Sprint Prepared for First Hurricane and Tropical Storm of the 2009 Atlantic Hurricane Season

More than $340 million invested in network enhancements for hurricane-prone
states along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(Business Wire)--
Sprint (NYSE:S) today said it is monitoring the performance of its wireless
networks following Tropical Storm Claudette`s descent on the Florida Panhandle
and making significant preparations for Hurricane Bill, which is projected to
become a Category 3 or 4 before making landfall later in the week along the
Atlantic coast.

One of the primary reasons for the loss of wireless service in a hurricane is
the loss of commercial power to the cell site. In 2007 and 2008, Sprint
installed permanent generators at close to 1,100 additional sites in Florida`s
hurricane-prone communities and added more than 470 new sites throughout the
state to its Nationwide Sprint Network and Nextel National network.

As it does for every impending tropical storm or hurricane, Sprint is staging
backup generators and experienced network personnel in strategic locations to
manage potential service impacts.

In 2008, Sprint invested more than $340 million in network enhancements for
storm-prone states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. This investment included adding new cell
sites to the Nationwide Sprint Network and Nextel National Network, installing
hundreds of permanent generators for critical wireless sites and network
facilities as well as investment in additional portable generators.

Additionally, between 2005 and 2007, Sprint installed more than 250 hydrogen
fuel cells on its network, primarily in hurricane-prone cities along the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts. These fuel cells provide a much cleaner alternative to
diesel-powered backup generators and are activated when service from the local
electric utility is disrupted during severe weather or other natural disasters -
providing up to 15 hours of back-up power before needing refueling.

Wireless customers are encouraged to take proactive steps before a storm hits.
Sprint offers the following consumer tips to prepare for possible landfall:

* Assemble a hurricane preparedness kit with essential items like bottled water,
non-perishable foods, a flashlight, batteries, and first aid supplies, and plan
an evacuation route.
* Keep your wireless phone and backup batteries charged, but be aware that an
interruption of wireline and commercial power could affect wireless calls.
* Invest in a solar-powered SOLIO Mono Hybrid Charger or a car adapter for your
wireless phone, which will enable you to recharge the battery during times of
commercial power outages. Sprint is the first major U.S. wireless carrier to
offer a solar-powered cell phone charger among its line of device accessories.
* Keep phones and necessary accessories in a sealed plastic bag to avoid water
damage, along with a paper copy of phone numbers that are most critical in case
your cell phone is damaged or loses power.
* Use your Sprint or Nextel camera phone to take digital pictures or video of
your property and valuables before the storm hits. Upload the images to your
personal pictures inbox on www.sprint.com and you have "before" pictures in the
event of any storm damage.
* Wireless networks sometimes experience heavy traffic during emergency events,
so remember to send a text message or use Nextel Direct Connect. Nextel Direct
Connect service is the undisputed leader in push-to-talk services, used by first
responders across the country for its consistent ability to remain fully
operational over any other wireless network, even during crisis events.

Sprint also has a strong track record of providing critical communications and
personnel to assist first responders with relief efforts. Sprint`s network and
business continuity personnel, and the Sprint Emergency Response Team (ERT) are
staging additional Cell Sites on Wheels (COWs) and Satellite Cell on Light
Trucks (SatCOLTS) for possible deployment.

COWs are mobile cell sites that can be deployed in impacted areas to restore
service quickly. This equipment provides backup to the networks in the event of
power outages or other damage that could result after a hurricane. Satellite
Cell on Light Trucks (SatCOLTS), the design of which is proprietary to Sprint,
are managed by the Sprint ERT and help facilitate communications among disaster
relief and emergency response agencies.

For more details about Sprint hurricane preparation efforts, retail store
closures, or to learn what you can do to prepare for a major storm, visit
www.sprint.com/hurricaneinformation. Customers can also follow updates via
Twitter at www.twitter.com/sprintnews or www.twitter.com/sprint.

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 almost 49 million customers at the end of the second
quarter of 2009; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and
international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone.
The company`s customer-focused strategy has led to improved first call
resolution and customer care satisfaction scores. For more information, visit
www.sprint.com.

Sprint
Media Contact:
Crystal Davis, 571-288-6806
crystal.davis@sprint.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009