Sprint posts Q3 net loss of $326 million, sees 1.3 million subs leave
Sprint's year just keeps getting worse. After losing over 900,000 customers last quarter while posting a $344 million loss, the company insistent on advertising with faux soap operas and in black and white (and yellow) is hanging its head once more. During Q3, the carrier saw 1.3 million net subscribers head for the exits, and it also reported a loss of $326 million. According to CEO Dan Hesse, Sprint "has yet to turn the corner," warning that the process of turning things around would be gradual. Moving forward, the company expects gross additions to "stabilize," while the turnover rate is apt to remain at around 2.15%. In related news, the provider's stock price has sunk around 60% in the past six months, and while that's surely bad news to shareholders, not many other mega-corps out there are doing tremendously better.
[Via The New York Times]
[Via The New York Times]
























Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
badqat @ Nov 7th 2008 10:58AM
Don't think this should surprise anyone...not the number lost in money, nor in customers.
As for other companies not doing better - stock price is one thing, but the bottom line is another issue. See AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ) stock charts - sure, they've fallen as has everyone else (nearly), but not to the extent of S. Then take a look at their results as opposed to those of Sprint...night and day, night and day.
MFfan310 @ Nov 7th 2008 11:24AM
Could we see Sprint being bought out?
To me, the most likely candidate is a cableco consortium consisting of Comcast/Time Warner/Bright House so they can compete with the AT&T/VZ "quad-play" and the telcos' forthcoming wireless integration plans. Either that, or Hutchinson Telecom of Hong Kong (who operates the 3 brand worldwide, and is flush with cash).
Still, if anyone buys Sprint, they would be wise to ditch Hesse's WiMax pet project and go for LTE using the Sprint and Nextel spectrum (read: kill iDEN) to avoid another CDMA/GSM standards war.
Brian @ Nov 10th 2008 5:43PM
Why kill iDEN? Just sell it to the US Government... emergency services could really use that stuff, and the Feds know it.
What the Frack?! @ Nov 7th 2008 11:25AM
According to CEO Dan Hesse, Sprint "has yet to turn the corner," warning that the process of turning things around would be gradual.
This is why Dan Hesse is dope. The guy is smart, he knows what he is doing. Sprint made a good decision to get rid of the bad and replace it with someone like Dan. Look at the dude's resume.
Circuit City should have done the same thing. Get rid of the bad apple(s) in the company and do things the right way with someone who knows how to do the work.
Achilles @ Nov 7th 2008 11:50AM
Yep, agreed. Sprint will turn the corner but things always get bad before they get better. Their CS has improved and their rates are the better ones around. Their tremendous history of the worst CS is what hurts right now. Also, the NExtel failure was also a big hit. Things are turning though. It's just going to take time.
Louis @ Nov 7th 2008 12:02PM
I think I read something about this in Chapter Seven!
low pressure front @ Nov 7th 2008 12:25PM
Even though Sprint puts up the worst financial numbers of any of the carriers, the CEO's get paid the most bonuses of any other exec's. The greedy execs from sprint are what is driving the economy into the ground. The reps are the worst paid in the industry yet the exec's are the best paid. No bail out for them. I hope they lose that multi-billion dollar lawsuit for those etf's.
DaveIsOnIt! @ Nov 7th 2008 12:49PM
I would like to see where these Sprint customers are going too...would anyone else???
Personally, when I left Sprint years ago, I turned to T-Mobile. Then from T-mobile to my second AT&T phone.
So real @ Nov 7th 2008 1:29PM
And these guys think Android isnt good enuff for them???? lol
Achilles @ Nov 7th 2008 4:25PM
Android is ok but it's not mature yet. Too many various bugs and glitches. It'll get there, it's just not there yet.
DRE700 @ Nov 7th 2008 3:56PM
Glad I left Sprint and went to T-Mobile! Samsung Instinct? What a joke..
mingkee @ Nov 7th 2008 7:19PM
are you going for T919
it's like Instinct, but much better
TouchWiz platform
5mpx cam
AnonCoward @ Nov 7th 2008 6:50PM
The best data network and the best all inclusive plan. Lets face it all the networks are crappy in some way or the other.
T-mobile 3G anybody
Verizon's hopeless push to talk
ATT's nationwide coverage (not)
mingkee @ Nov 7th 2008 7:28PM
T-Mobile has decent fast-growing 3G network, and even will go for LTE with band II/IV
Blad3 @ Nov 8th 2008 1:03PM
uh touch pro much?
Brian @ Nov 10th 2008 5:51PM
Verizon's PTT = Sprint's QCHAT
Verizon's restrictive data plans < Cost an arm and a leg more than Sprint's
Verizon restricts the GPS so the only GPS software you can use it POS TeleAtlas < On Sprint I can use Google Maps and Garmin software
Verizon has a pretty good set of phones < But on Sprint, they have the HTC Touch Pro... which is the tip top of the line
Just because didn't make the cut at Sprint doesn't mean you need to dog a company who's turning things around