Sprint Customers to Get a PC-Like Experience of the Open Internet on Their Phones

[larry]

Sprint Customers to Get a PC-Like Experience of the Open Internet on Their Phones
Sprint Builds On Leading Open Application Approach with Faster, More User-Friendly Open Internet Access

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 18, 2008--As customers increasingly look to their wireless phones for their Internet "on the go," Sprint (NYSE:S) will continue its leadership in employing an open Internet model with the launch of an enhanced mobile Web browsing experience on virtually all Web-capable Sprint phones. As the first U.S. carrier to launch the OpenWeb solution from Openwave Systems Inc. (NasdaqPWV), Sprint customers will be able to get faster, more user-friendly renderings of Internet sites, even those not optimized for the mobile device. This enhancement will be automatic for customers who currently access the Internet on their phones and will require no additional action on their part.

"Whether clicking through the Sprint portal or typing in a URL, both new and existing customers can use their Sprint phones to search virtually any Web site and it will appear quickly and in a format they're used to seeing on their computer screens," said Kevin Packingham, vice president of wireless product management for Sprint. "By working with Openwave, we're making that Internet experience even more customer-friendly and useful by enhancing the ability to translate non-mobile sites onto the mobile phone. While other carriers are just beginning to talk about open ecosystem initiatives, Sprint is continuing its efforts to give customers an even better experience with the Internet that we have always allowed."

Each month, millions of Sprint customers visit Web sites using their mobile phones. With Openwave OpenWeb, these pages will automatically appear on data-enabled Sprint phones in an easy-to-read format that's closer to a desktop experience of the Internet, regardless of the memory or processing power of the device. The enhancement is designed to adapt the standard layout of a Web site and reconstruct it to properly fit the screen of the user's particular phone, providing automatic in-page navigation so users can reach the most important data from the Web site faster.

Available nationwide in the coming weeks, this enhancement follows Sprint's launch of a more user-friendly mobile search product, Microsoft's enhanced Live Search for mobile, in 2007. Sprint plans to launch additional mobile Web innovations in 2008 that will further enhance users' experience on their mobile device. To access the mobile Web, customers should click on the Web icon on their phone's main menu.

Sprint is committed to offering its customers an enhanced mobile Internet experience, along with mobile content and applications, when, where and how they want them:


Sprint has employed an open Internet approach since first launching the Wireless Web on its phones in 2001.
Through relationships with third parties, dozens of non-Sprint branded applications, games and other digital media operate on the Sprint network.
Sprint will hold its eighth annual Application Developer Conference later this year to provide third-party developers with tools and resources for creating innovative products and services for Sprint customers.
Sprint recently joined the Open Handset Alliance, along with more than 30 other participating companies, to support the free and open mobile applications platform named Android.
As part of the planned 2008 commercial availability of our next-generation mobile data network, Xohm(SM), Sprint has commitments from ecosystem partners for WiMAX network access on new and innovative devices, including connection cards, Internet tablets, ultramobile PCs and other consumer electronic devices.

[Eric47]

pics of differences plz

[walkguru]

that al sounds good, but is it true? since i got a sero plan, i am interested.

[Mobile Mike]

Sounds interesting...Now if only the other carriers would follow suit.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

so its a totally new browser.....doesnt that require a firmware upgrade

[Mobile Mike]

Check out AnthroMatt's thread on the drawback of this new setup. It's not as good as it's cracked up to be.

http://forums.wirelessadvisor.com/sp...tml#post497282 (Sprint handicaps mobile browsing)

[AnthroMatt]

Originally Posted by Mobile Mike

Check out AnthroMatt's thread on the drawback of this new setup. It's not as good as it's cracked up to be.

http://forums.wirelessadvisor.com/sp...tml#post497282 (Sprint handicaps mobile browsing)

Yeah, I was torn as to whether I should start a new thread or not. I decided I should since the article I linked to is a review and not a Sprint press release. If Larry thinks the two should be merged, he can go ahead and do so.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

okay so its not a new web browser but rather a new transcoder on the Sprint end of things

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by SmArTeStChIlD421

okay so its not a new web browser but rather a new transcoder on the Sprint end of things

And not apparently an "open" one at that.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

i guess you could say that but they are making internet content more accessible......necessary evil?

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by SmArTeStChIlD421

i guess you could say that but they are making internet content more accessible......necessary evil?

I guess it depends on who you ask.

[PCSuser]

I look at it this way. for the average joe this is a good thing. for us junkies its not so good... but we will find a way around it. pcsuser

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

yeah......there will be a proxy or a browser of some sort that will work with the transcoder........somebody will create a miracle

[Particular]

at&t,
Have been saying that "There CUTTING EDGE technoilgy (spelling) is the fastest, IT'S NOT!!! Sprint has the fastest mobile internet on the market, thats a fact SPRINT AHEAD!!!

[RJB]

Originally Posted by Particular

at&t,
Have been saying that "There CUTTING EDGE technoilgy (spelling) is the fastest, IT'S NOT!!! Sprint has the fastest mobile internet on the market, thats a fact SPRINT AHEAD!!!

Well one can argue this statement. There are many factors you have to use when making this bold of a statement. Type of phone, data card, latency, etc.

[Eric47]

Originally Posted by RJB

Well one can argue this statement. There are many factors you have to use when making this bold of a statement. Type of phone, data card, latency, etc.

true. and area. i agree.

not to mention with the HSPA that they are going to be rolling out soon, those areas will be 7MB a second, which i believe would be by far the fastest. even the regular HSDPA is 3.6MB, i forget how fast Rev A is but off the top off my head it is about the 3MB range also...so it could be said they are about equivalent depending on a lot of factors, one could be faster than the other.