‘Sprint 4G’ on tap: CDMA/WiMAX modems to hit store shelves this year
Nation’s No. 3 carrier to be an MVNO of Clearwire
December 5 2008 - 5:59 am ET | Allie Winter | RCR Wireless News
The Xohm brand, as on this SWC-E100 ExpressCard by Samsung, is now history.
Goodbye Xohm, hello Sprint 4G.
Just over a year after inventing a new word for its WiMAX plans, Sprint Nextel Corp. has decided on a name that is easier on the tongue, and eyes, for its next-generation network aspirations.
Sprint Nextel will be serving up its own mobile WiMAX products and services, branded “Sprint 4G,” in its retail stores, the carrier said. And the first dual-mode, CDMA/mobile WiMAX modems will be commercially available as early as the end of this year. The move marks the end of the Xohm brand, which the carrier launched in August, 2007.
Sprint Nextel is offering the mobile WiMAX services under a mobile virtual network operator agreement with the new Clearwire, which recently closed on its formation that included the WiMAX assets of Sprint Nextel and the “old” Clearwire. Sprint Nextel controls 51% of the new Clearwire venture.
The first dual-mode, CDMA/mobile WiMAX modem under the Sprint 4G brand will be commercially available in Baltimore by the end of the year, said Melinda Tiemeyer, spokeswoman for Sprint Nextel. The carrier launched mobile WiMAX services in Baltimore in September under the carrier’s now-shuttered Xohm brand; the launch preceded the closing last week of Sprint Nextel’s mobile WiMAX joint venture with Clearwire.
Sprint Nextel’s “4G” portfolio eventually will include handsets and modems, Tiemeyer said. Further, she said Sprint 4G offerings will include products that can switch between the carrier’s established CDMA network and the mobile WiMAX network Clearwire is building throughout the country. The current Xohm offerings in Baltimore include a desktop modem, an ExpressCard modem and a USB card modem. All of the current devices are mobile WiMAX-only.
‘Clear’wire
Clearwire representatives were not immediately available to comment on the carrier’s planned mobile WiMAX devices. Last week, Clearwire announced it will offer mobile WiMAX services under the new “Clear” brand, which will replace Sprint Nextel’s Xohm service name. Clearwire also announced its accompanying marketing tagline, “Let’s Be Clear.” The service will run on the same mobile WiMAX network as Sprint 4G, with both services possibly being offered in the same markets.
Clearwire is also expected to dip into the MVNO space by reselling traditional cellular services using Sprint Nextel’s CDMA network. Clearwire also offers Voice over Internet Protocol voice service in some of its current pre-WiMAX service areas, but has not commented on whether it would expand the VoIP offering to its mobile WiMAX markets.
Partners contributing the more than $3 billion to the new Clearwire mobile WiMAX buildout are Comcast Corp., Intel Corp. through Intel Capital, Time Warner Cable Inc., Google Inc. and Bright House Networks. As part of their investment, the companies have the option of offering both mobile WiMAX and traditional cellular service using Sprint Nextel’s CDMA network under an MVNO arrangement. Clearwire also said it will receive an additional investment of $10 million from Trilogy Equity Partners in the coming months.
Article updated Dec. 5 to include additional information.
December 16, 2008 06:34 am
Gee.....4G service from a company that can't properly deliver 2G. Sprint needs to go back to basics and resolve its network and customer care issues prior to bring advanced products to the market.
December 9, 2008 06:06 am
Sprint will be Clear. Then Clear will be Google or Intel. Sprint won't be able to make capital calls, as they are sitting on too much debt already and losing their own subs; so they'll get diluted. And eventually the beast will be shutdown, like all the other limited coverage networks that came before it: muni Wi-Fi, CT2, Iridium, XO, etc. Wonder if they will sell their spectrum on eBay?
December 9, 2008 06:06 am
I applaud Sprint / Clearwire for forging ahead with the WiMAX buildout despite the economic challenges the industry faces. We drove a trial with and without the carrier in the VA and MD markets and the coverage in Baltimore was surprisingly solid. We collected data using our YellowFin WiMAX drive study solution and found there to be adequate coverage. The challenge is now will the consumer migrate over to WiMAX for the advantages that it offers, or will they wait and see until the build-out is farther along. Scott N. SchoberPresident/CEOBerkeley Varitronics Systems, Inc.Liberty Corporate Park255 Liberty StreetMetuchen, NJ 08840Ph: (732)-548-3737Fx: (732)-548-3404email: snschober@bvsystems.comwww.bvsystems.com- Clarifying RF -
December 8, 2008 06:00 am
Mobile WiMAX/4G is up and working in several major cities now, according to many bloggers with systems to test for it, but the official launch hasn't occured quite yet. It's still better than anything that Verizon or AT&T can come out with in at least the next two years. The reason Sprint spun its WiMAX assets off, but still owns 51 percent of the new company, was so it could focus on its core business and yet maintain a major play in the 4G world. The latest messages about Sprint saving customers a lot of money over similar AT&T and Verizon plans is an excellent move in this tough economy. Improved marketing, improved customer service, the best unlimited calling and data plans in the industry and six out the top 10 handsets for the holiday season (according to a leading magazine) are just a few things that the company is doing right under Dan Hesse's leadership.
December 7, 2008 04:10 pm
I guess we will all have to drive to Baltimore to use Sprint's Wimax since that is the only market where that have a working cell site.Sprint just plain sucks at everything.Same BOD, Same lame execs = Same dismal results.
December 6, 2008 05:59 am
The current Clearwire network is not 802.16 but Experian. Xohm is 802.16. I make the assumption that the WiMax Sprint 4G products will be 802.16 and CDMA 3G EVDO RevA.Does anybody have a clue when Clearwire is going to rebuild their network to 802.16 and when such Sprint 4G products will have true penetration in the non Xohm roll out markets?
December 5, 2008 12:47 pm
WiMax as the solution to all of Sprint's problems.Follow me...1. The Internet is becoming the major backbone for all voice/data communication.2. CDMA and iDEN are basically evolving into internet gateways3. VOIP is the future of voice and it pipes it through the internet.4. People want an always-on, always-available, always-fast, and always-cheap wireless internet connection ... yesterday!It's obvious that Sprint sees CDMA and iDEN as history. They want to put all their eggs in the WiMax basket. They're right... by 2011, most of Sprint's CDMA and iDEN powerusers/smartphone users will have upgraded their phones to WiMax capable ones, once that happens, Sprint can start scaling back on their CDMA and iDEN networks. In 5+ years, they'll probably shut those two networks down.What is Sprint without CDMA and iDEN? 51% of Clearwire, that's what!
December 5, 2008 12:46 pm
The picture of the moto dual mode cardbus/PCMCIA card is on Engadge site.
December 5, 2008 12:46 pm
Dual mode is the way to go. But the moto cleariwre card as shown in the picture is a stupid idea. How many of new laptop still support PCMCIA slot? Should be Expresscard or USB dongle.
December 5, 2008 12:48 pm
Riddle me this, Batman: If all of Sprint's subs eventually migrate to the Clearwire network for 4G, then what is left of Sprint?