Everything you need to know about WiMAX
CLEAR now available in Chicago + Sprint adds 5 new WiMAX markets
Clearwire Corp. started selling its CLEAR WiMAX service in Chicago on November 1st at its retail stores, as well as Best Buy and RadioShack. The network stretches from Gary to Rockford, although service initially won't be available everywhere. To date, it's the largest WiMAX footprint for CLEAR.
Sprint Nextel Corp. announced on Monday that it has launched 4G in the Chicago area. "The speed, performance and productivity that 4G gives you are so incredible," said Todd Rowley, Sprint's vice president for 4G. "We're 10 times faster than 3G speeds. That's like going from dial-up to broadband."
Chicago has long-awaited the launch of a WiMax network. In 2007, Clearwire and Sprint agreed jointly to build a nationwide network, with Chicago getting the service as early as 2008. The Clearwire-Sprint deal fell apart at the end of 2007, but the two companies merged their wireless broadband units into a new entity in 2008. The new company kept the Clearwire name and counts Comcast Corp. and Google Inc. among its investors.
Jeannie Weaver, Clearwire's general manager for Chicago, said the operator will offer USB dongles that plug into a laptop, with basic service starting around $35 a month. "The real game changer is going to be on mobility devices," Weaver said.
Clearwire also will offer a desktop modem, which is designed to be portable and easy to set up.
"When the customer takes the modem home, they plug it in and they're online," said Carlos Lopez, president of CAL Communications, a Buffalo Grove-based company that is a distributor of Clearwire service. "They don't have to wait for a technician to come install it and run cables all over the house."
Sprint uses Clearwire's WiMax network but sells services under its own name. Sprint will offer a laptop card that is equipped for both 3G and 4G speeds, as well as a "personal hot spot" gadget that allows any device with Wi-Fi to tap into the faster 4G network. Desktop modems will be available by year-end. Monthly service for the 3G/4G laptop card will be $59.99.
Rowley said Sprint is working with Intel Corp. to embed 4G technology in laptops and netbooks that will start hitting the market next year. Smart phones and other gadgets with 4G capability aren't far behind.
"You will see manufacturers and consumer electronics companies really want to embed WiMax and 4G into their devices," Rowley said. "And customers will be able to take it home and fire it up, and it will work on our network."
Comcast will roll out its 4G services, which also use Clearwire's network, later this fall, company spokeswoman Angelynne Amores said in an e-mail. The company will offer a wireless data card and bundle mobile broadband with its existing triple-play options.
AT&T and Verizon Wireless also are building 4G networks, although those carriers are using a different technology called Long Term Evolution. Verizon Wireless plans to deploy its LTE technology next year, while AT&T will start trials in 2010 and launch its network a year later.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-mon-4g-wimax-1102-nov02,0,77...
Meanwhile, Sprint is now rolling out its mobile WiMAX MVNO service to five new markets this week.
Sprint has added WiMAX service in Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, and in three North Carolina markets as of November 2. The North Carolina markets now with WiMAX access include Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh. The addition of these five new markets makes good on the promise Sprint made in March to enable the cities in 2009.
Sprint still plans to add more WiMAX installations this year with service coming to San Antonio and Austin, Texas later this month. WiMAX will come to Honolulu and Maui as well as Salem, Oregon and Seattle this year. Sprint still plans to launch more WiMAX areas next year as well with Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. coming online in 2010.
Sprint VP of 4G services Todd Rowley said in a statement, "Sprint continues to lead the charge in rolling out wireless 4G in cities across America and the momentum continues to build. Our aggressive expansion of Sprint 4G will include many new devices and capabilities that create increased performance and productivity while enhancing personal lifestyles on the go."
Rowley said back in March, "Sprint continues to lead the wireless industry by harnessing the power of WiMAX. The availability of Sprint 4G in more places this year and our aggressive expansion of Sprint 4G service demonstrates our commitment to provide 4G capabilities and devices nationwide for our business, consumer and government customers. These capabilities enable significantly enhanced performance and productivity for our customers."
http://www.dailytech.com/Sprint+WiMAX+Available+in+Five+New+Markets...
Opinion: While the WiMAX deployments in large cities like Chicago is very good news, we still need to see devices before there is huge growth in WiMAX. Today, most folks access the CLEAR network via USB dongles attached to their notebook PCs. Next year, we should see WiMAX CPE that offers both a modem and VoIP (possibly other functions), embedded WiMAX netbooks, smart phones, personal WiFi hot spots with embedded WiMAX radios, and (maybe) cameras with built-in WiMAX. We hope to see device makers step up to the plate with such products as WiMAX coverage broadens in the U.S.
What do you think about the prospects for WiMAX in the U.S.? What's needed for it to succeed in a big way?
Sprint Nextel Corp. announced on Monday that it has launched 4G in the Chicago area. "The speed, performance and productivity that 4G gives you are so incredible," said Todd Rowley, Sprint's vice president for 4G. "We're 10 times faster than 3G speeds. That's like going from dial-up to broadband."
Chicago has long-awaited the launch of a WiMax network. In 2007, Clearwire and Sprint agreed jointly to build a nationwide network, with Chicago getting the service as early as 2008. The Clearwire-Sprint deal fell apart at the end of 2007, but the two companies merged their wireless broadband units into a new entity in 2008. The new company kept the Clearwire name and counts Comcast Corp. and Google Inc. among its investors.
Jeannie Weaver, Clearwire's general manager for Chicago, said the operator will offer USB dongles that plug into a laptop, with basic service starting around $35 a month. "The real game changer is going to be on mobility devices," Weaver said.
Clearwire also will offer a desktop modem, which is designed to be portable and easy to set up.
"When the customer takes the modem home, they plug it in and they're online," said Carlos Lopez, president of CAL Communications, a Buffalo Grove-based company that is a distributor of Clearwire service. "They don't have to wait for a technician to come install it and run cables all over the house."
Sprint uses Clearwire's WiMax network but sells services under its own name. Sprint will offer a laptop card that is equipped for both 3G and 4G speeds, as well as a "personal hot spot" gadget that allows any device with Wi-Fi to tap into the faster 4G network. Desktop modems will be available by year-end. Monthly service for the 3G/4G laptop card will be $59.99.
Rowley said Sprint is working with Intel Corp. to embed 4G technology in laptops and netbooks that will start hitting the market next year. Smart phones and other gadgets with 4G capability aren't far behind.
"You will see manufacturers and consumer electronics companies really want to embed WiMax and 4G into their devices," Rowley said. "And customers will be able to take it home and fire it up, and it will work on our network."
Comcast will roll out its 4G services, which also use Clearwire's network, later this fall, company spokeswoman Angelynne Amores said in an e-mail. The company will offer a wireless data card and bundle mobile broadband with its existing triple-play options.
AT&T and Verizon Wireless also are building 4G networks, although those carriers are using a different technology called Long Term Evolution. Verizon Wireless plans to deploy its LTE technology next year, while AT&T will start trials in 2010 and launch its network a year later.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-mon-4g-wimax-1102-nov02,0,77...
Meanwhile, Sprint is now rolling out its mobile WiMAX MVNO service to five new markets this week.
Sprint has added WiMAX service in Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, and in three North Carolina markets as of November 2. The North Carolina markets now with WiMAX access include Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh. The addition of these five new markets makes good on the promise Sprint made in March to enable the cities in 2009.
Sprint still plans to add more WiMAX installations this year with service coming to San Antonio and Austin, Texas later this month. WiMAX will come to Honolulu and Maui as well as Salem, Oregon and Seattle this year. Sprint still plans to launch more WiMAX areas next year as well with Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. coming online in 2010.
Sprint VP of 4G services Todd Rowley said in a statement, "Sprint continues to lead the charge in rolling out wireless 4G in cities across America and the momentum continues to build. Our aggressive expansion of Sprint 4G will include many new devices and capabilities that create increased performance and productivity while enhancing personal lifestyles on the go."
Rowley said back in March, "Sprint continues to lead the wireless industry by harnessing the power of WiMAX. The availability of Sprint 4G in more places this year and our aggressive expansion of Sprint 4G service demonstrates our commitment to provide 4G capabilities and devices nationwide for our business, consumer and government customers. These capabilities enable significantly enhanced performance and productivity for our customers."
http://www.dailytech.com/Sprint+WiMAX+Available+in+Five+New+Markets...
Opinion: While the WiMAX deployments in large cities like Chicago is very good news, we still need to see devices before there is huge growth in WiMAX. Today, most folks access the CLEAR network via USB dongles attached to their notebook PCs. Next year, we should see WiMAX CPE that offers both a modem and VoIP (possibly other functions), embedded WiMAX netbooks, smart phones, personal WiFi hot spots with embedded WiMAX radios, and (maybe) cameras with built-in WiMAX. We hope to see device makers step up to the plate with such products as WiMAX coverage broadens in the U.S.
What do you think about the prospects for WiMAX in the U.S.? What's needed for it to succeed in a big way?
Comment
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Comment by Eric on November 13, 2009 at 9:39am - I think the prospects for WiMAX in the US are great. While the large metro deployments are great, I think the smaller markets (under 200k population) could really benefit. The biggest roadblock however is the end user device. Until we see a Netgear or Linksys WiMAX router with WiFi available for purchase at your local big-box store for under $100, or WiMAX built into every laptop that's sold, it's difficult for the smaller ISPs to deploy WiMAX. When it costs us $200 for a CPE and everone else is giving their CPEs away with the service, it's difficult to compete. The laptops are getting there, but the end user device just isn't there yet price-wise or availability-wise. When that happens, I think you'll see an explosion of smaller WiMAX deployments in markets of only 100k people or so. The big guys like Clear can subsidize that $300 CPE without a problem. The smaller guys just can't do that and make any money.
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