Sprint - Nextel 2011 Annual Report Download - page 29

Table of Contents
OVERVIEW
Business Strategies and Key Priorities
Sprint is a communications company offering a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications products and services that are designed to meet
the needs of individual consumers, businesses, government subscribers and resellers. The communications industry has been and will continue to be highly competitive on
the basis of the quality of service, the types of services and devices offered, and price. As discussed below in “Effects on our Wireless Business of Postpaid Subscriber
L
osses,” the Company has experienced significant losses of subscribers in the critical postpaid wireless market since the third quarter 2006, but, as a result of steps taken
to retain and attract such subscribers, has reduced annual postpaid net subscriber losses beginning in 2009.
Our business strategy is to be responsive to changing customer mobility demands by being innovative and differentiated in the marketplace. Our future growth
plans and strategy revolve around achieving the following three key priorities:
We have reduced confusion over pricing plans and complex bills with our Simply Everything® and Everything Data plans and our Any Mobile Anytime feature.
We also offer price plans tailored to business subscribers such as Business Advantage, which allows for the flexibility to mix and match plans that include voice, voice
and messaging, or voice, messaging and data to meet individual business needs and also allows the Any Mobile Anytime feature with certain plans. To simplify and
improve the customer experience, we continue to offer Ready Now, which trains our customers before they leave the store on how to use their mobile devices. For our
business customers, we aim to increase their productivity by providing differentiated services that utilize the advantages of combining IP networks with wireless
technology. This differentiation enables us to retain and acquire both wireline, wireless and combined wireline-wireless subscribers on our networks. We have also
continued to focus on further improving customer care. We implemented initiatives that are designed to improve call center processes and procedures, and standardized
our performance measures through various metrics, including customer satisfaction ratings with respect to customer care, first call resolution, and calls per subscriber.
Our product strategy is to provide our customers with a broad array of device selections and applications and services that run on these devices to meet the
growing needs of customer mobility. Our multi-functional device portfolio includes many cutting edge devices from various original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Our mobile broadband portfolio consists of devices such as hotspots, which allow the connection of multiple WiFi enabled devices. Our networks can also be accessed
through our portfolio of embedded tablets and laptop devices.
We support the open development of applications, content and devices on our network platforms through products and services such as Google Voice™ as well
as Google Wallet™, which is an application using near field communication technology to enable smartphones to make purchases at select merchants. We have also
launched multiple Sprint ID packs that download applications, widgets and other content related to a person's interests at the push of a button. In addition, we enable a
variety of business and consumer third-party relationships through our portfolio of machine-to-machine solutions, which we offer on a retail postpaid and wholesale basis.
The machine-to-machine solutions portfolio provides a secure, real-time and reliable wireless two-way data connection across a broad range of connected devices
including OEM devices and after-market in-vehicle connectivity and electric vehicle charging stations, point-of-sale systems, kiosks and vending machines, asset tracking,
digital signage, security, smartgrid utilities, medical equipment, and a variety of other consumer electronics and appliances.
Our prepaid portfolio includes multiple brands, each designed to appeal to specific customer segments. Boost Mobile serves subscribers who are voice and text
messaging-centric with its popular Monthly Unlimited plan with Shrinkage service where bills are reduced after six on-time payments. Virgin Mobile serves subscribers
who are device and data-oriented with Beyond Talk™ plans and our broadband plan, Broadband2Go, that offer consumers control, flexibility, and connectivity through
various communication vehicles. Assurance Wireless provides eligible subscribers, who meet income requirements or are receiving government assistance, with a free
wireless phone and
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Item 7. Mana
g
ement's Discussion and Anal
y
sis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
• Improve the customer experience;
• Strengthen our brands; and
• Generate operating cash flow.