Sprint's New Wireless Service May Throttle Internet Traffic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: September 29, 2008
Contact: Jen Howard, Free Press, (202) 265-1490, x22 or (703) 517-6273

WASHINGTON -- Sprint Nextel's new XOHM wireless service includes a clause that allows the company to limit consumers' access to content and applications on the WiMAX network. According to XOHM's "network management" policy, Sprint "may use various tools and techniques designed to limit the bandwidth available for certain bandwidth intensive applications or protocols, such as file sharing."

Ben Scott, policy director of Free Press, issued the following statement.

"We are very troubled by this development and the larger moves across the wireless industry to limit consumer access to the legal content and services of their choice. We hope that Sprint will quickly disclose exactly what tools and techniques it plans to use, and demonstrate why it is necessary to maintain a closed network when consumers demand an open Internet."

XOHM's network management policy: http://www.xohm.com/en_US/xohm-policies/acceptable-use.html#aup_2b

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