeds (600 kbps-1.7 Mbps); 4G avg. speeds (3-6 Mbps). Actual speeds may vary. 4G currently available in select areas /devices; check Sprint.com/4G for Sprint 4G coverage/device info.

PC World Publishes Results of 13-City 3G Tests

2010-02-24T19:18:24Z

PC World released results from its latest 13-city 3G tests. For the second consecutive year, Sprint’s reliability rates were second-to-none. Last year, we won “most reliable” outright. This year, we tied AT&T for reliability with T-Mobile and Verizon close behind.

The 13 cities tested were Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Seattle.

This is yet another impressive third-party nod to our Now Network: While our competitors engaged in tit-for-tat ad wars, Sprint stayed above the fray and quietly and effectively improved our connectivity rates from last year, from 90.5 percent to 94 percent at reasonable speeds. In addition, we received perfect rates in Baltimore, Portland and San Diego.

The PC World story gushes about AT&T’s year-over-year improvements and gives a lot of ink to the carrier’s iPhone data troubles as well as its HSPA buildout. It also notes that Verizon has had trouble keeping up with data demands and dropped slightly in terms of speed and reliability from last year. T-Mobile got high marks for download speeds, especially in New York City and Phoenix, but fell short in reliability compared to Sprint.
In the speed test, AT&T was the clear winner, but PC World gave us high praise for sustaining our speeds in the midst of increased data traffic. The magazine also acknowledged that Sprint is the only Tier 1 carrier building out a 4G network.

In short, here’s how the results break down in the cities in which we performed well:
•    Baltimore: 100 percent connectivity
•    Boston: 95 percent (tied with AT&T and T-Mobile)
•    Chicago: 95 percent (tied with AT&T, Verizon)
•    Denver: 95 percent (tied with T-Mobile)
•    Portland: 100 percent (tied with AT&T and T-Mobile)
•    San Diego: 100 percent
•    San Francisco: 95 percent (tied with Verizon)

SPRINT EXPANDS ITS “BUYBACK” PROGRAM; CUSTOMERS CAN TRADE IN ANY ELIGIBLE CELL PHONE, EVEN FROM OTHER CARRIERS, FOR ACCOUNT CREDIT

2010-02-23T15:08:07Z

Sprint customers can receive instant account credit for recycling up to three old cell phones

News Highlights:

Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse today announced the launch of an expanded wireless buy-back program for old wireless devices while testifying at a green telecom hearing on Capitol Hill.

Sprint’s expanded Buyback program, intended to boost U.S. wireless recycling rates, now offers an instant account credit to current and new Sprint customers who turn in up to three eligible wireless devices, per active line of service.

Sprint Buyback now accepts all eligible wireless devices, regardless of manufacturer or carrier, through its expanded program.
Customers can take their unwanted phones to one of the more than 1,000 participating Sprint-owned retail stores nationwide.

Currently, there are more than 900 wireless devices that are eligible for an instant credit from Sprint. Device credits range in value from approximately $5 to upwards of $300 depending on the make and model of the device being turned in.

Quotes

Dan Hesse, Sprint CEO

“The new Sprint Buyback program will allow customers to take advantage of the current value of their unused cell phones and will reduce the number of wireless devices that end up in landfills.”

“The Buyback program is another step to help us reach our ambitious goal to recover and recycle the equivalent of 90 percent of the handsets we sell by 2017. We look forward to continuously increasing our collection rates with the support of customers through the Buyback program and all of our sustainability initiatives.”

Sprint Buyback Program

Sprint’s new national Buyback program gives a financial incentive for current and new Sprint subscribers to trade in any eligible unused cell phone, regardless of manufacturer or carrier, for point-of-sale savings. For example, a BlackBerry® 9700 Bold™ currently has a trade in value of $161.05 while an LGVX9000 Env2 has a trade in value of $35.59. Highlights of Sprint’s program include;

Instant account credit at any of Sprint’s more than 1,000 retail stores for existing and new customers who turn in up to three used devices when activating or upgrading a Sprint phone.

24/7 online access to sprintbuyback.com, where current and new subscribers can find the program terms and conditions, determine device eligibility for credit, estimate current market value, download free postage-paid labels, and access guidelines for deleting personal data prior to mail-in.

For every one phone purchased, up to three eligible phones may be returned to Sprint for an account credit, per twelve months. The exact account credit is based on the model and the price in place at the time the old phone is turned in. Current credit amounts are listed on the “Eligible Phone Models” tab of the program web site.

Sprint Project Connect

While many phones will qualify for the Sprint Buyback program, those that do not can be donated to Sprint Project ConnectSM. Sprint Project Connect, a free wireless recycling service available to anyone, accepts all used wireless phones, batteries, accessories and data cards, regardless of carrier or condition.

Sprint’s Commitment to Environmental Improvements Across the Business

Sprint has established new green design criteria for future devices and accessories

Sprint recently announced several new environmental initiatives to support its aggressive environmental goals, including a commitment to reduce GHG emissions by 15 percent by 2017.

For more information on Sprint programs that protect the environment:

•Visit www.sprint.com/green

•Follow @SprintGreenNews on Twitter

Sprint Challenges Wireless Industry To Embrace a Greener Future

2010-02-23T15:07:39Z

CEO Dan Hesse testifies before Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet

News Highlights:

Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse will testify later today before Senator John Kerry (D-MA) and members of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet about sustainability initiatives undertaken by Sprint and the wireless technology industry to benefit the environment.

Excerpts from Dan Hesse's testimony:

"We are in the midst of a new 'green' era. U.S. consumers and the members of this legislative body are sending a 'call to action' for corporations to act in the best interests of our people and our planet. Sprint is proud to embrace this opportunity as we make environmental responsibility a cornerstone of our company."

"Today I am proud to announce that Sprint is the first U.S. wireless carrier to establish a set of green design criteria for consumer devices. Moving forward every handset vendor who manufactures handsets to operate on Sprint's networks must produce handsets that meet or exceed Sprint's new green design criteria and specifications."

"Working in partnership with our handset manufactures, Sprint has developed an industry-first environmental "score card" to bolster progress toward Sprint's green design specifications. The criteria in the "score card" better enable Sprint and our vendors to gauge the degree to which each handset manufactured complies with our environmental standards."

"Sprint has been at the forefront of recycling efforts in the wireless industry. In 2008, we made a public commitment to achieve a wireless reuse and recycling rate of 90% as compared to our device sales. Our current wireless rate at the end of 2009 was just over 40%, well ahead of the industry average.

"Today we are announcing the launch of a new, vastly expanded wireless handset buyback program that offers financial incentive, in the form of an instant accout credit to current and new Sprint customers who can turn in up to three eligible wireless devices. Sprint's new, expanded Buyback program can accept all eligible wireless devices, regardless of manufacturer or carrier."

"Sprint is committed, for the long-haul, to "green" our business operations, design more eco-friendly handsets, increase industry wireless recycling rates, and remain a leader in our industry."

Sprint's Commitment to Environmental Improvements Across the Business

Sprint has established new green design criteria for future devices and accessories
Sprint recently announced several new environmental initiatives to support its aggressive environmental goals, including a commitment to reduce GHG emissions by 15 percent by 2017.

Read Dan Hesse's entire testimony

For more information on Sprint programs that protect the environment:

Visit www.sprint.com/green
Follow @SprintGreenNews on Twitter

Businesses find advantages with Sprint and blazing-fast 4G speeds

2010-02-22T17:32:44Z

-Todd Rowley, vice president, Sprint 4G
“Sprint 4G will be a major shift in the way businesses use bandwidth-intensive mobile devices and offers a glimpse of the future of wireless technology for an eager market."

Available now in 27 markets

Sprint is the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology

Sprint, expects to continue introducing the technology in multiple markets, including Boston, New York, Houston, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

“Sprint is more than one year ahead of competitors in launching 4G service to millions of consumers and business customers,” said Jaime Jones, senior vice president, Sprint Business Markets Group. “Our lead will widen in 2010 with service to more major cities and an impressive lineup of Sprint 4G-powered modems and router/Wi-Fi devices to access blazing-fast speeds for browsing the Web, accessing multimedia-rich information, exploring social networking and lag-free videoconferencing in 4G service areas.”

Sprint 4G service delivers peak download speeds of more than 10 Mbps – up to 10 times faster than the 3G service offered by any carrier today.*

* Up to 10x Faster claim: Based on download speed comparison of 3G’s 600 kbps vs. 4G’s 6 Mbps. Typical published 3G avg. speeds (600 kbps-1.7 Mbps); 4G avg. speeds (3-6 Mbps). Actual speeds may vary

Kayentis experiences Sprint 4G benefits

Kayentis, a Philadelphia-based software provider for the pharmaceutical and health care industry, began experimenting with Sprint 3G/4G USB Modem U300 mobile broadband cards last year.

“Communicating by our North American executives with each other and with our pharmaceutical customers has been greatly improved with the use of the Sprint 3G/4G broadband cards,” said Guy Maestre, vice president, North American Operations, Kayentis. “The new e-mail and data exchange speeds that we see when acquiring research data, RFP information, and accessing our applications in our central servers through the

Web are truly remarkable.”

More information:

Sprint 4G

Sprint 4G a Perfect Match for Philadelphia Software Provider

Two Sprint Devices Recognized as Industry Bests at Mobile World Congress

2010-02-18T18:36:47Z

GSMA announced the winners of the coveted Global Mobile Awards at the 2010 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. And the winners are:

Best Mobile Handset or Device: HTC Hero

Sprint is the only national U.S. carrier to offer HTC Hero™. It is a full-featured smartphone with Wi-Fi, a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen with pinch-to-zoom capability and a fingerprint resistant coating, integrated GPS navigation, and trackball navigation. HTC Hero also features an integrated 5.0 MP camera and camcorder.

HTC Hero was the first U.S. device to feature HTC Sense, an intuitive experience that was built with a guiding philosophy to put people at the center and allows the device to be completely customized to the wants and needs of the user. The device's seven-panel wide home screen can be populated with customizable widgets that bring information to the surface.

It is the first Sprint device to offer HTC Footprints™, an application experience that enables the user to chronicle their special moments by capturing a digital postcard on their phone. Once captured, Footprints provides the ability to take notes and an audio clip of that favorite restaurant or special place while identifying its specific location. In addition to identifying each postcard with its specific GPS coordinates, Footprints also auto-names each postcard with its general location or area.

HTC Hero also lets users easily create and switch between Scenes to reflect different moments or roles in their lives, such as work, social, travel and play.

At launch, Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg called Sprint's HTC Hero "the best Android phone I've tested, and a worthy competitor to the iPhone, the BlackBerry and the Pre."

About.com readers have also nominated HTC Hero as their favorite smartphone for the 2010 Reader's Choice Awards. Now through Feb. 24, 2010, readers can vote for their personal favorite. Vote for HTC Hero from Sprint as Best Smartphone for About.com's 2010 Reader's Choice Awards at http://smartphones.about.com/od/phonereviews/ig/Best-Smartphone-Nominees/.

Best Mobile Connected Device (non-handsets): MiFi Intelligent Mobile Hotspot

Sprint MiFi Intelligent Mobile Hotspot is part of Sprint's game-changing open approach to rolling out new types of wireless services and delivering the significant value and capabilities of the Now Network to its customers. This portable, secure and truly wireless mobile broadband access device was the first of its kind to be added to Sprint's portfolio.

Users can connect to the Internet by bridging Wi-Fi-enabled devices like laptops, MP3 players and gaming devices, to America's most dependable 3G network, the EVDO Rev. A Sprint Mobile Broadband Network.

Sprint Mobile Hotspot is ideal for businesses looking to extend the speed and anywhere convenience of America's most dependable 3G network.

How MiFi works

The Sprint Mobile Hotspot creates a personal cloud of high-speed Internet connectivity that can be easily shared between up to five users and a variety of Wi-Fi-enabled devices through its connection to America's most dependable 3G network, the EVDO Rev. A Sprint Mobile Broadband Network.

For example:

Mom on-the-go: As mom shuffles her three children and their two friends from one soccer game to the next, she keeps her Sprint Mobile Hotspot turned on and in her purse. Between games, the kids in the mini-van occupy themselves – two are playing with their gaming devices and the other three are streaming music on their MP3 players.
Portable retail: Five vendors at a local art fair have kiosks in close proximity. Accessing one Sprint Mobile Hotspot device's signal, they each run a credit card point-of-sale device over WiFi and have secure backhaul.
Business travelers: Two business travelers share a cab to the airport, then wait for their flight. Sharing the signal of one Sprint Mobile Hotspot device that is safely tucked away in a briefcase, they download emails and surf the Internet on their notebooks and stream music to their MP3 players.

The Mifi:

Easily fits in the palm of your hand
Provides mobile broadband Rev. A Internet access wirelessly
Supports up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices
Simple to connect with Hands-Free Activation (OMA-DM). No software installation required
Universal Wi-Fi compatibility
Advanced security through WPA2-PSK, WEP and SPI Firewall
Battery provides four hours of user time, 40 hours standby on single charge

PC Magazine said Sprint's MiFi card "is the one to get," because "Sprint does a better job, makes it easier, and comes cheaper if you decide to get the Simply Everything plan with Mobile Broadband, which includes data, text, Sprint TV, and GPS Navigation."

PC World surveyed the three major carriers' 3G networks in 13 cities and reported: "Sprint easily delivered on its dependability promises in our tests, with a reliability rate of 90.5 percent." Sprint was more reliable than AT&T in every market, and tied or more reliable than Verizon in 8 markets, the magazine said.

Boy Genius said "Wow. Sprint's average EV-DO Rev. A download speed bested AT&T by a huge margin — 428kbps — and it nearly doubled Verizon's showing amongst our readers."

TheStreet.com announced results of its own tests of wireless Internet service and modems and reported, "If you want to stay connected to the Web wirelessly as you travel, it's hard to beat Sprint."

Recognition like this is one of the many reasons Sprint is well recognized for offering the best device portfolio of any U.S. wireless carrier.

These devices are also an important part of why Sprint is the best value in wireless. These exciting devices combined with the fact Sprint tested as the most reliable network in comparison to AT&T and Verizon in a 13-city 3G performance test conducted by PC World, and Sprint's Everything Data plans with Any Mobile, Anytime^SM, gives customers unlimited calling on the Sprint network to and from any U.S. wireless carrier, unlimited nationwide texting, email, Web browsing and much more, starting at just $69.99. And, for those who want unlimited voice, data and text, the Simply Everything^SM plan from Sprint offers a truly unlimited experience for only $99.99 per month. (All price plans exclude surcharges and taxes. Other exclusions apply.)

Links:

http://www.theprovince.com/mobile/business/businesswire/GSMA+Announces+Winners+15th+Annual+Global+Mobile+Awards/2573541/story.html

http://www.intomobile.com/2010/02/17/gsma-names-steve-jobs-mobile-personality-of-the-year-htc-hero-wins-best-mobile-handset.html

http://www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk/News/417905/mwc_hero_wins_handset_award.html

http://www.thefonecast.com/News/tabid/85/EntryId/2493/GSMA-announces-Global-Mobile-Awards-winners-at-Barcelona.aspx

http://www.itnewsonline.com/showrwstory.php?storyid=2370

http://www.gsmarena.com/gsma_awards_2010_htc_hero_phone_of_the_year-news-1460.php

http://www.which.co.uk/news/2010/02/htc-hero-crowned-phone-of-the-year-203937

HTC Hero news release: http://newsreleases.sprint.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=127149&p=irol-newsArticle_newsroom&ID=1327394&highlight=htc%20hero

MiFi news release: http://newsreleases.sprint.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=127149&p=irol-newsArticle_newsroom&ID=1287934&highlight=Mifi

Interactive Now Network Experience, Free WiFi via MiFi at JFK International Airport

2010-02-18T17:17:09Z

Travelers offered free mobile broadband at unique installation designed to showcase power of the Sprint Now Network

Sprint invites travelers at JFK International Airport Terminal 8 to take a free ride on its 3G wireless network using the MiFi™ 2200 by Novatel Wireless – an intelligent mobile hotspot device.

Key Facts:

Located directly after the security checkpoint in Terminal 8 and will be on-site until December 2010.
The JFK Experience provides a lounge equipped with chairs, power outlets and MiFi units.
A passerby can jump on the Sprint network by simply connecting their WiFi enabled device to one of the MiFi signals.
First-of-its-kind installation space features 13-foot curved wall with Sprint Now Network widgets, including tailored New York factoids, live and dynamic traffic, weather and flight based widgets, a mobile hotspot demonstration video and other relevant highlights from Sprint.

Quote:

"Sprint lets you access what you want right now through its products and services," said Mike Goff, vice president of Corporate Marketing, Sprint. "This latest high-tech installation at JFK airport showcases the brand's claim as the Now Network. With this installation, we're touting our advertising themes as well as providing a needed service to travelers at one of the world's busiest airports."

Photos:

Click to enlarge

Sprint ends tangled cord hassles with Powermat wireless charging

2010-02-15T21:37:43Z

Starting Sunday, March 14 Sprint will offer the Powermat 2-Position Charging Mat:

• Powermat, Powercube and 8 Powercube tips (Mini USB, Micro USB, Apple, Samsung 20P, LG, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS lite and Nintendo DSi) $79.99 (taxes not included)
• Powermat-enabled back covers for BlackBerry Curve 8330, BlackBerry Curve 8350i and BlackBerry Tour 9630 for $29.99 each (taxes not included)
• Will be available in Sprint stores, Web sales at www.sprint.com and Telesales 1-800-SPRINT1
• Additional Powercubes are available for $29.99 each (taxes not included)

Where to get it:

Sprint Stores
Web sales – www.sprint.com
Telesales – 1-800-SPRINT1
Sprint Business Direct Sales

Fared Adib, vice president – Product Development, Sprint:

Easy charging solution
“Smartphone customers use their devices so much, they often need to charge it more than once a day. Powermat from Sprint gives them an easy charging solution to maximize their time and how they user their smartphone.”

Another innovation with Sprint
“Palm’s Touchstone charging dock has been a tremendous hit for Sprint customers. Powermat gives Sprint another wireless charging solution we can offer our customers and extends our ability to let the customer decide how and when they use their devices.”

Ron Ferber, President, Powermat:

"We are pleased to be working with Sprint to offer the consumer the freedom and convenience of Powermat. Not only does Powermat provide the freedom to charge a Smartphone without the constant plugging and unplugging, but they can also charge the rest of their handheld gear without the hassle and tangle of cords.”

How It Works:

Powermat from Sprint will allow the user to charge up to two devices simultaneously. Powermat is a revolutionary wireless charging technology. It allows users to wirelessly charge multiple devices simultaneously and eliminate the tangle of wires that accumulate in the home and behind work stations. Powermat is a two part system pairing a sleek, ultra-thin mat with receivers that attach to your device, enabling you to charge by simply placing those devices on the mat.

Once a device is successfully attached, power transmission begins. The connection is monitored continuously, and when a device on Powermat is fully charged or the device is removed from the connection, it will cease sending power to save energy.

Advantages
• No tangled wires -- Powermat is a revolutionary way to charge all your favorite devices from one power source without the tangled mess of wires. It is fast, efficient, and safe solution, using a combination of radio frequency identification (RFID) and magnetic induction.
• One charger for multiple devices - Powermat delivers real-time, wireless charging to multiple electronics including mobile phones, music players, handheld games, electronic readers, GPS devices, Bluetooth headsets, netbooks and laptops.
• Saving Energy – Powermat draws less power in standby mode than the vast majority of chargers for handheld electronic devices.

Sprint phones compatible with Powermat back covers:
BlackBerry Curve 8330
BlackBerry Curve 8350i
BlackBerry Tour 9630

More information
• Macworld review

• Coolest Gadgets review

• Android Guys review

• Engadget "Powermat hands-on"

• Gizmodo