RESTON, Va. ? 01/08/2007 Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) announced progress with its plans for a large scale advanced mobile broadband network designed to bring wireless innovation to devices and new multimedia mobile applications to customers.

Sprint Nextel intends to launch Mobile WiMAX broadband services in initial markets by year-end 2007 with a larger roll-out encompassing at least 100 million people by year-end 2008. "We enter 2007, the year of our history-making WiMAX service launch, as the broadband mobility leader," remarked Barry West, president, 4G Mobile Broadband. "Our next generation network plans have catalyzed the industry, and momentum behind our mobility vision grows with increasing technology adoption."

Sprint Nextel last August announced WiMAX IEEE802.16e-2005 as its next generation mobile technology platform and formed an infrastructure development ecosystem with charter partners Intel Corporation, Samsung and Motorola. They plan on using a chipset embedding strategy in new and conventional devices to support rapid market adoption and pervasive access of WiMAX mobility technology. As a result, Sprint Nextel customers will experience a new mobile data network designed to offer faster speeds, lower costs, greater convenience and enhanced multimedia service quality. Indicative of the current momentum behind Sprint Nextel's Mobile WiMAX initiative:

• The Chicago and Washington D.C. areas have been chosen as initial WiMAX service areas with additional markets to be identified based on market-readiness estimates;
• Nokia, the world's largest cell phone manufacturer and leading network supplier, was named a key infrastructure and consumer electronic device supplier;
• Motorola announced a strategic initiative to develop mobile WiMAX chipsets for use in Motorola's next-generation WiMAX devices;
• Samsung has committed to delivering six WiMAX-capable devices (including Ultra mobile PCs and personal media players); Samsung also plans to enter the WiMAX chipset business;
• Intel completed the design of a single-chip, multi-band WiMAX/WiFi chipset that it will sample in card and module forms in late 2007;
• LG Electronics Inc. intends to develop an infotainment device that would work on the Sprint Nextel WiMAX network;
• Sprint Nextel WiMAX Ecosystem partners will preview future network mobility devices and 4G technology applications over 2.3/2.5GHz spectrum during the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, January 8-11; while Sprint TV service partner MobiTV demonstrates WiMAX mobile TV.

Sprint Nextel will work with WiMAX ecosystem partners and others to incorporate WiMAX technology in a range of computing, portable multi- media, interactive and other consumer electronic devices. The intent is to wirelessly enable the multitude of stand-alone consumer electronic devices that currently lack connectivity or Internet access, thereby facilitating digital life amid a new era of user-generated content. Sprint Nextel has the experience, network infrastructure, spectrum and distribution channels to make 4G broadband mobility services pervasive and indispensable for customers.