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Sprint PCS Vision(SM) Customers Can Feel Like They're Part of the 'Family' with Mobile Content from the HBO(R) Award-Winning Series THE SOPRANOS(R)

Posted on: Sunday, 21 March 2004, 06:00 CST

ATLANTA, March 22 /PRNewswire/ -- CTIA Wireless 2004 -- Fans of THE SOPRANOS everywhere on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network can see Tony Soprano -- and more -- every time they answer their phone. Sprint and HBO announce a partnership to bring ringers, screen savers and other content from the critically acclaimed series to Sprint PCS Vision(SM) customers nationwide, providing fans of the show a unique and personal way to stay "connected".

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO )

"Mobile customers look to their phones as a way to be entertained and say something about their personality, as well as to make a phone call. Sprint is committed to bringing current, popular content to its Sprint PCS Vision customers. THE SOPRANOS is one of the most popular, talked-about television series in history, and Sprint is excited to offer our customers a part of that history," said Jeff Hallock, vice president of consumer product marketing for Sprint.

"Providing HBO content through Sprint enables us to connect with fans of THE SOPRANOS, giving them more of what they want," said Michael Bishara, vice president, product development at HBO. "Going wireless is a new business for us and a natural way of extending the HBO brand. It creates a unique way to introduce HBO to a whole new audience. We envision this as just the beginning, and plan to expand content offerings to include our other popular series."

A mix of free and premium downloadable content from THE SOPRANOS will be available for a limited period of exclusivity on select Java-enabled Sprint PCS Vision Phones, and will include:

* THE SOPRANOS branded portal on the Sprint PCS Vision platform

* J2ME THE SOPRANOS Trivia game: Players can test their show knowledge

in this fast-paced trivia game, with questions from all five seasons

of THE SOPRANOS, and bonus "speed round" after each new episode.

Difficulty in levels of questions varies from Soldier (easy) to Capo

(medium) to Boss (difficult). ($3.99 for 60 days)

* Ringers: polyphonic THE SOPRANOS theme song ($1.50 per ringer)

Screen Savers: THE SOPRANOS logo and images of the cast ($1.00-$2.00

per screen saver)

* Browseable content including episode previews and recaps, show replay

schedule, polls and alerts

HBO is working with Proteus, the leading U.S. developer and producer of wireless entertainment applications to deliver the mobile content.

Creator David Chase's drama series tells the story of Tony Soprano, a modern-day mob boss and his family. THE SOPRANOS stars Emmy(R)-winners James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano and Edie Falco as Tony's wife Carmela, plus Lorraine Bracco as therapist Dr. Jennifer Melfi, Michael Imperioli as Tony's nephew Christopher Moltisanti and Dominic Chianese as Uncle Junior. Also returning to the series are regulars Drea de Matteo as Adriana, Robert Iler as Anthony Soprano, Jr., Jamie-Lynn DiScala as Meadow Soprano, Tony Sirico as Paulie Walnuts and Steven Van Zandt as Silvio Dante.

Sprint announced 3.2 million Sprint PCS Vision customers through the end of 2003 and leads the industry in adoption of advanced wireless data services. Sprint PCS Vision includes services that allow customers to take and receive pictures from select Sprint PCS Phones; browse the Internet at speeds faster than most dial-up connections; check personal and corporate e-mail; watch clips and stream audio for news and music; download polyphonic, animated and voice ringers, and full-color, graphically-rich games and screen savers, all on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network.

About Sprint

Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately 67,000 employees worldwide and over $26 billion in annual revenues in 2003, 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 http://www.sprint.com/.

About HBO

Home Box Office, Inc. is the premium television-programming subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., Sprint PCS Vision(SM) Customers Can Feel Like They're Part of the "Family" with Mobile Content from the HBO(R) Award-Winning Series THE SOPRANOS(R) providing two 24-hour premium television services, HBO and Cinemax. Together, both networks reach approximately 39 million subscribers in the United States via cable and satellite delivery. Home Box Office's international joint ventures bring HBO branded services to more than 50 countries around the globe.

HBO(R) and THE SOPRANOS(R) are registered service marks of Home Box Office, Inc.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, +1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840

Sprint

CONTACT: Jenny Stevens of Sprint, +1-212-450-9516, orjennifer.l.stevens@mail.sprint.com; or Jodie Hauptmann of HBO,+1-212-512-5431, or Jodie.hauptmann@hbo.com

Web site: http://www.sprint.com/http://www.ctiawireless2004.com/

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