Sprint Awarded Contract to Deliver Unique Online Learning Tool to Virginia Public Schools

Commonwealth chooses Sprint Empowered Education(SM) Desktop, powered by LearningStation

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Thursday, January 22, 2004; 12:00 AM

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — January 22, 2004 - The Commonwealth of Virginia recently conducted a competitive negotiation process to select an educational application service provider (ASP) solution and has awarded Sprint (NYSE: FON, PCS) a contract to deliver unique online education content to K-12 schools statewide via the company's Empowered Education(SM) Desktop solution.

The Empowered Education Desktop, powered by LearningStation, combines Sprint's communications network with online delivery of a comprehensive listing of high-quality educational curriculum and learning tools (software and web sites) from a wide range of leading K-12 content providers. By providing instant online access to a variety of curricula through software applications, teachers can extend the learning experience beyond the classroom to help improve student achievement.

A significant benefit of Sprint's Empowered Education Desktop system is that schools no longer have to maintain software content on the desktop computer in the classroom or on facilities-based servers, helping them defer significant hardware, operating software, distribution, support and maintenance costs. This "virtual" environment makes classroom and learning software available to students and teachers on any computer with Internet access.

"This Sprint program will offer local school divisions a new means to provide teachers technology-based materials for instruction and learning," said Lan W. Neugent, assistant superintendent for technology, Virginia Department of Education.

"We're pleased to extend this unique Sprint solution to schools throughout Virginia," said Harry Campbell, president of Sprint's Emerging/Mid-Markets Segment. "The Commonwealth of Virginia is known for being on the leading edge of education reform and an early adopter of education technology. By rolling out programs like the Sprint Empowered Education Desktop, Virginia shows its commitment to keeping the state's schools rated among the nations most highly regarded."

The Sprint Empowered Education Desktop is the K-12 educational ASP solution on the Virginia Information Technology Agency (VITA) state contract. This contract allows Virginia K-12 schools to purchase or lease the product and integrate it into their curricula and instruction program at reduced cost and in an efficient manner. The Empowered Education Desktop is eligible for funding under the federal Schools and Libraries Division's "E-Rate" Program. Funded at $2.25 billion for the current school year, the program provides discounts of 20 to 90 percent on telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections purchased by K-12 schools and public libraries.

To learn more about Sprint's full-line of education products, visit www.sprint.com/education.

About Sprint
Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately 68,000 employees worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local communications services in 39 states and the District of Columbia and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

About LearningStation
LearningStation, founded in 1997, is the nation's leading full-service Application Service Provider (ASP), serving the educational market. In 2002, Sprint and LearningStation signed a three-year contract to develop and implement the Empowered Education Desktop to K-12 schools across the U.S. LearningStation is delivering Education Desktops to over 850,000 students and teachers across the nation and the service was honored in the 2003 Awards Portfolio and awarded the EdNET 2002 Pioneer Award for significant contributions to the growth of education technology. For more information, visit www.learningstation.com or call 704-926-5400.

Media Contacts: Robinette Dixon, 913-794-3073 rdixon01@sprintspectrum.com Tom Matthews, 800-890-6667 tom.r.matthews@mail.sprint.com