Verizon President & COO Dennis Strigl: Data is the future but WiMAX isn’t a threat

With Sprint still pushing hard to roll out their WiMAX-based XOHM data network (unfortunately labelled as a 3G tech), the other big-dogs in the US wireless landscape should be worrying about possible loss of data-revenue to Sprint. But, it turns out that Verizon Communication’s President and COO, Dennis Strigl, isn’t at all worried about Sprint’s impact on Verizon’s choice of LTE as their 4G data network.

Strigl reiterated at Citi’s 18th Annual Global Entertainment, Media & Telecommunications Conference that data revenue was the future greenback-maker for the wireless arm of Verizon. Apparently, only 50% of Verizon users have data-capable devices, so there’s a lot of room to grow in that sector – especially with Verizon’s plan to open their network this year.

However, it seems that Strigl isn’t fazed by Sprint’s looming WiMAX network rollout in a few months (at least publicly). Trials of the 4G LTE data network are slated to kick off this year, but won’t go live for a couple more years. In that light, Verizon may be starting to feel the heat from Sprint – being first to market with a national broadband network is sure to put a dent in Verizon’s data-revenue.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – “First to market, first in our hearts.” If Sprint successfully markets their XOHM network as the must-have data network in the US, we could see slower and lower adoption rates of the LTE technologies from Verizon and AT&T. Sprint is poised to turn around their struggling business with the first national wireless broadband network, and could redefine themselves as the premier data-network in the US. Of course, we’ll be adopting whatever network serves up the best coverage and reliability at any given time, but the run-of-the-mill road warrior will likely be sticking with what they know to work – Sprint had better get it right the first time around.

[Via: MocoNews]