Sprint Nextel Corp. (S) will offer Google Inc.'s (GOOG) Google
Voice on all Sprint phones, and it will allow customers to use
their existing Sprint wireless phone number.
Google Voice, a phone forwarding and voicemail service, allows
users to make and receive calls between their computers and phones
after they install a voice and video software plug-in.
Sprint said it is the only carrier to allow the use of their
existing mobile phone number without paying porting fees.
This spring, Sprint will begin selling the Nexus S 4G phone from
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (SSNHY, 005930.SE), and it will come
preloaded with the Google Voice Android appplication.
Sprint has managed to stabilize declines in customers and
revenue, but still doesn't carry Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPhone and has
much weaker profit margins than AT&T or Verizon. A person
familiar with the company's thinking told The Wall Street Journal
on Sunday that Sprint is concerned that AT&T's acquisition of
T-Mobile USA would leave the U.S. telecommunications market
dominated by two companies and hurt Sprint's ability to
compete.
Shares of Sprint were down 13% at $4.38 premarket. As of
Friday's $5.05 close, the stock had risen 34% the past year.
-By Melodie Warner, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2283;
melodie.warner@dowjones.com