Sprint Enhances 3G Network Coverage in Hawaii

With recent upgrades throughout the Aloha State, Sprint customers in Hawaii should benefit with better signal strength, faster data speeds and fewer dropped calls

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), November 30, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE:S, news, filings) customers in Hawaii can have hau’oli lanui (happy holidays) this year with increased 3G coverage just in time for holiday shopping, festive parties and family get-togethers.

In the past 90 days, Sprint has implemented 40 network capacity upgrades throughout Hawaii, including 26 in Honolulu alone as the area prepares for events surrounding the 70^th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. The upgrades encompass all aspects of a customer’s wireless experience, including voice, data and in-building solutions. Sprint plans 49 additional enhancements for Hawaii in the next 90 days.

“With today’s ability to do more things on the go, from watching videos to sharing pictures and checking directions, customers in Hawaii are relying more on their smartphones and mobile applications than ever before,” said Bryan Ito, business sales manager, Sprint Hawaii. “The enhanced network coverage in Hawaii, coupled with Sprint’s unlimited plans, is making it easier and more affordable for customers to stay connected at home or on-the-go.”

So what does this really mean for Sprint customers? In a word: Everything. It means better signal strength so you can access virtually whatever you need whenever you need it. It means faster data speeds, so you can download Google Music Store on your HTC EVO™ 3D and hear the latest free song of the day. It means fewer dropped calls so you can call grandma to wish her “Mele Kalikimaka.” It means confidence that Sprint is handling increased data demands not only with these recent upgrades but with its Network Vision plan.

Announced in December 2010, Network Vision plans to consolidate multiple network technologies into one seamless network with the goal of increasing efficiency and enhancing network coverage, call quality and data speeds for customers. Smartphone penetration is expected to double over the next four years.* With Network Vision, Sprint is making it easier for data to travel so smartphone customers – who average 10 times more data than feature phone customers* – can use their devices the way they were meant to.

Network Vision and the recent upgrades reflect Sprint’s commitment to customer service, which tied for the No. 1 spot among major wireless carriers for customer satisfaction in the 2011 American Customer Satisfaction Index. The survey showed Sprint as the most improved company in customer satisfaction, across all industries, over the past three years.

As Sprint adds capacity across the country on the existing network – 10,251 upgrades from August through October – Network Vision work on 22,000 cell sites is underway. For a detailed look at capacity upgrades in different markets, visit www.sprint.com/network.

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 53 million customers at the end of 3Q 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. 3 in its 2011 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.

*Source: Mobile Access 2010, PEW INTERNET & AMERICAN LIFE PROJECT