Sprint Customers in 40+ Markets Can Soon Get Nextel Direct Connect® Plus Sprint Mobile Broadband on 4 New Phones

 

Expansion of Nextel Direct Connect portfolio gives Sprint customers more ways to get things done instantly with industry-leading push-to-talk and fast data speeds

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE [1])--Sprint (NYSE:S) announced today the coming availability of four new Nextel Direct Connect phones, powered by Qualcomm's QChat^® technology, to customers in 40+ markets across the country. The LX400 by LG, Z400 by Samsung, and PRO-200 and PRO-700 by Sanyo will be available June 15 for purchase by all new and existing customers in Sprint retail stores in the designated markets. These new phones incorporate Nextel Direct Connect services, the speed of Sprint Mobile Broadband and Sprint's largest voice calling area, giving customers a wider selection of phones to meet their productivity needs with connection in less than one second to millions of existing Nextel Direct Connect subscribers nationwide.

"Instant connections help customers get things done more efficiently, and these new phones allow us to continue to deliver on the gold standard of instant push-to-talk connectivity on the Now Network," said Kevin Packingham, senior vice president of product and technology development for Sprint. "In addition to delivering on this instant connectivity, these new phones also add the speed of Sprint Mobile Broadband and Sprint's largest voice calling area so customers can do even more, faster."

The new phones allow customers to make Direct Connect^® calls with the world's largest push-to-talk community and will be available June 15 through Sprint retail stores, direct sales or telesales (1-800-Sprint1) in the following markets:

Atlanta-Athens, Ga.		Miami-West Palm Beach, Fla.
Austin, Texas		Milwaukee
Baltimore		Central New Jersey
Boston		Northern New Jersey
Chicago		Southern New Jersey
Cincinnati		New York City
Cleveland		Orange County, Calif.
Colorado		Oregon
Columbus, Ohio		Orlando
Northern Connecticut		Philadelphia
Southern Connecticut		Pittsburgh, Penn.
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas		Providence, R.I.
Delaware		Richmond, Va.
Southwest Florida		Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif.
Hawaii		San Antonio
Houston		San Diego
Indianapolis		San Francisco Bay Area
Jacksonville, Fla.		South Bay, Calif.
Kansas		Tampa, Fla.
Las Vegas		Washington, D.C.
Long Island, N.Y.		Southwest Washington
Los Angeles		Western Washington
North Los Angeles		Winston-Salem, N.C.
Memphis, Tenn.

Phones

• LX400 by LG^® - The LX400 by LG is packaged in a slender form factor and enables Nextel Direct Connect push-to-talk services. The phone also includes key features such as a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, GPS capabilities and noise reduction capabilities. This phone is available for as low as $79.99 with a two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate.

• Z400 by Samsung^® - Ultra-rugged push-to-talk choices expand with the Z400 by Samsung, which is certified to Military specification 810F for dust, shock and vibration. Customers also have added benefits of a 1.3 megapixel camera, Sprint Navigation and Bluetooth support in this clamshell handset. This phone is available for as low as $99.99 with a two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate.
• PRO-200 by Sanyo^® - Sporting an attractive, slim clamshell form factor, the Pro-200 by Sanyo delivers instant Nextel Direct Connect push-to-talk services and key functionalities including Bluetooth^®, messaging capabilities and mobile email. This phone is available for as low as $49.99 with a two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate.
• PRO-700 by Sanyo^® - Recognizing that instant communication is needed in sometimes harsh environments, Sprint is offering this rugged phone certified to military standards for dust, shock and vibration. This phone is available for as low as $79.99 with a two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate.

Sprint plans to expand availability of these phones in additional markets and channels through the remainder of 2008. Customers can sign up to be notified of availability in additional markets at www.sprint.com/instantconnect [2].

Service Features

These new phones will continue to provide industry-leading push-to-talk performance, while operating on certain Rev. A portions of the Sprint Mobile Broadband network (except in Puerto Rico). Compared to other providers, Sprint's expanded Nextel Direct Connect capable device portfolio offers significantly faster call set-up times of less than one second and one-to-one interoperability with the world's largest established push-to-talk community. Features available on these handsets include:

• Direct Connect^®: Instant one-to-one push-to-talk communication that is interoperable with the millions of existing Nextel Direct Connect subscribers. Direct Connect provides the call set-up times of less than one second that customers have come to rely on to boost productivity and save time and money.
• Call Alerts: A repeating alert that users can send to let another Nextel Direct Connect subscriber know they are trying to reach them.
• Group Connect^®: Unique one-to-many capability of Group Connect that helps customers quickly communicate with up to 20 other Nextel Direct Connect users all at once. Users of the new phones can create and manage Group Connect groups on the phone or online. At this time, these new phones are not interoperable with Nextel or PowerSource phones for Group Connect services.

In addition, with these new phones, customers have the ability to take advantage of Sprint's largest voice calling area and the blazing data speeds of Sprint Mobile Broadband. Sprint Mobile Broadband brings customers instant gratification so they can get what they want when they want it, with fast file downloads, Web browsing, email access and more.

Other new features exclusive to the new phones include:

• Single number option: If they wish, most customers purchasing these new phones can choose the simplicity of having one phone number for voice and push-to-talk calls. If preferred, customers can opt to have a separate Direct Connect number.
• TeamDC^®: This more formal one-to-many feature allows up to 35 Nextel Direct Connect subscribers to communicate via PTT at the same time - nationwide, quickly and easily. Customers create and manage groups online, then all members of the group receive a notification and can access the group. TeamDC is only available on these new phones and is not interoperable with Nextel or PowerSource phones.
• DC Permissions: Customers have the ability to block/allow incoming one-to-one push-to-talk calls and Call Alerts with the new phones.
• DC Missed Call Notification: - When on a Nextel Direct Connect call, customers receive a notification if they miss a push-to-talk call, Call Alert or Group call.
• Call Alerts with Text: With the new Call Alerts with Text feature, customers can attach one of several preset text messages, such as "Please stop by," to Call Alerts sent to users of NDC phones powered by the QChat technology.
• Sprint Mobile Sync: This easy-to-use online tool lets customers manage all of their contact information online, including setting up groups. Additionally, this feature automatically synchronizes with the phone, allowing for easier entry, easier access and full secure backup of contacts. Contacts automatically transfer if the customer moves to another Sprint Mobile Sync-capable phone.

Unlimited Direct Connect and Group Connect use is included at no additional charge in Everything plans starting at $69.99 per month, and Talk/Message/Direct Connect plans starting at $49.99 per month. Unlimited Direct Connect and Group Connect will be available for $10 per month with other Sprint plans.

*Not all features are available with all phones. Nextel Direct Connect capability is not available in all markets where these devices are sold. Customers should consult sales representative prior to purchase. Push-to-talk coverage varies depending on the user's push-to-talk phone. Detailed coverage maps are available at www.sprint.com/coverage [3].

About Nextel Direct Connect

With more than 15 years of expertise, Sprint is the undisputed leader in push-to-talk with the largest community of users in the world. Nextel Direct Connect has set the industry standard for push-to-talk and serves millions of Nextel Direct Connect subscribers on the fastest national push-to-talk network. These customers made more than 90 billion Nextel Direct Connect connections in 2007.

Nextel Direct Connect is the only push-to-talk product in the industry that offers:

• Industry-leading performance with the advantage of instant connection (call set-up times of less than one second)
• Connection to the world's largest community of users, with millions of existing Nextel Direct Connect subscribers
• Nationwide and international push-to-talk services
• The largest portfolio of push-to-talk phones, including the largest selection of rugged phones
• Integrated business solutions, including the largest selection of GPS-solutions

For more information about Nextel Direct Connect, please visit www.sprint.com/nexteldirectconnect [4].

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 is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving nearly 53 million customers at the end of the first quarter 2008; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com [5].

Contacts

Sprint Nextel
Emmy Anderson, 913-707-0618
emmy.anderson@sprint.com [6]
or
Amy Schiska-Lombard, 913-794-2947
amy.k.schiska@sprint.com [7]