Sprint Launches Voice and Text Usage Alerts Fulfilling its Industry Commitment

New alerts will notify customers of voice and text usage joining existing alerts for data and international services

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Many of Sprint’s (NYSE:S) customers enjoy the ease and freedom of its Truly Unlimited^SM data plans, but for customers who have chosen a different option Sprint wants ensure they can easily monitor and manage their wireless usage.

“Giving them the tools and alerts to manage and monitor their voice, data, messaging and international service use should translate into a first-rate customer experience.”

Today, Sprint is announcing the expansion of its current usage alert program to include wireless voice and text messaging services – demonstrating Sprint’s commitment to ending “bill shock” well in advance of the CTIA-The Wireless Association® deadline of April 17, 2013.

“Our customers deserve an enjoyable, seamless and stress-free network experience,” said Bob Johnson, chief service and information technology officer for Sprint. “Giving them the tools and alerts to manage and monitor their voice, data, messaging and international service use should translate into a first-rate customer experience.”

Customers can elect to receive these free alerts via text message or email through Sprint’s Ready Now program or by accessing their account via Sprint.com. If a customer doesn’t choose a preferred method of communication, Sprint will provide alerts via text message as a default.

Usage alerts for Sprint customers will operate as follows:

• Voice: Sprint will provide usage alerts when customers reach approximately 85 and 100 percent of their plan limits for voice minutes. The primary account holder will receive a notice via text message or email that they have reached the applicable threshold. For example, if a customer is on a 450 minute Everything Data Plan, then the customer would receive an alert when approximately 383 anytime voice minutes have been used and again at 450 minutes.
• Text Messaging: Sprint will provide usage alerts when customers reach approximately 85 and 100 percent of their plan limits for messaging. Usage alerts are sent to the primary account holder based on the aggregated total of messages allowed for plan and add-ons. For example, if a customer has 500 texts in their plan and a 500 message add-on they would receive an alert when approximately 850 messages have been used and again at 1000 messages.
• Data: Sprint provides customers email or text alerts when they reach approximately 75, 90, and 100 percent of their data allowance and at 20 percent increments of their original data allowance thereafter. The alerts will be sent to the primary account holder of the data plans (e.g., data cards, MiFi hotspots, netbooks and tablets) and handset add-ons (e.g., mobile hotspots and phone as modem). For customers using a handset on the Sprint network, Sprint currently allows unlimited data usage. As a result, Sprint would not send data usage alerts to customers for this type of usage.
• International: Sprint sends a "welcome" text message when an international roaming subscriber first registers in a foreign country. The text message includes details on the casual rates for voice, texts and data in that particular country. In addition, Sprint sends notifications in approximately $50 increments of international data roaming charges. Casual international roaming users will be required to opt-in when usage charges meet or exceed approximately $100 and $300. Customers on international data plans must opt-in when they meet their data allowance and when they incur approximately $300 in overage charges. All customers incurring approximately $500 of international data usage charges will be suspended, but usage can be restored by contacting Sprint. Sprint will continue to send notifications at approximately $50 increments over $500.

Additional information regarding usage alerts on Sprint’s network can be found online at sprint.com/usagealerts.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 55 million customers at the end of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47 industries, during the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in both its 2011 and 2012 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.