Sprint Nextel's marketing department is clueless

No wonder Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S) is losing customers fast. The third-largest wireless provider in the U.S. announced a new "MyMoneyManager" program last Thursday that sounds like the nicest thing for your Sprint phone since sliced bread. The only problem is this: the new downloadable application meant for your Sprint handset lists compatible Sprint cellphones that looks like the "who's who" of the Sprint handset lineup from sometime in 2007. Umm, Sprint: it's October 2008.

This is the kind of thing that not only makes Sprint subscribers confused and angry, but gives a terrible PR black eye to a wireless company that has lost hundreds of thousands of customers in the recent year. Sprint should work hard to announce new applications that actually are meant for and usable by its current product lineup -- not from outdated models that are not even for sale any longer.

The reason customers have not embraced using applications on their cellphones is due to the "works there/doesn't work there" framework that the wireless industry just can't seem to figure out. Unless it's universal across a product line, why even bother? Sure, there are several wireless phone manufacturers and models, all of which are different. Add to that the protectionist tendencies wireless providers have and it's no wonder why consumers find it hard or impossible to do things on these technologically-advanced phones that marketing departments want them to. With examples like this, it'll never happen. Can you hear me? Good.