Sprint Nextel sued for mobile content charges

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) - Sprint Nextel is facing a lawsuit claiming it's charging its customers for ringtones, sports scores and other services that the phone's owner didn't approve.

The nation's third-largest wireless carrier persuaded officials to move the case, originally filed in Lyon County, Kansas, to federal court Thursday.

The case, filed by California resident James Peetz, joins several dozen similar lawsuits filed across the country against some of the nation's largest mobile phone providers.

AT&T Mobility recently settled a case filed by the Florida attorney general.

A Sprint spokesman says the company is following industry standards created by the Mobile Marketing Association. Those require content providers to get a customer's approval before sending text messages or other content.