Cable companies to launch Sprint-based mobile service

Some of the biggest U.S cable companies including Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks, are planning to launch mobile phone service on the Sprint Nextel network in the second half of this year. The service will allow customers to program their video recorders remotely, call their landlines free of charge as well as watch unique programming via their Sprint PowerVision mobile phones. Customers will also be able to merge their calendars, address books and voice mail accounts.

The service sounds quite appealling, but Sprint Nextel and the cable companies will still have to think about offering discounts in order to attract more customers. The carrier currently holds only 23 percent of the America's mobile phone market. Sprint Nextel and the cable companies are working on the merging of their billing, call centers and other support systems so that everything is more simplified for customers, but it's not clear yet what discounts will be offered. Only Cablevision, which has a separate agreement with Sprint, has revealed that they will offer a $70 cash credit to be spent on Cablevision services for customers who order a Sprint phone. Customers will also have free calls between Cablevision home phones and Sprint cellphones for one year.

Sprint Nextel and the cable companies are still discussing the details, regarding the video programming they will offer. It might include reformatted existing programming or new content

Cable companies also hope to offer dual-mode handsets that will be able to work both on cellular and Wi-Fi networks, which will be another cost-saver for consumers as they won't have to use cellular minutes to call over Wi-Fi networks.

Source: The NY Times