Sprint
Wireless
Sprint (NYSE:
FON) and its wireless counterpart, Sprint PCS (NYSE: PCS) also
called Sprint Wireless, reported fourth-quarter numbers Tuesday Feb,
2004. While the traditional landline segment seemed a bit more
stable despite the fierce competition for long-distance business,
wireless losses widened. Meanwhile, rumors fly on Sprint's plans to
outsource its wireless customer service
segment.
The landline
group's earnings came in at $360 million, or $0.40 per share,
compared to $294 million, or $0.33 a share, in the year-ago quarter.
Revenue came in at $6.7 billion, compared to $6.5 billion. However,
the PCS group reported a widened loss of $322 million, or $0.31 per
share, compared to a loss of $255 million, or $0.25 a share, last
year.
In a portent of
cost-whittling times ahead, Sprint Wireless cut jobs back in
November, one of many telecoms that instituted major cost cutting as
the industry battled it out. On the wireless side of things,
apparently one has to get pretty creative to deal with competitors
such as BellSouth (NYSE: BLS) and SBC's (NYSE: SBC) Cingular,
AT&T Wireless (NYSE: AWE), and Verizon's (NYSE: VZ) Verizon
Wireless.
Speaking of
which, wireless revenues continued on a healthier track, for anyone
worried that Sprint Wireless would suffer the downside of number
portability. They increased 8.4% as Sprint Wireless added more than
1 million customers in the quarter, including 640,000 that it
garnered through affiliates.
Let’s see what
Sprint Wireless is saying about their company and their products.
Sprint Wireless makes wireless crystal clear. Clear calls,
connection to Sprint's exclusive Wireless Web™; the only
all-digital, all PCS nationwide network; and simple, predictable
service plans make choosing and using your wireless phone easy and
affordable. When all this is combined with Sprint's commitment to
innovation, it's easy to see why Sprint Wireless is the clear choice
for wireless.
Wireless
service is only as good as the network it runs on. At Sprint, Sprint
Wireless built from the ground up and made it the most complete,
all-digital wireless network in the nation. Why is this important?
Because many other networks are a patchwork of different systems
trying to work together. And that can result in unpredictable
service. Sprint Wireless is different. All your voice and data
services work the same wherever you go on Sprint network.
Today, the
enhanced Sprint Wireless Nationwide PCS Network connects more than
240 million people. Over 20,000 individual cell sites all across
America ensure that your signal gets through. By
the end of 2004, another 2,000 new cell sites will have been added,
which means even more capacity for fewer dropped calls and faster
data transfer.
Simply put,
Sprint Wireless has you covered. And as you'll see, that means more
than just providing service where you live and work. It also means
staying in the forefront when it comes to innovations that enhance
your wireless experience. The world of wireless is moving beyond
voice. As always, Sprint Wireless is leading the way.
As you can see,
Sprint Wireless vision is a big hit with their customers:
- In 2003, 66
million photos were sent using Picture Mail.
- Everyday
around 300,000 photos are sent with Picture Mail.
- Over 20
million Ringers and Screen Savers have been purchased.
- A total of 5
million Games were downloaded in 2003 alone.
