Aryana

Sprint Outsources Network Maintenance to Ericsson

The Erickson deal is just another great move by Dan Hesse in the latter 6 quarters. He has beaten Earnings expectations 5 of the last 6 Quarters. Increased cash reserves to over $5 billion, enhanced Sprint's selection of Smart Phones and made Sprint the most reliable network in the nation. This has all been done while lowering the companies debt load. Every survey has shown improved customer service to respectable levels and the company has begun to minimize its churn. Its subsidiary Clearwire expects to have a ubiquitous 4G presence from Hawaii to New York by the end of this year and its Pre-Paid service, Boost Mobile is doing very well...

Palm Pre: Inventory Watch

The engineers that designed both the Pre and iPhone are mainly American, however because of comparitive advantage it is wise to manufacture the product where ever it is cheaper. The profits go into American companies and pay for high paying US engineers. This is what Aryamehr was probably infering. No company of substantial magnitude can be wholly localized. What counts is its ownership and those that hold the intelligence, ie Patents, R&D and Engineers/designers not the low paying workers that put the product together in an essembly line.

Tech's 3 Biggest Partnerships: Watch These Businesses Grow

Once you use a Pre it will be very difficult to convert back to an iPhone. Palm truly has a winner on its hands. Ever since I acquired my Pre I have just been in heaven. I never thought anyone could come up with a phone that could sway me away from my iPhone. I love the Mulit-Tasking, Qwerty keyboard, Synergy and its elegant UI.

U.S. Wireless Telecom: Weakest Subscriber Additions in Three Years

Aryamehr, I am in complete agreement with you regarding Sprint and Palm. I have been researching most of what you have written for some time. Good work, keep it up.

Who Will Win the Smartphone Wars?

The iPhone is a great phone and will be for a long time to come, however what I saw at the CES gave me grave concern. This Palm Pre is just incredible, Apple will have its hands full trying to keep up with the Pre. I don't think anyone will be able to do that in the short term. The is a game for Palm to lose. Kudos to Palm. I can't wait to replace my iPhone, something I never thought I would say.

Sprint.com Drives Traffic by Emphasizing Value

The facts are plain and simple. According to JD Powers Sprint has the fastest and most reliable Data networks in the US. Sprint is also the only company, yes the only major carrier offering 4G technology. Last but not least Sprint will be the only carrier to offer the iPhone killer, the Palm Pre. Couple this with Sprint's new management and recent reports from independant research, they have the best customer service in the telecom sector since they got new management. Mark my words, Sprint will be trading north of $5 very soon.

Message to Microsoft: Buy Palm, Forget Yahoo

With next generation 4G from Sprint more applications and content will begin to appear on mobile devices and Palm Pre with its new OS was designed with the future in mind. Until you see a Pre in use it will be difficult for you to understand its simplicity and advantages over the iphone. My iPhone was an excellent start but the Palm Pre is definately the one for all purposes. I can gurantee you that it will be sold out on its first day of offering. I just don't see how anyone can make the Pre any more ergonomic and better than what Palm has already done. This device has it all and if works as good as it did at the CES then Apple and the Blackberry will have a lot to be concerned about. I hate to make waste of things however this device is head and shoulders better than its nearest rival. Owing to this I will be surrending my iPhone and HTC diamond to my gardener and hairdresser when I get my Pre.

Forget Microsoft, I would rather approach a soveriegn fund to facilitate necessary funds for future needs. This is a guaranteed success. With Sprints CDMA platform and impending next generation 4G to be rolled out in the next 12 to 24 months Palm made the right choice, however they should have come out with Pre 12 months ealier. Nevertheless its superiority will make up for its lost time.

Palm: Reactions to the Pre Hype

My experience using all four carriers is as follows:

Four coverage and data services:

1. Sprint
2. Verizon
3. ATT
4. T-Mobile

For Price:

1. Sprint
2. Everyone else is 2nd.

For handsets:

1. Sprint's Palm Pre
2. ATT's Apple iPhone
3. VZ's Blackberry Bold

For Technology and platform:

Qualcom's CDMA is by far the best, however GSM is more pervasive.

If Sprint continues executing the changes it has in the latter quarter it will unequivocally emulate T & VZ. They have the best platform and are currently in the lead to roll out 4G. As the sole distributor of the Palm Pre they should be able to retain their customer base since the new management has done a wonderful job with customer service.

Citi: Off the Banking Reservation

The good news is that Pandit is staying and Rubin is leaving, and the merger of MS and SB. The sooner you cut your losses the better your chances of survival and Pandit is prescient enough to take the opening gambit. He is also lucky that WFC out bid him in his quest for Wachovia -a bank with substantial toxic waste acquired from the acquisition of World Savings(the master of Option ARMS)- lest he would have increased the radioactive half life of Citi's liabilities, making it even more difficult for Citigroups turnaround. Jettisoning the culprits is a good gambit and Rubin resignation was an excellent choice in that it manifested that Citi means business and there are no ands, ifs or buts on their glide path back to being the leading US bank interrnationally. At least Citi has begun exterpating its toxic assets and retiring those directors that played a major role in its contamination. Being the only major bank to acquire guarantees from Uncle Sam - a loss-sharing agreement in place covering $306 billion of its loans and securties - definately gives it an edge if the economy continues to go into a whirlwind. A failure of Citi would have far reaching ramifications that would hurt the dollar and subsequently the average American. Pandit and company have prepared Citi by fortifying the ramparts for a worse case economic onslaught, however I do not believe the world is coming to an end nor do I believe any nation on earth is even close to toppling the mighty dollar, at least for another 20+ years. Until the housing market stabalizes, which I don't expect until the spring of 2010, we should not expect too much growth. All we should expect is cutting back on losses and minimizing expenses and this is exactly what is on the menu de fare at Pandit's Citigroup.