Fixed Mobile Convergence

Lightyear Network Solutions (News - Alert) launched its Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) operations under a new five-year agreement with Sprint (News - Alert).

Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Lightyear Network has been offering data, voice and wireless telecommunication services to business and residential customers throughout North America. The current contract with the telecom company Sprint allows Lightyear to partner directly with Sprint on new wireless products, and provide postpaid and prepaid mobile telephone products and service utilizing the Nationwide Sprint Network.

Lightyear officials said that the agreement provides numerous benefits for Lightyear, including a larger and improved selection of the newest Sprint wireless devices, quicker access to those products, greater flexibility regarding product and service offerings for Lightyear customers, and the ability to offer bundled Lightyear wireline and wireless products.

“We are pleased to announce the launch of our MVNO with Sprint, which has been a valuable Lightyear provider partner for a number of years,” said Stephen M. Lochmueller, chief executive officer of Lightyear in a statement.

Lightyear’s statement also clarified that the MVNO agreement will now allow Lightyear to offer an enhanced suite of wireless products, while lowering its costs. Lightyear also believes that its sales force can immediately begin offering these enhanced services under the MVNO agreement to its more than 60,000 customers.

Lightyear recently initiated a marketing program to increase its commercial business activities, and this agreement with Sprint to enable the company to expand its efforts with new and existing business customers, including the availability to offer new solutions such as fixed mobile convergence.

The agreement is believed to provide benefits to residential customers who will have access to a broader selection of wireless handsets, including a number of phones with the increasingly popular Android (News - Alert) operating system.

“This MVNO agreement will contribute to our long-term strategy to increase our organic growth. We expect our wireless business to contribute to our growth and profitability in 2011, with increasing benefits in future years,” Lochmueller added.

Recently, Lightyear announced its financial results for the first quarter 2011 ended March 31, 2011. Results for the first quarter of 2011 include Lightyear's acquisition of SouthEast Telephone, which was completed on October 1, 2010.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.

Meenakshi Shankar is a TMCnet contributor. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jennifer Russell