Sprint preparing to file bankruptcy

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-03-19/sprint-drops-after-bernstein-cuts-rating-on-concern-about-iphone

If you were here a year ago, you may remember my story about looking into getting Clear 4G internet access which is a joint venture with Sprint.   Had I become a customer and been happy, my opinion might have carried some weight, at least I would like to think so.

http://streamingradioguide.com/radiochat/2011/04/19/getting-clear/

Full disclosure time:  FindAnISP.com was on the vendor list for Sprint.   During the heyday of dialup internet access, I sold them a monthly data list of all phone numbers being used as access numbers for companies offering dialup internet access.   I believe one reason they wanted the data had to do with providing warnings to people who appeared to be calling into a non-local phone number to access the internet (or AOL) because they were confused by phone deregulation.  While many people think “Long Distance” when you say Sprint, Sprint is the “Local” phone company (ILEC)  in many parts of the country which were not AT&T’s turf – Florida and the former GTE phone company areas.   They probably also needed the data for regulatory issues, but I never pushed them hard to tell me why.

The Business Week story pins the blame on their financial problems with Sprint chasing after the iPhone and cutting a deal with Apple that the cell phone market couldn’t support.