Gizmodo: sprint nextel

Sprint Buys Virgin Mobile Because It Apparently Had $483 Million Lying Around

matt buchanan — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:48:59 EDT

Sprint's picking up Virgin Mobile in a deal worth $483 million. Virgin Mobile, if you recall, is an MVNO that runs on Sprint and bought Helio earlier. They're going to mash it up with their Boost Mobile for MVNO funtimes.

The idea, apparently, is to strengthen Sprint's prepaid business, or something like that. Now I really can't wait to see their quarterly earnings. Updated to reflect it's a stock deal. [Sprint]

Sprint Wants to Dump Nextel

matt buchanan — Mon, 05 May 2008 17:15:19 EDT

Fresh off, uh, fresh rumors that T-Mobile's making eyes at Sprint, the WSJ is reporting that Sprint is "seriously considering spinning off or selling its ailing Nextel unit." The Sprint/Nextel hybrid has basically been the poster child for train wrecks masquerading as mergers, with Nextel being much (but not all) of the heavy weight slowly sinking the USS Sprint. Here's three reasons Sprint should throw Nextel overboard and what it would mean for you.

First and foremost, Nextel is a massive, distracting burden for Sprint (it's got that old iDEN network to maintain, and is bleeding customers like a nasty, lacerated ulcer etc.) and anything that would make Sprint lighter and faster on its feet is a plus for its customers. Second, but not wholly unrelated, it would let Sprint concentrate on getting its WiMax ducks in a row. Third, losing all the weight would make Sprint even sexier to T-Mobile's parent, Deutsche Telekom, which is reportedly being urged by its shareholders to make a big acquisition. [WSJ, Sub req'd]

Sprint Earnings Report: Not So Great, But the Sky's Not Falling Yet

Matt Buchanan — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:00:35 EDT

Well, if AT&T and Verizon are having slambang quarters, someone's gotta get the short end of the stick. And that someone is Sprint, though the picture's not quite as dire as the summary execution of their former CEO depicts. "Consoliated net operating revenues" for the quarter were $10 billion, down half a billion from last year's Q3, with net income falling to $64 million from $279 million. While they've added 2.1 million subscribers since the same quarter last year to hit 54 million, they've lost 60,000 subscribers since last quarter, and the revenue hit actually stems from lower wireless revenues.

One shiny spot was data revenues, which are up 28 percent vs. last year. A big question for Sprint's decision people is whether the quarter's results are making Xohm look more like a venture they should bet big on or an unnecessary risk for a struggling company. Your opinions, expert or otherwise in the comments. [Sprint, Flickr]

Apparently things aren't so dandy over in...

Matt Buchanan — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 14:51:17 EDT

Apparently things aren't so dandy over in Sprint-Nextel land, since they're shopping around for a new CEO to turn around the sinking profit train they're currently riding express on. [NYT]

Motorola Shows Off Cheap Sexy Still-Unannounced i335 for Nextel

Wilson Rothman — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 21:45:00 EDT

The i335 is a thin candybar with a rubber keypad that feels like leather and a funky corrugated plastic back. It's been rumored here and there, and should not be confused with an older Moto with the same name. Regardless, Motorola and its partner in iDEN crime Sprint (as in Nextel) have yet to say anything more than that it'll be out for holidays and it will be "affordable." Yeah, it's missing a camera, a big LCD and any kind of bandwidth. But it's better looking than the other Nextel phones, and its price, still unannounced, is supposedly rock bottom.

Sprint Plans to "Sprint Ahead," Minus Nextel

Matt Buchanan — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 09:30:48 EDT

Brand identity crises seem to be all the rage these days—Sprint's joining the party by all but dropping the Nextel name and adopting the all-too-easy slogan of "Sprint Ahead." The focus of the new marketing campaign, which starts July 1, will be on its data services and network speed.

Chalk it up to what you will—lagging quarters, brand confusion or the iPhone launch, all of which were tossed out by analysts as reasons for the change-up—mourners of the Nextel brand will number far fewer than Jack's bereaved, to be sure. After all, when was the last time you actually said (or heard) SprintNextel? Exactly.

Sprint Ad Campaign Leaves Nextel's Name in the Dust [WaPo via MocoNews]
Sprint Nextel revamps ads to focus on speed, data [Reuters]

Get Rugged with the Motorola i580 Phone

Travis Hudson — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 17:51:32 EDT

This phone was designed to meet strict military specifications for resistance from blowing rain, dust, shock and vibration. It has push to talk, Bluetooth, 1.3-megapixel camera, rubber exterior, MP3 player, GPS for location-based services and TransFlash memory expansion. This could be an excellent phone for the outdoorsy types or bitter ex-girlfriends who always seem to throw their phones at the wall and insist you buy them a new one because it was your fault that they were so damn mad, I mean honestly, owning a fleshlight shouldn't be considered cheating...oh, this phone is available through Sprint-Nextel.

Motorola i580 Phone [Mobiledia]

Sprint Invests Big in UMTS

tgrumet — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 15:58:17 EST

Here's a clue that Sprint Nextel wants to dominate in the next-generation high-speed standard. Directly competing with WiMax, in which Sprint has also invested, the company threw $10 million into the ring with IPWireless, a company developing equipment for the new standard of UMTS TD-CDMA, and is currently in trials with its technology in Washington DC on a 2.5GHz spectrum. IPWireless plans to offer services such as a mobile TV solution called TDtv, as well as the usual high speed wireless data. Let the games begin!

Sprint Invests In Wireless Broadband / Mobile TV Technology [Phonescoop]

One Deal to Rule Us All

tgrumet — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 08:16:15 EST

In a move to force us to get all our media and communication services from just one source in the future, Sprint Nextel has announced a deal with Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Advance/Newhouse Communications. This new "wireless joint venture" will now allow you to bundle your wireless service along with your cable, broadband and digital phone, making it easier to pay one bill and for these cable companies to finally compete better with regional Bells that have been slowly forcing their way into TV services. Between these cable companies, about 41 million people will have access to the new services, along with the 46 million wireless customers Sprint now has.
The companies also plan on developing and co-branding new wireless devices that they hope will integrate cable TV with wireless, then sell these products through Sprint channels. The phones will obviously take advantage of Sprint's EV-DO network.

Customers using the converged services will be able to seamlessly interface between email, home and mobile voicemail, Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) and photo programs.

And of course, in each market, the cable company will be responsible for billing customers. Nearly jumping up and down with glee, Gary Forsee, president and CEO of Sprint Nextel said:

The new Sprint-cable partnerships will forever transform what used to be merely a cell phone into an indispensable third screen in customer's lives. By giving consumers more access to information, entertainment and data from their cell phone, we will create more loyal customers, and we'll further drive our growth. With the convergence of technologies and capabilities accelerating, we will create personalized content, useful innovative applications and easy-to-understand navigation required by consumers. Together with our cable partners, we will have the unique content and distribution assets to realize this opportunity.

Sprint Nextel, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Advance/Newhouse Communications to Form Landmark Cable and Wireless Joint Venture [Sprint]

Sprint Releases PPC-6700

gizmogo — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 13:45:30 EDT

The HTC Apache, otherwise known as the PPC-6700, has found a new home with the newly minted Sprint Nextel. They announced the phone today as part of their business lineup, and it packs quite a punch feature-wise. Sounds like the business version of the HTC Univ... uh I mean, I-Mate JasJar. It comes with Windows Mobile 5.0, a 416 Mhz Intel CPU, EV-DO, WiFi, Bluetooth, a QWERTY keyboard, a miniSD card slot, and a 1.3 megapixel camera. Currently going for $479.99 with service, but as mentioned, you can only get it through their business channels.

Product Page [Sprint Nextel via Mobile Tracker]