Sprint Makes Mobile TV Easy and Affordable

This press release starts off with a question: Ever wanted to tune into your favorite TV shows while on the go, but found you weren’t in your wireless carrier’s mobile TV coverage area or would have to pay extra for even basic channels? I have to say NO to that, I can’t see how watching TV on such a little screen could actually be enjoyable?! Going from my 47” HDTV back to my 23” monitor is a shock anymore, I don’t think I could handle going down to a 3 or 4 inch screen.. wow, talk about eye strain. Anyway if you’re into it though you might be happy to learn that Sprint now has the most channels apparently… Read on for the full PR:

Unlike some other carriers’ mobile TV offerings, Sprint (NYSE: S) makes it easy and affordable for customers to watch live or on-demand TV right on their Sprint phone with Sprint TV, available on more phones, in more coverage areas, with more included channels.

“Sprint makes it easier and less expensive for customers to watch mobile TV than other wireless carriers”

Sprint TV is available on 24 currently offered Sprint phones and more than 40 older models, for service virtually anywhere on the Sprint 3G Mobile Broadband Network and currently includes 21 popular channels, such as ABC, CBS and NBC, with an Everything Data or Simply Everything plan from Sprint. Sprint TV also will be offered on the upcoming HTC EVO 4G, taking mobile video to the next level with Sprint 4G speeds that are up to 10 times faster than 3G.¹

“Sprint makes it easier and less expensive for customers to watch mobile TV than other wireless carriers,” said Len Barlik, vice president of wireless and wireline services for Sprint. “With Sprint TV included in Everything Data plans and available anywhere on our 3G network, a customer can watch the game live on their phone while they wait for a flight or a let their kids watch cartoons on a family road trip. Sprint is giving great programming to our customers to deliver the best mobile video experience, which will continue to be enhanced with our Sprint 4G speeds and HTC EVO 4G.”

More Compatible Phones

Sprint TV is available on the majority of Sprint’s current device lineup, including the popular HTC Hero with Google and Samsung Moment with Google Android devices; Blackberry Curve and Blackberry Tour smartphones; and feature phones like the eco-friendly Samsung Reclaim. By contrast, other carriers offer mobile TV on only a limited number of their phones.

In addition, Sprint TV will be available on HTC EVO 4G at launch this summer, delivering a multimedia experience at 4G speeds that is second to none, making it possible to watch high-quality streaming video on the go and download videos in seconds – not minutes.

More Included Channels

With Sprint TV, customers get access to everything from news, weather and sports to children’s programs and comedy, including full-length live and on-demand episodes of such hit shows as 30 Rock, FlashForward and Survivor included at no extra charge in Everything Data and Simply Everything plans. That’s compared to other carriers who charge an extra $9.99 to $15 per month for fewer channels, on top of data pack charges.²

To make watching mobile TV even easier, Sprint has launched a new online channel guide at http://sprintchannels.mobitv.com, giving customers an easy-to-browse view of all the channels currently included in Everything Data and Simply Everything plans. Recently, ESPN was added to the channels included with Sprint TV.

With the online channel guide, customers also can easily view the more than 40 additional premium channels and packages that are available for purchase. The Sprint TV Xtra pack, for instance, gives customers more than 25 additional channels, such as ABC Family, COMEDY CENTRAL, Discovery Channel, Disney XD and MTV, for $9.99 per month.

More Network Coverage

Sprint customers can access Sprint TV anywhere on the Sprint 3G Mobile Broadband Network – unlike some other carriers, whose mobile TV service is confined to a limited number of large cities. The Sprint 3G Network (inclusive of data roaming) reaches more than 273 million people in 18,900 cities and 1,855 airports. Coverage maps are available at www.sprint.com/coverage.

With the launch of HTC EVO 4G this summer, customers also will be able to access Sprint TV at 4G speeds anywhere on the Sprint 4G Network, currently available in 28 cities. Sprint 4G offers a faster wireless experience than any other U.S. national wireless carrier, and Sprint is the only national carrier offering wireless 4G service today.