Sprint

Sprint completes Clearwire deal

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 9, 2013

After acquiring a controlling stake in the U.S. mobile and fixed wireless broadband communications services provider Clearwire in October 2012, wireless carrier Sprint the following month announced it would buy out the minority of Clearwire shareholders for $2.2 billion. Sprint, the nation's third-largest telco, this morning has officially confirmed the completion of the transaction, meaning it now has a 100 percent ownership stake in the Bellevue, Washington-headquartered Clearwire...

iOS apparently grabbed nearly 75 percent of mobile ad market in May

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated May 3, 2017

As we've noted in the past, Apple has the unique ability to have products outnumbered by Android, yet excel in areas which count - like advertising. The latest case in point is a study finding nearly 75 percent of mobile ads are served to Apple's iDevices.

By contrast, Android's share of the mobile ad market is decreasing with Samsung's Galaxy S smartphones delivering barely any ad impressions, according to figures released by a mobile ad company...

New nationwide test shows AT&T LTE network is fastest, Verizon is most reliable

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

Here in the US, we're fortunate to have a wide selection of wireless providers with LTE networks. Where many countries have none, or just one, all four of our top carriers, and several regional carriers have deployed the technology nationwide.

But with choice comes decisions—you have to decide which LTE provider to go with. Luckily, the folks over at PC Mag have driven over 20,000 miles across the United States testing the country's top four carriers to help you make that decision...

Sprint launches LTE in 22 new markets, expands in others

Cody Lee ∙ June 17, 2013

Sprint customers with an iPhone 5 or other LTE device will be happy to hear that the carrier has launched its next-gen 4G service in 22 new markets today, and has expanded its coverage in several areas.

Today's new cities include Miami, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Napa, California. And between the roll out and the aforementioned expansion, Sprint's LTE network now covers 110 US markets...

FreedomPop unveils free voice/text/data wireless service

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

FreedomPop previously caught our attention with its no-commit 1GB of free home Internet each month and an iPad sleeve with Sprint 4G LTE data. But the upstart mobile company isn't resting on its laurels and is pushing ahead by adding free VoIP calling and texting to its data service.

With 500MB of data on top of unlimited texting and 200 minutes of call time, you can now basically turn your iPod touch into an iPhone and pay nothing for calls. Who said that freemium model doesn't work for a wireless service? Jump past the fold for additional highlights and a promo clip...

Hacked Sprint carrier update could improve your device’s network performance

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Over the past month or so, we’ve seen hacked carrier updates released for iOS devices on T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon. The modded files were posted with the promise of improving data speeds in iPhones, and iPads with built-in cellular capabilities.

Sprint fans will be happy to hear that the developer of the hacks, Joseph Brown, has delivered on his promise of releasing a hacked update for the fourth largest US carrier. Like the others, it has the potential to improve your device's network performance...

Boost Mobile to begin selling prepaid iPhone later this year

Cody Lee ∙ April 30, 2013

Sprint's popular prepaid provider Boost Mobile will begin offering iPhone models this fall, according to an industry insider who claims to have direct knowledge of the company's plan. If true, it would be the fourth major US prepaid carrier to offer the popular handset.

But this isn't the first time rumors of a Boost Mobile, Apple partnership have surfaced. Last summer, the two were said to be working on a deal to bring the iPhone 4 and 4S to Sprint's network by the fall. Obviously, though, those particular claims never materialized...

Sprint activates 1.5M iPhones in Q1, 43 percent to new customers

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 12, 2017

Sprint Nextel, the nation's third-largest wireless carrier, Wednesday posted its fiscal 2013 first quarter earnings. The telco saw strong smartphone sales of five million units, with iPhone sales exceeding 1.5 million with 43 percent to new customers.

A whooping 86 percent of quarterly Sprint platform postpaid handset sales were smartphones. Sprint described the 43 percent of iPhone sales that were to new customers as a rate "that continues to outperform larger competitors"...

Sprint, Verizon and AT&T announce major LTE expansion

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 12, 2017

Sprint and AT&T, respectively the nation's third and second-largest wireless carriers, announced availability of their fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio technology in new markets. Sprint confirmed its customers in 21 new markets can take advantage of high-speed cellular downloads, including Los Angeles, Contra Costa County, California, Charlotte, North Carolina, Norfolk, Virginia, and Memphis, Tennessee. AT&T on its part announced it has turned on LTE in Florence, Massachusetts, Cushing, Oklahoma and Cheyenne, Wyoming. Verizon flipped the switch on LTE in two new markets...

Dish puts $25B on table towards snagging Sprint from Japan’s Softbank

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

Dish Network has launched a $25.5 billion cash and stock bid to snag carrier Sprint from Japan's communications giant Softbank, according to reports Monday morning. Should Sprint accept the offer and regulators approve the deal, consumers will get a new service that could combine mobile, broadband and television.

Dish is the nation's second-largest direct-broadcast satellite service provider which serves just over fourteen million Americans. Sprint Nextel with its 47.5 million subscribers files as the third-largest wireless carrier in the United States. The proposed merger comes at an interesting time, just as Softbank's proposed acquisition of 70 percent of Sprint for $20.1 billion is nearing its completion in the second quarter of 2013...

Handset cost: a common reason why people go Android

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Evidence supporting a call for Apple to produce a budget-minded smartphone keeps mounting. The latest evidence: Android's market share lead over iOS in the US is widening, according to research concluded in February. What once was a 2-point domestic lead for Google's mobile software in 2012 has stretched to 8 points.

Android now has just over half of the US smartphone market with 51.2 percent of sales, according to a survey by Kantar Worldpanel. That is a gain from 47 percent during the same period a year ago. Apple's iOS is in second place in the U.S. with 43.5 percent of smartphone sales, a 3.5 percent slip from 2012, according to Kantar...

Comparison of iPhone ownership cost on AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

With yesterday's announcement that Apple's iPhone 5 will finally start selling through T-Mobile on April 12, we can now compare the total cost of ownership across the nation's four largest wireless carriers: AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile.

A bunch of outlets ran their spreadsheets to assess the current landscape, including Zagg, best known for its line of protective coverings for consumer electronics.

In figuring out how much one saves on T-Mobile over two years versus other carriers, Zagg concluded that T-Mobile’s contract-free iPhone 5 comes in at a very cool $580 cheaper over two years. However, the difference evaporates if you switch your significant other or an entire family of four to the nation's fourth-largest carrier...