Sprint Serves More than 250,000 Subscribers

Sprint Corp. said this week it now serves more than a quarter million residential customers with its voice services. The carrier also plans to reach more users through its newly announced partnerships with three regional cable companies.

The operators – Blue Ridge Communications, Massillon Cable TV Inc. and Wave Broadband – will deliver VoIP with Sprint’s help. The agreements each are good for three years and call for Sprint to switch and terminate traffic to the PSTN, and deliver enhanced 911 emergency service, local number portability, and operator and directory services.

Consumers switching to the Blue Ridge, Massillon Cable TV or Wave Broadband telephone services also will be able to use the telephone equipment and wiring already in their homes. Massillon Cable TV services more than 70,000 homes in Ohio, while Blue Ridge operates in eastern and central Pennsylvania, and Wave Broadband serves parts of California and Washington.

Sprint is talking about creating bundled communications services for business customers in the providers’ territories. The company also says it is looking at adding wireless services to its bundle, creating what it terms a “quadruple play” offering. For now, Sunflower Cable of Lawrence, Kan., will market and sell Sprint-branded wireless services to cable customers.