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Press Release -- August 17th, 2011
Source: Sprint Nextel
Tags: Equipment

Sprint and Mobilitie Extend Relationship to Enable Network Vision

Deal between Sprint and Mobilitie represents an important milestone in the delivery of Network Vision, clearing the way for spectrum flexibility; includes opportunities to expand the current relationship via build-to-suit solutions

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), August 17, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE:S, news, filings) today announced it has amended important contracts with Mobilitie to help enable the delivery of next-generation networks through Sprint’s Network Vision plan. The agreement involves several hundred of Sprint’s existing nationwide cell sites with Mobilitie and includes opportunities to expand the current relationship via build-to-suit solutions.

Network Vision, announced in December 2010, is expected to provide an enhanced network experience by improving voice quality and providing faster data speeds while creating network flexibility, reducing operating costs and improving environmental sustainability. The agreement with Mobilitie helps enable several of these benefits.

The agreement:

  • Provides Sprint with the flexibility it needs to deploy next-generation technologies and to effect its future migration from iDEN.
  • Enables a quicker deployment of Network Vision by allowing Sprint to operate existing and new Network Vision equipment simultaneously during the transition, enabling a smoother change for customers.
  • Gives Sprint the ability to utilize build-to-suit solutions to meet Sprint’s Network Vision schedule.

“We are pleased to reach this agreement with Mobilitie as we evolve our networks to meet the needs of our growing customer base,” said John Harrison, vice president, of Network Supplier Performance Management, Sprint. “We look forward to a continued relationship as we roll out Network Vision sites nationwide.”

“We are excited about our partnership with Sprint. Helping Sprint provide quality wireless service in conjunction with the Network Vision program is a high priority for us. Mobilitie is uniquely qualified and prepared to ensure that we are responsive to Sprint’s requirements,” said Keith Paglusch, vice president – Network Strategy, Mobilitie.

Since the announcement of Network Vision, Sprint has been aggressively working with its vendors to plan, test and begin site preparations. In the lab, calls have successfully been completed on 800 MHz 1x voice, 1x data and SMS. 1900 on MHz 1x voice, 1x data, SMS and EVDO have also been completed. Work has begun on thousands of sites and renegotiation of existing contracts with tower companies is an important step in launching these sites later this year.

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 Mobilitie

Mobilitie is a provider of carrier-centric business solutions incorporating industry-leading infrastructure terms and conditions that are unrivalled by any other tower company. Mobilitie’s flexibility and efficiency help wireless and wireline carriers to preserve precious capital while accelerating network deployment. Designed by carriers for carriers, proprietary operating covenants make Mobilitie financially and operationally far superior to any alternative for infrastructure ownership in North America, South America or Europe. For more information, visit www.Mobilitie.com

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

* This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the securities laws. The statements in this news release regarding network performance, coverage and capabilities, business and network efficiencies, migration of services new technologies, timing of deployment, and products and services, as well as other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The words “estimate,” “project,” “forecast,” intend,” “expect,” “believe,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are estimates and projections reflecting management’s judgment based on currently available information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. With respect to these forward-looking statements, management has made assumptions regarding, among other things, development and deployment of new technologies; efficiencies and cost savings of multimode technologies; customer and network usage; customer growth and retention; service, coverage and quality; availability of devices; the timing of various events and the economic environment. Sprint Nextel believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable; however, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations and speak only as of the date of this release. Sprint Nextel is not obligated to publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release. Sprint Nextel provides a detailed discussion of risk factors in periodic SEC filings, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2010, in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” and in Part II, Item 1A “Risk Factors,” of its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2011.

Disclosure

*Lessor (or an Affiliate of Lessor) is permitted to make generic disclosures relating to Lessor entering into an agreement that permits the installation of Network Vision Equipment on its towers or installation of Network Vision Equipment along with hosting and each with an adjustment in rent.

Contact(s):

Sprint
Kelly Schlageter, 703-592-8809
Kelly.A.Schlageter@sprint.com
or
Mobilitie
Kari Willis, 949-999-5780
kari@mobilitie.com

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