"Sprint Nextel And Clearwire Partner On Nationwide WiMAX Mobile Broadband Network Development 8/1/2007 Reston, VA and Kirkland, WA -- Sprint Nextel and Clearwire plan to jointly construct the first nationwide mobile broadband network using WiMAX technology, and promote the global development of WiMAX-based services. The planned arrangement, which is set out in a letter of intent, is expected to provide benefits to consumers, businesses, educators, the Federal government and public safety users by fostering more efficient deployment of a mobile WiMAX broadband network than either company could accomplish on its own. .......
Under the network build-out plan, Sprint Nextel will focus its efforts primarily on geographic areas covering approximately 185 million people, including 75 percent of the people located in the 50 largest markets, while Clearwire will focus on areas covering approximately 115 million people. Initially, the two companies expect to build out network coverage to approximately 100 million people by the end of 2008, with seamless roaming enabled between the deployed areas. .......
As previously announced, Sprint Nextel expects to commence the initial stage of its mobile WiMAX network deployments by year-end 2007 and both companies expect to launch commercial service in the first half of 2008. The companies individually are working with a broad range of manufacturers including Intel, Motorola, Samsung, Nokia and others to create an ecosystem of chips, products and software designed to provide mobile WiMAX access." |