Monday, January 14, 2008

Sprint in BIG Trouble

TheStreet.com is reporting that after losing 1M subs in 2 quarters, Sprint will be laying off thousands. [story here]

"Sprint lost more than 500,000 wireless customers in the fourth quarter."

"In its third quarter, Sprint lost 337,000 subscribers, an alarming rate given the strength of the wireless market. But Sprint's losses have been a big gain for rivals." [thestreet.com again]

How do you lose almost 1M subs in 2 quarters?! In this marketplace? Sprint has a great data network (EVDO). [I'm not only a sales agent for SprintNextel, I am a customer - but luckily not a stockholder :)].

"Hesse must also make big decisions regarding Nextel's iDEN network, possibly migrating customers to CDMA or potentially selling the system to public safety agencies. Sprint has also put a hold on all new WiMAX developments, while Hesse evaluates the business opportunity in this so-called 4G network technology." [thestreet.com]

Analysts have suggested selling the iDEN network for 18 months. Or spinning it off for the cash.

And the new CEO, Hesse, is a Bell-head, who days ago was the first CEO of Embarq. What Sprint really needs are a fresh set of ideas, thoughts, et al. That was justing popping up in the WiMax venture named XOHM and the possible partnership with Clearwire. These are fresh ideas. You won't catch up to Ma & Pa Bell by doing the same old song and dance. (And without an iPhone or the new LG like VZW, Sprint needs to do SOMETHING to woo cellular subs. WiMax and EVDO together could win the mobile broadband battle. Add in an extra subscription to iPass so your customers have all your coverage plus 40,000 hotspots plus the FEMTOCELL stuff and Sprint should be adding subs. But then they have a barely used fiber backbone too. And I guess those cable partners at Pivot aren't adding enough subs either.

No comments: