With a new software patch from Qualcomm, it looks like Sprint Nextel won't be affected by the ITC phone ban on all wireless phones that carry Qualcomm's infringing chips. Both Sprint and Verizon Wireless are two of Qualcomm's biggest customers due to their use of EV-DO chips, but it seems that only Sprint got the workaround. Then again, maybe that's because Verizon is spending more time trying to most recent ITC ruling ">convince President Bush to veto the phone ban.

You'd think that this would be good enough news to raise Sprint's depressed stock price, but no - Sprint fell .13 cents (mostly due to after hours trading) to $21.89.

Source: "Sprint using Qualcomm patch to workaround ITC ban" - Reuters