Sprint to keep iDEN network

Sprint Nextel put to rest any speculation that it would try to sell the iDEN push-to-talk network that it acquired when it merged with Nextel in 2005. The company said it will hold onto the network, despite rumors that it had been shopping for a buyer.

In a statement, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse reiterated what he has said before: that the iDEN network is critical to Sprint's operations. "The iDEN network is a key differentiator for Sprint, as it allows us to offer products and services no other carrier in the industry can match," he said.

In September, Hesse said that Sprint was going to hold onto the iDEN network despite the drag it had made on the carrier's business, as the operator hemorrhaged subscribers. However, in early October rumors swirled that either Cerberus Capital Management or Latin American cellular operator NII Holdings might be a possible buyer of the network. 

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