Sprint Business Markets Group Delivers More Value and Enhanced Productivity for Customers in First Quarter 2009
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-- Sprint’s (NYSE:S) new Business Markets Group (BMG) is a significant contributor to Sprint’s overall financial and operational results. In the first quarter, revenue that can be attributed to business customers was nearly $4 billion and was generated across both its wireless and wireline networks. Internet revenues, which include IP data services, grew 16 percent compared to first quarter 2008 principally due to business customers. Sprint continues to be a top 25 supplier for the federal government and its wireline business serves 93 percent of the Fortune 500 companies.
In the first quarter, Sprint, the first national carrier to test, launch and market wireless 4G technology, extended its 4G leadership by announcing the launch of the next-generation service in markets across the country. In 2009, the following markets are expected to experience turbo-charged mobile broadband with speeds three to five times faster than today’s 3G services (based on average download speeds) – Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle. Also available for customers now is the Sprint 3G/4G USB Modem U300, which provides the best of both worlds - the fast 3G speeds and turbo-charged 4G speeds wherever 4G is available.
Sprint also announced that it’s helping businesses smoothly transition to Unified Communications by integrating its Global MPLS network and SIP (session initiation protocol) Trunking for customers who are deploying Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Release2. Sprint is one of the first U.S.-based providers of SIP Trunking services qualified for use with Office Communications Server 2007 R2.
Sprint’s innovative technology helped businesses and government agencies better serve their customers and more efficiently manage operations, as well as enable their employees to work virtually anywhere. Recent examples include --
Ford Motor Company -- 2009 Ford F-Series and E-Series vehicles, and soon Transit Connect vehicles, offer an in-dashboard PC with internet connectivity via the 3G Sprint Mobile Broadband Network. This offers businesses with field workers an unprecedented opportunity for job-site productivity gains and cost reductions.
Presidential inauguration -- Sprint played a key role in this year’s historic presidential inauguration, providing devices and priority services to public safety officials. The company coordinated with law enforcement and security details to ensure immediate, dependable communications during the event.
Cardinal Health – A global manufacturer of medical and surgical products and one of the largest distributors of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies worldwide, Cardinal Health recently signed a large contract for new Sprint wireless and wireline services.
Macy’s, Inc. – Macy's contracted with Sprint for a variety of wireline data and voice services to assist with business operations and customer interactions.
Redbox Automated Retail, LLC – Their recent agreement includes growth to more than 10,000 kiosks installed with Sprint Mobile Broadband connection cards.
Cerner – Sprint worked with Cerner to sign a new master services agreement, which introduces opportunities for them to use new products and service in future. Cerner also renewed a Global MPLS services contract. Cerner is the leading U.S. supplier of healthcare information technology solutions that optimize clinical and financial outcomes.
BMG brought value to businesses that want to save money and enjoy the benefits of new devices in the first quarter.
TreoTM Pro by Palm® -- A smartphone that provides ease-of-use and robust features combined with the reliability and manageability that IT departments require. Business and government professionals can use it to take advantage of the 3G Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, Wi-Fi, GPS and Windows Mobile 6.1 capabilities.
BlackBerry® CurveTM 8350i – Customers in construction, field services, transportation, and manufacturing enjoyed the arrival of this much anticipated device in U.S. retail stores in January. The most advanced push-to-talk BlackBerry® smartphone ever, it operates on the Nextel National Network and offers sub-second call set up to the world’s largest push-to-talk community of millions of users.
Simply Everything plan + Mobile Broadband -- Small business owners and busy professionals can cut expenses with unlimited voice, text and data for their phone, plus 5GB of Internet access for a laptop -- all for $149.99 (taxes and surcharges excluded) per month. That’s a savings of $599 annually compared to similar plans from Verizon and AT&T1 -- a welcome savings that multiplies for businesses with hundreds, or thousands of corporate-liable accounts in this recessionary period.
Nextel Direct Connect® Custom Plans – Designed for those interested in paying for only the tools and applications that are critical to their business. The new plans provide unlimited Direct Connect, Group Connect, Mobile-to-Mobile, Text Messaging and Picture Mail, starting at only $29.99 per month (taxes and surcharges excluded).
Sprint received customer service awards in the first three months of the year, including:
In a recent CIO Insight's 2008 Vendor Value Survey measuring how U.S.-based IT executives generally perceive the value of their vendors' product and service offerings and their overall satisfaction with the support those vendors provide, Sprint was the highest ranked telecommunications firm, above all others.
Millions of Sprint business and government customers are enjoying improved networks – specifically fewer dropped calls and better call quality. On March 18, Sprint received the J.D. Power and Associates Award for “Highest Call Quality Performance Among Wireless Cell Phone Users in the West Region in a Tie.”2
The creation of the recently-formed unit of 4,000 sales, support, marketing and operations employees was lauded by Roger Entner, senior vice president and head of the Research and Insights Telecom Practice for the Nielsen Company.
“Creating a Business Markets Group that combines all business sales assets of Sprint makes a lot of sense,” Entner said. “Business sales at Sprint are poised to grow at a fast clip. As business preferences shift to buying solutions such as converged services and mobile business applications, BMG should be better able to execute than under the previous structure.”
Paget Alves, President of the new BMG, feels his team is structured perfectly to meet the challenging and often costly communication needs of government entities and businesses of all sizes. Supported by its singular mission of providing the absolute best value for business and backed by Sprint’s dependable and unique Now Network, Alves, recently named one of 100 most powerful executives by Black Enterprise Magazine, feels BMG, and Sprint, are poised for profitability in 2009.
“In a rapidly changing, recessionary environment, our unified communications approach is ideal for a seamless, integrated experience for business and federal customers,” Alves said. “No competitor can match our strategic network assets, best-in-class convergence solutions, 3G and 4G technologies, special pricing and passion to make our customers more productive.”
BMG will continue to build on Sprint’s business leadership with an extensive portfolio of business products, services and applications. Get more information about these business offerings at http://www.sprint.com/business/.
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 more than 49 million customers at the end of the first quarter of 2009; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.
In the first quarter, Sprint, the first national carrier to test, launch and market wireless 4G technology, extended its 4G leadership by announcing the launch of the next-generation service in markets across the country. In 2009, the following markets are expected to experience turbo-charged mobile broadband with speeds three to five times faster than today’s 3G services (based on average download speeds) – Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle. Also available for customers now is the Sprint 3G/4G USB Modem U300, which provides the best of both worlds - the fast 3G speeds and turbo-charged 4G speeds wherever 4G is available.
Sprint also announced that it’s helping businesses smoothly transition to Unified Communications by integrating its Global MPLS network and SIP (session initiation protocol) Trunking for customers who are deploying Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Release2. Sprint is one of the first U.S.-based providers of SIP Trunking services qualified for use with Office Communications Server 2007 R2.
Sprint’s innovative technology helped businesses and government agencies better serve their customers and more efficiently manage operations, as well as enable their employees to work virtually anywhere. Recent examples include --
Ford Motor Company -- 2009 Ford F-Series and E-Series vehicles, and soon Transit Connect vehicles, offer an in-dashboard PC with internet connectivity via the 3G Sprint Mobile Broadband Network. This offers businesses with field workers an unprecedented opportunity for job-site productivity gains and cost reductions.
Presidential inauguration -- Sprint played a key role in this year’s historic presidential inauguration, providing devices and priority services to public safety officials. The company coordinated with law enforcement and security details to ensure immediate, dependable communications during the event.
Cardinal Health – A global manufacturer of medical and surgical products and one of the largest distributors of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies worldwide, Cardinal Health recently signed a large contract for new Sprint wireless and wireline services.
Macy’s, Inc. – Macy's contracted with Sprint for a variety of wireline data and voice services to assist with business operations and customer interactions.
Redbox Automated Retail, LLC – Their recent agreement includes growth to more than 10,000 kiosks installed with Sprint Mobile Broadband connection cards.
Cerner – Sprint worked with Cerner to sign a new master services agreement, which introduces opportunities for them to use new products and service in future. Cerner also renewed a Global MPLS services contract. Cerner is the leading U.S. supplier of healthcare information technology solutions that optimize clinical and financial outcomes.
BMG brought value to businesses that want to save money and enjoy the benefits of new devices in the first quarter.
TreoTM Pro by Palm® -- A smartphone that provides ease-of-use and robust features combined with the reliability and manageability that IT departments require. Business and government professionals can use it to take advantage of the 3G Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, Wi-Fi, GPS and Windows Mobile 6.1 capabilities.
BlackBerry® CurveTM 8350i – Customers in construction, field services, transportation, and manufacturing enjoyed the arrival of this much anticipated device in U.S. retail stores in January. The most advanced push-to-talk BlackBerry® smartphone ever, it operates on the Nextel National Network and offers sub-second call set up to the world’s largest push-to-talk community of millions of users.
Simply Everything plan + Mobile Broadband -- Small business owners and busy professionals can cut expenses with unlimited voice, text and data for their phone, plus 5GB of Internet access for a laptop -- all for $149.99 (taxes and surcharges excluded) per month. That’s a savings of $599 annually compared to similar plans from Verizon and AT&T1 -- a welcome savings that multiplies for businesses with hundreds, or thousands of corporate-liable accounts in this recessionary period.
Nextel Direct Connect® Custom Plans – Designed for those interested in paying for only the tools and applications that are critical to their business. The new plans provide unlimited Direct Connect, Group Connect, Mobile-to-Mobile, Text Messaging and Picture Mail, starting at only $29.99 per month (taxes and surcharges excluded).
Sprint received customer service awards in the first three months of the year, including:
In a recent CIO Insight's 2008 Vendor Value Survey measuring how U.S.-based IT executives generally perceive the value of their vendors' product and service offerings and their overall satisfaction with the support those vendors provide, Sprint was the highest ranked telecommunications firm, above all others.
Millions of Sprint business and government customers are enjoying improved networks – specifically fewer dropped calls and better call quality. On March 18, Sprint received the J.D. Power and Associates Award for “Highest Call Quality Performance Among Wireless Cell Phone Users in the West Region in a Tie.”2
The creation of the recently-formed unit of 4,000 sales, support, marketing and operations employees was lauded by Roger Entner, senior vice president and head of the Research and Insights Telecom Practice for the Nielsen Company.
“Creating a Business Markets Group that combines all business sales assets of Sprint makes a lot of sense,” Entner said. “Business sales at Sprint are poised to grow at a fast clip. As business preferences shift to buying solutions such as converged services and mobile business applications, BMG should be better able to execute than under the previous structure.”
Paget Alves, President of the new BMG, feels his team is structured perfectly to meet the challenging and often costly communication needs of government entities and businesses of all sizes. Supported by its singular mission of providing the absolute best value for business and backed by Sprint’s dependable and unique Now Network, Alves, recently named one of 100 most powerful executives by Black Enterprise Magazine, feels BMG, and Sprint, are poised for profitability in 2009.
“In a rapidly changing, recessionary environment, our unified communications approach is ideal for a seamless, integrated experience for business and federal customers,” Alves said. “No competitor can match our strategic network assets, best-in-class convergence solutions, 3G and 4G technologies, special pricing and passion to make our customers more productive.”
BMG will continue to build on Sprint’s business leadership with an extensive portfolio of business products, services and applications. Get more information about these business offerings at http://www.sprint.com/business/.
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 more than 49 million customers at the end of the first quarter of 2009; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.
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