The company has stated that June 29 will be the final day of full Nextel iDEN network service. On Sunday, June 30, iDEN phones will not receive voice or data. Sprint stated the equipment that powers the network will be switched off that day “in rapid succession.” The Nextel push-to-talk service will be converted to Sprint’s CDMA network.

By the time the shutdown comes, Nextel customers will have had just over one year to prepare for it. In addition to the letters and emails Sprint has already sent throughout the year, the company will also be sending text messages and using “other communications tactics” in the days leading up to the shutdown.

“Our shutdown communications are meant to give customers more than enough lead time to plan their migration,” said Bob Azzi, SVP of the network division at Sprint. “This has been especially important for public safety, first responders, health care users and others who rely on the service to protect and preserve people’s lives. We strongly urge customers to migrate now, rather than wait until the last minute.”

Sprint has been losing large numbers of subscribers who are leaving the Nextel platform. The wireless carrier is currently in talks for a $20 billion merger with SoftBank, though it is also entertaining a $25 billion offer from Dish Network.

Today, Sprint announced that SoftBank has given the carrier a waiver that allows Sprint to continue its discussions with Dish. The waiver does away with some provisions of the merger agreement between Sprint and SoftBank. It will allow Sprint to enter non-disclosure agreements with Dish for further discussion of its merger proposal. Sprint is still not allowed to disclose non-public information to Dish, and the two companies cannot enter formal negotiations.

Last week, Sprint released its first quarter 2013 financial results. While the carrier’s net losses dropped from the fourth quarter of 2012, the carrier’s subscriber numbers also dropped by over 500,000 postpaid subscribers. Sprint is currently in the process of shutting down its Nextel platform, which is where many of the subscriber losses originated.

Sprint reported a net loss of $643 million, compared to the $863 million net loss it posted for the fourth quarter of 2012. However, this small victory was tempered by the news that the carrier lost 560,000 postpaid subscribers during the quarter.

Many of Sprint’s revenue and subscriber losses come from its Nextel platform, which the company is currently in the process of shutting down. Sprint stated that it is on-track to shut down Nextel at the end of the second quarter 2013.

In the meantime, Sprint announced it has formed a committee of independent directors to review a proposed $25.5 billion merger with Dish. The merger would provide Sprint shareholders with a greater payout than an alternate $20.1 billion proposal from Softbank.

Back in December, Sprint fully acquired Clearwire for $2.2 billion.

“This is a transformative year for Sprint and we’ve gotten off to a good start,” said Dan Hesse, CEO of Sprint.

In a letter to Sprint Nextel Chairman of the Board, James Hance, Jr., Dish chairman Charlie Ergen wrote, “We are offering Sprint shareholders a total consideration of $25.5 billion, consisting of $17.3 billion in cash and $8.2 billion in stock. Sprint shareholders would receive $7.00 per share, based upon DISH’s closing price on Friday, April 12, 2013. This consists of $4.76 per share in cash and 0.05953 DISH shares per Sprint share. The cash portion of our proposal represents an 18% premium over the $4.03 per share implied by the SoftBank proposal, and the equity portion represents approximately 32% ownership in the combined DISH/Sprint versus SoftBank’s proposal of a 30% interest in Sprint alone. Together this represents a 13% premium to the value of the existing SoftBank proposal.”

“Our proposal provides a highly-compelling and unique opportunity for Sprint shareholders,” he continued. “We are offering an ownership interest in a combined company with a comprehensive product and services suite, a significantly enhanced subscriber base, considerable financial and operating scale, as well as a spectrum portfolio that would lead the industry. As a result, this merger creates sizable cost and CAPEX savings and promises extensive new revenue opportunities.”

You can read the letter in its entirety here.

Dish held a conference call this morning discussing the proposal.

The boards of both Sprint Nextel and Softbank approved the $20.1 billion deal back in October, but the companies noted it was still subject to shareholder and regulatory approval. The deal was expected to close in mid-2013.

It’s already half way through April, but today’s news gives all parties involved some major new things to consider.

The proposal is designed to upstage the pending $20.1 billion acquisition form Softbank, which has yet to close.

Dish Network Chairman Charlie Ergen said, “The Dish proposal clearly presents Sprint shareholders with a superior alternative to the pending SoftBank proposal. Sprint shareholders will benefit from a higher price with more cash while also creating the opportunity to participate more meaningfully in a combined Dish/Sprint with a significantly-enhanced strategic position and substantial synergies that are not attainable through the pending SoftBank proposal.”

“A transformative Dish/Sprint merger will create the only company that can offer customers a convenient, fully-integrated, nationwide bundle of in- and out-of-home video, broadband and voice services,” he added. “Additionally, the combined national footprints and scale will allow Dish/Sprint to bring improved broadband services to millions of homes with inferior or no access to competitive broadband services. This unique, combined company will have a leadership position in video, data and voice and the necessary broadband spectrum to provide customers with rich content everywhere, all the time.”

According to Dish, the proposed combination will “result in synergies and growth opportunities estimated at $37 billion in net present value, including an estimated $11 billion in cost savings.”

The company has shared Ergen’s full letter to Sprint Nextel Chairman of the Board, James Hance, Jr.:

Dear Jim:

Charlie Ergen
Chairman

Both AT&T and Sprint announced today that the HTC One will be hitting their respective stores on April 19. The latest smartphone will retail for $199 at both carriers with a two-year contract. Interested buyers will be able to place a pre-order for the device on April 4 at AT&T, and on April 5 at Sprint.

If you’re in between contracts, you may find yourself stuck between choosing the HTC One on AT&T or Sprint. If you care about 4G LTE coverage, AT&T definitely has the larger network. AT&T will also be the exclusive home of the 64GB HTC One for $299. To sweeten the deal, AT&T will throw in a free HTC Media Link HD wireless HDMI adapter with any HTC One purchase as well.

If you want more info on the unique features of the HTC One, AT&T threw together this short video detailing the new device:

The HTC One presents a sizable threat to Samsung in a few key areas, but consumer interest will be the deciding factor in the latest war of the smartphones. HTC will have to pull out all the stops in its advertising if it wants to go head-to-head with the Galaxy S 4. Samsung has the deep pockets to just bombard all communication channels with its advertising so HTC will have to get creative if it hopes to undermine the competition.

Canada got a clear release date of February 5, but U.S. BlackBerry fans will have to wait until sometime in March. The specific launch date will probably vary by carrier, but each of the major U.S. carriers has at least confirmed that it will carry at least one of the two new BlackBerry 10 smartphones.

AT&T and Verizon, the two largest U.S. wireless carriers, have both confirmed that they will be carrying the BlackBerry Z10 (the one that resembles an iPhone) and the BlackBerry Q10 (the one with the traditional BlackBerry physical keyboard). The white version of the Z10 will be a Verizon exclusive handset. Verizon is also the only carrier that has so far announced a price for either of the new BlackBerry devices. The Z10 (both black and white) will retail for $200 plus a two-year Verizon service contract.

Neither T-Mobile nor Sprint will be selling both the Z10 and the Q10. They seem to have some sort of split deal with BlackBerry, where T-Mobile will be selling the Z10 and Sprint will be selling the keyboard-laden Q10.

None of the carriers are taking pre-orders for the BlackBerry smartphones yet, though all of them but Sprint are allowing customers to sign up for email notifications regarding the devices.

“Our board of directors has been reviewing available strategic alternatives over the course of the last two years,” said Erik Prusch, CEO and president of Clearwire. “In evaluating available alternatives, a special committee conducted a careful and rigorous process, and based on the committee’s recommendation, our board unanimously determined that this transaction, which delivers certain and attractive value for our shareholders, is the best path forward.”

Along with its purchase of U.S. Cellular spectrum and customers back in November, this acquisition could be seen as Sprint’s reaction to T-Mobile’s recent merger. T-Mobile’s acquisition of Metro PCS raised its subscription numbers to within striking distance of Sprint’s. Sprint announced a total subscription numbers decline in its third quarter earnings report, along with a $767 million net loss.

Sprint and T-Mobile are currently the third and fourth largest wireless carriers in the U.S., behind AT&T and Verizon. This year they began to offer unlimited data plans that are not offered by the larger carriers. Both companies are currently building out their nationwide 4G LTE networks, and their acquisitions will provide them with the extra spectrum and assets to take on a greater numbers of subscribers.

“Today’s transaction marks yet another significant step in Sprint’s improved competitive position and ability to offer customers better products, more choices and better services,” said Dan Hesse, Sprint CEO. “Sprint is uniquely positioned to maximize the value of Clearwire’s spectrum and efficiently deploy it to increase Sprint’s network capacity. We believe this transaction, particularly when leveraged with our SoftBank relationship, is further validation of our strategy and allows Sprint to control its network destiny.”

“This transaction will enable us to strengthen our business and become a more robust competitor,” said Dan Hesse, Sprint’s CEO. “Acquiring this spectrum will significantly increase Sprint’s network capacity and improve the customer experience in several important Midwest markets including Chicago and St. Louis. We welcome the new customers in these markets and look forward to providing them with Sprint’s unique combination of unlimited plans, an iconic device portfolio and unmatched customer service.”

The agreement will provide Sprint with 20 MHz of PCS spectrum in the 1900 band in Chicago and other markets, and 10 MHz of PCS spectrum in the St. Louis market. Sprint will also receive 585,000 current U.S. Cellular customers and will assume “certain liabilities” as a part of the sale.

Sprint last month announced a $767 million net loss for the third quarter 2012. Much of the reason for the loss, according to Sprint, is its massive program to upgrade its network and the expected shutdown of the Nextel platform. Sprint is currently the third largest U.S. wireless company by subscriber numbers, though T-Mobile pushed closer last month after its acquisition of MetroPCS.

Sprint announced today that they are the first US carrier to offer Jelly Bean to Galaxy S III owners. Android 4.1 will be available today as an OTA update. A user’s Galaxy S III will notify them when the update is available for download.

Jelly Bean brings a number of enhancements to the Android platform that Galaxy S III owners are sure to be pleased with. The most important new feature is Google Now which provides up to the second information updates on traffic conditions, public transportation schedules and more. Other improvements include expandable notifications, Android beam and resizable widgets.

Samsung is also packing in a number of new features into the phone with the update as well. The camera is receiving the most notable improvements with new filters including warm vintage, cold vintage, black and white, sepia, color highlights and many more to fulfill your innate artistic desires.

The other notable addition is easy mode. It provides a simplified user experience for those who are new to the Android operating system or just aren’t very good at navigating modern UIs.

There’s no word yet on when the update will hit Galaxy S III devices on other carriers. T-Mobile may be next as they’re pretty good about getting updates out in a timely manner. I wouldn’t count on an update from AT&T or Verizon in the near future though. Having said that, an update in the next few weeks from all the carriers would be greatly appreciated.