Third-party developers can use platforms to create location-based applications, continuing Sprint commitment to open approach

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Dec. 17, 2008 – Sprint® (NYSE: S) today announced that it is enhancing its industry-leading open approach by partnering with location aggregation platforms Veriplace™ by WaveMarket (www.wavemarket.com) and WHERETM by uLocate Communications (www.where.com) to help developers create new location-based services for Sprint customers. These platforms protect the privacy and security of Sprint customers while offering third-party mobile, Web, WAP, SMS and widget developers a consistent way to create applications that use the customer’s location information to provide customized information and services, as long as permission has been provided.

“We’re excited to help application developers create innovative location services for Sprint customers by working with these platform enablers,” said Len Barlik, vice president of wireless and wireline services for Sprint. “The privacy and security of our users is the highest priority for us, which is why we selected Veriplace and WHERE. Both platforms have powerful but intuitive privacy systems that ensure the appropriate permissions are obtained prior to accessing location information.”
Both platforms provide developers with simple, powerful tools to create and launch location-enabled applications, reducing the difficulty of certifying and on-boarding applications that use GPS, triangulation and other location services while protecting customer privacy.

Veriplace, WaveMarket’s Location Aggregation Platform, was built using the same privacy and security model that for years has protected Sprint phones using the Sprint Family Locator service. Third-party developers can access a handset’s location via a consistent, standards-based Web-service API (Application Programming Interface), while Veriplace handles identity, authentication and permissions. For more information, please visit http://developer.wavemarket.com.

“Trust, privacy and control are all core to Veriplace, as they have always been for the Sprint Family Locator application,” said Tasso Roumeliotis, CEO of WaveMarket. “We’re pleased to partner with Sprint to extend the huge potential of LBS to more application developers.”

Through an existing partnership, Sprint subscribers already have access to a wealth of LBS applications in WHERE. With the extension of the two companies’ relationship, third-party developers will now be able to location-enable their applications, WAP sites, Web sites and SMS campaigns through a simple Web-service API. For more information, please visit http://developer.where.com.

“We are delighted to team up with Sprint again to empower the use of network-based location in innovative new applications,” said Walt Doyle, CEO of WHERE. “As an aggregator for the Sprint network, we are extending the breadth and depth of LBS to more developers who want to create applications for Sprint subscribers.”
Web, WAP, SMS and mobile application developers can learn more about how to create applications for Sprint phones using location information by visiting the Sprint developer site at http://developer.sprint.com.
Sprint is committed to offering mobile content and applications to its customers when, where and how they want them: 
Sprint has employed an open Internet approach, and the Sprint Application Developer Program has been providing tools for third-party developers since Sprint first launched the Wireless Web on its phones in 2001.
Sprint held its eighth annual application developer conference Dec. 10-12.
Through relationships with third parties, hundreds of non-Sprint-branded applications, games and other digital media may be downloaded from the mobile Internet to operate on Sprint phones. 
More than 200 different non-Sprint-branded devices, from machine-to-machine to telemetry, operate on the Sprint network through a widely respected device certification process. 
Sprint is a member the Open Handset Alliance, along with more than 30 other participating companies, supporting the free and open mobile applications platform named Android. 
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving nearly 51 million customers at the end of the third quarter 2008; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

About WaveMarket

WaveMarket Inc., headquartered in Emeryville, Calif., is a world leader in mobile location-based platform and services, offering a software product suite that includes both white-label application solutions and its industry-leading location aggregation platform, Veriplace™. With more than a half-dozen commercial deployments in the United States, Canada, and Latin America, WaveMarket’s white-label solutions include its industry-leading family finder, search, and asset tracker, and the Veriplace™ Location Aggregation Platform, which provides powerful privacy and security systems to allow carriers to offer 3rd party developers location access without having to certify each application on a case-by-base basis. WaveMarket’s mobile platform components include turn-by-turn navigation, mobile social networking and dynamic tiled mapping, all designed to be commercially deployed with partner brands such as the WaveMarket-designed and engineered Ask Mobile GPS. Marketing to brands and mobile carriers in the United States, Europe and Asia, WaveMarket's customers include top tier North American carriers Sprint Nextel, Alltel, Bell Mobility, Aliant and MTS Allstream, Vivo in Brazil, and SK Telecom, South Korea's leading wireless carrier. Founded in 2000, the company is financed by a group that includes Draper Fisher Jurvetson, QUALCOMM Ventures, BlueRun Ventures (formerly Nokia Venture Partners), Intel Capital, and Mitsui Ventures. For more information, visit http://www.wavemarket.com.
 
About WHERE™

WHERE connects consumers with people, places and things through the power of location. Whether finding friends in a crowded city, locating the lowest gas prices, satisfying a craving for a latte or scoring tickets to a local show, it’s all about navigating your world. WHERE lets consumers personalize their mobile experience while exploring and sharing interests with friends. Whatever your pursuits, WHERE delivers the best in local information from Eventful, Yelp, GasBuddy, Zipcar, ShopLocal, Starbucks, Buddy Beacon® and more. For more information, visit www.where.com.