Sprint Nextel nabs m-health contract extension worth $1.2B

Sprint Nextel Corp. (S) has inked a three-year contract extension with VHA Inc. worth an estimated $1.2 billion. The Irving, Texas-based health care purchasing network has used Sprint as its primary telecom carrier since 1997.
VHA and its partner Provista serve about 1,350 not-for-profit hospitals and more than 30,000 non-acute health care organizations worldwide. Combined they account for more than 3 million jobs. Sprint said it earned the contract extension in part because of its growing portfolio of converged solutions that combine wireless and wireline capabilities.
“VHA’s confidence in Sprint speaks volumes,” said Paget Alves, president of Sprint Business. “Over the course of more than 14 years, we’ve built a solid relationship with the organization and its members based on trust and the expectation of mutual growth. We look forward to continuing to supply the best value, network and solutions to VHA in the years to come.”
Sprint struck a similar extension recently with Western States Contracting Alliance worth an estimated $360 million over three years.