[June 03, 2010]

Soccer Fans: Watch 2010 FIFA World Cup Matches Live with ESPN Mobile TV on HTC EVO 4G, Other Sprint Phones

Whether they're cheering for the U.S. team or the favorites from Brazil, soccer fans won't have to worry about missing a World Cup match when they're away from their television if they're a Sprint customer. Sprint (NYSE: S) is teaming up with ESPN (News - Alert) to bring the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ to Sprint phones, including HTC EVO 4G launching tomorrow. With ESPN Mobile TV available through Sprint TV^®, soccer fans can tune into 56 live World Cup matches as the action happens, right in the palm of their hand.

"With World Cup matches taking place during the morning and afternoon in U.S. time zones, soccer fans may not be at home to tune in, but Sprint (News - Alert) and ESPN Mobile TV have the solution with live matches customers can watch no matter where they are on the Sprint network," said Len Barlik, Sprint vice president of wireless and wireline services. "Sprint is committed to delivering the best mobile video experience and the content our customers want, like live World Cup matches they can watch in high-quality video on EVO 4G."

For Sprint customers with the new HTC EVO 4G, America's first 4G phone, the mobile video viewing experience will be richer than ever before. With HTC EVO 4G's large 4.3-inch screen, high-quality video streaming at 3G and 4G speeds, Sprint customers using this award-winning new phone will be able to watch 2010 FIFA World Cup™ matches on ESPN Mobile TV in high-quality video that far surpasses what is possible on other phones today. HTC EVO 4G even includes a built-in kickstand for easy hands-free viewing.

In addition to live matches, ESPN Mobile TV coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ on Sprint phones also will include the opening concert on June 10, the semifinals July 6-7, the final match on July 11, and robust highlight and recap content.

The World Cup is one of more than 800 live events this year - including MLB, NBA, Grand Slam tennis and college football - that are available through ESPN Mobile TV on the majority of Sprint's current phone lineup, including HTC EVO 4G, HTC Hero, Samsung Moment, Samsung Instinct, Blackberry Bold and many feature phones. ESPN Mobile TV is part of the Sprint TV package, which is included with Sprint Everything Data plans at no additional charge. With Sprint TV, customers get access to everything from news, weather and sports to children's programs and comedy, including Dsney Channel and ABC.

Sprint's affordable Everything Data 450 plan with Any Mobile, Anytime^SM gives customers unlimited calling with any mobile phone in America, unlimited text and picture messaging, and unlimited Web, e-mail and social networking for just $69.99 - the same price AT&T (News - Alert) and Verizon charge for unlimited talk only (pricing excludes surcharges and taxes). Existing Sprint customers can switch to an Everything Data plan without extending their service agreement. New lines of service require a two-year service agreement.

Sprint customers can access ESPN Mobile TV's coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ anywhere on the Sprint 3G network. No one has a more reliable network than Sprint based on a 13-city 3G performance test by PC World.¹

Sprint customers with HTC EVO 4G will be able to take their viewing experience to the next level with even faster data speeds anywhere on the Sprint 4G network. Sprint is the only national wireless carrier with a 4G network. Sprint 4G currently is available in 3 cities across the country. For additional information on 4G coverage, visit www.sprint.com/4G.

With the new Sprint Free Guarantee, the most robust satisfaction guarantee in the wireless industry, customers can try a new line of service with Sprint for 30 days. If they aren't completely satisfied with Sprint during that period, they can cancel service and return their device to be reimbursed for the device purchase and activation fee, get the early termination fee waived, get a full refund for monthly service plan recurring charges incurred and get all associated taxes and fees waived. In addition, Sprint will waive the restocking fee for new customer exchanges as part of this policy. Refund excludes usage not included in the plan, premium content, third-party billing and international charges.

About ESPN Mobile

ESPN Mobile is devoted to extending the ESPN brand and content over the wireless medium. ESPN content and applications on mobile platforms can be accessed any time, anywhere via licensing agreements with every major domestic carrier. ESPN's first wireless offering launched in 1995 with the ESPN To Go pager for scores, and including ESPN's industry-leading collection of mobile Web sites, mobile apps, mobile games, mobile alerts and mobile video (ESPN Mobile TV and Video on Demand clips).

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 48 million customers at the end of the first quarter of 2010 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, and is the first and only wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile (News - Alert) USA, Boost Mobile, Common Cents Mobile and Assurance Wireless and instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. With its customer-focused strategy, you can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

¹ PC World's test involved Sprint, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile (News - Alert) in 13 major cities in all regions of the country during December 2009 and January 2010. In all, roughly 9,000 individual tests of Sprint's 3G service were conducted from 280 testing locations in 13 cities. Testing sessions were one minute in duration per location, and network performance can be highly variable from neighborhood to neighborhood. In laptop-based tests, Sprint tied with another carrier for first in 3G network reliability.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]