Sprint and Google to Collaborate on WiMAX Mobile Internet Services

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mobile broadband pioneer Sprint (NYSE:S) announced it is working with Google Inc. to bring WiMAX mobile Internet customers search, interactive communications and social networking tools though a new mobile portal. The collaboration between Sprint and Google will help spur new mobility and location-assisted services as Sprint untethers Internet access for consumers, businesses and government customers.

“Google shares Sprint’s vision for enhancing the consumer’s mobile lifestyle and is focused on greater access to information through a variety of channels”

Sprint is developing a nationwide advanced wireless broadband network that is being designed to mobilize the Internet, bring wireless innovation to devices and deliver new mobile multimedia applications to customers. The pact with Google is a milestone in Sprint’s mobile Internet strategy, and it builds upon current WiMAX ecosystem infrastructure and device agreements to establish an Internet destination for user-generated content and multimedia offerings.

“Google and Sprint will optimize the Internet experience for the digital lifestyle,” said Barry West, president, 4G Mobile Broadband for Sprint. "This collaboration brings what will be the best mobile Internet network together with the leading Internet search company. It allows us to capitalize on the powerful mobility and Internet trends, and create wireless services and applications that take advantage of each company’s history of product development innovation.”

Sprint network bandwidth, location detection and presence capabilities will be matched with Google’s popular communications suite – Google Apps^TM – that combines the Gmail^TM, Google Calendar^TM and Google Talk^TM services. Customers will be able to experience a new form of interactive communications, high speed Internet browsing, local and location-centric services, and multimedia services including music, video, TV and on-demand products.

“Google shares Sprint’s vision for enhancing the consumer’s mobile lifestyle and is focused on greater access to information through a variety of channels,” said Dave Girouard, vice president and general manager Google Enterprise. “We look forward to working with Sprint to bring to market a rich and compelling broadband experience for WiMAX customers.”

Sprint will provide open standard APIs (application programming interfaces) to Sprint’s go-to-market partners and the Internet developer community to create customized products for browsable devices, facilitating the delivery of personalized and interactive services to consumer, business, public safety and government customers. These services will be available in a variety of WiMAX embedded devices, including connection cards, stand-alone modems, laptop computers and consumer electronic devices such as personal media players, mobile Internet devices, gaming devices and phones. Eventually, the WiMAX service will be available in vehicles for navigation information, news and entertainment.

Sprint is working with WiMAX ecosystem partners and others to incorporate WiMAX technology in a range of computing, portable multi-media, interactive and other consumer electronic devices. The company plans WiMAX test service in the Chicago, Baltimore and Washington DC areas by year-end 2007. Commercial service is expected to be available in a number of markets starting April 2008 and cover 100 million people by year-end 2008 in conjunction with a planned partnership with Clearwire.

These efforts are expected to allow Sprint customers to experience a nationwide mobile broadband network that is designed to offer faster speeds, lower cost, greater convenience and enhanced multimedia quality. The Sprint WiMAX mobile broadband network will use the company’s extensive 2.5GHz spectrum holdings.

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 robust wireless networks serving 53.6 million customers at the end of the first quarter 2007; 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.

About Google Inc.

Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.

Google, Gmail, Google Apps, Google Calendar and Google Talk are trademarks of Google Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

SAFE HARBOR

This article includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the securities laws. The statements in this article regarding our collaboration with Google and the benefits of the arrangement; plans for the development and deployment of a broadband network based on WiMAX technology; the timing, availability, capabilities and coverage of the WiMAX network; products and services to be offered on the WiMAX network; and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are projections reflecting management's judgment and assumptions 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.

Future performance cannot be assured. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including the uncertainties related to the implementation of the company’s WiMAX business strategy and risks referenced from time to time in Sprint Nextel’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors.”

Sprint Nextel believes the forward-looking statements in this article 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 article.