AT&T ties up with Sprint on cell phone

NEW YORK, May 18 (UPI) -- AT&T said Tuesday that it will join with Sprint to sell mobile phone services under its own name later this year.

AT&T sold off its own cellular phone company, AT&T Wireless, but the largest U.S. long-distance carrier will be re-entering the market. The five-year deal will allow AT&T to begin selling mobile phone services in conjunction with its traditional and Internet-based phone services.

The phone company will use Sprint's wireless network to transmit cellular phone calls, but it will run its billing and customer care services independent of Sprint.