As the Fool's telecom editor, I spend a good bit of time chatting it up with our lead telecom contributor, Dave Mock. In exploring content ideas for December, I proposed that we present readers with a Dueling Fools series on troubled Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S). There was only one problem: We couldn't both take the bear position. One of us would have to cave and say something positive about Sprint.
Ever the Southern gentleman, I offered to bite the bullet. Then, as I dug into the company, I was surprised to find myself actually buying into the Sprint thesis -- namely, that the company is improving its customer experience while taking steps to reduce its cost structure. Oh, and that the shares sport an eye-catchingly low valuation.
That said, make no mistake: Sprint has been getting owned by its competition these past few quarters. Industry top dogs Verizon Wireless -- a joint venture between Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE:VOD) -- and AT&T (NYSE:T), spurred on by its Apple (NYSE:AAPL) iPhone success, have been taking Sprint's lunch money.
Will Sprint continue to be the aimless middle child of the U.S. wireless industry, or is Mr. Market overlooking a cheaply priced promising turnaround? Read on, Fools, and then share your own thoughts by voting for the winner and sounding off in Motley Fool CAPS.
Duel on!
