The actor who helped make Verizon's "Can you hear me now" commercials one of the best-known ad campaigns of the last 15 years is now working for one of the wireless provider's rivals.

Sprint announced this week that Paul Marcarelli, who played the bespectacled former "Test Man" character whose catchphrase was heard in TV spots airing countless times between 2002 and 2011, has become a Sprint customer.

In his Verizon spots Marcarelli's trademark line was intended to underscore the company's claim it offered better reception and fewer dropped calls than Sprint and other competitors. But in a new spot for Sprint, which first aired during Game 2 of the NBA finals, Marcarelli said that company's service had vastly improved in recent years.

Marcarelli, appearing as himself, refers to his old employer in the 30-second spot, adding that "It's 2016 and every network is great. In fact, Sprint's reliability is now within one percent of Verizon."

He goes on to say the Sprint plans cost less than Verizon's or other competitors', finishing with "Can you hear that?", a not-so-subtle dig at his former bosses.

Sprint based its reliability figures on Nielsen data from the top 106 metropolitan markets, the company said.

Sprint is now ranked fourth in the U.S. wireless market after T-Mobile became the third-largest this past summer, USA Today reported. The company is in the midst of a turnaround plan and had positive operating income this year for the first time in the last few years, Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure told the paper.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.