Sprint Supports Students with New Programs and Services

Exclusive offer with Best Buy gives students free Sprint service

Sprint 4NetSafety and Focus on Driving programs offer tips and tools to use smartphones safely and responsibly

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), November 18, 2013 – Seventy-eight percent of teens now have a cell phone, and almost half (47 percent) of those own smartphones. That translates into 37 percent of all teens who have smartphones, up from just 23 percent in 2011¹.With the continued growth of smartphone use among teens, it is important to ensure they are using the device safely and responsibly and providing parents with tools and resources to help manage the use.

Sprint (NYSE:S, news, filings) is committed to educating families and providing tools and resources about important topics like distracted driving and Internet safety through its 4NetSafety and Focus on Driving programs. Sprint also strives to make wireless use affordable for families and students.

Best Buy Unlimited, My Way Student Promotion

Today, high schools and colleges are incorporating technology into their lesson plans and allowing students to use their smartphones in class. In fact, among teen smartphone owners, 50 percent say they use the Internet mostly via their cell phone¹. In an effort to enable students to use their wireless device where and how they need it, Sprint and Best Buy are offering students an exciting new and affordable plan for the holiday season.

Eligible students who purchase a Sprint phone at the student activated price, sign up for a new line of service on an Unlimited, My Way plan at Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores, and meet all offer requirements will receive 12 months of free service from Sprint². The free service includes unlimited talk, text and 1GB of data on smartphones (data blocked on basic phones). Students can add unlimited data for just $10 per month (prices exclude $36 activation fee, taxes and Sprint surcharges). Customers also can enjoy unlimited talk, text and data with the Sprint Unlimited Guarantee – not just for now, but for life³. This offer is available exclusively for students at Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores across the country.

“A quality education provides our young people with the building blocks they need to achieve success in their lives,” said Jeff Hallock, senior vice president of Marketing, Sprint. “As technology becomes more prevalent in the classroom, Sprint is committed to providing schools, teachers, parents and students tools and resources to help increase learning. And, now we also are helping to make life easier for students by offering free Sprint service by purchasing a wireless phone at Best Buy.”

4NetSafety

Sprint launched the 4NetSafety program in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children^® (NCMEC), the National Education Association Health Information Network (NEA HIN) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). 4NetSafety offers free tools from expert resources. These resources address perils that young people commonly encounter online and encourage positive dialogue about Internet safety. Please visit www.4netsafety.com for more information.

Focus on Driving

In 2005, Sprint created a free interactive program – Focus on Driving – to educate teenagers enrolled in driver’s education classes on the dangers of driver distraction, the importance of attentive driving, and how they could ensure a safe driving experience for themselves and others on the road. Sprint also offers a free app, Sprint Drive First, which automatically locks your Android device when your vehicle is moving more than 10 mph. It disables phone functionality, directs incoming calls to voice mail, and silences distracting email and text message alerts.

For more information on educational programs and solutions offered by Sprint, please visit www.sprint.com/education.

About Sprint

Sprint (NYSE:S) offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint served more than 54 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2013 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. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint as the most improved company in customer satisfaction, across all 47 industries, during the last five years. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

¹According to Pew Research, “Teens and Technology 2013”
²Unlimited talk, text and 1GB data/mo. for smartphones (Reg. $70/mo. Add’l data above 1GB: 1.5¢/MB) or with blocked data for basic phones (Reg. $50/mo.)
³The guarantee applies to customers as long as they remain on the Unlimited, My Way or My All-in plans, meet the terms and conditions of the plan and pay their bill in full and on time. Price and phone selection are subject to change. Other plans may receive prioritized bandwidth availability. Streaming video speeds may be limited to 1 Mbps.

Contact(s):