Gawker
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earnings
Sprint keeps bleeding dry
Sprint Nextel reported yet another quarterly loss, its fourth in the row. The wireless carrier was $326 million in the red, and also lost 1.1 million subscribers. CEO Dan Hesse said he wants the company to focus on customer service. Dan, how about spending less time filiming commercials and more time answering calls? [Reuters] -
mysteries
Why do text message rates keep going up?
Text message rates have doubled since 2005, from about 10 cents each to 20 cents today. Senator Herb Kohl (D.-Wisc.), who chairs the Senate's antitrust subcommittee, has asked Verizon, AT&T, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile to explain it to him. "It does not appear to be justified by rising costs in delivering text messages," the letter says. "Text-messaging files are very small, as the size of text messages are generally limited to 160 characters per message, and therefore cost carriers very little to transmit." Kohl's suspicion: The four big carriers have increased their prices nearly in sync, suggesting a collusion to wring more money out of the market rather than to compete against one another. Read the whole thing — it's no Series of Tubes. (Photo via Gizmodo)
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By Paul BoutinComment by LongAgoYahoo: They're only going up if you buy SMS a la carte without a plan. If you buy packages SMS is getting... 3 Responses | Other threads
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earnings
Sprint lost a lot, Qwest did okay
Sprint Nextel just can't stop the bleeding, losing $344 million and 901,000 subscribers last quarter. This was actually better than Q1, when they lost $505 million and 1 million subscribers. Qwest — communications provider to Bill Gates country and the rural Midwest — meanwhile earned $188 million, which was a 24 percent drop compared to $245 million in the same quarter the year before. Qwest also only signed up 31,000 high-speed Internet subscribers. [KansasCity.com, Reuters] -
great moments in pr
Sprint engineer demands retraction of Google critique
Jake Orion, the Sprint engineer in charge of Android development who mixed honest criticism with cautious optimism for Google's Android device in an interview he gave AndroidGuys.com earlier this week, has, under pressure, backed down from his comments and demanded that AndroidGuys take down his interview. More »
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Comment by MikeTy: As I had mentioned before, Sprint is not the one to talk about being idealistic. Their WiMax consortium isn't very... more » | Other threads
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hubris
Sprint says Google is too optimistic about Android
Jake Orion, the guy in charge of Android development at Sprint, says that while "Google’s confidence, vision and self assurance are refreshing and innovative," Google needs to " to appreciate and address industry fundamentals more pragmatically." Specifically, Orion told AndroidGuys.com Google needs "a more proactive and direct linkage to the carrier’s network and service requirement" — which we think means Google hasn't yet made Android friendly to how Sprint runs its network. Details, details! Who needs to worry about that when you're busy being self-assured and confident? More »
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Comment by caesar32: sprint shouldn't make comment cuz it just cut their unlimited wireless deal($60 a month) and replace it with a limited... more » | Other threads
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politics
TelCos bought wiretapping immunity for a song
The average contribution from AT&T, Verizon and Sprint to the 94 Democratic congresscritters who change their votes from "no" to "yes" on the bill which would grant the companies immunity from charges of illegally wiretapping American citizens? $8,359. How much for all 293 "yes" votes, total? $2,830,087. Eleven California dems changed their votes — Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who represents San Francisco, scored $24,500 in sweet, sweet lobbyist contributions. [MAPLight.org] (Photo by AP/Susan Walsh)
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By Jackson WestComment by SuperheroNation: I think it's pretty clear that $8400 is an inconsequential amount for a congressional candidate, let alone a Senator. Is... more » | Other threads
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child porn
Why Verizon, Sprint And Time Warner Shouldn't Block Child Porn
The New York attorney general's office ran a "sting" in which agents posed as customers and complained to the companies that they could see child porn. When the service providers ignored them, the agency threatened the companies with fraud. Now, according to the Times, the ISPs are paying over a million dollars to Andrew Cuomo's office and promising to block child porn sites as identified by the office — to all their subscribers across the U.S. As despicable and exploitative as child porn is, blocking it this way is a terrible move. More »
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By Nick DouglasComment by uncle_wiggly: Andrew is just too lazy to find the guys that are posting the stuff so as an alternative he's closing... more » | Other threads
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great moments in customer service
Sprint customer gets biblical over charges
Saying he was screwed out of $56,000, Allen Harkleroad of Web design and development firm GMP Services in Stonesboro, Georgia started website Sprint Sucks. It's an absolutely mesmerizing look into the incredibly energetic businessman's obsession. Harkleroad registered the domain sprint-really-sucks.com on May 12, and has already posted well over 5,000 words describing the company's bad service and overcharges in detail. More »
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By Jackson WestComment by BartKela: Regardless of whether or not Sprint actually sucks, why is this posted in "Silicon Valley's Tech Gossip Rag"? We're talking about... more » | Other threads
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telecom
Sprint charging 300 percent premium on T1 lines
Troubled telco Sprint charged a customer nearly $2,000 for a T1 line that only cost them $500 to provide, and then didn't even deliver the promised three megabits of bandwidth, inspiring GigaOm's Stacey Higginbotham to coin the phrase "Three Megabit Monte." That's probably a disservice to the classic street scam. [GigaOm] (Photo by Nelson Minar)
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By Jackson WestComment by Mouser_UK: yeh so how is it presented what whats included the CSDSU, End router etc? BTW Phone compaines are not charities look... more » | Other threads
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rumormonger
Helio-Virgin deal might involve multibillion-dollar Sprint investment
Helio backer SK Telecom, the Korean wireless giant, is in negotiations to purchase Virgin Mobile USA. The plan: combine the two properties and then invest enough in Sprint Nextel to get all three companies working together. Sprint already runs the network over which Helio and Virgin run their cell-phone services. Complicating the deal: T-Mobile's rumored interest in buying Sprint. "Part of something is better than all of nothing," a source close to Helio tells us. More »
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Comment by jamar0303: That's nice. Virgin Mobile seems to have really crap phones- hopefully this will be the end of that (or better... more » | Other threads
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wireless
How Google yanked AT&T's chain
Negotiations to reform Clearwire, Craig McCaw's wireless-broadband startup, as a consortium backed by Google, Sprint, Comcast and others began as far back as January of this year. By mid-March the consortium had an outline of a deal that made Google the preferred software developer on the WiMax network. Today the consortium, operating under the Clearwire name, is expected to disclose that they are investing $3.2 billion in a nationwide WiMax network, which will eventually be able to deliver a 5-Mbps connection to cellphones and laptops. But what else was Google doing back in January? More »
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By WagCuriousComment by WagCurious: @ThatKid: I'm a filmmaker, not a journalist. I could never fill Jordan's very large shoes. But you can read my... more » | Other threads
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acquisitions
Sprint, Clearwire work seven-way deal to create new wireless-broadband startup worth $12 billion
Clearwire, the wireless data company started by Seattle-area cell-phone billionaire Craig McCaw, will be recontsituted as a new company valued at $12 billion backed by primarily by Sprint, but also by cable providers Time Warner, Comcast and Bright House, chipmaker Intel and Web search behemoth Google. McCaw will continue as chairman of the board at Clearwire and Ben Wolff as CEO. Sprint CEO Dan Hesse agreed to give control to the pair as part of the deal, to ease concerns that Sprint's core wireless business would conflict as the new company's services began to compete for voice and data customers. Sprint has encountered numerous problems with deploying Intel-developed WiMax, and there's still the issue of whether the company will sell Nextel after a $35 billion acquisition in 2005 went south.
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By Jackson WestComment by thelifter: Now both companies can suck and half ass their operations more efficiently. more » | Other threads
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wireless
$5 billion WiMax network no-shows at CTIA
Gizmodo's gearheads got their grabby hands on hot new WiMax-ready gadgets at this week's supersized Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association trade convention in Vegas. WiMax is a sort of turbo Wi-Fi that promises cable modem speeds through thin air. But what will Nokia's N810 connect to? Washington Post financial reporter Yuki Noguchi observed a big black hole on the stage at which the WiMax Singularity had been expected to appear today. It was like Steve Jobs walking on stage at Macworld, reaching into his pocket, and not pulling out an iPhone. I've 100-worded her report. More » -
price war
Sprint rolls out super-unlimited-everything-plan for $99
The great wireless price war of 2008 continues. The latest salvo from Sprint: A new plan, called Simply Everything, offers unlimited voice, data, SMS, email, Web, music, TV, and Nextel's push-to-talk feature — for $99. The other providers charge between $140 and $150 a month for all that stuff. An AT&T spokesman told us "we will review Sprint's offer against what our customers have told us they want and we will continue to evaluate the marketplace as we always do." Hopefully that means I can hook AT&T's version of this bad boy up with my iPhone by the end of the week — but I'm not holding my breath. (Photo by AP/Robert F. Bukaty) -
dan hesse
New Sprint CEO captain of industry, master of obvious
Freshly installed Sprint CEO Dan Hesse wants to make your experience as a Sprint Nextel customer a better one. Will it work? Probably not, but at least Hesse has proven he can stay tediously on message. Count the number of times he says "customer service"! More »
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Comment by macbeach: I am glad they finally put more seats in the customer call centers. Based on my dealings with them... more » | Other threads
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wireless
Intel is reviving ClearWire andSprint's failed WiMax partnership with a much-needed $2 billion investment. Intel has always been WiMax's biggest proponent, spending a ton of money on development and including the technology in its next laptop chip design. This is on top of the $5 billion that Sprint has promised to invest in WiMax over the next three years. [Gizmodo] -
wireless
AT&T, Verizon join Sprint in offering unlimited voice plans
The great cell-phone price war of 2008 has begun. Almost 2 weeks ago, Sprint introduced a $119 unlimited voice plan in four markets (including San Francisco). Today, both Verizon and AT&T have rolled out $99 all-you-can-talk voice plans nationally, with Verizon introducing a less-than-spectacular new EVDO data plan. More »
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Comment by Adam C: VZW's 5GB limit is because their service is, as specified in their TOS, only for web & e-mail. This,... more » | Other threads
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wireless
Sprint Nextel has revived serious discussions with startup Clearwire to form a joint venture that would bring in funding from the likes of Intel, Google and Best Buy to build a high-speed wireless network using WiMax technology. [WSJ] -
wireless
Sprint Nextel plans to lay off several thousand employees, as newly installed CEO Dan Hesse seeks to show investors a new commitment to efficiency and cost discipline at the nation's No. 3 wireless carrier. Sprint, which let 5,000 workers go last year, has about 60,000 employees. [WSJ] -
rumormonger
Can Apple save WiMax?
Our sources tell us that Apple may include WiMax, the high-speed, long-range wireless broadband technology, in an ultraportable 13" notebook computer, and possibly across the entire MacBook Pro line. Just part of the rumor mill flying in preparation for Steve Jobs's Macworld keynote next week in San Francisco, of course, but our source gives it a "60 percent chance." AppleInsider has pictures of Apple's banners inside the Moscone center with "There's something in the air" as a slogan. If true, this could be a risky move for Apple. More »
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Comment by polle: "Wimax avoids much of the Telco infrastructure cost...." No it doesn't, if the network operator wants to get paid for the... more » | Other threads
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hires
Sprint Nextel has a new CEO to replace Gary Forsee, who exited the company in October. Dan Hesse, former CEO of Embarq, a local phone company that Sprint spun out last year, will take the post. Hesse previously worked 23 years at AT&T, including a stint running AT&T Wireless. [WSJ] -
patents
Vonage isn't just facing service issues today. It's also been revealed that Nortel countersued the Internet telephone provider over a patent dispute. That makes four big telephone companies suing Vonage for patent infringement: AT&T, Sprint Nextel, Verizon, and now Nortel. The good news: At this rate, Vonage is running out of companies to get sued by. [News.com] -
deals
Sprint Nextel rejected an offer by South Korea's SK Telecom and private-equity firm Providence Equity Partners to invest $5 billion in the company and install former chairman Tim Donahue as chief executive. [WSJ] -
wireless
Sprint and WiMax startup Clearwire have ended plans to form a joint venture. Supposedly the "complexities of the transaction" and the ouster of Sprint CEO Gary Forsee torpedoed the deal. This leaves a nationwide WiMax rollout for either company very much up in the air. [WSJ] -
wireless
Sprint is considering a spinoff of its WiMax division, combining it with wireless startup Clearwire, to form a venture with national reach in wireless spectrum. Forming a new company to focus on WiMax would allow backers to bet on it, but keep the huge capital expenditures required from a national rollout off Sprint's books. The cell provider is hunting for a new CEO to replace ousted exec Gary Forsee and is looking to staunch its bleeding of customers. [WSJ] -
deathwatch
At this point, does Vonage just exist to get sued?
AT&T is taking Vonage to court over patent infringements, just like everybody else. AT&T seeks an injunction, alleging Vonage infringed on a patent related to VOIP calls on standard telephone devices. Who knew there was anything left to gain from suing Vonage? Verizon and Sprint already had their way with the company when judges ruled in their favor in two prior suits. (Photo by Torbert Timson) -
wireless
Wracked with iPhone envy, Sprint is putting out its own touchscreen phone in time for the holidays. (Bitches just jealous.) Which is great for them, but what I really want to know is: Is Sprint's version safe to rub on your crotch? [AP]
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Comment by Keymaster: While the iPhone has all the style and interface wow factor to make you the most popular girl in the... more » | Other threads
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exits
Sprint CEO Gary Forsee is quitting effective immediately and Sprint has adjusted its financial guidance downwards. The company's board has been looking at outside candidates, so feel free to submit your resume. [WSJ] -
exits
Sprint Nextel board members are on the hunt for a new CEO to replace Gary Forsee. Sprint has been losing out to AT&T and Verizon in signing up new customers and recently lost the confidence of investor Ralph Whitworth, who owns almost 2 percent of the company. [WSJ]
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Comment by thelifter: Perhaps Ralph attempted to use his Sprint phone on the Sprint Headquarters campus in Overland Park, Kansas - which is... more » | Other threads
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deathwatch
Vonage, the Internet phone service, has found itself besieged by more legal woes. A court has found it infringed on six Sprint Nextel patents, and ordered Vonage to cough up $69.5 million and a 5 percent royalty on future sales. Last March, Vonage suffered similar penalties after it was found guilty of infringing on Verizon patents. A royalty here, a royalty there, and soon you're talking serious money. [Silicon Alley Insider]
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Comment by JohnnyBoy11: It is likely that between this mess and the Sunrocket melt down - many people will be scared off by... more » | Other threads
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pretexting
Sprint is unilaterally canceling the accounts of 1,200 problem customers. One wonders if that number includes investigators hired by Hewlett-Packard. "Some of the cancellations involved customers who repeatedly asked for information about other people's accounts." [Reuters] -
wireless
Verizon Admits Capping EVDO, Removes "Unlimited" From Marketing
Verizon, long rumored to be capping their wireless EVDO broadband service, finally copped to capping the connection at 5GB of transfer per month. While before they used to advertise that you could have "unlimited" access, what they really meant was that you could check your email and do basic surfing, but otherwise you'd be breaking their terms of service. I guess they've finally decided to be a little more honest in their advertising, so it looks like "unlimited" is no longer a menu option. [Gizmodo]
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By Adam FrucciComment by AbundantChoice: I think the big beef many people have with the "unlimited" wording is the sales associates in their Verizon storefronts... more » | Other threads
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schwag
Valleyschwag: Hiding the nakedness
Sometimes people send free things. An update to the Valleywag schwag watch: More » -
announcements
Disclosure day: TechCrunch, Sprint, and a thinly veiled plea
Noting the creeping incestuous corruption that threatens any tech writer (even a fake one), I decided to either stop the crooked dealing, or just tell you all about it for jealousy points. More »
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1-35 of 35 for "Valleywag, Sprint"
