Under the marketing deal announced Monday, Qwest will begin offering Sprint's PCS Vision to its existing and new customers. In addition, Sprint will serve as exclusive third-party provider of wireless services to Qwest.
The deal allows Denver-based Qwest, which does not have a nationwide network, to offer nationwide services to customers in its territory, which covers 14 states in the Midwest and West.
"It allows us to provide customers with nationwide wireless service and the convenience of Qwest's integrated landline to wireless features," Qwest Chairman Richard Notebaert said in a statement.
The companies said they will jointly work on a plan to migrate Qwest's existing wireless customers to Sprint's nationwide PCS network by the next year.
Sprint had 2.1 million PCS Vision customers at the end of June, the company said. PCS Vision lets people take and receive pictures from select PCS Phones, browse the Net, check e-mail and download ring tones and games, according to the company.
