Business description of SPRINT-CORP from last 10-k form

OVERVIEW

Sprint Nextel Corporation, incorporated in 1938 under the laws of Kansas, is mainly a holding company, with its operations primarily conducted by its subsidiaries. Our Series 1 voting common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol “S.” Sprint Nextel Corporation and its subsidiaries (“Sprint,” “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company”) is a communications company offering a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications products and services that are designed to meet the needs of individual consumers, businesses, government subscribers and resellers. Our operations are organized to meet the needs of our targeted subscriber groups through focused communications solutions that incorporate the capabilities of our wireless and wireline services. We are the third largest wireless communications company in the United States based on the number of wireless subscribers, one of the largest providers of wireline long distance services and one of the largest carriers of Internet traffic in the nation. Our services are provided through our ownership of extensive wireless networks and a global long distance, Tier 1 Internet backbone.

We offer wireless and wireline voice and data transmission services to subscribers in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands under the Sprint corporate brand which includes our retail brands consisting of Sprint^®, Nextel^®, Boost Mobile^®, Virgin Mobile^® and Assurance Wireless^SM on networks that utilize code division multiple access (CDMA), integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN), or internet protocol (IP) technologies. We utilize these networks to offer our wireless and wireline subscribers differentiated products and services whether through the use of a single network or a combination of these networks. Through our partnership with Clearwire Corporation and its subsidiary Clearwire Communications LLC (together “Clearwire”), and their development of a fourth generation (4G) network utilizing Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) technology, we are establishing ourselves as a leader in the deployment of next-generation wireless broadband services. We offer wireless services on a post-paid and prepaid payment basis to retail subscribers and also on a wholesale basis.

On November 9, 2009, we entered into an investment agreement with Clearwire to contribute an additional $1.176 billion increasing our ownership percentage to 56% as of December 31, 2009 and enhancing Clearwire’s ability to further its 4G network buildout. To strengthen our position in the growing prepaid market, we completed our acquisition of Virgin Mobile USA, Inc. (VMU) on November 24, 2009. In addition, on December 4, 2009, we completed the acquisition of iPCS, Inc. (iPCS). iPCS was previously a Sprint PCS affiliate that sold services under the Sprint^® brand name and in Sprint-branded stores.

Our Business Segments

Our business consists of two reportable segments: Wireless and Wireline. For information regarding our segments, see “Part II, Item 7 Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and also refer to note 15 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

We provide certain wireless services on our third generation (3G) network and our national push-to-talk network. Through our mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) relationship with Clearwire, we are also the first and only nationwide wireless carrier to offer 4G services. Sprint 4G is available in 27 markets serving more than