Sprint Named Seattle's Most Reliable Network in PC World's 3G Comparison Tests

The Now Network(TM) Not Only Beat AT&T and Verizon in Reliability, It Connected 100 Percent of the Time in the Emerald City.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.-- A 3G comparison test by PC World found Sprint (NYSE:S) as the more reliable network over Verizon and AT&T in 13 cities examined by the magazine, including a perfect connection score in Seattle. These results provide further support for Sprint’s “most dependable 3G network” claim.

The PC World tests took place in March and April this year in 13 major markets across the country. In each location, testers measured download speed, upload speed and reliability. In Seattle, Sprint connected 100 percent of the time while Verizon and AT&T connected 86 percent and 82 percent of the time, respectively. Sprint’s 3G download speeds were also tops in Seattle, clocking in at 1005 kbps. In every market tested, Sprint bested AT&T for reliability.

The PC World results also show that Sprint’s commitment to network performance is paying off for the company’s customers. Today, according to customers and third-party reports, Sprint’s networks have never been better, with these results serving as further confirmation that Sprint operates the nation’s most dependable 3G broadband network. 1 The results also echo findings from a J.D. Power and Associates study this year that recognized Sprint for “highest call quality among wireless cell phone users in the West region (tie).” 2

In addition, Sprint is leading the way in next generation 4G service, which lands in Seattle this year. Sprint made history by launching 4G in Baltimore in September 2008, then by launching the first dual-mode 3G/4G device in December. The availability of Sprint 4G in Baltimore now, and the roll-out of 4G in other major markets in 2009, will bring the Internet to life for mobile users by offering a faster Internet experience in more cities across the nation than any other wireless service from a national carrier.

Sprint customers also enjoy the best value in the industry with a dynamic suite of Everything plans that allow customers to use their phones the way they want without worrying about their wireless bills. For example, Sprint’s Simply EverythingSM plan provides unlimited nationwide calling, texting, email, Web browsing, GPS navigation and much more for only $99.99 per month. That’s a savings of $1,200 over the course of two years vs. a comparable AT&T iPhone® plan. 3

To read the entire PC World survey story, visit http://www.pcworld.com/article/167391/a_day_in_the_life_of_3g.html

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 push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

1 “Dependable” based on independent, third-party drive tests for 3G data connection success, session reliability and signal strength for the top 50 most populous markets from January 2008 to February 2009. Not all services available on 3G and coverage may default to separate network when 3G unavailable.

2 Sprint Nextel received the highest numerical score among wireless service providers in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Wireless Call Quality Performance StudySM - Volume 1. Study based on 27,754 consumer responses measuring five providers in the West region (AZ, CA, CO, ID, IA, MN, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY) and measures opinions of wireless users about the call quality of their service. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed in July - December 2008. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.

3Savings based on publicly available information comparing AT&T Nation Unlimited plus required iPhone data plan and optional unlimited text messaging totaling $149.99/month for AT&T as of publication date, excluding taxes, surcharges and fees. iPhone is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc.