OVERLAND PARK, Kan. & SAN DIEGO–()–Thinking of doing something easy and fun for the environment for Earth Day? Now is the perfect time to switch to a mobile phone with eco-friendly features, as Sprint (NYSE: S) and its data-centric, no-contract brand, Virgin Mobile USA, join LG Mobile in announcing the upcoming availability of LG Optimus Elite™ on the Sprint 3G Network.
“As a leader in environmental responsibility and sustainability, Sprint continues to expand its portfolio of eco-friendly devices and services by providing consumers with strong device choices”
LG Optimus Elite will be available in Titan Silver and White1 on Earth Day – Sunday, April 22 – exclusively through www.sprint.com and 1-800-SPRINT1 for just $29.99 with a new two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate via reward card2 (excludes taxes and surcharges). The device will become available in additional channels, including Sprint retail, on May 18. Timing and pricing for the device on Virgin Mobile USA will be announced shortly.
LG Optimus Elite marks the third device launched from Sprint and LG this year that boasts eco-friendly attributes and the coveted UL Environment Platinum Certification – the highest level of environmental performance recognized by sustainable requirements established by UL Environment and Sprint.3 Sprint and LG launched their first device with eco-friendly features together in 2010 with LG Remarq™ and continued the legacy earlier this year with both LG Rumor Reflex™ and LG Viper™ 4G LTE.
“As a leader in environmental responsibility and sustainability, Sprint continues to expand its portfolio of eco-friendly devices and services by providing consumers with strong device choices,” said David Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. “LG Optimus Elite is a dynamic and affordable green option for customers who want to go green without sacrificing the latest features. We are thrilled to make this available as we celebrate Earth Day and think about what each of us can do to support sustainability.”
Stylish and Feature Rich with Eco-friendly Attributes
As the successor to the popular LG Optimus S, this affordable and highly customizable full-featured smartphone keeps customers organized with Android 2.3, Gingerbread, and other key features, including a 3.5-inch capacitive touch-screen, 800 MHz processor, 5 MP rear-facing camera and camcorder with flash, virtual QWERTY keyboard and mobile hotspot capability supporting up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices.4
LG Optimus Elite also is enabled with Near Field Communication (NFC), allowing users to access true value features such as Google Wallet, an app that allows payment using a mobile device at participating retailers like Bloomingdales, Toys “R” Us, CVS, Gap, Macy’s and more. This is the first device in the Virgin Mobile USA line-up to support NFC and Google Wallet.
Also, consumers can download Box on LG Optimus Elite and receive 50GB of free cloud storage and sharing directly from LG, an estimated value of $240 per year, so users don’t have to stress about storing all of their favorite music, files, photos and other memories. The 50GB of free storage is exclusive to LG devices until July 22.
LG Optimus Elite from Sprint (Photo: Sprint)
“With the introduction of LG Optimus Elite, we felt it was critical to continue our eco-friendly-focused partnership with Sprint, and by extension, Virgin Mobile USA,” said Tim O’Brien, vice president of marketing for LG Mobile. “It was important to both us and our consumers that we offer a competitively priced, fully featured smartphone that takes advantage of the latest advancements in green mobile technology. Earth Day presents the perfect opportunity for us to introduce LG Optimus Elite with eco-friendly features to the marketplace and to raise awareness about the importance of being environmentally responsible.”
Not only is LG Optimus Elite a stylish, feature-rich smartphone, it also boasts the following eco-friendly attributes:
- The device is ULE Platinum Certified, the highest level of environmental performance recognized by sustainable requirements established by UL Environment and Sprint3.
- It is protected by a casing made of 50 percent recycled plastics.
- It is RoHS compliant, meaning it is free from many potentially hazardous materials, such as PVC, phthalates, halogens and mercury.
- The phone also includes a charger that exceeds the EC Code of Conduct on energy efficiency when it comes to no-load consumption. Unlike other chargers, LG Optimus Elite’s charger only consumes 0.03 watts of power when plugged into a wall socket without being connected to the phone.
In addition, the Sprint version comes in fully recyclable packaging that is printed with soy inks, contains up to 87 percent post-consumer paper and was engineered with a glueless construction. The Virgin Mobile USA version comes in fully recyclable packaging that uses soy inks, and contains up to 30 percent post-consumer paper. Up to 70 percent of the thermoform plastic contains a combination of post-industrial or post-consumer waste.
Sprint offers eco-friendly cases to protect LG Optimus Elite and other devices such as LG Viper 4G LTE and LG Rumor Reflex from inevitable nicks and scratches. ECOClear protective covers, designed specifically for Sprint devices with eco-friendly features, are made out of wood pulp and provide added protection from damage, thereby potentially extending the life of Sprint devices. They are available for the LG Optimus Elite for a special price on Sprint.com of only $15.99 (plus tax) in clear or for $17.59 (plus tax) in translucent green.
Ranked No. 3 in Newsweek’s 2011 list of greenest companies, Sprint is committed to being a corporate leader in sustainability. Sprint leads the industry through its commitment to an absolute reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions, commitment to renewable energy, and its aggressive cell-phone recycling efforts. These efforts are bolstered by a strong environmental management system, strong policies and practices for managing our use of natural resources, environmentally responsible building practices, and an employee-engagement program, to name just a few.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 55 million customers at the end of 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
About Virgin Mobile USA
Virgin Mobile USA, one of Sprint’s prepaid brands, offers millions of customers control, flexibility and connectivity through Virgin Mobile Beyond Talk™ No Contract plans with unlimited data for mobile phone service, including Android-powered smartphones and prepaid Broadband2Go high-speed Web access on the Nationwide Sprint Network. Virgin Mobile-branded devices are available at more than 40,000 retail stores, including Target, Walmart, Best Buy and RadioShack. Top-Up cards are available at approximately 150,000 locations nationwide and can be used for Broadband2Go services. Experience Virgin Mobile on the Web at Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and purchase Virgin Mobile USA products at www.virginmobileusa.com.
About LG Electronics USA
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LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $49 billion global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, home appliances, mobile phones, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and solar energy solutions, all under LG’s “Life’s Good” marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.lg.com or www.lg.com/us/mobile.
About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company
The LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is a leading global mobile communications and information company. With its cutting-edge technology and innovative design capabilities, LG creates handsets that provide an optimized mobile experience to customers around the world. LG is pursuing convergence technology and mobile computing products, while continuing its leadership role in mobile communication with stylish designs and smart technology. For more information, please visit www.lgmobilephones.com.
1LG Optimus Elite for Virgin Mobile USA device will only be available in Titan Silver color
2The American Express Prepaid Reward Card (“Card”) provided in connection with this Rebate offer is a prepaid Card that is usable at U.S. merchants that accept American Express Card. Some limitations apply. The Card is not redeemable for cash (except where required by law) and does not provide ATM access. Use of Card constitutes acknowledgement that it is given as a reward and no consideration, value, or money has been paid by the holder to American Express in exchange for this Card. USE OF CARD IS SUBJECT TO THE CARDHOLDER AGREEMENT. SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAW, A $3.00 MONTHLY FEE WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST CARD BALANCE, STARTING SIX MONTHS AFTER CARD ISSUANCE, UNLESS FUNDS ARE EARLIER DEPLETED. For BALANCE, customer service and Cardholder Agreement, visit americanexpress.com/sprint or call 866-608-3756. Card issued by American Express Prepaid Card Management Corporation.
3LG Optimus Elite for Virgin Mobile USA device does not currently possess UL Environment Platinum status.
4Additional charge for mobile hotspot feature; mobile hotspot feature not available on Virgin Mobile device
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