Sprint Nextel works with Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox, and Advance/Newhouse

After the stock market closed today, Sprint Nextel announced a deal with Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Advance/Newhouse Communications, creating a service that will offer a combination of voice, video, Internet and wireless products in a new fight against telephone companies. The service is expected to launch in mid-2006. According to the announcement, some of the features include:

• Using interactive features like remotely programming their home DVRs
• Having a single voice mailbox that serves both the home and the wireless phone
• Accessing innovative new calling plans which allow for unlimited calls between the home and the wireless device
• Surfing the Internet using their cable Internet portal
• Sending and receive e-mail from their cable high-speed Internet account
• Accessing unique content like streaming television programming, music, video clips, games and pre-recorded DVR programs

The products will be co-branded by Sprint and the cable companies in their respective markets. Prices for the services will vary by market. This move is an effort to protect cable’s turf from the entrance of telephone companies into the cable business. Verizon and SBC are spending billions to upgrade their networks to fiber optics. Last month, Verizon launched its first television service in a Dallas suburb.

Read [Press Release]