Sprint announced today it is expanding its consumer Sprint ION service to four new markets in California and Arizona, including Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and Phoenix. The unique broadband product goes beyond simple high-speed Internet access to allow families and home-based businesses simultaneous use of multiple telephone lines, videoconferencing, super high-speed Internet connections and both local and long distance service over a single, existing connection to the home.

The new markets join Austin, Dallas, Denver, Ft. Worth, Kansas City and Seattle as the first 10 metro areas nationwide to receive the innovative "all-in-one" voice and data service.

While there are several options for broadband services, Sprint ION is the only offer that integrates high-speed Internet access with local and long-distance calling services, and does so over a single converged network, said Bob Thompson, president of Sprint's National Consumer Organization. "Because Sprint ION uniquely offers simultaneous use of multiple voice and data services, families will no longer have to vie for time online or to use the phone. In addition, Sprint ION's integrated design lets consumers manage and control their services to best suit their individual household needs further differentiating it from any other broadband service currently available."

Sprint ION includes unlimited high-speed Internet access with download speeds up to 8Mbps much faster than standard DSL or cable modem speeds. Sprint ION also includes up to four voice/fax lines (each with advanced features such as Caller ID and voicemail), unlimited local calling and 750 minutes of domestic long distance service for $159 per month. Additional long distance is just seven cents per minute and calls to any other Sprint ION customer anywhere in the country are free. Detailed information on features and availability within each of the cities can be found at http://www3.sprint.com/PR/CDA/PR_CDA_Press_Releases_Detail/www.sprintion.com or by calling 1-8-SPRINT-ION.

Thompson said this latest expansion is but one piece of Sprint's comprehensive consumer broadband strategy as the company has been aggressively deploying various consumer broadband services in nearly two dozen markets nationwide. Sprint is taking a portfolio approach to broadband services, said Thompson. In May, 1999 we began rolling out a high-speed Internet service that now reaches 12 of the largest markets served by Sprint's Local Telephone Division. More recently we began offering wireless broadband Internet access in Phoenix and Tucson, AZ. With rapid growth in our wireline and wireless network infrastructure, we see an opportunity to become one of the nation's leading consumer broadband providers offering a full array of products and services from simple high-speed Internet access, to more full featured integrated voice and data products.

Sprint is a global communications company at the forefront of integrating long distance, local and wireless communications services, and a large carrier of Internet traffic. Sprint built and operates the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and is a leader in advanced data communications services. Sprint has $20 billion in annual revenues and serves more than 20 million residential and business customers.