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Sprint Nextel Continues Providing Free Phones and Service for Consumers Affected by Hurricane Katrina


WEBWIRE

Deadline Extended Until June 1
RESTON, Va. — 03/06/2006, Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) today announced it is extending its participation in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Katrina Lifeline Program. The new deadline for applying for a free wireless phone and service is June 1, 2006.

Through the program, eligible customers in the 92 Gulf Coast counties and parishes affected by Hurricane Katrina will be able to apply for a free wireless phone and service. Existing Sprint Nextel customers affected by the hurricane who qualify for the program will receive a credit of 500 minutes for four months from the date of activation.

“Due to broad interest in the program across the affected counties and parishes, Sprint Nextel is pleased to extend the deadline for people to participate in the FCC’s Katrina Lifeline program,” said Sal Todaro, area vice president for Sprint Nextel. “While our customers and employees continue to rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Sprint Nextel understands the importance of staying connected with family and friends.”

Since September, Sprint Nextel, its foundation and employees have contributed cash and in-kind donations for hurricane relief worth more than $10 million for the individuals and communities across the Gulf Coast region, as well as for evacuees around the country.

To find out more about Sprint Nextel’s Katrina Lifeline program or to apply, eligible customers must call 1-866-705-6925. Customers will be mailed a certification of eligibility form to complete and mail back with a copy of their FEMA letter by June 1, 2006. In addition, information is available at www.sprint.com/hurricaneinfo. The program is subject to certain limitations and conditions including the availability of phones and the company’s ability to provide service in all areas.

Consumers eligible for the Sprint Nextel Katrina Lifeline program will have the following options:

* New customers will receive a Motorola i415 wireless phone and $60 prepaid service credit from BOOST Mobile, the prepaid wireless brand of the company.

* Existing Sprint Nextel customers will receive 500 free minutes per month for four months from the date of activation of the Katrina Lifeline Program. Existing BOOST Mobile customers will receive additional prepaid calling cards worth $130.

To qualify for the program, consumers must apply by June 1, 2006 and meet the following criteria established by the FCC:

* Participants must be able to certify prior residency in a County or Parish that has been designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as eligible for individual disaster assistance related to Hurricane Katrina.

* Participants must be able to document their eligibility by providing a copy of a letter from FEMA demonstrating that they have been approved for disaster housing assistance.

* The program allows for only one wireless phone per household.

* Participants will be required to sign a certification of eligibility form.

Residents of the following counties and parishes have been designated by FEMA as eligible for individual disaster assistance:

Alabama – Baldwin, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Mobile, Pickens, Tuscaloosa and Washington.

Louisiana – Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Calcasieu, Cameron, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Lincoln, Livingston, Orleans, Pointe Coupee, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Mary, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermilion, Washington, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana.

Mississippi – Adams, Amite, Attala, Bolivar, Claiborne, Choctaw, Clarke, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Homes, Humphreys, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Okitibbeha, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Quitman, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Tippah, Walthall, Wayne, Wilkinson, Winston and Yazoo.


About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services 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/mr.



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