Sprint Nextel

Type: Public
Founded: 1938
Headquarters: Reston, Virginia, USA (Executive Headquarters), Overland Park, Kansas, USA (Operational Headquarters)
Key people: Gary Forsee, Chairman and CEO
Industry: Communications Services
Products:Wireless: (Sprint PCS): A-GPS, CDMA, EV-DO, WiMax, QChat, ReadyLink, WiFi, VoIP, Java, (Nextel): GPS, iDEN, WiDEN, Flash-OFDM, Push to talk, Mobitex, Long distance, Internet services, BlackBerrys
Website: sprint.com

General Information

Sprint Nextel Corporation (NYSE: S) is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. With 55 million subscribers, Sprint Nextel operates the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States (based on total wireless customers), behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T. Sprint is a global Tier 1 Internet carrier, and, as such, makes up a portion of the Internet backbone. In the United States, the company also operates the second largest wireless broadband network and is the third largest long distance provider.

The company was created in 2005 by the $35 billion purchase of NEXTEL Communications by Sprint Corporation. In 2006, the company spun-off its local landline telephone business, naming it Embarq and also completed the $6.5 billion acquisition of Nextel Partners, one of its largest affiliates, which primarily provides Nextel wireless services to more rural markets.

Sprint Nextel has its executive headquarters in Reston, Virginia and maintains an operational and engineering headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas (where the largest number of Sprint Nextel employees are based). Both internally and externally, Sprint is an acceptable short name for the company, however all 'walkie talkie' phones currently being shipped are still branded with the Nextel Logo and graphics.

History

The Sprint Corporation was founded in 1899 by Cleyson Leroy Brown under the name of the 'Brown Telephone Company' in the small town of Abilene, Kansas. The company was a landline telephone company that operated as a competitor to the Bell System.

In 1938, after emerging from bankruptcy, Brown changed its name to United Utilities. The company grew steadily through acquisitions and changed its name to United Telecommunications in 1972, at which time it provided local telephone service in many areas of the Midwest and South. United Telecom also operated many other types of businesses. In 1980 United Telecom launched a national X.25 data service, Uninet. To enter the long-distance voice market, United Telecom acquired ISACOMM in 1981 and US Telephone in 1984.