Disqus
Sprint and Clearwire’s collaboration
on a nationwide WiMAX network in the US has yet to bear any worthy fruit. Sprint had us all thinking that they’d be bringing WiMAX service to Chicago by the end of 2008. The company has been touting their new dual-mode WiMAX/CDMA modem for use on either side of the No. 3 US carrier’s network. Unfortunately, Chicago’s WiMAX aspirations are still on ice.
Sprint’s WiMAX network in Chicago is already setup and ready to rock. “Chicago is very high on our list,” said Todd Rowley, vice president for Sprint’s WiMax network. “We have many hundreds of cell sites operating already in the area.” Sprint hopes to get their Chicago WiMAX network up and running by the end of 2009 – giving the carrier a year’s time to clear the WiMAX network for live action.
Meanwhile, Baltimore saw their own Sprint WiMAX network go live last year. Sprint apparently needed to find out how well their WiMAX technology would penetrate the thick walls of older homes, hills, and the harbor areas that Baltimore was able to provide. As such, Baltimore got the nod as the first commercial market to offer Sprint’s WiMAX service. Chicago will just have to wait for their chance at WiMAX-glory.
Sprint and Clearwire would do well to launch their WiMAX services in as many US metropolitan areas as possible. This is to be the breakout year for WiMAX, but we’ve yet to see a major push from Sprint. With LTE breathing down their throats, Sprint is letting their first-to-market advantage slip away by the day.
[Via: EngadgetMobile and ChicagoTribune]
About The Author
Will Park
Will hails from The City of Angels - Los Angeles, California. He spends his time playing with his numerous gadgets and looking forward to seeing what future holds for mobile technology. An avid promoter of a fully "digital" life, he promotes the widespread adoption of truly mobile, paper-less living. He dreams of the day when he can go completely digital. No more snail mail, paper receipts, bound books, notepads/spiral notebooks, credit cards, hard currency. He's a digital warrior - fighting for the converged life. He is an idealist and a realist - he has a perfect view of what the world should be but knows that the world is not perfect. Can we ever hope to see Will's dream become reality? We'll see...
