Sprint and Asurion Team to Offer Sprint Customers a Special Chance to Protect Their Mobile Devices

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprint (NYSE: S) and Asurion, the global leader in technology protection services, today announced an open enrollment period for Sprint's Total Equipment Protection (TEP) handset insurance program.  Sprint TEP protects against loss; theft; damage, including water damage; and out-of-warranty mechanical failure; by quickly sending a replacement phone, usually overnight, re-connecting customers with the people and places that matter most to them.

"We're excited Sprint customers have this unique opportunity to not only protect their investment, but to also give themselves some peace-of-mind," said Bettie Colombo, spokesperson for Asurion.  "Every day we see firsthand how many ways someone can lose or damage their mobile device – a mobile device that often costs hundreds of dollars. With Asurion and Sprint, that customer can rest easy knowing a replacement device will be on the way."

Whether a TEP customer's phone is lost, stolen, damaged or failing, the affordable, comprehensive Asurion-Sprint plan will often replace the device overnight when a claim is made by 11:00PM EDT. Other benefits of Sprint's TEP include:

• Protection from high device replacement costs
• Fast and easy, 24x7x365 claim filing
• Online tools for lost phone & data protection

The recently-enhanced TEP includes a Protection App, allowing customers to find a misplaced phone by sounding an alarm inside the device.  The same App includes the ability to remotely lock a missing phone, and then use GPS technology to locate the locked phone.  Additionally, the Protection App gives customers the ability to automatically and wirelessly sync their contacts and transfer saved contacts to a new phone.  The Protection App is available at no additional charge to TEP subscribers.

The TEP open enrollment is available to Sprint customers until August 31, 2011 – regardless of the age of their device.  However, customers who were previously enrolled in the past 12 months are not eligible to re-enroll.  To enroll, customers may simply visit www.tepenroll.com.  To learn more about the recently-enhanced TEP, including the new Protection App, visit www.sprint.com/protection.  

About Asurion

Asurion, a privately-held company operating across three continents, is the global leader in providing consumer technology protection services.  Asurion offers support to help customers derive optimum benefit from the usage of electronics; security to help ensure content privacy; and peace of mind through rapid replacement of lost, stolen, damaged or malfunctioning devices.  As the premier technology protection provider, Asurion's 5,000+ employees specialize in fulfilling the needs of more than 95 million consumers through strategic partnerships with the world's top wireless and cable brands. For more information about Asurion, please visit www.asurion.com.

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 51 million customers at the end of 1Q 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation's greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

SOURCE Asurion