Sprint Continues to Emerge as B2B Market Leader in 1Q 2011

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), May 11, 2011 – Sprint’s (NYSE:S, news, filings) Business Markets Group continued to make a strong contribution to the company’s quarterly performance, finishing the first quarter with demand for business solutions, continued push-to-talk leadership, momentum in the M2M market, and notable third-party endorsements.

• Solutions sales. Sprint continued to win contracts and renew others to provide 4G, global IP, converged and M2M solutions to business customers. Two notable sales were announced in the quarter. VHA, a health-care purchasing network, agreed to a three-year, $1.2 billion contract extension with Sprint. Sprint will continue to serve as VHA’s primary telecom carrier and provide wireless, wireline and data services. The company also announced that the Commonwealth of Kentucky selected Sprint to provide a full suite of relay products as the newly designated Kentucky Relay Services provider.

• Products and Solutions: In the quarter, Sprint continued to expand its product portfolio to improve the productivity of business customers. Sprint announced the availability of HTC EVO View 4G™ tablet – a 4G device that adapts as an e-reader, media player and portable computer. Sprint also launched the Nexus S™ 4G – the first pure Google 4G device. The company also announced the availability of the Motorola i576s, a rugged clamshell handset targeting field workers, and the Overdrive™ Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless, a Wi-Fi enabled device that connects up to eight users to laptops and other devices. On the solutions front, Sprint announced an expanded portfolio of managed security solutions for businesses that prevents outside corruption of proprietary corporate information. Sprint also announced a new mobile solutions enablement program with Motorola Solutions.
• Continued Push-to-Talk leadership: Sprint announced plans to expand its gold-standard push-to-talk leadership, unveiling fourth-quarter launch plans for next-generation push-to-talk capabilities powered by Sprint’s broadband CDMA network. As part of the launch, Sprint will offer handsets packed with features designed for workgroups that rely on push-to-talk and establish a new push-to-talk brand – Sprint^® Direct Connect^®.
• Machine-to-Machine momentum: Sprint continued to build on its machine-to-machine (M2M) leadership, announcing an expanded portfolio of partner-developed solutions. New and existing partners bring specialized capabilities to fast-growing M2M segments that include connected transportation, SmartGrid, Utilities and health care. Sprint has certified hundreds of M2M solutions with millions of devices running on the NOW network today.
• Third-party endorsements. Sprint continued to win third-party endorsements in the business space for innovation and improved customer experience. Sprint’s Relay Services Group earned two industry leading rankings – one from the Paisley Group National Relay TTY Performance Index™ for outstanding customer care and speed of service. A Best Practices Award from ABILITY Magazine recognized Sprint for its Video Relay Service and its “spirit of inclusion, both in the workplace and in the consumer marketplace.”

“Sprint Business started 2011 strongly, fueled by the momentum it achieved over the course of 2010,” said Paget L. Alves, president-Sprint Business. “We continue to compete well in the marketplace, earning new customer contracts, extending our line of solutions and products, delivering exceptional customer service, and attracting the attention and accolades of industry experts.”

Sprint Business Markets Group is composed of sales, support, marketing and operations personnel solely dedicated to enterprise, small and medium-sized business and public sector customers. The unit delivers wireless, wireline and converged solutions for companies, drawing on its 3G wireless network, 4G capabilities, national push-to-talk network, first-tier Global IP network and a comprehensive portfolio of solutions, devices and applications.

For more information about Sprint Business Markets Group, visit:

www.sprint.com/business
http://www.sprint.com/business/mb/index.html
http://www.sprint.com/business/gov/index.html

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 51 million customers at the end of 1Q 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.