Sprint Prepared For Tropical Storm Ida`s Impact

Sprint Nextel invested $340 million in Network Enhancements in Coastal
Communities

Millions of Customers and First Responders Rely on Nextel Direct Connect
MOBILE, Ala.--(Business Wire)--
Sprint (NYSE: S) today said it is preparing for the potential impact of Tropical
Storm Ida threatening to make landfall along the Gulf Coast areas of Alabama,
Florida and Louisiana on Tuesday morning. As it does for every impending
tropical storm or hurricane, Sprint is staging backup generators and personnel
in strategic locations along the Gulf Coast 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 networks, 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 backup power.

As a standard practice, Sprint has permanent generators at all of its wireless
and wireline switches, the network components where data and calls are routed to
their final destination. In addition, permanent generators are installed at all
of the company`s network Points of Presence (POP), the facilities where traffic
enters and leaves the company`s global IP network, which facilitates dedicated
data services for Sprint`s corporate and government customers as well as other
critical communications. These backup generators have automatic cutover switches
to immediately neutralize any loss of commercial power.

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.

Customers can take proactive steps before the storm hits. Sprint offers the
following consumer tips to prepare for a possible landfall:

* Keep your wireless phone and backup batteries charged, but be aware that an
interruption of wireline and commercial power could affect wireless calls.
* If possible, get extra batteries and charge them.
* In times of commercial power outages, a car adapter for your wireless phone
should enable you to recharge the battery.
* Keep phones and necessary accessories in a sealed plastic bag to avoid water
damage.
* Load family and emergency numbers into your wireless phone.
* Wireless networks sometimes experience heavy traffic during emergency events,
so remember to use Nextel Direct Connect® or send a text message.

For more information about Sprint Nextel hurricane preparation efforts, or to
learn what you can do to prepare for a major storm, visit:
www.sprint.com/hurricaneinformation.

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 48 million customers at the end of the third
quarter of 2009 and the first and only 4G service from a national carrier in the
United States; 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
Crystal Davis, 571-288-6806
crystal.davis@sprint.com
or
Kristin Wallace, 404-649-1625
Kristin.c.wallace@sprint.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009