Sprint Releases Mobile App for Remote Wipe of BlackBerry, Android Smartphones

Sprint is offering subscribers with BlackBerry and Android-running smartphones a new way to protect their data. The carrier's Total Equipment Protection coverage now includes an application that enables users to remotely lock their smartphones, erase their contacts from a lost phone, and back up, manage and restore contact information.

Devices can also be made to sound an alarm, even when in silent mode, or can be located on a map using the phone's GPS technology.

"Anyone who has lost a phone knows that their personal information is possibly just as vulnerable as if their computer was hacked," John Carney, senior vice president of consumer marketing for Sprint, said in a Feb. 28 statement. "Now, Sprint customers have peace of mind knowing that their personal and private information is safe. TEP and this accompanying application is a safeguard for customers who want protection from not only loss, but misuse and unauthorized access."

Sprint's TEP plan runs $7 a month, though the new Protection app can be added at no additional charge. Customers can access the application at sprint.com/protection.