The Sprint Foundation donates $100,000 to American Red Cross for tornado-relief support in Joplin, Mo.

Sprint Emergency Response and Network Disaster Recovery Teams provide immediate aid and wireless support to local consumers and emergency personnel

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), May 23, 2011 – The Sprint Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sprint (NYSE:S, news, filings), has made a $100,000 donation to the American Red Cross to support disaster-relief efforts after yesterday’s devastating tornado in Joplin, Mo.

“Our thoughts are with our neighbors in Joplin,” said Bill White, Sprint’s senior vice president of Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility. “With our headquarters in the Kansas City area, many Sprint employees have friends and family members in Joplin. We know that this is a strong community that is already pulling together in the wake of this tragedy, and we hope that our support will help our partners at the American Red Cross continue to provide aid to those who need it.”

In addition to the $100,000 donation, the Sprint Foundation is matching American Red Cross donations made in support of Joplin tornado relief made by Sprint employees and retirees and members of the Sprint board of directors.

For Sprint wireless customers wanting to aid with the relief efforts, Sprint is waiving standard text-messaging fees for mobile donations to the American Red Cross between now and June 30, 2011. Customers can text “REDCROSS” to “90999” to give $10 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief.

Sprint disaster recovery technicians and engineers are aggressively servicing local cell sites that have been impacted – largely due to loss of local power – with portable generators and Cell Sites on Wheels (COWs) to provide additional network coverage, in addition to preparing for additional storms in Joplin that are projected for later today.

Additionally, Sprint has permanent generators at all of its wireless and wireline switches – the network components where wireless data and calls are routed to their final destination. Permanent generators are installed at all of the company’s network Points of Presence (POP), the facilities where traffic enters and leaves the company’s global IP network, which facilitates dedicated data services for Sprint’s corporate and government customers, as well as other critical communications. These backup generators have automatic cutover switches to immediately neutralize any loss of commercial power.

To aid local first responders, public safety officials and emergency medical personnel in Joplin, the Sprint Emergency Response Team (ERT) has deployed to the area with a number of experienced personnel, multiple Satellite Cell on Light Trucks (SatCOLTs) for wireless voice coverage, a hundred mobile devices, and an IP trailer for wireless data services.

Sprint ERT maintains a 24-hour hotline, 365 days a year, to rapidly address client needs. As it does following any state and federally-declared national disasters, Sprint ERT is currently offering 25 mobile devices and wireless service free of charge for 14 days to state and local agencies helping with the recovery efforts.

Sprint has a strong track record of providing critical communications and personnel to assist first responders with relief efforts. In the aftermath of the recent tornadoes in the southeast, the Sprint Emergency Response Team mobilized its assets of seasoned personnel, wireless devices and SatCOLTs to provide wireless and IP service and support to numerous public safety officials and medical personnel, including the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office in Fort Payne, Ala. and Huntsville Hospital and Trauma Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Public safety officials seeking information about services from the Sprint Emergency Response Team should call 1-888-639-0020 or email ERTRequests@sprint.com.

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.

About the Sprint Foundation

Since its establishment in 1989, the Sprint Foundation has supported community organizations across the country with a special emphasis on K-12 education, positive youth development, arts and culture outreach, and Internet safety. Through direct grants and a robust matching-gifts program for employees and retirees, the Sprint Foundation creatively and thoughtfully delivers Sprint’s commitment to championing the communities where Sprint customers and employees live.