Sprint - Nextel 2015 Annual Report Download - page 11

Table of Contents
The Lifeline program is included within the USFs. Virgin Mobile was designated as a Lifeline-only Eligible Telecom Carrier (ETC) in 42 jurisdictions
as of March 31, 2016 , and provides service under our Assurance Wireless brand. As a Lifeline provider, Assurance Wireless receives support from the USF.
Changes in the Lifeline program , including adoption of minimum service standards and the phase-out of Lifeline support for standalone voice service, and
enforcement actions by the FCC and other regulatory/legislative bodies could negatively impact growth in the Assurance Wireless and wholesale subscriber base
and/or the profitability of the Assurance Wireless and wholesale business over all. The decline in standalone voice support, which is expected to begin in
December 2019 and will decline annually for all existing subscribers through December 2021, may be offset by the expansion of the Lifeline program to include
support for broadband service.
Electronic Surveillance Obligations
The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) requires telecommunications carriers, including us, to modify equipment,
facilities and services to allow for authorized electronic surveillance based on either industry or FCC standards. Our CALEA obligations have been extended to
data and VoIP networks, and we are in compliance with these requirements. Certain laws and regulations require that we assist various government agencies with
electronic surveillance of communications and provide records concerning those communications. We do not disclose customer information to the government or
assist government agencies in electronic surveillance unless we have been provided a lawful request for such information. If our obligations under these laws and
regulations were to change or were to become the focus of any inquiry or investigation, it could require us to incur additional costs and expenses, which could
adversely affect our financial condition or results of operation.
Environmental Compliance
Our environmental compliance and remediation obligations relate primarily to the operation of standby power generators, batteries and fuel storage for
our telecommunications equipment. These obligations require compliance with storage and related standards, obtaining of permits and occasional remediation.
Although we cannot assess with certainty the impact of any future compliance and remediation obligations, we do not believe that any such expenditures will
adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.
Patents, Trademarks and Licenses
We own numerous patents, patent applications, service marks, trademarks and other intellectual property in the U.S. and other countries, including
"Sprint ® ," "Boost Mobile ® ," and "Assurance Wireless ® ." Our services often use the intellectual property of others, such as licensed software, and we often
license copyrights, patents and trademarks of others, like "Virgin Mobile." In total, these licenses and our copyrights, patents, trademarks and service marks are of
material importance to our business. Generally, our trademarks and service marks endure and are enforceable so long as they continue to be used. Our patents and
licensed patents have remaining terms of up to 10 years. We occasionally license our intellectual property to others, including licenses to others to use the "Sprint"
trademark.
We have received claims in the past, and may in the future receive claims, that we, or third parties from whom we license or purchase goods or
services, have infringed on the intellectual property of others. These claims can be time-consuming and costly to defend, and divert management resources. If these
claims are successful, we could be forced to pay significant damages or stop selling certain products or services or stop using certain trademarks. We, or third
parties from whom we license or purchase goods or services, also could enter into licenses with unfavorable terms, including royalty payments, which could
adversely affect our business.
Access to Public Filings and Board Committee Charters
Important information is routinely posted on our website at www.sprint.com. Public access is provided to our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to these reports filed with or furnished to the SEC under the Exchange Act. These documents
may be accessed free of charge on our website at the following address: http://www.sprint.com/investors. These documents are available as soon as reasonably
practicable after filing with the SEC and may also be found at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Information contained on or accessible through our website or
the SEC's website is not part of this annual report on Form 10-K.
Our Code of Ethics, the Sprint Code of Conduct (Code of Conduct), our Corporate Governance Guidelines and the charters of the following committees
of our board of directors: the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
may be accessed free of charge on our website at the following address: www.sprint.com/governance. Copies of any of these documents can be obtained free of
charge by writing to: Sprint Shareholder Relations, 6200 Sprint Parkway, Mailstop KSOPHF0302-3B424, Overland Park, Kansas 66251 or by email at
[email protected]. If a provision of the Code of Conduct required under the NYSE corporate governance standards is materially modified, or if a
waiver of the Code of Conduct is granted to a director or executive officer,
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