Sprint ’Powers Up’ Hawaii With Even Faster Mobile Broadband Speeds

Users of the nation’s largest mobile broadband network now have the power of significantly faster upload speeds that are on par with some DSL services

HONOLULU —Beginning today, Sprint (NYSE: S) customers in Hawaii join the nearly 140 million people in 5,400 communities who can enjoy access to the upgraded Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, which provides users faster data speeds and the ability to ultimately use richer applications and services such as high-speed video telephony, music-on-demand, video messaging and large file uploads. Today’s announcement is part of an ongoing effort by Sprint to enhance its powerful networks in the islands and across the nation.

“Sprint customers in Hawaii can now take advantage of the nation’s largest mobile broadband network to send and receive information at speeds that rival some DSL offerings,” said Nonie Toledo, general manager, Sprint. “The network upgrade to EV-DO Revision A (Rev. A) technology is part of an ongoing effort by Sprint to empower customers with the best capabilities and to provide them greater mobility - at home, work or on the go.”

Sprint’s upgraded mobile broadband network was recently awarded the coveted PC Magazine Editors’ Choice Award selected by a panel of PC Magazine editors, and leading industry experts.

Local market coverage

Sprint Hawaii has “powered up” its entire statewide network to provide EV-DO Rev A high speed data capability everywhere you have Sprint CDMA voice coverage today.

The upgraded Sprint Mobile Broadband Network allows customers in the Hawaii area to experience significantly faster average upload speeds of 350-500 Kbps (compared with 50-70 Kbps on current EV-DO networks) and average download speeds of 600 Kbps-1.4 Mbps (from 400-700 Kbps).

Sprint’s EV-DO Rev A network will be available on all of Oahu, all of Maui, parts of the Big Island and Kauai. By the end of 2007, plans are in place to build-out remaining islands with full CDMA and Rev A coverage, including Lanai and Molokai, while enhancing Rev A coverage to all of Kauai and the Big Island.

“Sprint continues to make significant investments to increase coverage and capacity in its wireless networks in Hawaii and throughout the country,” said Toledo. “Customer satisfaction and network quality are two of Sprint’s top priorities as we further strengthen our powerful networks where our customers live, work, and play.” In 2006, Sprint invested nearly $12 million on network enhancements in Hawaii.

Sprint has aggressive plans to continue to enhance its wireless networks (CDMA and iDEN) across the nation as part of its overall $7 billion capital spending plan for 2007. In Hawaii specifically, Sprint has aggressive plans to increase its total Sprint and Nextel sites on air by 30 percent - doubling the number of sites added in 2007 compared to 2006 - all in an effort to continue to enhance the customer experience in the islands.

Additionally, Sprint Nextel will continue to operate both the Nextel National Network (iDEN) and the Sprint National Network (CDMA) to offer customers “the best of the best” in walkie-talkie, voice coverage and wireless data services that work at home, on the job and on the go.

The Sprint Mobile Broadband Network is the nation’s largest mobile broadband network, reaching more than 209 million people nationwide in more than 10,700 communities as well as 1029 airports. The network upgrade to faster EV-DO Revision A technology can further drive Sprint’s wireless data leadership as customers will be able to use the upgraded network to utilize applications such as all IP video telephony, high-performance push-to-talk (walkie-talkie service), multi-user video conferencing, real-time gaming and video streaming as they become available.

Device Portfolio And GPS Leadership

Sprint also has the industry leading portfolio of Revision A-capable devices including the Merlin EX720 by Novatel Wireless (Nasdaq: NVTL), Sprint’s first EV-DO Revision A capable ExpressCard, the Novatel Wireless U720 USB device and three PCMCIA Type II Mobile Broadband cards. Other devices embedded with Sprint’s EV-DO Revision A technology include laptops like Sony’s VAIO VGN-TXN10 Series and rugged, stand-alone connectivity devices like Airlink’s PinPoint X and Raven X. All of the Sprint EV-DO Revision A-capable devices will also work on the mobile broadband network in areas where the EV-DO Revision A upgrade is not yet available.

Customers who currently have Rev. A cards can obtain the software by checking for updates using their Sprint Connection Manager, or it can be downloaded from www.sprint.com/downloads. Current Sprint EV-DO Rev 0 customers may upgrade their cards by contacting any Sprint representative or Sprint Nextel retailer or authorized dealers.

Sprint customers with the Novatel Wireless U720 and Novatel EX720 now have the power to use the first Location Based Services (LBS) capability on a Revision A connection card through an enhanced version of the Sprint Connection Manager software.

Users of these cards will be able to perform location based searches to find a nearby restaurant, gas station, bank and other points of interest without having to input their current location. This basic Sprint location and search usage is included as part of Sprint’s flexible data and unlimited data connection card plans.

Plans

Customers signing a two-year Sprint subscriber agreement may be eligible to receive unlimited data usage for $59.99 per month (no separate voice plan is required and no additional discounts apply). Other individual service plans for all mobile broadband devices currently range from $39.99 per month for 40 MB to $79.99 per month for unlimited data usage with a one year subscriber agreement. Rates apply to all Power Vision users and do not change in areas that have been upgraded to EV-DO Revision A.

Additional information on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, including coverage maps showing current and future coverage, Mobile Broadband service plans, and the latest access devices, can be found at www.sprint.com/mobilebroadband.