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Sprint Extends Mobility Leadership with Aggressive Broadband Network Expansion


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* Over half of U.S. population covered in first phase
* 190 million coverage targeted by year-end ’06
* First-to-market Revision A migration plans for 2007 service
* Devices available 3Q have CTIA Show preview

Overland Park, KAN. — 03/30/2006, Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced aggressive plans for the expansion and evolution of the Sprint Power Vision(SM) network which now covers over half of the U.S. population with mobile broadband data services. By year end 2006 the high-speed wireless network is expected to reach an estimated 190 million people nationwide and in Puerto Rico, making it the largest mobility network of its kind. Sprint will concurrently implement second-generation technology upgrades later this year known as EV-DO Revision A, to bring additional mobility benefits to users beginning in 1Q 2007. Sprint plans to reach about 220 million people in the U.S. with the advanced network by the end of 3Q ’07.

Sprint today has the most wireless broadband coverage of any carrier. Sprint mobile broadband services, which run on the Sprint Power Vision network, cover over 150 million people and serve customers in 215 communities with at least 100,000 population, as well as 470 airports across the country. Users currently access various audio, video and data applications with handheld and connection-card devices at average download speeds equivalent to DSL (400-700 kbps and peak speeds up to 2 Mbps). With the evolution to EV-DO Revision A, users will experience downloads and uploads up to 10 times faster. “Sprint is a mobility services company and mobile broadband leader,” remarked Kathy Walker, Chief Network Officer. “We plan to extend that lead through a complete overlay of our Sprint EV-DO network with Revision A technology by the end of 3Q 2007, to provide customers an enriched mobile multimedia experience.”

Sprint will demonstrate EV-DO Revision A connection card technology at the CTIA Wireless Show in Las Vegas (booth 1439) with industry partners Nortel, Novatel Wireless and Sierra Wireless. Sprint will market EV-DO Revision A compatible connection cards in the third quarter of 2006, which work on the current Revision O network until next-generation service is broadly available in the first quarter 2007 to about 214 million people.

“Sprint has an aggressive plan for mobile broadband service leadership, by broadening their footprint and deploying advanced technology that drives mobility,” commented Gene Signorini, Director, Wireless/Mobile Enterprise Solutions at Yankee Group. “This announcement keeps Sprint in the forefront in meeting the demand for mobility services. Given the importance of high speed data services as a revenue source, this is a bold and rewarding move.”

With Revision A technology, peak download data rates increase to 3.1 Mbps (from 2.0) and peak upload data rates increase to 1.8 Mbps (from 144 kbps). Average download speeds improve to 450-800 kbps (from 400 -700) and average uplink speeds become 300 - 400 kpbs (versus 70 - 144 kpbs). The faster data rates can enable richer applications and services such as high-speed video telephony, music on demand, video messaging, large file uploads and high performance push-to-talk capability.

“This aggressive move by Sprint should further accelerate the company’s momentum in wireless broadband services,” said Bob Egan, Director, Emerging Technologies, TowerGroup. “Enterprises and consumers alike have an insatiable appetite for network access availability, speed and quality. This is an important move by a company who is very serious about raising the industry bar and meeting the important and dynamic requirements of its business and consumer constituencies,” Egan said.

The power of Sprint networks make it best positioned to deliver unmatched mobility products and services for customer solutions. Wireless broadband customers can currently access the mobility network with the Sprint PCS Vision Smart Device (PPC 6700) and Sprint PCS Connection Cards Novatel Wireless 620, Sierra Wireless 580 and PC 5740. Panasonic Toughbook PC models (18, 29 and 73) also have embedded EV DO Sprint Power Vision capability for Sprint network access. Consumer data devices include Sprint Power Vision phones from Samsung (A900 and A920) and the MM 7500 by Sanyo.

Additional information on Sprint’s Mobile Broadband network and access devices can be found at www.sprint.com/wirelesshighspeeddata.

About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of communications services bringing mobility to consumer, business and government customers. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks offering industry leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and an award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the securities laws. The statements in this news release regarding the business outlook, expected performance, as well as other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The words “estimate,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe,” “target,” “providing guidance” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are estimates and projections reflecting management’s judgment based on currently available information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. With respect to these forward-looking statements, management has made assumptions regarding, among other things, customer and network usage, customer growth and retention, pricing, operating costs, the timing of various events and the economic environment.
Future performance cannot be ensured. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include:

* the uncertainties related to the benefits of the Sprint-Nextel merger, including anticipated synergies and cost savings and the timing thereof;
* the uncertainties related to and the impact of the contemplated spin-off of Sprint Nextel’s local communications operations;
* the effects of vigorous competition and the overall demand for Sprint Nextel’s service offerings in the markets in which Sprint Nextel operates and the impact of new, emerging and competing services technologies on its business;
* the costs and business risks associated with providing new services and entering new markets;
* the impact of any adverse change in the ratings afforded Sprint Nextel’s debt securities by ratings agencies;
* the ability of Sprint Nextel’s Wireless segment to continue to grow and improve profitability;
* the ability of Sprint Nextel’s Local and Long Distance segments to achieve expected revenues;
* the effects of mergers and consolidations in the communications industry and unexpected announcements or developments from others in the telecommunications industry;
* the uncertainties related to Sprint Nextel’s investments in networks, systems, and other businesses;
* the uncertainties related to the implementation of Sprint Nextel’s business strategies,
* unexpected results of litigation pending or filed against Sprint Nextel;
* a no significant adverse change in Motorola, Inc.’s ability or willingness to provide handsets and related equipment and software applications or to develop new technologies or features for Sprint Nextel’s iDEN network;
* the network performance, including any performance issues resulting from the reconfiguration of the 800 Megahertz band of the iDEN network that is contemplated by the Federal Communications Commission’s Report and Order, released in August 2004 and supplemented thereafter;
* the costs of compliance with regulatory mandates, particularly requirements related to the Federal Communications Commission’s Report and Order and deployment of enhanced 911 services on the iDEN network;
* equipment failure, natural disasters, terrorist acts, or other breaches of network or information technology security;
* inability of third parties to perform to Sprint Nextel’s requirements under agreements related to Sprint Nextel’s business operations;
* one or more of the markets in which Sprint Nextel competes being impacted by changes in political or other factors such as monetary policy, legal and regulatory changes or other external factors over which Sprint Nextel has no control; and
* other risks referenced from time to time in Sprint Nextel’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, as amended, and its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the subsequent quarterly periods.

Sprint Nextel believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable; however, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations and speak only as of the date of this release. Sprint Nextel is not obligated to publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release. Sprint Nextel provides a detailed discussion of risk factors in periodic SEC filings, including its 2004 Form 10-K as amended, and will provide a similar discussion in its 2005 Form 10-K that is expected to be filed in March 2006. You are encouraged to review these filings.



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